Laure has always wanted to be a ballerina. It is all she has ever known, she even ran away from home to join the Paris ballet schooWhat a great debut!
Laure has always wanted to be a ballerina. It is all she has ever known, she even ran away from home to join the Paris ballet school.
But however hard she tries, she never seems to receive the respect and appreciation so freely given to the other girls.
When she receives an interesting invitation from another ballerina to the Paris catacombs - what she experiences there will change her life forever.
Full of darkness, I was gripped by this story. I felt Laure’s anger and rage against the injustice she suffered. Her best friend who turned against her the minute the tables turned.
I have loved Holly Gibney’s character ever since the Mr Mercedes trilogy. I am so glad that SK loved her just as much to give Holly her own book.
I’veI have loved Holly Gibney’s character ever since the Mr Mercedes trilogy. I am so glad that SK loved her just as much to give Holly her own book.
I’ve seen a few comments complaining about the Covid element in this book. I think it’s really important to talk about topics relevant to the time the book is set. This has always been the case in Mr Mercedes too. Stephen King writes about the unemployment crisis in America, he has never shied away from the hard topics.
When people read this book in later years it will provide information about the years covid was rife. I also believe it strongly fits Holly’s personality - she was always quite extreme when it came to germs etc.
When a young woman’s bike is found but with her nowhere to be seen, her mother asks Holly to investigate. What she unravels is terrifying and dangerous.
Another thrill ride from Stephen King, I throughly enjoyed it.
I was however expecting weird when I went in, after reading ‘All’s Well’ by this same author.
At a prestigious writing collegeThis was fucking weird.
I was however expecting weird when I went in, after reading ‘All’s Well’ by this same author.
At a prestigious writing college, with only 5 girls on the course, Samantha feels left out.
The 4 other girls are a close as can be, constantly touching each other, always together and going so far as to refer to each other as ‘Bunny’ instead of their real names.
When Samantha receives an invitation to one of their parties, she thinks it must be a trick. But what if it isn’t? What if she is finally being included in their elite group?
I loved the mix of supernatural and mental hallucinations. You’re never quite sure what is real and what is imagined.
The behaviour of the girls was reminiscent of Mean Girls and the like. Very relatable. I liked the main character and understood her conflicting emotions between being herself and being part of something.
The reveals were interesting (view spoiler)[ her best friend had been a figment of her imagination the whole time. But the parts about using rabbits and turning them into boys was pretty out there. (hide spoiler)]
Overall pretty gripping and I will be picking up her next book....more
“She was a Crowder. She’d finally gotten a taste of the thing that lived under the bed, and she wouldn’t rest until she’d gotten her full.”
This was “She was a Crowder. She’d finally gotten a taste of the thing that lived under the bed, and she wouldn’t rest until she’d gotten her full.”
This was pretty out there! But sometimes that is just what you want in a horror.
Vera Crowder hasn’t been back to her family home in 12 years. When she receives a call from her dying mother to return and put the house in order she feels like she can’t refuse.
But the house she grew up in is full of secrets, and it remembers Vera well.
Full of suspense and strange happenings. A good undercurrent of uncertainty and fear, this was a solid scary story of both the human and supernatural kind.
So this is set up as a memoir, written by Art Barbara (not his real name) about his experiences as a t2.5 ⭐️
Too much weird, not enough clarification.
So this is set up as a memoir, written by Art Barbara (not his real name) about his experiences as a teen and then into his later adult life. The book is being read by his old friend Mercy Brown (also not her real name) so had loads of notes and opinions on each chapter.
There is an undercurrent of unease throughout the book which I liked, but by the end it just wasn’t clear enough for me.
(view spoiler)[ they give the idea that Mercy was a vampire and that she caused Art to become one too. But this is never specifically verified and the whole thing may have just been in his head. And then at the end he just dies. Bizarre. (hide spoiler)]
Not for me sadly, there were parts I liked but overall not my cup of tea. ...more
Loved this one! Started as a quiet tale about a young boy who is offered a job byReviewing each story as I go.
Mr Harrigan’s Phone 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved this one! Started as a quiet tale about a young boy who is offered a job by his neighbour Mr Harrigan. Craig reads to him, waters his plants and generally keeps him company. Mr Harrigan is wealthy, and knew a lot about the stock market in his time, but now retired, the world is moving on without him. When Craig wins some money on a scratch card he treats Mr Harrigan to a smart phone and he soon cannot live without it. When Mr Harrigan passes away, he is buried with his smart phone and one day when Craig misses him he calls the phone to hear his voicemail - but what he hears on the other line is something very unexpected. I won’t give away any more than that, but I loved the ambiguity and moral questions in this tale and it was a great start to the book!
Life of Chuck 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great start and concept, but sadly didn’t live up to it by the end. Told in three parts in reverse order. A man’s face appears on a billboard just as the apocalypse arrives. Working backwards we learn who Chuck is and more about his childhood. But ultimately I was left disappointed. (view spoiler)[ we never find out why his name and picture was on the billboards. He saw his own death as a child by I didn’t understand how it connected. (hide spoiler)]
If it Bleeds 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved being back with Holly Gibney! I love her character. This novella is a sequel to The Outsider, when Holly starts to spot similarities between news readers from different time periods she becomes suspicious. Surely there can’t be another creature like the one she previously faced? Fast paced and gripping, I was on the edge of my seat by the end and really enjoyed this one.
Rat 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This could have been too weird, but I found it was just the right level for me. A writer known only for his short stories is determined to write a novel. Despite the drastic end to his last attempt, he is determined to try again. He goes to his fathers old cabin in the woods for some solitude to get some serious writing done. But when he falls ill he starts to hallucinate (or does he). A rat appears offering him his life’s dream - but at a price. I liked that we aren’t really sure what is or isn’t real. Whether the rat was the cause or whether he finished the book himself and the other events are sheer bad timing. Very interesting idea....more
I loved the Bill Hodges trilogy, when I saw there would be another book with Holly Gibney in it I was excited. It had a really strong start. A c3.5 ⭐️
I loved the Bill Hodges trilogy, when I saw there would be another book with Holly Gibney in it I was excited. It had a really strong start. A child is found mutilated and killed - DNA everywhere indicates it is the local baseball teams coach. The police arrest him immediately in the middle of a game in front of the whole town.
But then it comes to light that the suspect was out of the city during the attack. At a convention with 3 other witnesses. So begs the question, how can a man be in two places at once?
I loved this premise and was excited to see what King did with it. I expected supernatural, as I said I’ve read the Bill Hodges trilogy so it wasn’t the supernatural that left me slightly underwhelmed.
It was the lack of explanation. In the previous trilogy we get dense description of how Brady did what he did. But here it’s just kind of thrown at you right at the end and it’s just like - deal with it.
I still enjoyed it, don’t get me wrong but the ending felt rushed and a bit undeveloped.
I will pick up the If It Bleeds short stories soon though. ...more
This was a pleasant surprise. I spotted it on the library shelf and thought it looked good but kept my expectations low.
A family return to their homeThis was a pleasant surprise. I spotted it on the library shelf and thought it looked good but kept my expectations low.
A family return to their home after the death of their father to go through the will and sort out paperwork. However, not long after arrival Rob’s five year old son Timmy goes missing, and then two others.
I love a good haunted house story, and this one was really interesting with history woven in. Witching rooms, family secrets and gripping writing.
“Payback is a bitch, he thought, and I am that bitch.”
Really enjoyed this trilogy and loved this final instalment.
Bill and Holly find themselves d “Payback is a bitch, he thought, and I am that bitch.”
Really enjoyed this trilogy and loved this final instalment.
Bill and Holly find themselves drawn into another mystery when two women supposedly commit suicide. One of whom was a victim of the Mercedes killer - permanently disabled.
As more and more links between Brady’s victims start to appear, Bill worries that there may be more to the suicides than meets the eye.
And when we find out what is causing these deaths - it is both shocking and twisted. (view spoiler)[ Brady Hartsfield, despite being a vegetable - has found a way to jump into peoples minds and hypnotise them. Using the body of a doctor he manages to create mass suicides through the provision of Zappits. (Game Boys). (hide spoiler)]
Such a terrifying concept, I was gripped and so pleased that (view spoiler)[ Brady gets his just deserts by getting mowed down by Jerome in a snowmobile (hide spoiler)]...more
Not really my cup of tea. It took a long time to get going, and Louise’s brother Mark pissed me off so much I almost gave up.
When it finally got intoNot really my cup of tea. It took a long time to get going, and Louise’s brother Mark pissed me off so much I almost gave up.
When it finally got into it I was a bit more invested - but still not massively (view spoiler)[ creepy dolls/puppets aren’t really my thing. But I did find the reveal where it was their mother’s dead brother possessing the puppet to be an interesting take. (hide spoiler)]
I finished it, which is something to be said. But I think I might be done with this authors books....more
A high octane thriller. Though I did have a rough inkling about the reasoning as it was very similar to another book I’ve read.
7 strangers ent3.5 ⭐️
A high octane thriller. Though I did have a rough inkling about the reasoning as it was very similar to another book I’ve read.
7 strangers enter a competition to win £50,000. They simply have to play as extreme version of hide and seek - stay hidden for 7 days without being caught.
But as the days go by and more competitors disappear, they start to wonder if there is something much more sinister to this competition than meets the eye.
It’s a short read, and although exciting I would have loved to know more about (view spoiler)[ how the founders discovered this monster and about how awakening it would give their families protection as long as they feed it blood relatives. (hide spoiler)]
I definitely think more depth would have been good, but I still enjoyed it all the same. ...more
I didn’t love this one nearly as much as The Last House on Needless Street - but then I thought3.5 ⭐️
“How are you feeling? Are you a bad dog too?”
I didn’t love this one nearly as much as The Last House on Needless Street - but then I thought that book was fucking fantastic. So the bar was probably a bit high ...more
A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins - ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A creepy story about a man who rents a large old house. A chesI’ll review each story as I go:
A Study in Black and White by Bridget Collins - ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A creepy story about a man who rents a large old house. A chess set inside seems to move by itself, and he feels like there is something or someone watching him. Full of foreboding, this story covered a lot in a short space of time.
Thwaite’s Tenant by Imogen Hermes Gowar - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved this one! Wasn’t sure about the main character to begin with but she found her strength. Lucinda and her son Stanley move into the old Thwaite house, fleeing her abusive husband. The Thwaite house has its own history. Emily Thwaite apparently fled her own husband, and the house is haunted by him. But maybe Emily hasn’t left either. Another spooky one with a great story.
The Eel Singers by Natasha Pulley - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thaniel, Mori and Six decide to take a trip away from London. Mori is clairvoyant, and he only knows of one place where his mind is quieted. Once they arrive though, Thaniel feels an awful sense of foreboding. The locals seem creepy, always staring and singing or humming this strange song. Again, a lot packed into a short story and I enjoyed how it panned out and how it ended.
Lily Wilt by Jess Kidd - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one was just weird. A photographer called Pemble is asked to photograph a dead girl by her family to preserve her beauty. He becomes obsessed with this ethereal and almost supernatural beauty. He starts to see her ghost in his own home, she asks him to bring her back to life by any means necessary. We don’t really know how, only that he manages it but she isn’t quite the way he pictured her. (view spoiler)[ so he gives her back and she is buried, but he hands himself into the police as having stolen the body in the first place and having killed his landlady for finding out, so is hanged?! (hide spoiler)] I guess they weren’t all going to be my cup of tea ...more
“But the woods near Sleepy Hollow were not the same as other woods. There were places deep and dark that no Christina Henry strikes again! 4 stars ⭐️
“But the woods near Sleepy Hollow were not the same as other woods. There were places deep and dark that no one dared go. No one dared go there because it was known that those places were the haunts of creatures not of this earth.”
Ben Van Brunt has lived in Sleepy Hollow his entire life. He knows there are certain parts of the woods no one goes in. The town is full of superstition, in particular the story of the Headless Horseman.
When young boys in the town start to go missing, the town try to brush over it. Better that than admitting there is something truly insidious in the forest.
I don’t actually know a lot about the original Sleepy Hollow story so I was able to go into this pretty much blind. Christina Henry, as usual does a great job of building tension and unease.
(view spoiler)[ I liked that the monster wasn’t entirely explained. That it is just ‘evil’ that simply exists and can’t always be destroyed. The idea that the Horseman becomes someone new every generation. That Ben never truly fit in the town, and after losing everyone he loved he becomes the new protector of the forest. (hide spoiler)]
Overall, a spooky tale with a host of characters to love and hate.
“Sleepy Hollow and the people of the hollow believed in ghosts and goblins, believed in spooks and haunts.”
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My favourite thing to see on the library app:
‘In Transit’ The only thing better is ‘on hold’ ...more
I love a good retelling, I never get tired of them if done well. And this was a really good one!
Wendy Darling is a grown up with a husband and daughtI love a good retelling, I never get tired of them if done well. And this was a really good one!
Wendy Darling is a grown up with a husband and daughter. She remembers her time in Neverland fondly, despite it sending her to an institution when she was younger.
When Jane is taken by Peter, Wendy must return to Neverland once more to retrieve her daughter.
Here Peter is the villain. He is callous and cruel, with no regard for anyone - especially those who speak against him.
I liked (view spoiler)[ that Peter’s shadow was the dark part of himself, which is why he cut it away and it grew monstrous (hide spoiler)]
The book switches between Wendy and Jane and also Wendy’s time in the mental institute. The separations were made clear and I didn’t find it confusing at all.
There were a lot of modern themes mixed in which I also enjoyed. It gave this well known story a new lease of life.
I will definitely be picking up more by this author! ...more
“Curiosity was the faceless monster that stuck a pitchfork through the cat.”
A group of girls who have all survived massacres meet once a month for “Curiosity was the faceless monster that stuck a pitchfork through the cat.”
A group of girls who have all survived massacres meet once a month for a meeting known as ‘The Final Girl Support Group.’
They’ve each suffered horribly and come out the other side. From school shootings to summer camp killings and each has left their mark on the girls.
Our main protagonist Lynette is paranoid, and desperately concerned about safety. When one of the girls is killed, Lynette feels something awful is afoot. Is someone coming after the final girls to finish what they started?
A non stop thriller I couldn’t put down. At times maybe a bit unbelievable, but if a thriller is exciting then I can live with a bit of exaggeration.
4 stars for an entertaining and gripping read!...more
“We came up here to do some research and now we’re in a horror movie with a monster and an unkillable redneck with a gun.”
Holy shit! What a ride!
A g “We came up here to do some research and now we’re in a horror movie with a monster and an unkillable redneck with a gun.”
Holy shit! What a ride!
A gripping thriller/horror with supernatural elements. Mattie has lived with William for as long as she can remember. Anything she remembers from before is clearly just made up in her head. William says she is his wife and must obey him in all things - he punishes her if she doesn’t.
They live in a cabin in the mountains, Mattie is not allowed to leave the cabin for any reason. But when William notices tracks larger than any animal he has ever seen - he believes it is a test. He must kill this beast.
Christina Henry builds the suspense really well. I was never sure what to be more afraid of - the beast or William the psychopath.
It leads to an adrenaline fuelled climax. My only gripe is (view spoiler)[that we don’t find out more about the monster. But I guess that’s the point - the mystery. Also the random part about William being a drug dealer seemed a bit out of left field. (hide spoiler)]
I was gripped - that is the most important part.
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Whoops - pay day treat to myself! Honestly I have a problem ...more
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