Book Review: The Halloween Children

Author: Brian James Freeman & Norman Prentiss
Pages: 189
Published: October 2014
Genre: Horror, Holiday>Halloween, Paranormal
Rating:  3.5/5

I received this one for review from NetGalley.

Harris loves both his kids. Whether or not his wife believes him is another story. He works as the handyman for the Stillbrook Apartment complex where they all live while his wife works from home offering tech support. Their two kids couldn’t be more different from each other. Mattie (Matt) is meticulous, considerate, and inquisitive. He takes his time, keeps to himself and asks a lot of questions and it’s pretty clear that he is Harris’ favorite. Amber is outgoing, creative, and messy. Her and her mother stick together more often than not. Even though Harris and his wife aren’t getting along anymore, at least their kids are happy…right?

The closer it gets to Halloween the more frustrating the apartment manager becomes. Now she has decided that any celebration is going to be considered a liability and has asked Harris to distribute fliers around the complex letting everyone know. This wouldn’t have been such a big deal if his wife hadn’t decided that she needed to spy on the kids after a recent incident and if the neighbor who he can’t stand wasn’t picking right this second to ask him for favors. All he needs to do is make it through Halloween night and then everything can go back to normal.

This one was weird. Good weird. But also really graphic. I would have given it a higher rating if it weren’t for an entire section of the book being dedicated to talking negatively about someone that may or may not have had a disability. That part was kind of a let down. I don’t think that it really added anything to the story and honestly it would have been a stronger story without it.

Overall I thought it was really creepy. I love the idea of not knowing whether or not the kids can be trusted and of course anything written about Halloween is going to be fun to read.

Book Review: The Night Sister

Author: Jennifer McMahon
Pages: 322
Published: August 4, 2015
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Fantasy
Rating:  4/5

I received this one for review from NetGalley.

Amy, Piper and Margot used to be best friends. That is, until something happened in the summer of 1989 that caused Amy to begin ignoring them. Up until that point the three were inseparable and could be found hanging out on the property of the Tower Motel which was once a thriving motel off route 6. Now as adults, Piper and Margot (sisters) haven’t spoken to Amy in decades and don’t really consider her a part of their lives anymore until Piper receives a call from Margot stating that Amy was found dead along with her husband and son and that Amy is the only suspect. Forced to confront old demons, Piper and Margot must go back through their years with Amy to determine what really happened the night she was killed and figure out if it has any relation to what caused them to stop talking back in 1989.

This is my second novel from Jennifer McMahon and she’s quickly becoming one of my favorite horror authors. Her books have a slow burn and are more atmospheric than anything else, but overall I think I prefer that with her storytelling. You become enthralled in the lives of the characters and need to know what is going on that is making everything so messed up. I thought I had this one figured out a few times but was wrong each time. I was surprised by the outcome of The Night Sister and I’m still not sure if I love it, but it was entertaining.

Book Review: The Atrocities

 

Author: Jeremy Shipp
Pages: 104 (ebook)
Published: April 17, 2018
Genre: Gothic, Horror, Fantasy
Rating:  4/5

I received this one for review from NetGalley.

Ms. Valdez has taken a new job as a governess for Isabella. So far her experience has been…weird. After navigating a maze outside of the house where she was confronted with grotesque statues she was finally able to enter the home but has not yet been able to meet Isabella. No one will tell her much about the girl other than that she was in an accident and now needs help. Is this the job that she signed up for?

This one left me guessing the entire time. I was sure that I knew what the answers were going to be as I was reading and being introduced to each new character, but of course not. Shipp did a great job of taking some of the weirdest concepts and combining them with the traditional story of a new governess meeting a strange family. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and can definitely recommend it!

Book Review: The Silence by Tim Lebbon (ARC)

Author: Tim Lebbon
Pages: 400
Published: April 14, 2015
Genre: Horror
Rating: 5/5

One of the creepiest novels I’ve ever read. And the only novel to make me tear up.

I was sent an ARC for review from Titan Books.

The Silence is the new horror novel from Tim Lebbon that is sure to give you the creeps.

Ally is a teenage girl that wants nothing more than to be a journalist and she’s found a new story to follow. After a cave discovery in Moldova is broadcast on the news, both Ally and her father Huw become intrigued. While Ally is home with her brother, mom, and grandmother, she turns on the Discovery Channel to watch the live feed of the explorers at the cave site. While away on a business trip, her father Huw has done the same thing. Unknowingly they are both about to see something horrifying that will change their lives forever.

Now as the monsters that have been unleashed from the cave are making their way across the world, Ally and her family must decide if they want to stay in their home and wait it out, or try to make it to Huw’s parents old vacation home in Scotland.

No one knows what the monsters are. The only facts that have been shared about them with the world are that they are killing people and they hunt by sound. For Ally’s family this presents a challenge unlike what most other families will experience since Ally is deaf and her family can communicate through sign language.

Follow Ally and her family as they fight to survive in Tim Lebbon’s new fantastically terrifying novel, The Silence.

This novel was absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed every second of it and am now completely hooked on Tim Lebbon’s writing. The Silence is the second sensory deprivation novel that I’ve ever read and that’s partly what made it so terrifying. This is also the very first novel I’ve ever read that made me tear up. Which says a lot about Tim Lebbon’s ability to create characters that the reader can relate to. I highly recommend all horror fans read The Silence and gave it a much deserved 5/5.

Book Review: Ice

Author: Jessica Wren
Pages: 121
Published: September 29, 2014
Genre: Thriller, Psychological, mild Horror
Rating: 5/5

That was fantastic.

Minterville is a strange little town. Half of the population of the town has the ability to speak psychically to each other while the other half can’t. But after two new families move into the town, things began to change.

Elliot is a high school student that begins to realize something is wrong when women start disappearing from the town. After contacting his Uncle Andy who is the police chief and hearing that even more women have been reported missing, Elliot takes it upon himself to begin investigating. What he uncovers will shock everyone in the small town of Minterville and lead to the biggest massacre to ever take place there.

I was sent this novel for review from the author and could not be more satisfied with it. Even though the book is only 121 pages, Jessica Wren managed to pack a ton of world building and character development into an action packed psychological thriller that was beautifully screwed up and kept me grasping for more.

Ice was incredibly entertaining and the writing style this author has is fantastic. Easy to read with very strong storytelling abilities. She’ll be an indie author to watch for years to come.

Book Review: Witch in the Woods (Book 1)

Author: Taylor Ann Bunker
Pages: 204
Published: December 11, 2013
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal
Rating: 4/5

Victor is a witch hunter that has been drafted to Beth’s Hollow to determine who this witch is that has been harassing the townspeople for years. After more and more people reportedly go missing once they enter the woods, Victor takes the task upon himself to bring this witch down. Little did he know that he would begin to develop feelings for those he would meet in the woods or that he would develop a new found respect for his deceased father in the process.

A solid 4/5, Witch in the Woods was a really fun start to another witch trilogy that I can’t wait to continue! A debut novel from this author, you can tell how much she enjoyed writing the characters as the storyline progressed. Victor is one of my favorite characters that I read in 2014. I need to get books 2 and 3 ASAP!

Book Review: The Shadow Rises

Author: K.S. Marsden
Pages: 208
Published: January 7, 2013
Genre: Paranormal, Horror, Witches
Rating: 4/5

Hunter Astley is a seventh generation witch hunter. As far as anyone knows, he’s the only seventh gen in existence. If fifth generation witch hunters have insane powers, what are Hunter’s possibilities?

When the first Shadow Witch in decades appears, it is up to Hunter to track her down and kill her before she can kill anyone else he loves. As part of the Malleus Maleficarum Council (MMC), it is Hunter’s job to keep all witch hunters around the world informed and create a plan of attack. But how is he going to do that when the Shadow Witch continues to slip through his grasp?

This was an awesome start to a witch trilogy by K.S. Marsden. I blew through this book in two days while finishing up finals because I had to know what would happen next to Hunter! I currently have books 2 and 3 and I cannot wait to find out what will happen next. Incredibly strong writing style and very entertaining, The Shadow Rises is a solid start to a witch trilogy that mixes fighting witches (which is all Hunter has ever known) with love in a way that will keep you begging for more. 4/5.

Book Review: The Farm (The Farm #1)

Author: Emily McKay
Pages: 420
Published: December 4, 2012
Genre: YA, Horror, Vampire
Rating: 4/5

The Farm (#1) begins the story of Lily and her twin sister Mel as they navigate life trapped on The Farm. No one is really sure how it got out of control so fast, but somehow a genetically modified animal species has multiplied and taken over. Parents were informed that they could send their teenagers to The Farm which would act as a safe haven until this problem could be contained. Unfortunately that was a ruse to get fresh meat.

Now girls are willingly becoming “breeders” to make their blood less appealing to the Ticks that surround the farm at night. Lily’s story has been different since day one. As a twin she feels a very strong connection to her sister Mel. But even more so since Mel was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum.

It’s up to Lily to keep her and Mel safe from the Ticks until an old friend shows up. Carter has been missing and now out of nowhere he has injected himself into Lily’s life and has taken control of her escape plans. With his appearance came so many questions and even stranger answers that Lily never expected.

This book was really entertaining and I have book 2 (The Lair) ready to read soon! Book 3 in this trilogy is called The Vault and I will definitely be picking that up as well. I gave this book a 4/5 because I did have some issues with the wording at different points in this novel. At one point Carter mentions to Lily that she “almost got herself raped” which to me is reflective of victim blaming and took me out of the moment. Other than a few parts where something like this occurred, I thought the story was great and definitely a fun new twist on the traditional vampire story.

Book Review: This is Not a Test (Book #1)

Author: Courtney Summers
Pages: 326
Published: June 19, 2012
Genre: Ya, Horror, Zombies
Rating: 5/5

Sloane is trapped in a world she doesn’t want to live in anymore. After suffering through years of abuse at the hands of her father and then being abandoned by her older sister, Sloan wakes up one morning only to be confronted with a world overrun by zombies.

Now, along with a group of fellow students that she never interacted with prior to this moment, Sloane is taking cover in the local high school until help arrives. When it seems that may never happen, Sloane is faced with the decision to sacrifice herself to the zombies or continue pushing through in the hopes of one day seeing her sister again.

A gut wrenching story of abuse is played out throughout this story of a suicidal young girl as she faces a zombie apocalypse along with some fellow students. This book was fantastic. I’ve only read a few zombie novels prior to this one, but this quickly became my favorite. Courtney Summers tackled some very intense issues beautifully and I cannot wait for book 2 (Please Remain Calm) to be released! 5/5

Book Review: Shutter

Author: Courtney Alameda
Pages: 384
Published: (Expected February 3, 2015)
Genre: YA, Horror, Paranormal, Thriller
Rating: 5/5

GAH! This novel was absolutely amazing. Since I first saw the cover months ago I knew that I need to get my hands on a copy. The amazing author was kind enough to send me an ARC for review which I devoured.

Micheline Helsing is a descendant of Van Helsing and as such is also a freakin’ ghost hunter. But what is awesome about Micheline, is that she is a tetrachromat. Which means that sees the auras of ghosts on a spectrum. The differing colors of the ghosts tells her how dangerous it will be to fight.

After a hospital is inhabited by ghosts, Micheline and her long time friend and fellow ghost hunter, Ryder, make the decision to go into the hospital before back-up arrives to eradicate themselves. After being infected by the soulchain curse, Micheline and Ryder must do whatever they can to survive long enough to finish what they started.

This book. Gah. This freakin’ book. I loved it so much. I absolutely need more of Micheline & Ryder. Courtney Alameda is a brilliant writer and I am looking forward to reading everything from her in the future!