Horror

book Review

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“Men don’t have to pay attention the way we do. Men die because they make mistakes. Women? We die because we’re female.”

In horror movies, the final girl standing is the who’s left when all said is done. The one who survived while others including loved ones, friends, and others around her are gone, the one who fought back and made it to the end of the movie but what really happens to the brave souls who did what they needed to make it to the end? Well as I’m sure you would think anyone who survived something like this is need of extensive therapy and that is exact what happens once they get out of it. These brave women try to not let it define them as they work through their pain together in therapy as a group but what happens when one of the girls doesn’t show up for a session? The others know something is sinister is happening and they must act quickly before they get picked off one by one until there are no more final girls left.

This book was quite a wild ride and one that I didn’t expect to be so all over the place. This is my second book that I’ve read by Hendrix and I do like how he mixes in witty and dry humor as it makes it so more interesting and how he writes horror is done really well with keeping up the suspense throughout till the end.It did take some time to like some of the characters especially Lynette, I found her annoying but I did appreciate how different they were from one another. They seemed like such a odd bunch but the dynamics between them felt very real and not forced or awkward and the ending was absolutely bonkers. Being a horror novel, this book was filled with gore and gruesome acts of violence but it didn’t bother me as much as it would’ve years ago because I’m older and I do enjoy good slasher films from the time to time. If you’re into slashers, you might check this out but if you have a queasy stomach then I would skip this one.

Book Review: Lakesedge

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When Violeta Graceling arrives at haunted Lakesedge Estate, she expects to find a monster as she knows the rumors about Rowan Sylvanan, who drowned his entire family when he was a boy but Leta finds herself drawn to the man who she has been told to avoid and is having a hard time believing the rumors to be true.

While it did take sometime to get into the novel and also warm up to the main character, Violeta who I found annoying at times, I did enjoy the relationships and how the story developed until the end. The relationships were the best part of the book and the majority of the characters including Violeta identified as queer so that was wonderful to have. Sometimes, the roles aren’t fleshed out enough with both main and secondary but that wasn’t the case here and that’s one of the big reason I stay so invested. The dynamics between the characters, even Violeta and Rowan were interesting and felt very real and the more I read, the more I did end up liking Violeta. The story did have a gothic feel to it and I did enjoy how the story developed to the end and I will be reading the second book so be on the lookout for that!

To end corruption and break the curse that haunted Lakesedge Estate, Violeta Graceling sacrificed herself to the land of the dead where Lord Umber watches over. A side that will test her humanity and everything she holds dear including her bond with Rowan as she tries to get out of this world of lost souls which hide many secrets.

Definitely enjoyed this better than the first book! Leta is more fleshed out and the growth that she’s gone through is realistic. It felt like the author spent more time this round working on developing the main and secondary characters and giving them real flaws and growth while also creating more vivid and rich world-building that made it very easy to be immersed in. The dynamics between the characters especially Leta & Rowan were deeper and that made it easier to invest in the romance so this was a great follow up!

BOOK REVIEW: JUST LIKE HOME

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“This house, the house her father built, the house where her mother would die—this place was safe. This place knew her. This place was where she belonged.”

As much as Vera wanted to disobey her mother’s words to come home, she knew that she couldn’t continue to run anymore. She had to face the memories that she had buried deep never to think about them again, to the home that she grew up in and the home of a serial killer. To make matters worse, she’s not alone as there is a parasitic artist is living in the guest house while also stripping up her childhood home. Even though he swears, he’s not the one writing letters in her father’s handwriting, she can’t help but be on her guard a bit more when he’s around. In order to deal with her past, she must face the secrets that will be discovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder house.

This book was so fucking creepy but at the same time so freaking good. I was on the edge of my seat as I turned the page as I didn’t know what to expect but I didn’t think it would be this creepy. The writing really helped set the mood and I found myself very invested from the beginning and even though it was slow in some parts, I felt as though the pacing was right. Vera is quite an interesting and intriguing character and I did feel for her especially during the parts about her childhood in particular the relationship with her mother. I think that’s something I strongly related to her as I’ve had my own problems with my mother but not to this extent. It’s always hard to read about relationships like this and I thought the way the author handled it was very well done and cheesy. Vera’s family is incredibly complicated, I mean what do you do when you’re the child of a infamous serial killer? This is a spooky and fun book that will leave you wanting more so I highly recommend it.

Book Review: Juniper and Thorn

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“Magic is the first sip of good wine that makes the edges of your vision blur. Magic is the cool breeze of the boardwalk at night and organ music in the air. Magic is landing a grand jeté and nearly going deaf with hate crowd’s applause. Magic is the low flicker of tavern lights and the girl your courting leaning close so you can kiss.”

Spending most of her time with her sisters, Marlinchen who longs for adventure in the big city has spend most of days trying to please her transphobic and tyrannical father who keeps the girls under his close guard. But, one fateful night is about to change all that as Marlinchen finally convinces her sisters to come with her on a night out and experience what they truly long for with being away from their father. This is where Marlinchien meets a mysterious dancer who captures her heart and soon her visits become more frequent and feverish and the longer this goes on, the more risky it becomes as her father, Oblya starts to become more suspicious. But, before anyone can make their move, a threat is looming and Marlinchen must figure out what path she wants to take before it’s too late.

This book was wild and I’m still not sure how I feel about it overall as there were parts were I felt like what was happening was more for shock value and not having anything to do with the plot. So that did take away from the book but I did enjoy the other aspects of it. I don’t really read a lot of horror so this was a nice surprise and I did enjoy the writing and how the author created this magical world with excellent world-building because it made me feel like I was really there. That’s something that I need to be able to invest in the story because when it’s not there, I lose interest very quickly which can take away from the entire novel itself. Another part that was a bit much for me is that it felt like the characters especially Marlinchen and Sevss were always wanting to jump into bed with one another. While I do like smut, I like it to be realistic and it just felt like she was adding it without any real purpose for it. I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it more if it wasn’t for these flaws but I know other people will so it all works out in the end.

JULY TBR

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Hey everyone! I’m excited to share all my choices with you! This is gonna be a good month!

Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw
Genre: Adult, LGBT, Non-Fiction

The Donut Enemy by Sarah Adams
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Float Plan by Trish Coller
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Fiction

The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

No Rings Attached by Rachel Lacey
Genre: Adult, LGBT, Romance

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Mythology

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Wedding Game by Meghan Quinn
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Dagger Hill

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Dagger Hill tells the story fro four POV’s: Gabe, Kimberly, Sonya, and Charlie, the four friends are getting ready for their senior year and plan to spend their summers like they usually do at Dagger Hill. While, their parents don’t like the idea of Dagger Hill, the four best friends don’t see the problem s teenagers often feel like their parents worry too much. But, what starts out as relaxing and unwinding as they usually do, ends up throwing the four friends into an adventure that none of the expected to happen. It all started when a plane crashed landed at Dagger Hill with the four friends running into the woods as quickly as they can. When the dust finally clears up, the kids are taken to the hospital, well everyone except Kimberly and no one knows where she is. Can they find her before it’s too late?

What a spooky, entertaining, and thrilling read that tied Stranger Things into the story and it did that very well. I love the 80’s and Stranger Things is one of my favorite shows so this was super fun. The plot was very intriguing and wasn’t predictable so that’s always good cause it’s the worst when the plot sounds good from the outside but you get into it and it doesn’t live up the way you expected it to do. While I loved the writing and plot, I really enjoyed the characters and the dynamics between them as it felt real and relatable, they all had unique personalities which really helped drive the story! Overall, I enjoyed the book and if the plot sounds interesting to you, I highly recommend checking it out.

Halloween ROund Up Part 1

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Here is another week of spooky and fun halloween reads! Hope you enjoy!

A collection of spooky, gothic, and terrifying short stories that will make you sleep with the lights on. This is a new series of short stories curated by filmmaker and horror fanatic Guillermo del Toro.

I’m a sucker for short stories as I have been getting into them more and more and I was glad to find this series as I loved it. I hadn’t heard of some of these stories before so I went in not knowing what to expect. I enjoyed all of the short stories but I think my favorite out of them would be Comet Wine which was shorter than the other stories in the book but really stood out to me. If you’re a fan of horror stories and you want to read more gothic horror, then this is right up your alley. It was delightful and spooky all at the same time.

A truly frightening and supernatural thriller that helped define the genre. It tells the story of four seekers who notoriously arrive at the unfriendly pile that is called Hill House. The occult and mysterious scholar, Dr. Montague who is looking to find evidence of a serious haunting; his lighthearted assistant Theodora; Eleanor, a friendless and fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke Sanderson, the future heir to Hill House. At first, the four companions are enjoying their stay but then strange things begin to happen that cannot be explained and they soon discover that Hill House seeks to take one of them to make it’s own.

Truly one of my favorite books and I love the new spin on it done by Del Toro. The first time I read this book, it seriously scared me but I’m a lot older now and it was a fun and spooky tale this time. I love everything about this book especially the plot, characters, and how it developed until the end. It was a delightful reread so if you should check this out if you’re a horror fan looking for a scare!

There’s an old house on a hill in the woods that all the kids call Halloween House. They say a witch lives there, a witch has come back to haunt the children and others. The kids had accused her of being a witch and when word got to the townspeople, they came together and burned the house down and before she died she put a curse on them. A curse that no one believed until three years later, strange things begin to happen and children are vanishing one by one. That’s when the townspeople realize the terrifying truth: the curse was real and witch might not be dead after all.

I really wanted to like this story but it fell flat for many reasons. It was a very predictable plot but I had hoped from the reviews that it would be a unique spin but it didn’t turn out that way. I felt like the ending was rushed and there were a few parts that made no sense to what was happening. Lastly, I wished the characters were more developed than they were, they felt one-dimensional so it was hard to invest in them. It was a bummer but maybe other people will like this story so that’s fine!

Locke and Key tells the story of Keyguard, a mysterious mansion located in New England. It is an unlikely home with fantastic doors that will transform to all those who enter them. It is home to all the hate-filled and relentless creatures that will not rest until it opens the most terrible door of them all.

Not my usual read but for a halloween readathon I’m doing and it was quite good.I don’t normally read graphic novels as they’re hit and miss with at times but this was pretty entertaining and very spooky. I like how the story was told because it wasn’t done in a way that was unpredictable and definitely gave a eerie vibe. There were a few times that I didn’t something to happen and it scared me so give this a shot if you think you’d like it!

Journey into the night realm where vampires, werewolves, shifters and other nightly creatures looking for human prowl in the streets while also attending school. Ailis & Naya are pretty average young students who are the first to notice strange things happening when a shadow starts looming and a fellow classmate disappears. But things get even more personal when Naya’s little brother, Desh disappears. That’s when both girls decide it’s time to take matters into their own hands and confront the secrets of the forbidden mansion located in the silent woods.

What a cute little novel! I really enjoyed this, it was fun, spooky, and well written. I found the plot incredibly enjoyable in addition to the characters, writing, and how the story developed. Ailis and Naya were unique, fun, and quirky characters and I enjoyed the dynamics between the two. It felt like a very real friendship and I thought they were both great on their own. The plot and writing was also very good so I highly recommend this book!

Halloween Fiend

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“But no matter where I ran to or how loud I played the music, I could still hear a low chuckling coming from the thing on our front step.”

The town of Sering isn’t as quiet and quiant town as people think it is as every it’s haunted every night by creature that the town ironically refers to as Halloween. Once the sun sets each day, Halloween comes to collect it’s prize: a small live offering from each house and the residents don’t want to take any chances and find themselves facing Halloween’s wrath. But, the nightmare of residing in Strang is nothing compared to the yearly ritual Halloween demands of the residents on All Hallows Eve.

This is the first novel that I’ve read by C.V. Hunt and I have to say it was pretty good, I wished it was a little longer but other than that the book was pretty great. The book is fun and Hunt is able to captivate the readers with creating an atmosphere that oozes desperation while writing tersely and had you hooked from the first page. One of the biggest things that I loved about the book was imagining Halloween as a menace to society cause that is such an interesting and unique way to look at it. With some Halloween books, they can be quite predictable of how things are gonna go but that wasn’t the case here. Hunt does a really good job of fleshing out the plot in a way that isn’t predictable or overdone. But, this was an entertaining, spooky, and fun tale so check it out if you want!

NightBOOKS by J.A. White

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“And now I realize—so what if I write scary stories? I might hurt someone with nouns and adjectives, but I would never hurt someone for real.”

While Alex’s hair raising stories are enough to keep Natacha, the witch who has imprisoned him. Alex has been imprisoned by Natacha and must tell her scary tell every night in order to survive. He needs to come up with a plan that will get out of Natacha’s clutches but time is running and he knows that if he doesn’t come up with a plan soon, he will be facing a more dangerous fate than he thought.

This was actually a very entertaining, suspenseful, and I highly enjoyed the plot twists throughout the book. I’m currently participating in a readathon so I decided to look through and find some middle grade halloween books and this was one of the books that seemed interesting to me. This might be written for Middle Grade but it really didn’t feel that way as I was hooked from beginning to end. Even though Alex is very young, it’s hard not to like him and feel for him in the situation. He was a very interesting protagonist and his vivid imagination and love for Horror made me like him even more. I felt like all the characters were likable in some way so that really helped and I didn’t feel bored for a minute. The way things developed throughout the story kept me on pins and needles if he was going to make it out of their alive. This book is a real treat so if you like ghost stories and are fans of Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Coraline then this book is for you!