Oracle (Robert Grim #2) by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
14 March 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, fiction, Horror, Oracle, Robert Grim #2, Thomas Olde Heuvelt
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Scary Concept, Little Over Stretched
Oracle is a really interesting idea for a horror story, in fact I can’t recall reading anything quite like it. It got off to a great start with a slowly building sense of unease that really does turn into all-out-horror. For me, I didn’t quite enjoy the last third of the book as much as the earlier chapters, which was something of a surprise given there’s plenty of action and utter chaos at points. I preferred the creepier elements I think to the outright horror, although I would just clarify this isn’t bloodfest slasher horror.
I would mention that this is the second instalment in the Robert Grim series but I can confidently say that this can be read as a standalone.
This story really hits the ground running. We meet Luca and his neighbour/friend/crush, Emma, they’re on their way to school, it’s a foggy morning and visibility is really bad. Then, out of the blue they come across the strangest thing? obstacle? – basically, a 17th century fishing vessel, in excellent condition, has manifested from out of nowhere – literally it’s landed in a field of tulips. Lucas is very wary but Emma is determined to explore and climbs aboard. She enters the hatch, an ominous bell tolls, and she disappears. Within fairly short order a number of people have disappeared into the ship’s hold. Each time, the ominous bell tone rings out and that person isn’t seen again. Luca’s dad, responding to his desperate call also ventures on board, and in spite of taking extra precautions he also goes missing. From this point onwards the whole episode falls under the remit of a secret agency who seem to wield enough power to make the ship and all the missing people seem explainable and mundane.
I won’t go into the plot. There is a lot of cloak and dagger type subterfuge going on, at the same time, the families with missing relatives are trying to rally and desperately hoping for good news – which is in short supply.
I won’t elaborate further on the plot at this point.
What I really like about this.
Well, having read the author a couple of times already I expected there to be some chilling moments and there certainly is. He has such a great way of creating a situation, infusing it with atmosphere, inserting something so insidiously creepy that you’ll have the goosebumps and then creating pandemonium amongst the characters. And, I liked the characters, mostly. Luca is a sensible boy, he makes some good decisions and he was easy to read about – no eye rolling at all. Grim is a character enlisted by the secret agency people because he seems to be the only person who has dealt with an unexplained incident before (aka supernatural). I wasn’t totally enamoured with some of the ‘baddie’ types though They felt a little James Bond OTT villain to me.
I love all the old lore, and some of this really does go back in time and delves into the unknown, powerful deities that have been around longer than you can imagine. There are visions and oracles and fascinating undersea discoveries. This is also mixed in with the strange history of the fishing ship that appeared out of nowhere and started these strange events. The Oracle, as it was/is known, has a dark and disturbing history and it’s sudden appearance foretells certain disaster.
I enjoyed the different settings, I particularly thought the abandoned and structurally unsafe oil rig was brilliant for the grand finale – what more could you possibly want in terms of downright spookiness – oh, a storm you say – you’re covered. Of course there’s a storm with winds so strong that the characters are in danger of being swept overboard into the thrashing waters.
Now, in terms of criticisms. I don’t have anything that spoiled the read for me, but the final chapters felt a little drawn out. Strangely, this isn’t a feeling that I often experience, I’m more likely to conclude a book and feel like it was a bit rushed than the reverse, but in this case, and perhaps it’s because the author really was putting his characters through the wringer, I wanted to get to the crux of the matter and it seemed to drag a little.
Overall though, this was an intriguing story that I enjoyed by an author whose work is always compelling.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars
Murder Road by Simone St James
7 March 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Horror, Murder Road, Mystery, Simone St James
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Absolutely Loved It. Deliciously Creepy
I went off track a little and decided to pick up Murder Road a little earlier than planned. I couldn’t help myself, I’ve been wanting to read this author for so long and in fact have previously purchased at least two of her other titles but not yet managed to pick them up. Anyway, I was excited and sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants so I just went for it. And this does not disappoint. This was so wonderfully creepy. Believe me when I say those other books I already own – yep, they’re getting bumped to the top of the TBR. I love this combination of dark horror and supernatural elements all swirled together in such an intoxicating fashion.
So, Murder Road. Starts with a couple of newlyweds on the way for their honeymoon. I immediately cottoned onto these two. They have a relaxed vibe with each other that belies the fact that they only met six months ago. In a nutshell they feel right together. Anyway, they’re lost. They’re driving down a very dark road, hemmed in with trees and not another soul in sight. At this point, they’re not particularly concerned, maybe they’ll turn round and backtrack. Just as they’re making plans to go back the way they came they spot a lone woman on the road. They can’t just drive past without checking she’s okay, which upon closer investigation she clearly isn’t. Taking the young girl on board they drive to the nearest hospital – all the while being chased down by a mysterious black truck. By the skin of their teeth they make the turnoff and deliver the injured woman, only to discover within short order that she has died and they seem to be the prime suspects for her death.
The couple find themselves almost under arrest and taken to Coldlake Falls by the police, their car impounded and not so politely requested to stay at a local B&B until required for questioning. They are staying put and the honeymoon is just a distant dream.
Right. What did I like about this.
As I mentioned I really liked the central couple. The story is told by April and she has such a great voice that I was almost hypnotised. Eddie is also a great character, he has a certain strength that just radiates from him, he’s polite and people seem to immediately warm to him. Both of them have an inner strength that has been earned through bitter experience but in finding each other it’s as though they’ve found their own ‘home’. I just really liked them if you can’t already tell. The way they’re being treated seems so unfair but it soon becomes clear that this isn’t the first death on this particular road. Atticus Line has witnessed a number of murders over the years and it feels like our hapless couple are about to be scapegoated.
I also really liked Rose. She runs a local B&B although she never seems to have any customers and the locals make her life miserable, accusing her of murdering her husband, a wild accusation that the police simply smile at and make no attempt to counter. She’s a quirky character, a bit abrupt at first but she soon softens and helps the couple to start their own investigation. If they’re going to be under a strange form of ‘house arrest’ they might as well make the most of their time and try to clear their names.
I felt like this was perfectly paced and really well plotted. It’s a chilling ghost story that really did make me look over my shoulder on more than one occasion. When I’m reading I sit with a window at my back and sometimes, if it’s a particularly scary book, I get the horrible feeling that I’m being watched, it gives me the goosebumps.
The setting was also really good. You have this small town vibe, I think the residents themselves lived in a form of suspended horror – which felt almost inevitable with this creepy road where death so frequently occurs. There’s a local urban myth that the road is haunted by a particular ghost, and if you spot her, she’ll be the last person you ever see. And yet still, young people travel the road alone, hoping to hitchhike their way to the nearest beach.
On top of this our two central characters are being slightly cagey about their own pasts and inevitably these secrets are going to reveal themselves.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really couldn’t put it down. The writing is really engaging. The dialogue flows well. The plot is intriguing and there are some wonderfully spooky elements that gave me a serious case of the shivers.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
An Education in Malice by ST Gibson
14 February 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: An Education in Malice, Book Review, Books, Horror, ST Gibson, Vampires
My Five Word TL:DR Review : I wanted to love it
I don’t know whether I just over egged the pudding for myself with An Education in Malice and raised it up onto such a high pedestal that it was perhaps never going to be able to achieve those lofty heights but this didn’t work as well for me as I’d anticipated. Dark Academia. Obsession. Secret desires and vampires – so much promise that felt to me a little lacking in direction.
The story is brought to us by two of the central characters, Laura and Carmilla. The setting is a prestigious all girls school and the real hook of the piece is a Professor, known as DeLafontaine, who most of the girls seem desperate to please. To gain a place on one of her selective courses is practically impossible, only a few achieve it and the rivalry and jealousy is intense.
Laura is a new student at Saint Perpetua’s College. She is a shy naive girl who feels a little out of place amongst all these other seemingly worldly wise students. In particular Carmilla. Laura has managed to achieve the unthinkable, a place on DeLafontaine’s poetry course – a year early no less – and Carmilla, always the favourite pupil has her nose put out of joint when this latest newbie arrives and somewhat steals the show. We then have a love/hate relationship between the two, spurred on by the teacher in an attempt to lead them to new heights of brilliance.
So, I will say Immediately that I loved the writing for this. Gibson easily creates this fantastic gothic setting in the mind’s eye and its incredibly atmospheric and I confess that I found the story very easy to get into due to the lush style.
To be honest, I’m finding it really difficult to pin down what didn’t work so well for me with this. I mean, I don’t really want to be overly negative because it’s not a bad book, just something kept it from knocking my socks off.
I actually think there was too much going on – possibly slight spoilers ahead. We have the love hate relationship between Laura and Carmilla – which suddenly clicked into something much more – and, yes,it felt rushed, like a light switch being flicked on. One minute they hated each other, then the next they didn’t. Then you have this sideline infatuation that Carmilla has for the professor – and, lets just say it as it is, the professor is being very unprofessional to say the least and definitely taking advantage of both students. Okay, DeLafontaine is a vampire. This element of the story felt kind of unnecessary really – particularly as it eventually involved a return love interest from the past and a number of grisly murders on campus – all of which seemed to remain very low key, not to mention all too easily resolved.
Looking at the above, the relationship with Laura and Carmilla. I think this was supposed to have a sensual/borderline erotic feel. I found it a bit lacking in chemistry and in one particular scene it lost all credulity with one character acting in a way that didn’t feel plausible.
Then the vampire aspects. DeLafontaine came across almost like an immature child at times. Her emotions were up and down and she went from being a polished, in control professor to someone who was clearly jealous of her students’ relationship. I understand the underlying theme here is all about obsession and that does come across really well with an almost love triangle situation playing out – but, I think I hoped for something more controlling, or in control from DeLafontaine.
I think I’ll finish there. I realise this probably comes across as overly critical and that isn’t really my intention. This is beautifully written and I imagine that it will probably work better for some readers than it did for me.
I received a copy through Netgalley courtesy of the publishers, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3 of 5 stars
What Moves the Dead/What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier books 1 and 2) by T Kingfisher
13 February 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Fantasy, Horror, Sworn Solder books 1 and 2, T Kingfisher, What Feasts at Night, What Moves the Dead
Today I’ve decided to deliver two reviews in one post. Two reasons, I read both books almost one after the other and as they’re novellas I will try to keep both reviews short and succinct.
What Moves the Dead (Sworn Soldier #1) by T Kingfisher
My Five Word TL:DR Review: House of Usher excellently reimagined
Well, I love the original story by Poe but I would say that I don’t think it’s necessary to have read that story before picking this one up – although I would also say why not? Basically, Kingfisher takes the bones of the original story and gives them a totally new makeover in her own unique style.
So, we have the dilapidated family mansion, creakily gothic and slowly disintegrating. We have the Usher twins, both suffering their own maladies and there are of course other areas that are lifted straight from the original but given new meaning and a life of their own here.
Alex Easton is a retired lieutenant who has returned to the home of his childhood friends following a letter beseeching his presence. On arrival Alex is stunned to find that both Ushers are suffering, Madeline seems not far from death’s door and behaves strangely, sleepwalking and muttering to herself. Her brother Roderick seems to be a bag of nerves and is also behaving oddly.
Alex and his companion Angus slowly set about trying to get the twins to eat more and bolster their constitution but to be frank, the efforts seem in vain and the two instead take to exploring the grounds – startled, shocked and horrified by what they find. The strangest and creepiest hares ever, lots of fungus, and a lake that glows at night. As though fungi wasn’t already creepy enough Kingfisher has now decided to also give us possessed hares!
I loved this. It’s perfectly paced and can be read in one sitting. I listened to the audio version which was wonderfully narrated.
The writing and pacing are really good and it never ceases to amaze me how Kingfisher manages to combine horror and humour. Alex is a great character and the introduction of the eccentric Ms Potter adds an extra element – both fun and serious at the same time.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. A great reimagining of a well loved classic.
I bought an audio copy. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T Kingfisher
I was actually very pleasantly surprised to discover that the author had a sequel planned bringing back to us the character Alex Easton and his companion Angus.
This time the two are journeying to an old hunting lodge, once part of the larger family estate but now owned by Alex. They have invited Ms Potter from the first story who is keen to continue her study of fungi and explore the surrounding woods.
When the two arrive at the hunting lodge something is immediately not right. The woods are spookily quiet, no natural noises of critters and birds, the lodge is unattended and has clearly been empty for some weeks, the place in disarray. Upon investigation it seems that the old caretaker has passed away in unusual circumstances. The nearby villagers are all acting cagey and close lipped and the two barely manage to secure a housekeeper to help them cook and clean – a woman who only agrees out of desperation.
This is a story based in old folklore and in particular involving a Moroi. A type of ghost that leaves the grave to feed off the dead – in this case by stealing the breath from it’s victims.
Okay, I liked this story – but – and you knew there was a but coming. It feels a little as though it lacks direction. It almost feels like it wants to go in two directions. Firstly, we take a much stronger look at Alex and the PTSD caused by warfare and then we have the story of the Moroi. I think what surprised me was Alex’s resistance to the Moroi – given the previous experiences I think a bit more open mindedness could have been expected. And, although I enjoyed the deeper character study I felt like it give the story a much slower pacing. That being said I like Alex’s no nonsense style, I love the sense of humour, I enjoyed the return of Ms Potter although she doesn’t really get a chance to shine here – the new housekeeper instead seems to take that role this time and is a perfect foil for Alex, constantly chatting to herself in pretend whispers – addressing the ceiling and muttering about ‘wastrels in general.
As you can see, I enjoyed much about this story, but at the same time it left me feeling a little perplexed. The writing is good. I enjoyed returning to this world and although this might not be my favourite instalment of the Sworn Soldier series I heartily hope that we return to this world and these characters – I think there is so much scope here.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars
Also – I have to give a shout out to both of these covers – they are absolutely superb.
Friday Face Off : Horror
30 September 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Friday Face off, Horror
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book (this doesn’t have to be a book that you’ve read), compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future’s themes are listed below – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout.
I’ve added themes in below. For information, I’m trying out some new ideas so along with coming up with particular items for book covers I thought we could also look for certain elements contained within the book or that play a large part in the story – this really broadens things out because I have plenty of more ideas with this – I’ve gone for a few of the Tough Travel Themes (so a book with that theme – just choose any book – the theme isn’t necessarily on the cover, then compare covers), also, I’ve thrown in some genres and some colours. Hopefully this will open things out a little and give us some more freedom to come up with new books.
This week’s theme:
Something from the horror genre
This week, well I don’t read a great deal of horror but I try and squeeze a few in here and there. I’m fairly certain that I’ve used the first book from the Platserna series by John Ajvide Lindqvist so today I’ve gone for No.2 – I Always Find You. These were definitely some scary books – take a look at the covers:
I never realised how downright creepy bathtubs could be!
But my favourite:
This cover fits with the first book in the series and I love the colours and the creeping darkness looming above.
Do you have a favourite. Have you read this book yet – what do you think?
If you’re taking part in this week’s theme feel free to leave your link in the comments below.
If you know of an event that’s coming up let me know and I’ll try and include covers that work for the event itself so that you can link up to the Friday Face Off and, as always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment – or if you’d like to host a week then simply let me know. Also, I would just mention that it’s very possible that some of these might be repeats from previous FFOs although I have tried to invent more ‘open ended’ prompt that can be interpreted differently and also prompts that relate to emotions. Finally, don’t struggle with any of these, this is meant to be a fun way of highlighting books. If you can’t come up with a book you think fits for a particular week use a freebie – perhaps a recent read for example:
Next Week’s Theme : 7th Guess who’s back? – Vampires – popular again?
2022
