A Review – Hot Demon Bitches Near You by J. E. Erickson

Now, I've not written a book review for my blog in a long long while. So long, I actually had to scroll back to remember how I used to format my posts.

Life got in the way for a bit, but now I am beginning to find the time for reading again. Which in turn has reminded me how much I enjoy reading.

So, without further ado, this is the first review on my blog since May last year (about 9 months ago!)

A possessed phone app, bloodthirsty demons, and a drive for vengeance that reaches beyond the grave.

Libby and Whitney, teen friends with a shared secret, hatch a plot to avenge the violent death of their friend by killing DJ, the architect of her murder. Their plans crumble when the Guardians of Purity – a radical right-wing, neo-fascist, evangelical, white supremacist hate group – crashes the Autumn Ball, takes the high school hostage, and begins assaulting the students.

Salvation comes in the form of three mysterious demons sent from Hell to help Libby and Whitney save themselves, the students, and get their revenge… but at a price they might not be ready to pay.

Grab a copy!

My Review!

This is a book that has been sat on my kindle for a while. I am not sure whether I got myself a copy during a promotion, or whether I was just so intrigued by the cover and the title that I couldn't help myself. But, when looking through my kindle for my next read, it was very difficult to scroll past this one, especially with such a title! But even still, I went into this book not really knowing what to expect, until I came across the content warnings on the first couple of pages. And there were a lot of them!

Libby and Whitney have a dark secret, and a sinister plot. A fake hatred simmers between the two, a front put on for the world to see, as Whitney spends her time with her boyfriend, DJ. He is, of course, unaware that she can't stand him, and that the whole premise of their relationship is built on a lie and a plan. But when the Autumn Ball is brought to an abrupt end, and taken over by a radical hate group, DJ and his father among the intruders, the plans that Libby and Whitney have been concocting must change quickly if they want to make it out alive.

Enter the hot demon bitches. A mysterious, possessed, phone app puts in the order, and three demons arrive to fulfil it. But getting all the students out safely isn't the only requirement of the order. There is something else on Libby and Whitney's minds - revenge. And revenge is something the demons are perfectly capable of, and rather enjoy doing. And revenge comes in the form of bloodshed, gore, and teaching the intruders a lesson that will haunt them in the grave.

This is not a book for the faint of heart. The revenge exacted is done so with a psychotic and horrifying sense of calm and a thirst for violence. Although there is comedic value to some of the conversations, the level of violence and gore is immense. The mental images this novel plants in your mind are truly chilling, and at times, give you pause for thought - just how far is too far? For those who love gore and horror, this is certainly the book to choose. Bodies get mangled in a multitude of creative and imaginative ways, and the horror itself is graphic. A personal favourite scene when it comes to the comedic qualities of the novel includes the demons struggling to bypass a table saw's emergency cut-off, so it can be used as a weapon, the safety features that detect flesh acting against them in their attempts to use the saw on one of the intruders. Moments like this lighten the mood of the story, but it's still firmly a novel that will be enjoyed by those who enjoy dark humour and body horror. The author has not held back, and the careful depictions create a novel of the darkest possible nature. The descriptions of mutilation are morbidly fascinating, and despite the content and gore, you find yourself transfixed by the creativity and variation put into practice with the murders.

Despite the majority of this story being centred around the horrors of the revenge exacted by the three demons, helped by Libby and Whitney, there is also a clear narrative and backstory woven into the story, creating a well-rounded story with meaning behind it, rather than just blatant mutilation. Libby is an incredibly likeable character, and so much happens to her, it would be impossible not to feel a sense of protectiveness over her. Watching as a helpless bystander as the characters you like suffer abuse is heartbreaking. They do, at times, seem to get over things very easily though, with few mental side effects. Physical injuries are one thing, but the events of this novel are sure to haunt the characters. Although there is an element of emotional damage and fear, the full extent of the trauma almost appears to be glossed over in favour of bloodshed. 

There are a few typographical errors in this novel, which do unfortunately pull you out of the story. Occasionally, the perspective or scene switches without a clear break, and it can be difficult to keep up with what is happening. These are minimal though and, looking past them, they do not affect the quality of the story, although they can affect how easy this novel is to read. 

A dark and thrilling account of demons for hire, this novel is a morbidly fascinating account of physical mutilation and a deep desire for revenge, exacted in a timely and bloody fashion. This novel isn't overly long, so once it has drawn you in, you're transfixed throughout. I read the whole thing in an evening, it is easy to find yourself transfixed by the intricate disembowelling that is so carefully depicted! For those who are after a captivatingly dark and thrillingly gruesome quick read, this is certainly the one to go for.

And done!

I know I have said it before, and I didn't exactly stick to it last time, but I am actually going to try and maintain consistent posting for at least a while! I miss chatting away on here!

Anyway, that's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – Devoured: vampire action horror scifi by Cassie Carnage

So, Spooky Season Week didn't go exactly to plan...

First off, I started a day late, so I was going to be finishing a day late. But my seven days worth of posts was almost impossible to keep up with. I barely had any time all week to make the posts anyway, as it was a particularly busy week with work, but by Sunday, I had nothing ready, and there was no way I could possibly finishing reading this book and write the review in the ten minutes I had before I had to start work. So, Spooky Season Week ended abruptly on day 5.

But, I do want to finish it, so this post will be day 6, and the final post will go out on Saturday (hopefully!)

So, now I have explained myself, let me get going with the post!

Jonah, a newly turned vampire, must fight the National Center for Rejuvenation (NCR), a company that is hellbent on filling the world with more of his kind. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, he discovers that NCR is experimenting on creating unstoppable mutant werewolves.

In order to save his ex, and the world, he must join an uneasy truce with a group of deadly mercenaries as they fight to destroy the source of evil that NCR is hiding.

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

A newly-turned vampire, Jonah has to acclimatise himself to a lot of change very quickly. Firstly, he is now a killing machine, with a hunger for blood that it seems he can never quite fully satisfy. Secondly, there is an evil vampire queen hellbent on controlling him and making him a part of her brood. And thirdly, there is a man who was supposedly his fiancé, although he has lost all the memories he ever had of Doctor Mallory Conrad, who is involved in secret organisations he never knew existed, even before he was a vampire. 

Jonah finds himself taking lots of different sides, going against Mullo, the vampire queen, and finding himself among a group of highly trained mercenaries, fighting to rid the world of all vampires and werewolves, and to stop the organisation that’s trying to fill the world with the supernatural, and mutating vampires and werewolves with a hidden evil, to make them much more deadly. 

Jonah is not your typical newly turned vampire. He doesn’t have an identity crisis, or struggle morally as he realises he must kill to survive. A killer instinct sets in, and he adapts to survive in an instant. This book very much portrays vampires as having a hunting instinct that takes over almost immediately, and it is clear that Jonah’s entire personality changes. He is not a human who must drink blood to survive, but a human who has been turned into an entirely different species. This was a very interesting portrayal of vampires, and one that comes across as much more real in the telling than other, more moral, vampires. 

Something I particularly loved in this book was the way Mal and Jonah’s relationship changed so dramatically. They were betrothed, but being turned into a vampire took away all of Jonah’s memories of Mal, as well as changing him as a person. Mal knows that Jonah is different, but when he looks at him, he still sees the man he wanted to marry. For Mal, it seems infinitely harder to be around Jonah, for he still has the memories of their relationship before Jonah was turned. Throughout the book, though, their relationship continues, although it is much more toxic than before. Their relationship becomes an addiction, rather than love, with Jonah feeding off Mal and the both of them getting a high from it. As the book progresses, this grows worse for both of them, and it definitely added a layer to the story, with both needing the other, and both struggling with the memory of their human love in the past, showing how much they have both been affected by Jonah’s vampirism. 

With the different organisations, either fighting vampires and trying to rid the world of them, or trying to create more, and mutate them, there are a lot of characters who you are not sure are trustworthy. Not many people trust Jonah, but he doesn’t trust a lot of them either. Most of the vampires can’t think for themselves, they are controlled by Mullo, but Jonah has his own mind, although the more time that passes, the more animalistic he becomes, the more memories of his past life he loses, and the less people trust him. It’s incredibly rare that the vampires in this novel are, for lack of a better word, sentient, so Jonah is a mystery in himself. The entire portrayal of vampires in this novel is original in itself, I have never come across a lot of aspects that the vampires in this book possess. The author has done a fabulous job at making these vampires incredibly believable. In my opinion, they are a lot more believable than mainstream vampires. 

While Jonah is a killer, although that is not exactly his own choice, he is still a rather likeable character. He doesn’t exactly detest the fact that he must kill to survive, but he doesn’t agree with vampirism, or that vampires and werewolves should be free to roam and kill as they please. He wants to destroy them as much as the mercenaries do, and his supernatural abilities certainly help him in his mission to rid the world of the supernatural evil. And as much as his relationship with Mal is toxic, there is still an element of care between them, to the point where it’s difficult to figure out if Jonah is really a good guy, or if he himself is evil and is ruining Mal's life by being around him.

This is an incredibly unique vampire novel, and certainly one I enjoyed reading. This book has been sat in my e-reader for months, and I definitely wish I read it sooner.

And done!

Even now, catching up with the posts for Spooky Season Week, this post is going up several hours late.

Oh well.

Anyway, that's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – Heaven's Peak: A Gripping Horror Novel by Miguel Estrada – Spooky Season Week, Day 2!

With the time for spooks and scary reads upon us, I scrolled through my e-reader in the search of something that looked like it fell into the horror genre. This book was the one I stopped on, and opened.

Now I'm making this post, I realise that this book is by the same author as Seven Sins, the book I read for my Spooky Season Week last year... coincidence?! Anyway, you can read my review of Seven Sins here, and read on for my review of this book!

The beautiful resort town of Heaven's Peak is home to gorgeous landscapes and terrifying secrets.

After the tragic death of his mother, teenage photographer Kevin Miller moves to a new town with his alcoholic father and eight-year-old sister in the hope of bringing the family together and starting over. However, everything changes when Kevin witnesses his sister being kidnapped by a bizarre creature. The police are skeptical of his story, so he decides to unveil the mysteries surrounding the town on his own.

On the other side of the investigation, FBI agent Norman James will do anything to solve the baffling case, except believe a traumatized teenager's nonsense.

Meanwhile, newscasts predict a blizzard approaching in the next couple of days, as people in the town begin to behave strangely.

Will Kevin and Norman find Kevin's little sister before Heaven's Peak is consumed by darkness?

Heaven's Peak is the first full-length horror-thriller novel from author Miguel Estrada. If you like suspense, mystery and dread, prepare for a ride you won't forget.

Amazon UK • Amazon US (it's free, so go grab a copy!)

My Review!

Heaven’s Peak is the place Kevin has been dragged to, the place he must now make his home. After the death of his mother, his father is hardly fit to parent any longer, preferring the company of a bottle of alcohol over the company of his children, and so Kevin must step up to look after his younger sister, Jenny. 

But Heaven’s Peak already has a history of people going missing. A girl in one of Kevin’s classes, Sofia, is the older sister of a young boy who went missing recently. And when Kevin sees what is really behind the kidnapping, the night when he comes home to find his sister gone, he knows he can’t simply sit back and let the police deal with it. Sofia’s brother hasn’t been found yet, and the police absolutely did not believe Kevin when he described the humanoid monster that took Jenny. There is nothing left to do, but for Kevin to find Jenny himself. 

Kevin is a flawed character. He is not a hero, who knows exactly what needs to be done to move forward, although others may view him as such a strong person. His only goal is to find Jenny, no matter what he has to do, but he also drags Sofia into things she is not comfortable doing. She is desperate to find her brother, but she would rather not put herself in dangerous scenarios, and Kevin rarely sees things from her point of view. He also struggles with sanity as he learns more. There is no way a sane person would claim so surely that a monster is behind the disappearances, but Kevin cannot deny what he saw. 

Other than Kevin and Sofia, this book also gives the perspective of FBI agent Norman James. I love books, whether thriller or horror, that give the view of the people who are supposed to be investigating the case, as well as those who are doing it of their own accord. James is one of the only officers who seems to be actually trying to find any of the missing people, he finds himself in a force of officers who don’t appear to care, and he is the only person who believes Kevin may be telling the truth when he talks of monsters. James is a character I really enjoyed reading about. He is focused, and gets incredibly frustrated when he is treated as inferior and the people around his don’t take things as seriously as they should. He is stuck within a corrupt group, and as you read, you too become more and more frustrated. He doesn’t have what he needs to properly move forward his investigations, and things fall apart without the proper protocols and dedication. 

The monsters themselves are difficult to talk about without giving away important parts of the plot. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that they really are monsters, for this is a horror book with supernatural elements. They are incredibly unique, I have not come across anything supernatural fiction with monsters such as these before. The author has done a wonderful job in making a new kind of horrific being, which is just as scary as any mythical or supernatural creature I have read about before. I have read some reviews of this book, and quite a few have described this book as missing some key details. However, while some may say there was an air of incomplete about this book, with a lack of explanation about the creatures, such as why they were taking people, or how they came to be, I actually liked the way the author left out these details. At no point does the reader know any more than any of the characters, so you are drawn more into the story, desperate to find out more, and for the truth to be revealed. By still not revealing these details at the end, you are left feeling incredibly uneasy, not sure if the characters are safe or not. It is incredibly difficult to explain without giving away the ending, but the author has certainly succeeded in writing a book that is full of suspense! 

I did really enjoy reading this book. There is intrigue and suspense all the way through, which makes it next to impossible to put this book down. Like the last book I read by this author, I stayed up late to finish reading, as I simply had to know what was going to happen, and whether Kevin was going to be able to find Jenny. If you like monsters and unease, this is certainly the book for you.

And done!

I think, out of this book and Seven Sins, this is certainly the superior book.

I don't have much to say down here, other than trying to do Spooky Season Week this year was probably a mistake, considering it is the Sunday before I start as I write this, and I have yet to actually schedule any posts for the week at all...!

Anyway, that's all for now...

Bye!

Movie Review – Polaroid – when a camera 'shoot' may actually be lethal

I have way too many films on my to-watch list.

I've also managed to get really behind on my blog posts, I missed several in the last few weeks, and I want to get more organised with them. I wrote a list of posts I want to make, so I can actually get some finished, and making that list involved scrolling through my Netflix list to see what movies I could review. This was one I couldn't remember adding to my list, so I was obviously intrigued and clicked it.

I watched it instead of finishing my list.

Let me introduce it, and then we will get into my review.

High school loner Bird Fitcher finds a vintage Polaroid camera that holds dark and mysterious secrets. She soon realizes that those who get their picture taken by it meet a tragic and untimely death.

My Review!

Bird Fitcher is the person in high school with a nickname, the kind people say loudly, so that you’ll definitely hear it. ‘Scarf Girl’, who always has a scarf around her neck to hide an old scar. Bird loves photography and antiques, so when her friend, Tyler, gives her an old polaroid camera that he found in a yard sale, she is overjoyed. She snaps a photo of him to commemorate the moment.

A few hours later, Tyler is dead. A shadow on the photo Bird took disappears, and moves to a newer photo, one of another friend. Hours later, and she is also dead.

Bird has a single picture, with all her friends in it, taken with the camera. With two people dead, and the shadow mysteriously having moved onto the picture with all her friends, Bird starts to grow worried. There is something about the camera, something about the deaths of her friends and the photos taken. The shadow looms over the group photo, as she realises that someone in the photo is next.

The two characters we see the most in this film are Bird and Connor. Connor is a guy Bird has a crush on, and they meet at a party, where Connor goes on to be featured in the group photo. After talking to Bird for a brief time, Connor starts to spend more time around her, teaming up with Bird to try and solve the mystery, and escape the danger, of being in the polaroid. Connor seems to be the one who believes Bird the most when she tries to tell her friends she is worried for them, and the photo, and together they work to try and figure out what is happening, why, and how to stop it.

I really liked Bird’s character. She is a very fleshed out main character, she has all the attributes of a real person – she is not just a backstory and the events of the film. Unfortunately, some of the other characters felt a little flat. Like they were just there for the sake of another character, rather than being real people in the situation. There was one character, I won’t name which, who I was certain from the start was going to die. They just seemed like the kind of person added into the film to be a friend who died. What do you know, they did! There was another character, though, Devin, who I thought was the next most real character after Bird. Unlike some of the others, he had very strong emotions that changed with what was happening, and he reacted to them physically. He might’ve been my favourite character, just for how real he came across. 

Those in the pictures are linked to them, and that, in turn, links the shadow to them. I watch films with subtitles on, and the subtitles referred to the shadow as an ‘entity’. The entity shows up within the first few minutes of the film, so it is not a spoiler to talk about it. It makes an utterly terribly noise, a ragged wheezing, screeching scream. It is the kind of sound that is the last thing you ever hear. I won’t go into detail, but I quite liked the ‘rules’ of the entity. There are always rules for supernatural beings, like how werewolves can be killed with silver, or vampires with a wooden stake. The entity has rules I’ve never come across before, and I thought they fit the film perfectly.

When looking up this film, after watching it, I found a lot of negativity about it. Apparently, not many people liked it. While I can understand that it’s not an engrossing horror film, that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, it is not without tension. Sure, there are predictable moments, and it uses jump scares to add to the horror aspect, but it was still enjoyable. Some people have called it unoriginal, saying that the story has been done before. I can’t really add my own opinion to this, because I’ve never seen this kind of story anywhere else. This might be why I enjoyed it more than others, who have.

Yes, this film may not be what some people would class as a horror film, I would personally say it’s not that scary, but I don’t get scared watching horror films as it is. I would consider it more of a tense supernatural thriller. There is a lot of darkness, as with most horror films, and I am once again made to question – do lots of people use weak lamps as lighting in their homes, rather than lights that actually light up the room, or is that just a thing in horror films so there are shadows and dark corners? 

Overall, I enjoyed this film. It is a quick film, just under an hour and a half, and while I found it more interesting than scary, it was entertaining. I think it might’ve been better with less jump scares and more gore, but it was still a good film. It certainly was not one I regret watching, it wasn’t a waste of my time (and believe me, I’ve watched several films before that were!) I would quite happily watch this again, perhaps with a friend, to introduce them to it. 

And done!

I honestly don't know why I can't find any positive reviews for this film. There's not actually that many reviews of it, and they're all terrible. It wasn't that bad! I liked it!

That's all for now...

Bye!

Movie Review – The Lost Boys – An 80s film about a motorcycle gang who are actually vampires

I do not tend to take on movie recommendations, other than from Netflix, for the pure reason that movies have a tendency to bore me, and Netflix is the only thing that accurately knows what movies I will like.

This film, though, I watched on the recommendation of my Twitter friend, Compass (@CompassStories). I originally talked about how I came to watch this film in my review (which I wrote before writing this bit) so I will stop writing, introduce the movie, and then get into my review!

Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It's fun to be a vampire.

When a single mother and her two sons move to the sleepy seaside California town of Santa Clara, they discover much more than they anticipated in this visually stunning blend of hip humor, horror and rock 'n' roll about the most compelling group of contemporary vampires ever to put fang to vein.

My Review!

There is a whole story behind me watching this movie. One of my dearest friends on Twitter is a very big vampire fan, and one time, a good few weeks ago, possibly even months, I either asked for some film suggestions, or asked what film a character was from. It was so long ago, I don’t actually remember the interaction. But, I do remember this film coming up, and I said I would watch it. Skip forwards to now, I see someone else talking about this film, remember I said I would watch it, and actually go and watch it. 

It’s bad enough already that Michael and Sam are forced to move to Santa Carla after their parents divorce. The whole place seems strange, and their grandfather is the kind of person who will bestow a stuffed animal on you, and deem it an appropriate and welcomed gift. But, on top of that, Michael finds his eye drawn towards a girl, who seems to be unavailable, due to her connection with a motorcycle gang. He doesn’t let that stop him though, and as Michael attempts to become the sort of guy the girl, Star, might want, he slowly falls in with the gang.

On the other hand, Sam is simply browsing for comics when he is cornered by two boys, giving him warnings and being just a little odd. Being passed a book about vampires, Sam puts their ramblings down to the strangeness of the town, but when he starts reading the book, and Michael starts acting a little strange, he starts to wonder if it all wasn’t entirely made up.

I did not know what this film was going to be like, going into it, but I did know it was from the 80s, so I wasn’t expecting any special effects masterpiece. I must say, I was not sure what genre this film was marketed as. It was a mix between a thriller, maybe a little bit of horror, and certainly some comedy thrown in. There is a wonderful amount of dry one-liners, and, come on, Kiefer Sutherland? You can’t go wrong with him, especially as an evil teenage vampire. 

One thing I loved about this film was Michael and Sam’s relationship. They are not like modern siblings, who lock themselves in their rooms all day, barely speaking to one another, but I suppose that is simply the era. In Santa Carla, they do not even have a television to watch (although their grandfather receives the tv guide regardless), but if they did spend their time inside, not going out, doing things, or socialising, there wouldn’t have been a story to tell. They are close brothers, who look after each other. It is not just Michael looking after Sam as the older brother, for Sam does his fair share of looking after Michael as well. 

With the title of ‘The Lost Boys’, it brings to mind Peter Pan, and the children who never grew up. I wouldn’t entirely say that the children in Neverland were vampires, but lending the notion of not growing up to this movie fits almost perfectly. David and his vampire gang all seem to view vampirism as a way to escape the future. They are forever young men, able to do whatever they want without getting injured, or worrying about the consequences. They have a feeling on invincibility, and their carefree attitude harkens back to children, not following the rules or listening to anyone. Of course, in the story of Peter Pan, the Lost Boys eventually have to leave Neverland and grow up. This film plays out a little differently. 

Being from the 80s, this film was right up my street, and having Kiefer Sutherland on the cover certainly did not dissuade me, and although he was a bad guy, I wouldn’t have been opposed to seeing him more during the film. If you’re after retro vampires, this is the movie for you.

And done!

If you are a fan of vampires, you really should go and follow Compass on Twitter. They are what I would call the Number 1 Vampire Fan (among the people I follow on Twitter!) You can find them here: @CompassStories

And to Compass, I will say thank you for introducing me this film! It's been so long since we actually spoke about it, you probably don't even remember recommending it to me!

(Side note, I told my Mum I watched this movie, and she started fan-girling about Kiefer Sutherland, and talking about maggots...)

That's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – Janie by Joseph D. Slater

I grabbed my copy of this book after talking to the author for a short period of time on Twitter. This is the way a lot of the books I've been reading lately have ended up in my ebook library – a couple of tweets go back and forth, and suddenly I'm reading their book.

I will first introduce the book, and then I will get into my review!

In this Henson meets Lovecraft universe, Janie’s sister is kidnapped through a portal to the Conscious Sanctum, a world full of monsters, trials, and tears.

Led by the spirit of her father in the form of a raven, she faces these challenges in order to save her sister from the fate of the Vulture Queen.

A path of piranha-toothed mice and man-eating trees awaits her, but can she even save herself when she gets there?

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

Janie is a child, at just 12 years old, but her life has forced her to grow up quicker than she should have. She lives in a house with her mother, step-father, and younger sister, Delilah, but she has to take on the role of mother. Her mother and step-father spend most of their time arguing, and her mother seems to have wanted servants, instead of children. Nothing Janie can do seems to be good enough, even though she is trying her best to raise herself and Delilah.

After buying a new book, Janie’s life gets flipped upside-down when a raven starts speaking to her, claiming to be her dead father, Frank, and a portal opens, sucking Delilah in. Without a thought for her own safety, Janie jumps in after her sister, closely followed by Frank. Finding themselves in the Conscious Sanctum, Janie’s immediate mission is to find Delilah, but first, she must survive long enough to do so.

To begin with, I likened the Conscious Sanctum to Narnia, for there is an evil queen, the Vulture Queen, and creatures that do not exist on Earth. However, it quickly became apparent that this novel is not one of a place like Narnia. The Conscious Sanctum is a horrific place, and it seems impossible that you would stumble upon anyone who would help you, over using you for their own gain. The Vulture Queen wants young children, to be her personal slaves, and so adults are a rarity in the Conscious Sanctum. Those who grow too old are killed. 

Janie finds herself overcoming great obstacles, with an angel and a devil on each shoulder. The angel is Frank, attempting to lead her through the Conscious Sanctum safely. However, she has her own mind, and often does not listen to Frank – besides, she can’t quite find it within herself to forgive him for leaving her to live with her mother after his death. On the other shoulder is Arith, a demon who started following Janie around ever since she bought that book. Arith gives less than helpful advice, usually trying to convince her to kill people, and Janie finds herself in situations where she would love to listen to one, but the other is presenting the only viable option.

I loved Janie as a character. She is very brave, clear by her jumping through the portal after her sister, and by the events that follow, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t get scared. Once again, she is only 12, and this new world holds horrors the like of which she has never even thought about before. At some points in the story, I wondered if perhaps Janie should have been portrayed as older than 12, for some of the things she does or says seem like an older child, but considering the circumstances she grew up in, I suppose she already is older in spirit than she is in body. 

One of my absolutely favourite parts of this book was Dibs. Dibs is a cave weasel, who started following Janie around and quickly becomes great friends with her. He has no dialogue, being a cave weasel, but he is a very large personality, and he seems to communicate just fine without spoken language. Dibs’ and Janie’s friendship was wonderful, especially with how trusting they are in each other. The whole thing made me want a cave weasel to see me and decide that I was their person, so I could have a little buddy like that as well.

This book has plenty of twists, with the changing environment and revelations Janie makes about the people she comes into contact with. I did find the story a little slow and confusing at first, but everything clicked into place quickly, and after that I couldn’t put this book down. If you loved books like Narnia as a child, and want something a little darker, and with a bit more of a deadly suspense, you should definitely check this one out!

And done!

I'm writing this post on New Years Eve, and this was the 74th book I read this year. I have approximately 13 hours to read another book to get to 75 books before midnight. And I have things to do today... fingers crossed!

That's all for now...

Bye!

A Review – The Man and the Crow by Rebecca Crunden

Who doesn't love getting new books, even when they have hundreds of unread ones, just begging to have some attention thrown their way?

I got my copy of this book, and read it the same day. And wrote the review, and made this post, the same day. I did not post it on the same day, I don't actually know when it will come out.

Hi, future people!

Anyway, let me introduce this book (the blurb is incredibly intriguing!) and then we can get into my review!

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

Some witches curse, others are cursed. And sometimes, the cursed want revenge.

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

In a world where magic exists, known only to those who possess it, witches and warlocks are not always the kind of people to use their powers for good. Sometimes, circumstances lead to the use of deception and curses, and while that’s all well and good for those doing the cursing, the cursed have another option about the whole thing.

Jessica’s roommate has always been odd, not the kind of odd who knows strange and disturbing facts, but the kind of odd who cooks strange things, and often brings home animals, who stay for a day or two, and then disappear. But, the one thing Jessica is not prepared to find when she walks through the door, is her roommate dead on the floor, and the murderer standing over her with a crow on his shoulder. Nor does she expect him to pay for a cleaning service for her, but that’s a whole other thing.

Enlil and Aris have been seeking revenge for centuries, hunting down those responsible one by one, in the hopes that if they are dead, the curse will be reversed. But, with Enlil a man and Aris a crow, there are obviously some things that have delayed their revenge. Conversation, for one. 

This is a story short enough to read in half an hour, but it is one full of intrigue, with a little mystery thrown in, and enough snark to keep you fully satisfied as you read. There is nothing better, in my opinion, than a pair of warlock boyfriends, going on a murder spree, and having every other sentence dripping with sarcasm. Both Enlil and Aris are characters you cannot help but love, for although their actions may suggest otherwise, they are incredibly likeable. Perhaps it is simply my love for sarcasm and snark, but I thoroughly enjoyed this peek into the lives of these two warlocks, and their mission.

Coming in at just 24 pages, you might think that there is simply not enough content to make up a story, but you would be wrong. There is plenty of drama, and the author has even managed to fit backstory and emotion into the short space. But, it is certainly not enough to leave you feeling like you have read a book that you can now put aside, and not completely obsess over the ending. It does not have a nice, rounded ending, but rather an open one, one that leaves you practically begging for more, but finding no more pages to turn to. I would love to know that there is more of Enlil and Aris somewhere, either written somewhere I do not know about, or hiding away in the author’s brain. The Adventures of Enlil and Aris is a novel I would love to read, even if it was just full of short stories, each one a different snippet of their lives.

This is the kind of book that will get you hooked on the writing, and will have you buying more of the author’s books, because you know for certain that you will not be disappointed, but rather that you will find new worlds that you can fall in love with. I can say with all honesty that I cannot wait to read more by this author – I implore you to grab a copy of this book, and read it, and I dare you not to love it.

Also, it is a great length if you don’t have long to sit down and read. You could read this while waiting for the bus, or while enjoying a hot drink, or before going to bed… the possibilities are endless!

And done!

My to-be-read pile is digital, so I am not in danger of a book avalanche, but it is no less of a big thing. Every time I get anywhere close to only having 200 books to read, I go on a new book spree and increase it again.

Am I complaining?

A little, but mostly no.

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!

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!

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!