horror

Review: It Watches in the Dark (Eek! #1) by Jeff Strand

~ megs14malloy

It Watches in the Dark (Eek!)It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃

It Watches in the Dark is a fantastically-tense Spooky Middle Grade story, and the first book in the all-new Eek! series by veteran Horror author, Jeff Strand.

I was immediately drawn to this book because of the cover. How devilishly-divine is that scarecrow!? It’s giving me all the Autumnal vibes that I cherish in my every day life.

Jumping into this one, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I ended up enjoying it so much. The writing is fluid and engaging, with eerie Horror imagery throughout. I loved how quickly it kicked off, and never let up.

In this story, we follow twins, Trisha and Oliver. At the start of our tale they are on a canoe trip with their Dad, which is something they do often. On this particular trip through, they hit a series of unexpected rapids and their Dad is injured, knocked unconscious.

Not knowing exactly what to do, the kids tie up to the first dock they find and go ashore in search of help.

They end up coming across a tiny town in the woods, Escrow, population 999. Everything about the place seems a little odd, but beggars can’t be choosers, right? The twins seriously need to find their Dad help.

They meet a few townspeople, who though strange, seem to be willing enough to help, and they’re adults, they have to know what they’re doing.

Their Dad is retrieved and taken to the local medical center, but from there the kids are kept away from him. Germs and all that. Oliver and Trisha are left to their own devices and the more time they spend in Escrow, the more their senses tell them to beat feet out of there.

Perhaps it’s the enormous creepy scarecrow sitting sentinel in the town square that’s giving them that feeling. It seems to be watching them and the townspeople are obsessed with it, talking about it like it’s a living being.

As dark approaches, the kids are feeling panicked. They want to leave. They do not want to spend the night in Escrow, but they can’t move their Dad on their own.

The townspeople become more threatening and it suddenly feels imperative to escape. Will the kids be able to figure out a way to rescue their Dad and flee Escrow together, or will this be the end of the road for one, or all, of them?

It Watches in the Dark is a super solid Spooky Middle Grade read. I would definitely recommend this to any Reader who enjoys Middle Grade Horror.

It does have a sort of Goosebumps charm to it, but was creepier than that, really. Especially the initial chapters. I appreciate how Strand set-up this spooky town. It was definitely getting under my skin.

The more the kids interacted with the residents of Escrow, the more tense and stressed out I felt. I just wanted them to run away, but they couldn’t after their Dad was taken to the medical center. They didn’t want to abandon him, of course, and they were still wanting to trust these adults so much.

Oliver and Trisha were great too. I liked that they worked together and appreciated each others strengths, instead of just fighting all the time, as siblings tend to do in fiction.

Overall, I found this extremely entertaining. I think Strand did a great job of making this punchy, with plenty of action and spookiness on every page. I already have an early copy of the next book in the series, Nightmare in the Backyard and I’m excited to get to it!

Thank you to the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Kids, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was such a fun read; very well done!

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Review: The Angel of Indian Lake (The Indian Lake Trilogy #3) by Stephen Graham Jones

~ megs14malloy

The Angel of Indian Lake (The Indian Lake Trilogy #3)The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Angel of Indian Lake is the final book in the Indian Lake Trilogy. It’s also my most anticipated release of 2024.

I finished this a week ago and have been sitting with my thoughts ever since. I find myself thinking of the story at random times during the day, and trying to decide how I would explain my overall experience with this trilogy.

I really haven’t come up with anything that I think serves it justice. At this point, I’ve come to terms with the fact that this is just one of those 5-star reads that I may never end up writing a full, thoughtful, and analytical review for.

It simply is what it is. I love this series with my whole heart. It’s special to me, because in a way, I feel like this series validates my passion for the crazily nuanced genre of Horror.

Stephen Graham Jones is such a talented storyteller. His nostalgic, yet edgy-style, brings a distinct voice to his stories, while also bringing heart and emotion. We swoon.

While I recognize this trilogy won’t be for everyone, for the people it is for, for the people it resonates with, it’s truly a gift. My heart hurts that it’s over. Is this really the last time I’m going to spend with these characters I love?

I know I can read it again and again, as I do with my favorite King books, but still, I’m going to miss them nevertheless. SGJ is clearly a life-long Horror lover, a student of the genre, and someone that can tell one hell of a story.

I’d love to hang out with him around a campfire…

I highly recommend this series to Horror Readers. Particularly to Horror Readers who have been turning to the genre their whole life for comfort and to face fears. Perhaps you’ll see a little of yourself in here too.

Also, coincidentally, I did happen to rewatch Scream III while reading this and loved coming upon Randy’s rules for Slasher Trilogies, which definitely could be applied here. It was great to hear those again from him whilst reading this.

So perfect. We love making beautiful Horror connections!!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I already can’t wait to read this one again!

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Review: Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne

~ megs14malloy

DiavolaDiavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first thing that attracted my attention to Diavola was this stunningly-disturbing cover. What does it even mean?

I had to know.

Then I read the synopsis, which completely sold me. A Gothic-feeling Travel Horror novel, set in Italy, full of family drama and haunted happenings. Yes, please.

I was lucky enough to receive an audio copy, and definitely recommend that format.

The narration style of Andi Arndt was absolutely perfect for this story, and as a representation of the MC, Anna’s, voice. I was transported into the Pace family vacation via this audio.

We follow Anna as she meets her family in Italy, where they have rented a gorgeous historic villa near the tiny town of Monteperso. As Anna tries to settle in, the atmosphere is tense. Her family is complicated.

Mom is always passively-aggressively nagging at Anna about her life choices. Dad seems distant, except when he would like to remind everyone of who paid for their vacation. Nicole, Anna’s sister, has their entire itinerary mapped out to the second, and god forbid anyone question it.

Nicole’s two daughters are also there, as well as her husband. They seem to be the only ones in the family Anna even remotely gets along with. Thank goodness for them.

Then there’s Anna’s twin brother, Benny, attending with his arrogant, asshat of a boyfriend, Christopher.

Anna and Benny’s relationship is the most difficult to figure out. As twins, their relationship has always been a special one, but it is definitely strained at this point. At times it seems good, at other times, not so much.

Honestly, that’s the best way to describe this vacation: strained. Unfortunately, it’s not just the family though. The villa itself, is strange and seems to be affecting everyone.

There’s a locked tower room, odd noises and an ominous atmosphere that’s downright oppressive. I would certainly need a vacation after this vacation.

I was impressed with how immersive this ended up being. When I was in it, I was really in it.

I went through a whole range of emotions and was astounded by the direction it ultimately went. I wasn’t expecting a lot of what occurred in the later half of the story. It fleshed out so many layers that were there all along that I feel like I missed initially.

I am already looking forward to reading it again. I would love to annotate it and really just spend some more time with it. It’s beautifully executed!

I can’t stress enough how gripping and haunting this is. My mind was left reeling, trying to interpret all of the events that went down. The atmosphere is top notch, but it never overshadowed the characters, or the emotions that were raging between them.

I would recommend this to any Horror fan, particularly if you enjoy Travel Horror, or Horror featuring complicated family dynamics. I feel like I know the Pace family inside and out. I’m practically one of them at this point.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review.

Diavola has been my greatest surprise of 2024 thus far. I cannot wait to read more from Jennifer Marie Thorne!

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Rereading a Favorite: Don’t Fear the Reaper (Indian Lake Trilogy #2) by Stephen Graham Jones

~ megs14malloy

Don't Fear the Reaper (The Indian Lake Trilogy, #2)Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another 5-stars upon reread? Who’s surprised?

After I finished Don’t Fear the Reaper for the 2nd-time, I thought about all the things I wanted to say about it. All my new take-aways from my reread.

Then I thought, I don’t have time for all that. Seriously, it’s times like these when I wish I had a BookTube channel, so that I could just talk about it naturally, as thoughts are streaming through my head.

Honestly, I could talk for hours about this book. There are so many gorgeous themes touched upon, all mixed amongst Grade-A Slasher action and lore.

My Heart is a Chainsaw is a love letter to Slasher Horror. In this story, one of the aspects I enjoyed the most was the relationship between Jade and Letha; how it had evolved.

I also loved how between the two books, SGJ demonstrated one of the best aspects of Horror for me and many other life-long Horror fans. That is the way the genre offers a sense of solace and escape. It’s a way for you to face your own fears in a safe way. It’s a way for you to find order, to find rules, in a world that often seems to have none.

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t enjoying Horror in some form. From such a young age, it has always made me happy. I’m not exaggerating when I say it is my absolute comfort zone; and the Horror community is fantastic as well. We’re small, but we’re ardent.

I feel like Horror can often be an underrated and misunderstood genre. First is just the fact that it is assumed ‘one’ genre, with the main intent to scare each and every person that takes it in and if it doesn’t, it’s thought to have failed in some way.

To me, that is too simplistic a view for a genre that has too many subgenres to count, is full of nuance and explores a vast array of different themes and topics.

In The Indian Lake Trilogy, Jones brings all the emotion that is Horror to the page. He shows its power to help and to heal, to be a safe place ((believe it or not)) where one can hide, as well as how it can kick some ass, build esteem, face down monsters and slay some demons.

Why am I going down this tangent, you may be wondering. Believe it or not, I do feel like it’s important as a way to frame what you’re gonna get in this series.

In the first book, we discover Jade, as a teen, who views the world around her through a prism of Slasher lore that she has built up over many years.

There are reasons why she started to do this and a new friend in her life sees it as a call for help. Jade battles against that. No, no, no, she just wants to help this friend, Letha. She wants to teach her all she knows, to protect her; as a way to save their town, Proofrock.

At the start of Don’t Fear the Reaper, Jade returns to town after being away, in lock-up following the events of the 4th of July massacre. She’s had space from Proofrock and no longer has her biggest monster breathing down her neck. She now tries to keep herself from falling back into her past mindset and thought patterns.

Letha, on the other hand, has remained in Proofrock, where she has since gotten married and had a child. In spite of the happy family life, Letha was changed by the 4th of July massacre. She was left traumatized, both emotionally and physically, maimed in a painful and life-altering way.

We see that either consciously, or subconsciously, Letha has turned to Slashers as a source of comfort for herself during her recovery. IMO, she had picked up that that is what Jade had done, and she had learned by example. I feel like she did find a lot of comfort there.

When the two women reunite, it’s such a fascinating dynamic. The Padawan has become the Master. Letha tries to bring Jade back to her roots and ultimately, it’s Proofrock, she’s going to end up there.

With all this being said, this trilogy fills my heart in a way that’s really hard to explain. It is a nostalgic feeling, like coming home, and one that always makes me feel more passionate towards my favorite genre.

If you are a life-long Horror fan, I highly recommend this series if you haven’t started it yet, or the work of Stephen Graham Jones in general. He’s a genius and has such love for the genre. It’s truly a joy to read!

Original:

Don’t Fear the Reaper released just in time for Valentine’s Day. Be still my Slasher-Loving heart. This was everything!

Stephen Graham Jones is a genius. His writing style is completely unique, distinct and is an absolute master class in Slasher lore. I’m hooked. ((pun intended))

In anticipation of this release, I recently reread the first book in the trilogy, My Heart Is a Chainsaw. I love that book and honestly, was concerned that nothing could top it.

Somehow, defying the general law of sequels, this was bigger, badder and more blockbuster than the first!

It’s been 4-years since the Independence Day Massacre. Jade, now going by her given name of Jennifer, has spent those years in prison. When her conviction is overturned, Jade returns to her native Proofrock.

As Jennifer’s luck would have it, on the very night she returns, a prison transport van carrying convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South, flips over in a blizzard. Dark Mill escapes and heads straight for Proofrock.

Back in town, Jennifer is reunited with her previously chosen final girl and dare I say, friend, Letha Mondragon. It’s a bittersweet reunion for the two women. They’ve both changed dramatically since that brutal night four years ago.

Very quickly bodies start dropping in harsh and creative ways. Is Dark Mill responsible for these killings? What would his motive be here? If not him, who?

True to character, Jennifer and Letha dive head first into the action, putting themselves in incredible danger. They essentially saved the town before. It looks like they’ll have to do it again, but if there’s really just one final girl, who will make it out alive?

This book starts with a bang and never ever lets up. Not for a moment. It has the classic slasher opening scenes, where stuff is already hitting the haunted ceiling fan.

In addition to all the phenomenal Slasher connections and references, I absolutely adored the character development displayed in this one. For both Jennifer and Letha. The padawan has truly become the master.

Also, I enjoyed getting more of the twins, Ginger and Cinnamon. I feel like their interactions with Jennifer and Letha added a lot to the narrative. It was like the older generation passing on the torch of horror to the next generation.

Not that Letha and Jennifer are that much older, they aren’t old at all, but the experience of the Independence Day Massacre has certainly provided them with knowledge and seniority when it comes to being able to survive a Slasher.

I have no idea when the next book is slated to be released, but I do know I’ll be regularly stalking SGJ’s author page until we find out. I’m super anxious to learn the title and see the cover.

This series is everything I have ever wanted. Having grown up on a fairly steady diet of Slashers, thanks to my super cool older siblings, these stories bring me so much nostalgia and joy. I love the entire vibe.

While I recognize that this series may not be for everyone, I know that with the people it resonates with, it’s going to really hit. I cannot stop thinking about this. I’m really looking forward to reading both books again just prior to the release of the third.

If you love Horror Cinema, and Slashers in particular, and you haven’t picked up this series yet, I cannot recommend it highly enough. You don’t want to miss out on this!

Thank you so, so much to the publisher, Gallery / Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This was my most anticipated release of 2023 and it didn’t disappoint for a moment. Chef’s kiss!!

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Review: The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

~ megs14malloy

The GatheringThe Gathering by C.J. Tudor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The easiest 5-star rating I have given thus far in 2024. I adored every moment of reading this story.

C.J. Tudor has explored new territory here. I can’t wait for more. It’s so good, and C.J., if you happen upon this review, this book was everything…

I basically fell in love with this book the very first time I set eyes on this eerie snow-covered cover. Added to that, the publisher created a fascinating Horror Mystery synopsis.

They had my attention. It was giving me heavy Bone White ((one of my favorites ever)) vibes and I was all over it!

Luckily, I was blessed with an early copy and although I tried to push it off closer to release date, here we are.

In this story, we follow Detective Barbara Atkins, an experienced specialist in vampyr killings. She gets sent to the very small and remote town of Deadhart, Alaska, to investigate the brutal murder of a teen boy.

Deadhart has a Colony of vampyrs living on their periphery with which they have an unsettling history. This most recent murder is the literal match to the wick. The townspeople are fired up and calling for a cull.

Barbara is tasked with determining whether or not a vampyr was responsible for the brutal slaying of the teen, and if so, does that solitary act necessitate a cull.

Needless to say, some of the townspeople don’t warm to Barbara’s presence. They’re a small, tight-knit community and don’t feel they need outsiders dictating how they handle their town and it’s adjacent Colony.

As the Reader, you go along with Barbara as she inserts herself into this town and really digs into this specific case, as well as anything else that may help her make her determination in regards to this Colony.

I was immediately intrigued with this set-up. I enjoyed how it’s essentially our world, with one major difference, vampyrs are real and they live openly amongst humans.

They may live in their own Colonies, but everyone knows they exist. It’s an interesting set-up to imagine.

I think Tudor did a great job of developing this. We learn slowly the details of the relationship between humans and vampyrs, historically, so it doesn’t weigh you down with major descriptors right off the bat.

It’s strictly a need to know basis and I liked that. I never felt like I needed more information. I had exactly what I needed to feel completely enraptured by this world.

I also loved the way the setting of Deadhart is portrayed. The atmosphere is so rich. It’s dark, uninviting and feels dangerous. I was shivering and wasn’t sure if it is from the cold coming off the pages, or the fear. Tudor created a real sense of dread; my love language.

We do get some other perspectives, so you aren’t locked in with Barbara the whole time. The back and forth kept the story going at a nice clip and I felt each perspective added a lot to the build-up.

One of my favorite aspects of this was Barbara’s relationship with the local law enforcement, particularly a former deputy, Tucker. They made a great team. Their relationship felt very natural and I enjoyed their coworker energy.

As you get past the mid-point, the pace really kicks up. You can feel the tension rising in the whole town. You can just tell that everything is going to come to a head.

I was nervous. You do start to care about some of the characters and the dangers were everywhere. I was so concerned for everyone that I cared about. I wanted everyone to make it out unscathed.

Overall, this was just so fun. It was well constructed and super gripping. I honestly hope this sets a new trend for vampire stories. It was unsettling realistic.

Thank you to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to pick up a hard copy for my shelves!!!

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Review: The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden

~ megs14malloy

The House of Last ResortThe House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m just out here chilling on minority opinion island…

…trying to figure out how best to write my review of The House of Last Resort.

Even though this was the latest release from Christopher Golden, an author I have really enjoyed in the past, I was a little hesitant going into this one. While I hadn’t read any reviews, that overall rating of 3.3 was glaring me in the face.

I was concerned. Did Golden have a flop?

I still haven’t read a lot of the reviews, so I am not exactly sure what the issue is, but I have read this one and I really, really enjoyed it!

This went into a surprising Religious Horror direction, which I love. It felt Literary in it’s build-up and I loved the culturally-rich setting. I feel like this would make an incredible movie. It was so vibrant.

In this novel, we’re following American couple, Tommy and Kate Puglisi, who move to the small hilltop town of Becchina, in Italy.

Becchina is dwindling, with the population aging out and young people moving away. In an effort to revitalize the area, the mayor starts a program to sell abandoned homes to anyone for a single Euro, as long as the buyer promises to live there for at least five years.

Tommy and Kate jump at the chance. Tommy has family there and they’re excited about the change in lifestyle and ability to get to spend more time with his family.

Upon arrival, the house isn’t quite giving them the warm, romantic vibes they expected though. It’s giving a more haunted, demonic feel than they would have signed up for.

And why do all the locals whisper about this place?

We follow Tommy and Kate as they attempt to settle in, make their new house a home and become involved with the local community.

Strange things are happening at the house though that they can’t explain. They’ve discovered rooms they didn’t know were there and the more they dig into the history of the house, the more nervous they become.

They ultimately learn that their home was owned by the church for generations and there are dark, dangerous secrets hiding behind every corner, and perhaps even under their feet. With a history like that, will this place ever be able to become a comfortable family home?

As mentioned above, I really enjoyed this. I have always vibed with Golden’s writing. It’s engaging.

Granted, not every moment is smash-bang in your face, it has a lot of quiet, more subtle moments, but all the more for the build, I say. I love a slow burn, as long as the payoff is worth it and IMO, this one is.

Once I started this book, I was definitely consumed by the story. I read 43% in my first sitting. I barely came up for air. I ended up finishing it in a day.

I loved the atmosphere and the feeling of the historic town and property. I was intrigued by the mystery of the house and as a lover of Religious Horror, I was happy to see it take a turn in that direction. The whole feeling of that place was beautifully depicted by Golden.

I would recommend this to Horror fans, or people who enjoy a slow burn set amongst a creepy, mysterious atmosphere. Also, haunted house fans, this is a unique take in the subgenre, so you should definitely check it out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me a copy to read and review. I always look forward to picking up Golden’s latest work.

This one was definitely a win for me!

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Rereading My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

~ megs14malloy

My Heart Is a Chainsaw (The Indian Lake Trilogy, #1)My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5-stars yet again, for the 3rd-time around. I’m guessing that no one in the room is surprised.

Some may be questioning why I am reading this for the 3rd-time though, when I currently have 1,547-books on my ‘want to read’ shelf that I haven’t made time for yet?

I will offer up a small explanation for this seemingly insane behavior. With the 3rd-book, The Angel of Indian Lake, releasing at the end of the month, there’s no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to read this again.

It’s literally one of my favorite books of all time. I’m not going to beat a dead horse here and repeat all of the reasons why this is one of my favorites.

I will, however, leave up my two original reviews below so that you can see more thorough, coherent thoughts.

I will say one small thing though, Stephen Graham Jones is a genius. I know not everyone is going to appreciate what he created here in the same way that I do.

Nonetheless, you have to doff your cap to the level of humanity and non-stop Slasher lore that he brings to the pages of this story. It is outstanding. I will never stop rereading this book.

Previously

My heart is full. I’m so glad I took the time to reread this one before diving into Don’t Fear the Reaper. This time around, I am switching my rating to a full 5-stars.

I feel like I got to know Jade’s character more this time. The first time, I was so focused on the Slasher references, some of the texture of the story was lost on me. Not this time. I see you, Jade, and I hear you loud and clear.

I think my biggest take-away this time through was actually Jade’s relationship with Slashers. I have a better understanding now of what drew her to that genre, what compelled her to learn all she could and what keeps her mind constantly cycling through all she knows as life gets tough, or uncertain, around her.

In a way, it is a self-soothing act for her and that makes my heart ache for her character even more than it did before. Jade has not had an easy life.

With the precariousness of her life, her living situation and future, Jade is searching for something solid and true. She craves a structure that won’t let her down.

She finds all she is looking for in Slashers. Any student of the genre knows that to be true. It does follow a certain pattern and Jade draws from that to relate to events that are going on around her. It’s a coping mechanism in a way.

I feel like the first time I read this, I was so invested in all Jade had to say about the genre that I failed to focus as much on why she was saying it.

Reading this again allowed me to focus more on the substance behind all that in-your-face Slasher goodness.

I am so excited to move forward with the next book. Don’t Fear the Reaper is releasing this coming Tuesday, February, 7th!! You’ve got just enough time to read this one before that release, if you haven’t already. Time to get cracking!

Original:

**4.5-stars rounded up**

My Heart Is a Chainsaw is Stephen Graham Jones most recent and brilliant, love letter to the Slasher genre. It’s also one of my most anticipated books of the year. Happily, it did not disappoint.

I actually finished this on September 2nd. Subsequently, I wrote a full review, which if I do say so myself, was pretty darn good.

Then due to major stupidity on my part, my laptop got inadvertently shutdown and all of my efforts were erased.

Normally, I would try to find another person within striking distance to blame, but unfortunately, it was just me, my dog and a potentially haunted ceiling fan.

But I digress…let’s try it again:

Jade Daniels is a social outcast in her small, lakeside town of Proofrock, Idaho. A half-Indian girl, forced to live with her abusive father, Jade changes her hair color often and views the world through a prism of her vast knowledge of the Horror genre.

As her high school career comes to a close, there’s not much on the horizon for Jade. She works as a janitor for the local public school system, and it seems she may be doing so well into the future.

That in and of itself is fine. If she could just stay away from her Dad and his pervy friend, it would all be okay.

When mysterious events around town start mirroring the plot structure of her favorite genre, however, Jade knows it’s finally happening. Oddly, she’s excited by the prospect.

Proofrock has a real-life Slasher on their hands!

Therefore, she does what any logical Horror Aficionado would do and tracks down the most obvious choice for Final Girl, in this case, new girl, Letha Mondragon, so she may teach her the fine art of defeating a Slasher.

Sure, there’s likely to be a high body count, that’s a given. After all, it’s almost time for the annual 4th of July celebration and we all know Slashers cannot resist events like that, but the final girl should still be able to stop him. Eventually.

I’m always amazed by how much Jones can pack into a story. Each page feels like a Master Class in the Horror genre; full of references and the rules that make my heart soar.

In addition to that though, he always doses us full of hard-hitting real world issues as well. There are many layers here, as there are in other novels of his that I have read.

This story was so much fun to read. It’s intricate, gritty, bloody, gory, smart, sarcastic, biting and fierce. The writing is top-notch and it’s going to remain in my mind for a long time to come.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am sure there are a lot of things I am forgetting to mention about this, but what can I say?

I’m silenced by greatness!

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Review: Goblin Monday (Goosebumps: House of Shivers #2) by R.L. Stine

~ megs14malloy

Goblin Monday (Goosebumps House of Shivers #2)Goblin Monday by R.L. Stine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Goblin Monday is the 2nd-book in the House of Shivers series.

This entire franchise holds a very special place in my heart, and I was excited when I learned that Stine was adding another limb to the Goosebumps family tree.

I really enjoyed the 1st-installment, Goosebumps: House of Shivers: Scariest. Book. Ever., when I read it last year. It was fast-paced, with a great antagonist and spooky creatures. Overall, a very solid Goosebumps read.

Jumping into this one, I was feeling confident and loved how this one kicked off. The set-up was great and I was anticipating a solid ride all the way through.

In this story we follow Mario. He grew up in South Florida and has very recently moved North with his family. On his first winter break, he gets invited along a holiday trip with his new friends, Todd and Jewel.

Todd and Jewel’s grandparents live in Vermont and their parents take them up there every year. When Marco gets invited along for the trip, he is ecstatic. He’s going to get to see snow for the first time!

He’s warned on the car ride up that Grandpa Tweety and Mom Mom are a bit on the eccentric side, but they’re purportedly harmless and wickedly entertaining.

Mario enters their home with an open heart and excitement for all the adventures that lay ahead that week. Little did he know that soon he would be fighting for his life.

As the cover and synopsis indicate, this story does involve goblins. The way Stine introduced the idea of goblins being on the Vermont property, and slowly bringing them to life on the page, was engaging and admittedly, creepy as heck.

Mario didn’t notice the ominous nature of the events happening at the home as quickly as I thought he would, but once he did, it was hard watching him try to get his friends to believe in the things he had seen and experienced.

They weren’t taking him seriously, brushing off his concerns, and I was getting as frustrated as he was!

I found almost the entirety of this book gripping and fun, but the very end just blew the whole thing for me.

Ultimately, I was really conflicted on how to rate it. It’s so good, I was hooked, right up until the final two scenes. I was seriously was thinking that this could actually be a unicorn 5-star Goosebumps read.

But then, Stine just did his thing where the end is so freaking bizarre and makes no sense in context with the rest of the story. Why, Mr. Stine? Why?

Honestly though, even with that being said, it’s still absolutely worth a read. There were some genuinely scary scenes up until those final few moments.

There’s a lot of creepy content involving birds, and wandering around in a snow-filled forest feeling like something is following you. The build-up and development was great, but yeah, that ending; not good.

Obviously, I still recommend this to any fan of the Goosebumps franchise. We all know at this point the tricks that Stine oftentimes pulls at the end. To long time Readers, you’ll most likely just SYH at this conclusion.

And as far as new Readers go, I always encourage jumping in on new series from the beginning, as soon as you can. It’s fun to just read along from the start as they’re released, and I plan to continue to do so with this series.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Scholastic Paperbacks, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

It looks like the 3rd-installment is going to be a Mummy story and I’m so ready for it. I will never stop reading R.L. Stine’s work, because no matter how old I get, you’re never too old for Goosebumps!!

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Review: Among the Living by Tim Lebbon

~ megs14malloy

Among the LivingAmong the Living by Tim Lebbon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Among the Living is an Eco-Horror novel from Tim Lebbon.

I was so excited when I read the synopsis for this one, as we all know, there’s nothing better than reading Arctic Horror in the Winter. I was super stoked to get into it.

This story is set in a very remote area of the Arctic Circle, specifically, on Hawkshead Island. We follow two groups of individuals. The first, a team of illegal miners who essentially exploit natural resources, is led by Dean.

The second, a group of climate activists, who try to stop illegal activities such as those Dean and his team engage in. The activists are led by Bethan, an old friend of Dean’s.

Dean and his team go to the island to explore a vast cave system. Their exploits lead to a horrific contagion being unleashed. This contagion has laid dormant for many millennia, but now that it’s free, it’s ready to wreck havoc.

Bethan and her team, wanting to stop Dean and his associates from exploiting this rare and special environment, rush there to try to stop them. Spoiler alert: they’re too late.

Dean, Bethan and their rivals teams are now on a survival mission from hell. They can’t let this contagion escape the island. If they do, it could mean an end to life as we know it.

But, hey, no pressure…

The concept of Among the Living is great. I love the idea of exploring what could happen if some sort of ancient contagion, or virus, is unleashed, either due to ice melt, or humans uncovering it from underground.

I think it’s such a horrifying idea. I actually think about it quite a bit. I was really excited to see Lebbon tackle that potentially species-destroying topic here.

Sadly, the execution left me feeling majorly underwhelmed.

This is a good book. I know many Readers will enjoy it. For me though, I just couldn’t care less about the characters, or their interpersonal issues. I was bored by them.

There were some extremely vivid horror scenes, where I feel like the horror imagery was very well presented. Those were the parts I enjoyed the most. They were a little few and far between for my tastes though.

IMO, the beginning of this was the most exciting part, even though in terms of action, that definitely gets more amped up towards the end. It gets crazy!

What I enjoyed about the beginning though, and found most exciting, was the unknown. The anticipation of entering the cave, of what they found there and what it meant. Those aspects were so well done. I wish it could have carried that hauntingly-ominous tone throughout.

Once Bethan and her crew came on the scene, however, it just felt that the interpersonal issues started to outshine the suspense and the horror.

Because of my fluctuations in interest, this book, coming in at just over 300-pages, took me almost 20-days to read. It just went so incredibly slow for me.

With this being said, I understand this is 100% personal taste. It’s nothing the author did wrong, it just wasn’t a good fit for my tastes. Nevertheless, I can appreciate the creativity and the concept itself is absolutely terrifying.

I would recommend this for Readers who enjoy more Literary Horror, but also aren’t afraid of a blood and gore.

It is thought-provoking and could also work very well for Book Clubs, Group Reads, or Buddy Reads.

Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am definitely interesting in reading more of this author’s work.

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Review: What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T. Kingfisher

~ megs14malloy

What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier, #2)What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

What Feasts at Night is the 2nd-release in the Sworn Soldier series by one of my favorite authors, T. Kingfisher.

When I read the 1st-book in this series, What Moves the Dead, an atmospheric reimagining of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, I believed it to be a standalone novella.

Having loved it as much as I did, imagine my surprise when I learned we were going to be getting more stories following the witty, charming and delightful MC, Alex Easton.

Alex has quickly become one of my favorite character perspectives to read from. Kingfisher channels her signature sense of humor beautifully into this character and reading their perspective feels like you are sitting with a friend, as they tell you the most horrifying vacation stories ever.

In this installment, Alex, along with some of the best side characters ever, including Hod, Angus and Miss Potter, travel to Alex’s family’s hunting lodge, deep in the dark, cold forests of Gallacia.

When they arrive the rest and relaxation they were hoping for is impossible to find, as the caretaker has died and the property is in disarray.

The local village is a titter, claiming that a breath-stealing monster, coming in the cover of night, has taken up residence at the hunting lodge.

While Alex generally doesn’t put much stock in local rumors, or the monsters of lore being real, having just survived what they did at the Usher manor, it’s hard to write off the possibility entirely.

Soon things that Alex could have never imagined, nightmare-like situations, begin to become reality. Maybe something is going on in the lodge after all?

I loved this. I’m already excited to read it again and to get a hard copy for my shelves. I’m not sure what the plans are for the Sworn Soldier series, but I truly, truly hope this is not the last we are going to see of these characters.

Whether there is one more to come, or sixty more, I am here for them all!!

Kingfisher succeeded again in making me care so much about these characters and what was happening to them. Even though this is just a novella, it packs a punch. The atmosphere, plot progression and horror imagery, were all so well done.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a dark, gothic story, following fun and engaging characters. If you enjoyed the first book, I definitely think you will love this one as well.

Thanks to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I will be keeping my fingers crossed for more Alex Easton!!

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