Short Movie Reviews – Spooky Season Week, Day 7

 

So, I ended up watching quite a few scary movies for this week of blogging, but if I gave each movie an individual post, there would be too many posts for only seven days, and I'm pretty sure people would get bored of seeing them.

Thus, after writing full reviews for The Blair Witch Project and Pet Sematary, I figured I could compile all of the others into one post, and give mini reviews for them.

Let us commence!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.

On a black and unholy Halloween night years ago, little Michael Myers brutally slaughtered his sister in cold bold. But for the last fifteen years, town residents have rested easy, knowing that he was safely locked away in a mental hospital – until tonight. Tonight, Michael returns to the same quiet neighbourhood to relive his grisly murder again…and again…and again. For this is a night of evil. Tonight is Halloween!

My Review!

I have always heard it said that people get frustrated at horror movie characters, for being so annoyingly dumb, but I have never come across a movie before where I actually felt such a thing. If you are not sure the bad guy is actually dead, don't drop the knife right next to his body and turn your back to him! A slasher movie from the 70s, this film includes a man, who killed his sister when he was only six, who breaks out of a mental hospital, and returns to his hometown. His doctor works to try and find him before people get hurt, and babysitting teenagers are the ones who end up in Myers' grasp. The main character, Laurie, is lovely, and incredibly likeable, but although she is very smart, she doesn't seem to have much sense when faced with someone trying to kill her! All in all, it's a good movie if you're after a little bit of suspense, as long as you don't mind predictability and a bit of nudity here and there.

Much-lauded comedy, described by its makers as 'a romantic comedy - with zombies'. Written by Simon Pegg, creator of the hit TV series 'Spaced', the film fuses the style (and copious bloodshed) of classic zombie films with observational suburban comedy. Shaun (Pegg) is a useless but likeable thirty-something who works in an electronics shop in Crouch End. He doesn't get much respect from his fellow staff, even though he's standing in as temporary boss; his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield) has had enough of his lack of direction and penchant for downing pints in the local pub; and he doesn't get on with his stepdad (Bill Nighy). Things get worse when the living dead make their appearance, threatening to spread their zombie curse across the nation. Will Shaun be able to rise from his sofa to save the lives of the two women he loves - Liz and his dear old mum?

My Review!

Not everything about this season needs to be overly horrifying and scary! We are allowed to watch movies that have some comedy in them as well, rather than just gore! Shaun of the Dead is a movie I have seen before, but it is certainly one that you can watch over again. With zombies who are happy to stop and wait for people to finish their conversation before attacking, and popping round the shop for a Cornetto, this movie mixes comedy and horror together, into a strange but almost delightful amalgamation of a group of people trying to stay alive when everything they know seems to have disappeared. If you are after a bit of a laugh, but also want to stay on theme with the time of year and throw in a couple of zombies, this is definitely a movie to watch!

Five battle-hardened American soldiers are assigned to hold a French Chateau near the end of World War II. Formerly occupied by the Nazi High Command, this unexpected respite quickly descends into madness when they encounter a supernatural enemy far more terrifying than anything seen on the battefield.

My Review!

This isn't a movie I watched for the first time this week. In fact, I have seen this movie multiple times now, and it has actually got better with each time I watched it. Thinking they've caught a break, the five American soldiers are happy to arrive at the French Chateau to protect it. They can sleep in beds, eat properly, rest for the first time in ages. But, what they are faced with isn't the dream they expected, but a nightmare. This is the kind of movie that has unexpected layers to it – there are the layers that reveal themselves, but then you realise there is still more to come, and then more still. This is almost a horror movie within a horror movie, although it is not until the very end that everything seems to fall into place. On rewatching it, you start to notice little things, things that will have been irrelevant the first time watching it, so unimportant that you might not even have noticed, but when you understand what is happening, what has happened, and what will happen, this film becomes all the more amazing. Rewatching it, this movie becomes a search for those little things, that just prove how much work went into creating this film. It is one that I highly recommend you watching. If you are after a scary, historical, military, supernatural film, that will put you slightly on edge and leave you staring in shock and awe as the credits roll, this is the one you must watch.

Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) are a happily married couple with three young children who have moved into their idyllic new suburban home. When tragedy strikes their young son, Josh and Renai begin to experience things in the house that are beyond explanation. Before long, their lives are turned upside down by demonic forces, hell-bent on terrorising their very existence. Forced to seek help and protect their family, they learn the terrifying truth…… it’s not the house that’s haunted but something far worse…

My Review!

I decided it would be a good idea to watch this movie, because image of the man with the red face standing behind Josh really freaked me out. There’s something about just how inhuman the red face looks that makes a chill run up my spine. Watching it at night, as well, was perhaps a mistake. If I knew what this film was about before I watched it, I wouldn’t have done that. But, as it stands, I finished watching a movie about nightmares and the hellish things the sleep world can hold, just before going to sleep. One thing that always seems to be utilised in horror movies is the lack of light, and wow, do the family in this movie have a lot of lamps, and use them way more often than the main lights. It’s almost like they want a spooky atmosphere. Another thing, is characters always act like they're in a horror movie. If you heard a strange voice over the baby monitor, surely you would run to get to your baby, rather than stand at the bottom of the stairs and listen to it? Nevertheless, it is a horror movie, and I suppose these ‘flaws’ are necessary for the movie. There were a lot of things that scared me about this movie, especially so the man with the red face, but one thing in particular was when the title was shown. Turns out, you can make anything scary if you put very loud, erratically played string instruments over the top of it. If you want to watch a movie that will scare you, freak you out, slightly annoy you with horror movie things, and make you afraid to go to sleep, go ahead and watch this one. Just not at night. And not right before you have to go to sleep. And not in the dark.

And done!

Spooky Season Week has, unfortunately, come to an end, which means we are now back to posts on only Wednesdays and Saturdays. It does mean, though, that I don't have to write as many posts last minute – I finished this one last night.

That's all for now, then.

Bye!

Short Story – The Halloween of A Drunk, British Girl (and the mockery of her friends) – Spooky Season Week, Day 6!

The Halloween of A Drunk, British Girl (and the mockery of her friends)

Read part 1 – The Poetry of A Drunk, British Girl (and the mockery of her friends)

*The following contains alcohol consumption.

"How have you never seen a scary movie?" Timmy asked, slamming a bottle of vodka down onto the coffee table.

"Because I don't like being scared," I stared at the bottle on the table, noting that Timmy hadn't procured any other drinks. "Is that all we have?"

"No, but it's all I'm getting." He sat back, reaching for the remote to the television, snatching it away before I could get it.

"Did you at least bring in shot glasses?" Amy asked as she walked into the room, and Timmy and I both leant back on the sofa to look at her upside down.

"Who needs shot glasses?" Vi leant forward and picked up the bottle, unscrewing the cap and taking a swig as Timmy, Amy and I watched. Her face didn't give away anything as she swallowed, putting the bottle back down on the table, and the cap down beside it, daring the rest of us to pick it up.

"Fine, I'll go," Timmy reached forward and picked it up. Amy left the room, saying something about refusing to drink from the bottle and that she'd be back in a minute with some glasses, as Timmy tipped the bottle back. I waited for his nose to crinkle, but to no avail – perhaps I was the only one whose entire face screwed up at the taste of vodka.

I heard the front door open, and I turned to look in the direction of it.

"Don't worry, everyone, the fun has arrived!" Noah walked into the room, shedding his coat and throwing it into the corner of the room.

"Where is it?" I asked, grinning, and he pulled a face at me, jumping over the back of the sofa and narrowly missing landing on me.

"It's right here," he leant towards me and pressed his lips against mine, and I closed my eyes, melting against him. His nose was cold as it brushed against mine.

"Please stop. Amy, hurry up and get in here, the lovebirds are making out again!" Vi called, and Noah smiled against my mouth.

"Just delivering the fun, Vi," Noah said, causing a very vocal reaction from Vi, who I was sure was about to walk over and sit between us.

"It's so annoying! I look over, and everything's fine, and I look over again and you're stuck together." Vi complained and Noah kissed me again, before sitting back, stretching his arm across my shoulders, and pulling me against him.

"Timmy wants to watch a scary movie, and I don't want to," I told Noah, and he stuck his bottom lip out, pouting down at me.

"Oh, dear. Are you scared?" he asked, and I stuck my tongue out at him, turning my back to him and folding my arms. "Poor Piper, scared of a movie," he grabbed me by my arms and wiggled his head into the crook of my neck, kissing my skin. I couldn't help but smile, and I shook my head at his antics. I couldn't stay mad at him.

"Stop it!" Vi half yelled, picking up a pillow and holding it across her face. "All the time!"

"What's going on?" Amy asked, finally returning.

"Where are the glasses?" Timmy asked, and Amy seemed to realise she hadn't brought anything back with her.

"Umm," she turned around and walked back to the kitchen, coming back seconds later with a stack of shot glasses.

"What were you doing in there?" I asked, trying and failing to get Noah to sit up properly and stop messing around.

"Nothing." I watched as her cheeks turned red, and grinned at her.

"Who were you texting?" Vi asked, and Amy picked up a pillow and threw it at her.

"No one, shut up. Put the movie on."

"Was it that girl you met at the coffee place?" Timmy asked, and Vi and I both turned to look at him. Noah even removed his face from my neck to stare as well.

"What? When? How do you know about this person and we don't?" I asked, accusingly.

"You trust Timmy with your secret girlfriends and you don't trust us?" Vi asked.

"Timmy is the least trustworthy of us!" Noah added, making Timmy attempt to hit him across the back of the head, but missing and nearly hitting me instead.

"I didn't tell Timmy, he just so happened to be there!" Amy said loudly, picking up her witch hat from the floor and pulling it down over her eyes.

"So there is a girl? He didn't make it up?" Noah asked and Amy, or rather the hat, nodded.

"What's her name? What does she look like? What's she like?" I hounded Amy.

"Where does she live? Does she like vodka and scary movies?" Vi added and Amy groaned from within the hat.

"I'm not inviting her over, you'll all embarrass me too much." She announced, just before the doorbell rang.

"Piper, you go." Vi deadpanned, and I sighed.

"Give me the hat then," I stood up and pulled that hat off Amy's head, putting it on my own instead. It went really well with my jeans and t-shirt. Very witch like.

There was a bowl of sweets waiting by the door, and I bent down to pick them up before I opened it, to a chorus of 'trick or treat!'

"I think I'll go with treat," I held out the bowl, waiting for the little fingers to find the contents. A parent stood off to the side, and nodded their thanks to me. I smiled back, as the children dropped their sweets into the baskets they carried. They thanked me, and I closed the door, picking out a sweet from the bowl and putting it in my mouth before anyone else realised I had taken one and asked me to bring them one as well.

"Turn the light off!" Timmy called, and I sighed, flicking the switch and plunging the room into darkness, other than the light the television emitted into the room.

"He chose a movie while you weren't here so you couldn't argue. I said it was unfair," Amy announced, and I slumped into the seat next to Noah. He wrapped his arm around me, and I curled up into him, ready to turn my head away from the screen and to close my eyes at any moment.

"Timmy, switch seats with me," Vi said, and I watched as she stood up, and waited for Timmy to move.

"Why?"

"Because." Timmy sighed, standing up and letting Vi sit down next to me. She shuffled up to me, and, as soon as Timmy pressed play and the title screen appeared, she reached for my arm and gripped it with enough force to cut of my circulation. I sat up a little, and leant closer to her.

"I thought you were all tough?" I whispered and she glowered at me.

"I don't like horror films," she whispered back, her teeth gritted, and I smiled, reaching for her hand.

"We'll survive." I leant back against Noah, with his arm around my shoulders, Vi's hand in mine, and her other hand around my bicep. I wouldn't be surprised if my arm were to drop off from lack of blood flow half way through the movie.

"I hope."

And done!

This is kind of a continuation from my other short story, in that it has the same characters. I missed them a bit, so they're back! And Piper and Noah have got together!

Not everything about Halloween has to be scary! So I decided just to scare my characters, rather than actually create something scary. 

*Throws a sheet over my head, and makes ghost noises* that's all for now...

Bye!

Movie Review – Pet Sematary – Spooky Season Week, Day 5!

 

Stephen King is a name that almost everyone knows, and a lot of people are very familiar with his work.

I am not one of those people.

The only movie I have seen that was based on a Stephen King book was It (unpopular opinion, I didn't think it was scary at all...) and I have never read any of his books, although I would like to remedy that.

And so, when I was scrolling through Netflix, hoping something would magically appear that I wanted to watch, and I saw this movie, I decided to settle down with a blanket, and press play...

Let me introduce this movie, and we can get into what I thought about it!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.

A sinister burial ground lies behind the Creed family's new, rural Maine property, and a sequence of tragic events will soon unleash its terrible power.

My Review...

A new house. A new life. Louis and Rachel Creed packed up everything they knew, and moved their family to a new house, far from everything they knew. With the desire to slow down, to spend more time at home with their two children, Ellie and Gage, Louis in particular takes this move as an opportunity to start a new kind of life, one where he doesn't spend hours upon hours working the nighttime shift at the hospital, and instead, spends those hours with the people he loves.

As Ellie starts to explore her new home, she come across an unusual area in the woods by the house. With a sign reading 'Pet Sematary', and graves all around, she is undoubtedly curious. Rachel had a difficult childhood, with the trauma of losing her sister and blaming herself for her sister's death, and has tried to shelter Ellie from the realities of death. And, while Louis doesn't completely understand, he lets his wife shield Ellie from the fact that what comes after death is unknown, and it is, unfortunately, inevitable.

But, when Ellie's cat, Church, is found dead on the side of the road outside their house, a road that trucks speed down dangerously, Rachel can't bear to tell Ellie that her beloved cat is gone. Instead, they weave a tale that Church has run away, and their new neighbour, Jud, takes Louis to bury Church. Instead of the Pet Sematary, though, Jud leads Louis to a different place, and bury the cat there, even if it is creepy, and has a strange feel to it.

The next morning, they find Church alive, in Ellie's bedroom.

The thing about horror, is that often it relies too heavily upon the supernatural, or on people with revenge on their minds, to create the atmosphere and to provide the scares. This film doesn't do this, but rather, uses human nature, assisted by the supernatural, to tell the story. There is plenty of foreshadowing throughout the film, with the lorries on the road, and with the story of Church, that helps you to predict what will happen, and even though you know it is inevitable, it won't stop you hoping that, somehow, Jud will get through to Louis, and everything will be left alone.

The whole idea of being able to bring the dead back is one that Louis grasps onto. After Jud shows him the place, its existence haunts him in the form of a cat who was once loving and kind, but now hisses and attacks his children. And, even though he knows the outcome, that if you bring the dead back to life, they will not return how they left, the pain that grief brings is unbearable, and with the option there, no other option seems available.

Louis is the character at the forefront of this movie, although Ellie also gets a lot of screen time. While Rachel and Gage are almost in the background of this small cast of characters, every one of them plays their individual role. The butterfly effect suggests that one action, one small decision, can change the course of everything that is to happen, and this movie, although not outright stating it, shows this. If Jud and Louis had buried Church in the Pet Sematary, if Louis and Rachel had told Ellie that Church was dead, if Rachel had never been left home alone with her sister that dreadful day – the outcome of this story could be completely different. Indeed, if Church stayed dead, and if Louis never learnt of the powers the ground could hold, there might not be a story to tell.

This movie is a fabulous portrayal of horror without the scares, but rather, something that will get under your skin, and leave you feeling unnerved. In particular, the closing scene is one that will stay with you for a long time. In the horror genre, it can seem too easy to kill off adult characters, and sometimes, if a character is too annoying, the viewer might even be waiting for that particular person to die. When two of the main characters are children, though, young children, who are innocent, lovely, and have their whole lives ahead of them, the whole aspect of horror takes on a different tone. It's more difficult and unsettling to watch children in danger, especially with such a subtle thread of supernatural running through the story. This family is living a normal life, in their new home, and yet, there is something wrong, something that they can't quite put their finger on. And, with the feeling of being unsafe hanging around them, trying to sleep at night becomes a much more difficult thing to do.

I watched the 2019 remake of this movie, and for those hardcore Stephen King/Pet Sematary fans out there, yes, I am aware this is a remake, and that there were some significant changes to the story in this film. I haven't read the book, and I haven't seen the original film, but giving my opinion on this film, it is a story that will cause chills to run down your spine, and I certain want to read the book now, to see just how different the ending is, and to read the words that eventually made their way into the imagery of this movie.

And done!

I said in a previous post that it was the week before my 'Spooky Week' and I only had three posts written. It is now Sunday, the day before Day 1, and this is post 4.

This is how unorganised I am.

To be fair to myself, I have been unwell the past couple of days, but hopefully (fingers crossed) I will be able to figure out 3 more posts before they have to go out.

That's all for now...

Bye!

Short (Spooky) Story – What the Storm Washed In – Spooky Season Week, Day 4!

What the Storm Washed In

*The following contains violence and death.

I rolled over in bed, pulling my duvet tighter around my shoulders. Rain pounded against the window and every so often, the sky would rumble and light would filter in through the cracks in my curtains as lightning exploded across the sky.

I stared blankly across the room, the darkness creating shapes and trying to trick my tired eyes into believing there were people or monsters waiting to attack. I closed them, and rolled over again, trying to get comfortable.

Another crash of thunder, and I jumped when my door creaked open. I turned to face it, expecting to see a shadowy figure. Thunder storms always put me slightly on edge. Instead, there was a small head poking through the gap in the door.

"Cathy? Are you awake?" my little sister, Daisy, half whispered, even though it was very clear I was half sitting up in bed.

"Yeah, come here," I pulled up my duvet, waiting for her to close the door and run over. She climbed up into my bed, and I tucked the duvet over her as she snuggled into my pillows.

"I don't like the storm," she mumbled and I held my arms out to her, letting her curl up in my arms.

"It's quite noisy, isn't it?" I asked, and she nodded.

"I saw a man."

"Where?" I asked, smoothing her hair.

"At the end of the hall. It was all dark."

"I'm sure it was just some clothes," I soothed. At the end of the hall, we currently had clothes hanging up to dry, as a broken tumble drier and bad weather demanded we find room to hang them up to dry inside. And it wasn't an uncommon thing for the darkness to steal clothes and morph them into people.

"It wasn't. It was a man." she said and I nodded.

"Okay, well I won't let anything happen to you. You're safe in here." I pulled the duvet tighter around us. "And nice and cosy. So try and go to sleep, okay?" I said and she nodded, closing her eyes.

It didn't escape my notice that Daisy's thumb quickly found it's way into her mouth. She might be seven, but some childhood habits stay for much longer. I still had a blanket that I curled up with when I was sad, or in need of comfort. Sometimes, we must choose comfort over being grown up.

I sighed, staring up at the ceiling as Daisy slept. My arm was starting to go to sleep, but if I tried to slide it out from under her, I was sure to wake her. I heard footsteps in the hall outside my bedroom, and listened as they made their way towards my parents' room. My Dad must have got up to get a drink.

I turned my head towards the window as a flash of lightning wormed its way through the curtains again, and I waited for the thunder to follow it. The wind had started to pick up, and the rain was practically being thrown against the glass now, the howling of the wind whipping around the edges of the building sounding out into the night.

Trying to turn over a little to potentially wiggle my arm free, I saw that Daisy hadn't closed my door properly, leaving it slightly ajar. I stared at it, willing it to close by itself. There was no way I was going to be able to sleep without it closed, and I didn't want to get up and wake Daisy up in the process to go and close it.

The next flash of lightning highlighted a figure standing just outside of my doorway, and I frowned. There were no clothes there, nothing that my mind could've interpreted as something other than what it is.

"Dad?" I said softly, trying not to wake Daisy. "Is everything okay?" The figure was too tall to be my stepmother. It had to be my Dad.

The door creaked open, my Dad's hand on it, pushing it slowly, and he stepped into my room, his other hand behind his back. I watched, wondering whether he was going to pick up Daisy and take her back to her room, when the lightning flashed again, the light dancing over the face of the man standing over my bed.

The man who was certainly not my father.

My scream echoed around my room, bouncing off the walls and battling with the wind and rain for dominance, but the man didn't even flinch. I clutched Daisy to me, her eyes wide open as I pulled her as close to me as possible. Somehow, if she was close, I could protect her.

I tried to shuffle away from the edge of my bed, pulling Daisy with me, but my bed was against the wall, and my back flattened against it, Daisy pulled to my chest.

The man dropped the hand that had been behind his back, and my eyes followed the object he was holding. He raised it slowly, above his head, and I rolled over Daisy, pushing her against the wall and covering her body with mine. I closed my eyes tight, tucking my legs up around Daisy, shaking as the thunder rumbled around the room again.

The object sliced through the air, the sound barely registering in my ears before I screamed in pain. The blade was pulled from my side, causing me to whimper as my head started to spin. I couldn't move my legs. The wound throbbed, and I found myself wondering, as the warmth of my blood slid from my body over my duvet and over my sister, whether I would've been sliced in half if my spine hadn't stopped the weapon.

"Cathy?" Daisy's voice whimpered in the quiet, and I shushed her, trying to pull her closer into my chest, but my arms were starting to grow too heavy for me to move them properly.

"I love you, Daisy," I said, my voice cracking and my eyes fluttering with the exertion of talking.

"I love you too, Cathy." She sobbed, and I pressed my lips against her head as the man brought the blade down again, stilling my kiss, and forcing my life from my body, and out, into the cold, dark, wet night, leaving Daisy alone, with nothing but the shell I left behind as a shield.

And done!

I remember writing a story like this ages ago, but I didn't go into quite so much detail. In fact, I think I still have the story in the notes app on my phone, and I could probably find it if I looked.

I just looked and found it. I never named any of the characters, and the story is rather terrible in itself.

I wanted to include the cliche that a child tells someone something, and it is passed off as the child not seeing something properly, or miss interpreting something. And yes, the man did kill their parents first, which is why no one came when Cathy screamed.

That's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – Seven Sins: A Thrilling Horror Novel by Miguel Estrada – Spooky Season Week, Day 3!

When I started preparing for my Spooky Season Week, I wanted to find some scary stories to read and review.

So off I went, on a search to find something to read!

And I came across this book. I mainly clicked on it because the title reminded me of the movie Seven, but I am certainly glad I did!

So, let me introduce the book, and then I shall start my review!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Several individuals connected through a series of unfortunate events find themselves as participants in a twisted game of trials set up by a hacker who has chosen them based on their cardinal sins.

This group of misfits will do anything in their power to survive and return any semblance of normality to their lives, even if it means destroying each other.

Seven Sins is an action-packed, thrilling horror that will have you on edge on every page. Grab it now to see who will survive the night!

Amazon UK • Amazon US (It's free!)

My Review!

The seven deadly sins can be interpreted in many ways, and there are many people in the world who commit these sins in their everyday lives, sometimes knowingly, sometimes without realising. This book covers them all.

When a select few people all receive messages from a hacker, using the contact information 'NV', they all find their lives quickly turning upside down. They are threatened, coerced, convinced into carrying out tasks for this mysterious person to protect themselves, and to save those they love.

Jumping between different characters, this book is incredibly fast paced. It can be rather difficult at first, to keep up with the characters, and trying to keep track of who's who, but the confusion doesn't last long, and you quickly figure out who these people are, and which of the sins they relate to. There are characters of all kinds – male, female, young, old, good, bad. For example, there are several ways to interpret the sin 'gluttony'. It could be someone who is so entranced by food that they withhold it from those who need it. Or, it could be a cannibal who prepares delicacies with his victims.

This story is very much like a detective's board, and as you progress through the story, you slowly start to add the red string, joining up one dot after another, slowly weaving the truth out of the words until you stand back, look upon everything you have discovered, and the truth unfolds itself.

While every character had their own motive, there were a few in particular that I loathed, and others that I liked a little more. Jessica and Oliver, Lust and Sloth, find their way into the spotlight as they fight for survival, and both are characters that are easy to get behind and want to survive. I also didn't mind Roger (Greed) or Trevor (Wrath) too much. They both had their motives, reasons behind their actions, and even if the things they did were considered wrong, they were both going through things, and their actions became their response. Timothy (Pride) was a character I wasn't sure about, for I found it hard to like him, but I couldn't see any glaring reasons not to. He was a grey zone, almost. However, there are also characters who are utterly repulsive, such as Matthew (Gluttony) and I applaud the author for being able to keep hold of so many characters, and for making me feel incredibly different about each of them.

I must say, I was expecting a lot more blood and gore in this book, but I'm only now finding out that it is listed in the young adult genre. While I understand this, for it is certainly suitable for older teens, I would not recommend this book to younger teens, for there is some graphic violence, and content that I would not deem suitable for a younger audience.

It is clear that a lot of thought went into making sure all of these characters had something in common, some small connection linking them all together, through one another. Another thing that must have taken a lot of time was making sure that all of the connections were not revealed until towards the end. However, there were a couple of grammatical errors, such as missed words, here and there, and some of the characters got a lot more time in the spotlight than others, so we learn more about some characters, like Oliver and Jessica, than we do others. However, this is an entertaining read, and it will certainly get you thinking at some points! I started reading this before bed, hoping to read some and then finish it the following evening, but instead ended up staying up late to find out what happens next. It is a gripping read, and I enjoyed reading it.

And done!

As I am writing this, it is the week before this post will go out. I am trying to get my Spooky Season Week scheduled, and I planned to have it all ready by now, but this is only the third of seven posts I have to write... I had better get on with it!

That's all for now...

Bye!

Movie Review – The Blair Witch Project – Spooky Season Week, Day 2!

Come on, I mean, everyone's seen The Blair Witch Project, right?! It's an incredibly well known movie. Think of a scary movie, this one springs to mind? Plus, it brought the whole 'found footage' idea back to life. Everyone's seen it.

Nope.

I didn't even know what it was about until I finished watching it for the first time, fifteen minutes ago.

So, let us explore!

(But let's not get lost...)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.

In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared into the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary. They were investigating the legend of 'The Blair Witch'. A year later, their footage was found. What follows is a document of their discoveries, and, the horrors that they encountered.

My Review!

When Heather sets up everything for a documentary, she is eager to get started, to film everything, and to create a movie masterpiece. She knows the legends, the stories. She knows what people say about The Blair Witch. And she is prepared to go forth and try to find the truth.

Along with two fellow filmmakers, Josh and Mike, Heather sets off to Burkittsville, to question the locals and to explore the areas that hold the secrets to the past. Despite warnings from people, telling them that the woods are haunted, that even those who live there do not go near them, Heather, Josh and Mike continue on. They capture footage, film scenes for their documentary. But everything starts going rapidly downhill.

Camping out in the woods is one thing in itself, but the thought of camping in a wood that holds such horrors at its roots is one that makes me shiver just thinking about it. But without modern GPS, and simply relying on a map and compass to guide them through the unknown, they must put all their faith in the map, and that they know how to read it. And when the trio start to experience interruptions to their nights, sounds and strange things appearing, being lost doesn't seem to be the worst of their problems anymore.

The whole 'found footage' style is one that I am not sure I have seen before in a movie. I have seen a clip of found footage, of a man exploring the catacombs beneath Paris, and that was terrifying itself, especially considering it was real, and that no one knows what happened to him. This film had the same feel as watching that clip, as if it were real, that you know something is going to happen to these three people, that they are not going to resurface, and that a year later, someone will find their cameras, and they will learn of the horrors that unfolded.

One thing in particular that makes this movie seem so incredibly realistic is the acting. There is no exaggeration, no cheesiness, no cheap jump scares. There is simply three young people, arguing over which way to go, and slowly losing their minds as, day after day, they see nothing but trees, and find no way back to their car. Heather's obsession with filming everything completely winds the other two up, being on camera all the time, but it shows how, slowly, they go from three people laughing and shooting a documentary, to three people who have no choice but to stick together, who would rather be anywhere else but where they are, and would do anything to save themselves. The slow progression as, one after another, they start to grow more uneasy, was done brilliantly. From Josh walking off and sitting by himself, away from the others, to Mike sat by himself, slowly rocking back and forth, and Heather slowly mumbling to herself in denial that they are lost, this movie has perfectly depicted their plight.

Something that I loved in particular, was that, if this movie was filmed in the modern day, no one would have any doubt that it was fake, that the whole thing was simply a movie. Modern cameras are far too good, and phones do not have battery that would last long enough for people to walk around the woods filming all day long. But, in the nineties? On cameras that don't have great picture, with times when all you can see is darkness? The equipment used is something to take into consideration when trying to figure out just how this movie made you convinced that it was real.

Just so you know how completely I was unaware of what this movie was about, I didn't know if it was real or not until afterwards, when I looked it up. Throughout the entire movie, I battled with myself, wondering if it was entirely made up, or if it was a recreation of actual found footage. The one thing I was sure of, was that if it was true, it wouldn't be allowed for a film to be made out of it.

I am not the kind of person who strongly believes or disbelieves in the supernatural. I am the kind of person who believes what I see, and always try to come up with a logical explanation for things. And yet, when it comes to the supernatural, I have never entirely ruled out the possibility that things might exist that we have no idea about. I can find no absolute proof that the supernatural does not exist, so I cannot possibly say with absolute certainty that something like this could not happen. I will say for certain, though, if I was told about something called The Blair Witch, and knew about the horror stories of the woods, I would not go camping in those woods. I would stay far away from them, and if I did go near, it would be with trepidation. I do not wholly believe in the supernatural, but that doesn't mean I disbelieve.

And done!

I stayed up far too late writing this. I was going to be responsible, and go to bed early for once. Nope. Didn't happen.

And I think I might stay away from the woods for a while... there is one near me that has a river, and the idea of going there has suddenly become a little bit creepy.

Note to self – if you see cairns and stick figures hanging from trees in a haunted wood? DON'T TOUCH THEM! Turn around, and go home. Don't sleep in woods that may or may not be haunted.

Okay, small rant about stupid horror movie characters over.

Bye!

Spooky Season Week, Day 1!

The Spooky Season is how I prefer to refer to Halloween, or in the case of some people, the entirety of October! It has a little bit of alliteration, which I love, and in my opinion, it is just overall a better name. Also, it allows for the event to be more than a one day thing, and some people would really love for Halloween to last for multiple days, if not the whole of October.

I have never been a big Halloween person, I don't tend to get into it very much, but to be fair, I think Halloween in the UK is generally more low-key than Halloween in other places, such as America. The most I might do is carve a pumpkin, but I do that more because I like making pumpkin soup than because I want to make a cool design and put a candle in it. I have never been trick or treating (gasp! I know, the scandal!) but it is not a big thing in my area anyway. Last year, we had no trick or treaters. The year before, we had one knock at the door, and it was a group of teenagers, not dressed up, who each took one sweet from us, incredibly politely, and went on their way.

But, there are some things I do every Halloween, and they are the following:

1) Decide upon an incredibly lazy costume, usually coming up with something based on what I am already wearing. One time, I found a sticker that had the number 13 on it, so I stuck it to my forehead and announced I was going to be Friday the 13th for that Halloween.

2) Watch a film with my family, although it is rarely scary (as I have a young brother). Last year we watched Ghostbusters.

3) Make up finger puppet stories with my brothers, which generally consists of a torch at one end of the room, and us moving closer or further from the light to create bigger and smaller shadows. Someone usually sits by the light and has a massive hand claw shadow that eats all the other shadows.

4) Eat far too many sweets, as we always buy a pack of cheap sweets in case this is the year we are swamped with trick or treaters, but end up eating them all ourselves. So by the end of the evening, I generally feel rather sick.

This year, though, as I now have a blog, I decided I would do something for the Spooky Season. Some people are doing Blogtober, but I rarely have posts ready for just posting twice a week, so posting every day in a month was something that would backfire on me instantly. But, if I tried, surely I could do a Spooky Week? I would have plenty of time to prepare, and I could write some spooky stories, review some scary movies... so here we are!

Samhain is apparently where Halloween started. It was a Celtic festival, where people would dress up in animal heads and skins, and burnt sacrifices on a bonfire for the Celtic deities. It was thought to be the time when the lines between the worlds of the living and the dead blurred, and ghosts would roam free again. It was about protecting yourselves from the coming winter months, and from anything supernatural that may be lurking about.

Eventually, this was taken over by other cultures and religions, and became more of a celebration to honour the dead, and people started to dress up more, instead of wearing animal heads. This eventually became an amalgamation of all the different events, until it turned into what we now know as Halloween.

There, you've had a little history lesson!

And so, I will leave this post here, as a little introduction into my Spooky Season Spooky Week! Stay tuned for the rest of the week to find some movie and book reviews, and some creepy stories that I have written!

(I'll be Tweeting about my posts, so follow me on Twitter!)

You don't know how much trouble I had with this post – I can't spell Halloween properly! I always miss out one of the L's!

Anyway...

Bye!

Movie Review – Skjelvet (The Quake) – the sequel to a movie I greatly enjoyed

When I was looking up the cover for Bølgen (The Wave), I came across a second film, with the same actors staring as the same characters. A sequel.

And so, I took another trip to Prime Video, bought film number 2, and sat down to watch it.

Let me briefly introduce it, and we shall get into the review!

(Read my review of Bølgen (The Wave) HERE. It does provide a little backstory if you haven't watched either film, and don't know what they're about.)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.

In 1904 an earthquake of magnitude 5.4 on the Richter scale shook Oslo, with an epicenter in the "Oslo Graben" which runs under the Norwegian capital. There are now signs that indicate that we can expect a major future earthquake in Oslo.

My Review

After the disaster that occurred in Geiranger, Kristian Eikjord was labeled a hero. His efforts in the face of danger saved many people's lives, including those of his family. But, the label of 'hero' isn't something that Kristian particularly wants, nor does he truly believe it. He saved people, but what about the 250 people who lost their lives? Could he have done something to save them as well? How could he be called a hero, living when 250 people died?

The aftereffects the Geiranger tsunami took their toll on Kristian. Struggling to keep his sanity after the trauma, Kristian loses his family, when his wife, Idun, takes their two children, Sondre and Julia, and moves to Oslo, leaving him in Geiranger. He pushes them away, preferring them not to see him struggle as he does. But when he sees a news report, telling of the death of one of his colleagues, Kristian finds himself travelling to Oslo, determined to find out what caused the collapse of the Oslofjord Tunnel, killing his colleague.

After going through what he did in Geiranger, it is no surprise that Kristian's mental health was greatly impacted. The survivors guilt crippled him for years, and when the idea pops into his head that his family, in Oslo, are unsafe, that there will be a repeat of the disastrous earthquake from 1904, Kristian will once again stop at nothing to do what he can to save people, especially his family. Unfortunately, many are well aware that Kristian suffered after the tsunami, and when he broaches the subject of his worries with those monitoring the earth's movement in Oslo, they dismiss his concerns. Surely he is simply overthinking things, that he is seeing danger where there is none.

As Kristian slowly finds his family again, trying to fit back in place, the concerns he has draws them away from them once more. There is always a different side to the story – whereas his family see him not being where he said he would, and turning up late at night instead, Kristian sees himself putting them first, investigating the state of Oslo, and the likelihood of another devastating earthquake. In this movie, as in the last, I felt greatly for Kristian. He tries to do everything he can, but he is not in charge, and those who have the power to do something do not believe him.

Bølgen (The Wave) followed all four members of Kristian's family, whereas Skjelvet (The Quake) is focused much more on Kristian. In a way, it isolates the viewer from Idun, Sondre and Julia as Kristian has isolated himself, only giving the viewer the insight into their lives that Kristian has. We only see Sondre at university after he tells Kristian that he goes there. We only see what Julia is up to after Kristian is informed. The viewer is entangled with Kristian's story, and the attention given to him makes the viewer connect with him more so than was possible in Bølgen.

While the earthquake in this film is inevitable, without it there would be no purpose to the film, very little of the actual film is about the earthquake. In Bølgen, a majority of the film was full of the changes that warned of the coming tsunami, and of the actual event, including the intensity of the characters trying to survive. In Skjelvet, however, not much of the film is dedicated to the earthquake, instead focusing on Kristian in the lead-up to it. Without anyone believing him, or taking in his warnings, Kristian even admits it himself – perhaps he is simply seeing disasters where there are none. Maybe he has simply grown over precautious. It is clear how those around him have experienced his intense concerns since the tsunami, by the way even his family, even his children, ignore his warnings and pleas as he tries to keep them safe. His declining mental stability has turned him into the boy who cried wolf, but now it is not merely the small village of Geiranger at stake – it is the city of Oslo, and it will not only be 250 dead, it will be thousands.

Despite this film not showing as much of the disaster as Bølgen did, it is not without drama and action. We follow Kristian as he uses the research of the colleague who died, along with the help of his colleague's daughter, Marit, to uncover the danger lurking, and it is not difficult to start feeling the intense need, alongside Kristian, for someone to simply listen and believe.

Once again, there was a message at the end of this film that the events the occurred will eventually happen again. At some point, there will be a devastating earthquake, and people will lose their lives to it. But no one can know when it will happen. It is a terrifying thing to think about, that people will be going about their normal day, and not know if it might be the day that everything falls to pieces around them.

And done!

I think, personally, I preferred Bølgen to Skjelvet, but Skjelvet was still a very good movie, and I greatly enjoyed watching it.

Again, this movie made me want to learn Norwegian, as did the last one, and I think I may just have to get onto Duolingo and see if I can last longer learning Norwegian than I have learning all the other languages I started!

That's all for now...

Bye!

Short Story – The Banished Princess

I lifted my skirts, my dress heavy with the water soaking it from my knees down. My feet were numb, and the water splashed slightly with every step I made.

The sound of thundering horses was getting closer, but I couldn't let them catch up to me. Pressing forward, I stepped deeper into the water. I turned, panting, at the sound of dogs barking. They couldn't track me in the water, could they?

Wading to the riverbank, I clambered out, using a tree branch to pull myself up and to keep my balance. My bare feet left prints in the wet mud, but I didn't have time to stop and cover them up. The sound of barking was getting louder, and I could hear men shouting.

Running, my knees hitting my wet skirts and my feet slipping on wet leaves, I tried to focus on what was ahead of me, instead of what was behind. But what was ahead of me? Behind, I knew. Behind was horses and dogs, men who would bind my wrists in rope and have me walk back to the dark castle, where I would be thrown back into the cell that smelt of mould and had water dripping from the ceiling. I would sit back against the jagged rock walls, and pull my thin dress tightly around my body, trying to ward off the chill.

Ahead of me? I couldn't go home, a banishment was for life, even if you were the king's daughter. The neighbouring kingdoms were mostly at war with my father, none of them would give me a welcome any kinder than what I faced behind me.

I glanced over my shoulder to try and gauge how close the dogs were, but I lost balance and the floor closed in on my as I landed hard on the forest floor. I pushed myself up with my hands, freezing when I saw the hooves of a horse walking up to me and stopping next to my body.

"Do you need a hand?"

I raised my head, reaching up to push my hair out of my face, and looked into the face of a man whose hair and face was covered with dirt, his shirt torn and barely hanging from his shoulders. The horse, however, was tall, it's shoulders broad with power, and it's saddle was embossed with the crest of the castle I had just escaped.

"We don't have much time, if you're not getting on, I'm going." he urged, leaning over and holding a hand down to me. I reached up and took it, my hand leaving a smear of mud on his as he pulled me to my feet. "I can't pull you up, you'll have to get on yourself," he said, his attention snapping from me to the sound of the dogs and the voices of the men closing in on us.

I reached up and grabbed hold of the saddle, closing my eyes briefly to pray that I still had the strength to do what I used to do as a child, pulling myself on the back of my elder brother's horse before we galloped away from our lessons. I jumped, pulling myself up, and found myself flush against the man's back. It was only when I wrapped my arms around his waist that I noticed how thin he was, and that there was a deep gash in his arm.

"You're hurt," I stated and he chuckled, the sound vibrating through his back and into my body.

"And you're filthy. We're a right pair. Hold on," he wheeled the horse around and I tightened my grip as he kicked the horse on. The horse shook its head at the request of carrying two people, but between us, we were probably no heavier than the warriors he was used to carrying, and he threw himself forward into a canter, the man constantly urging him on as we weaved through trees.

The trees opened up into a wide, open field, and the man cursed as he pushed the horse on. I tried to look behind us, but my hair was flying around with the speed and I couldn't get a good look. Instead, I buried my face in the stranger's back, closing my eyes and praying to the gods that we would make it.

I lifted my head when the man pulled the horse up, glancing over my shoulder again. We had gained a little distance from the dogs, but it wouldn't take long for them to catch up.

"Get off," the man demanded and I slid off the horse, watching as the man did the same, slapping the horse on the rear to get him to move, galloping away from us.

"What-"

"Shh, come on," the man reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me along behind him. I stumbled, trying to keep up. He had a heavy limp, and grunted every now and again as he walked. He stopped abruptly at a treeline and I almost walked into him as he looked around, making sure no one was following us. He leant over, grabbing what I saw as a tangled mess of vines and moss, and pulled it up off the floor. "Go, quickly." I ducked under it, and he followed me into a small area that could almost be classed as a room, enclosed in vines and encircled by trees and moss.

"What is this place?" I asked and he shushed me, watching through a small hole in the plants.

"She's got a horse!" someone yelled and I flinched at the sound, hugging my arms to my body in a bid to generate some warmth. "There are tracks in the grass!"

"Follow them!" another voice yelled and the sound of thundering hooves picked back up, and slowly faded into the distance.

"How did you know that would work?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper as the man stepped away from the vines.

"I didn't," he mumbled, crumpling to the floor. I rushed to his side, checking over his body. The jagged cut in his arm was worse than I had previously thought, and his leg was swollen and bleeding under his ripped trousers. I reached for my skirt, the fabric cold in my hands, and ripped a piece off, wishing it was at least dry. I wrapped it tightly around his arm, hoping that it would stop the bleeding and the river water wouldn't make it worse.

I reached down for his leg, and peeled back the ripped materiel. There was a clean cut, unlike the long one across his arm, and it looked small enough. For a moment I wondered why it was causing him so many problems, but when I rested my hand against the swollen skin, he cried out and jerked his leg away from me, rolling onto his side. The wound wasn't just a cut, it went through from the front of his leg to the back. As I looked at his bloodstained trousers, something clicked in the back of my head. It was a stab wound. A knife had been forced all the way through his leg, potentially to pin him down. A shiver ran through my body at the thought and I reached for my dress again. Perhaps the coolness would help with the swelling.

When I wrapped the material around his leg, he jerked again, and his hand shot out to grab my wrist. I turned to look at him. His head was raised off the floor and his eyes were filled with pain. With his hair falling from his face, I could see the cuts on his face, one across the side of his forehead and another running directly across his cheek. Dried blood streaked across his face, engrained with dirt and mud, and his grip on my wrist was hard.

“I’m trying to help you,” I told him, but his grip didn’t waver. “You’re hurting me,” I added, and his gaze left mine and fell to his hand on my wrist. He let go and his hand fell to the floor as his head rested back against the floor again. I reached for his leg and his face screwed up in pain, a small moan escaping his lips, but he moved the leg so I could wrap my scrap of dress around it, wincing when I laid the cold fabric against his skin.

“Who are you?” He gasped and I frowned slightly. Who was I? I wasn’t a princess anymore, my banishment set that to rest. I wasn’t a prisoner either, held to a ransom that was never going to be paid.

“I'm a fugitive, just like you."

And done!

I'm not going to lie, I didn't write this for my blog, and I wrote it ages ago (being at least a month ago!) But, I had three hours to get a post ready for today, and I spent most of that time baking.

On the plus side, this story gets to be used somewhere, and I get lots of biscuits to eat! (That's British biscuits, by the way).

Okay, that's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – The Ghost Beside Me by Lee Hall

As we enter the 'spooky' season of the year, I thought I would, for once, join in the festivities, and read some supernatural/scary books.

While I do have a line up of scary books waiting to be read, I would not consider this book one. Instead, it is a glorious lead in to the season, and has more of a romantic theme of self-discovery.

Before I get into all of my review up here, let me introduce the book, and then we can actually get into the review!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.

“Even in the deepest darkest of voids one can find something truly worth having in life, or death…”

The paranormal is a subject that E. Neville holds with the utmost content. Being an introvert by choice, he leads a lonely existence full of torment and anxiety for his affliction of preferred solitude. In this diary account Neville shares much of his woes and while settling into a new living space he begins to encounter a series of night-time disturbances like no other. Soon after he faces a battle of self-doubt and belief that something could be reaching out. Is this all a dream? Or is a soul of the ‘departed’ persuasion trying to make contact for a reason? Eventually they make an acquaintance which becomes much more as the barrier of life and death is broken by the power of love.

*Includes a free sample of The Teleporter. 

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review

Edward Neville is a very secluded soul, finding anxiety and discomfort in social situations, and so preferring to walk through life alone. Focusing on his accountancy job, Edward works hard to try and achieve the promotion that would give him the title 'senior accounts clerk' while he moves into his new rooms at Martha's House. Edward is not a believer in the supernatural, and does not have time for the silly stories that he simply does not believe in. However, his residence in room 4 may just change that outlook.

When Edward's sleep is continuously interrupted, night after night, he tries desperately to find some logic in his situation. But he can't shake the feeling of being watched, of a presence joining him in room 4 at night. When he overhears the other residents of the building talking about the 'Silver Lady', Edward slowly starts to realise just what might be haunting his sleep.

This book may only be a short read, but there is nothing missing – in fact, there is more to this book than there can sometimes be in full length novels. Edward's aversion to human conversation, while relatable, forces him into a very sheltered life, and although he doesn't quite realise it, he is plagued by loneliness. So, when his somewhat monotonous life is interrupted by this strange new experience, Edward seems to obsess over it.

The style of this book is, in my opinion, incredibly unique, and reminiscent of Bram Stoker's Dracula. There is an introduction and a conclusion, as if the character, Edward, has written the book, but the rest of it, the actual story, is written in the form of diary entries. The style of these entires is written unlike most modern books, and it gives the book the feel of one of the classics, the description incredibly vivid, with the very formal language used. Once again, there is a nod towards Dracula, and I can't help but think there was a little inspiration drawn from the classic horror story.

This book has a very important theme, of how loneliness and being alone can affect a person, that human contact, or at least having someone to talk to, can positively affect your life. As Edward starts to learn more about the presence in his room, he starts to grow more outgoing in his day to day life, as well. Slowly, he starts to overcome his fears, and to live his life in a way he would love to be comfortable with, but has never had the courage to do so before. Edward found someone who could bring out the best in him, and he clings to them.

This is not a scary story. There are some times where there is tension, when Edward isn't sure what is going on, and grows rather concerned about what might be going on in his room, but it quickly grows to curiosity, rather than fear. This is not a book about a vengeful ghost, but a paranormal romance, a story of learning how to be the best you can be, and of helping someone else to do so.

This is not a particularly long book. I read it within an hour and a half, although that itself went against the suggested guidelines that Edward himself sets at the beginning:

'To achieve the true authenticity of my experience it is recommended that this account be read in a gradual manner by candlelight in the dead of winter."

It is the kind of idea that makes you wish you bought the paperback, when you only have the ebook version. But, I can attest, if you read a little of this book at a time, a diary entry an evening, it would certain create the kind of atmosphere that is the perfect lead in to both the spooky season and the winter months.

And done!

I have 217 unread books on my ereader, and I completely blame people who run free book promotions. I probably paid for maybe 10 of those books, if that. I have a problem. I see a book for free, and I have to download it!

I'm sure some other people also do this... right?!

Anyway...

Bye!