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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Selected for March’s Creep It Real Book Club
https://instagram.com/creepitrealbookclub?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
This book was a thrilling ride from start to finish. Between driving in a snow storm and surviving creepy monsters, I was on the edge of my seat. I loved the spooks and scares.
I just wished the ending wasn’t so vague.
https://instagram.com/creepitrealbookclub?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
This book was a thrilling ride from start to finish. Between driving in a snow storm and surviving creepy monsters, I was on the edge of my seat. I loved the spooks and scares.
I just wished the ending wasn’t so vague.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Laurel Hightower is a master of two things –
1. making traumatized characters dealing with PTSD from abuse that I relate to more than I want to analyze and
2. writing about the world of weird that I obsess over in my other job as a paranormal investigator. I’m talking ghosts, cryptids, etc.
Below grabbed me with Addie, the woman who is on a road trip – destination: best friend’s house where they will drink wine and watch horror movies (my kinda women). During this time, she is recovering from 13 years of emotional and mental abuse from her ex-husband. She has anxiety (most of it seems to spawn from said abuse) and is understandably nervous about traveling, at night, in bad weather, alone, as a woman. My nerves were ALREADY on edge for her as the story opens on a near accident with a creepy person.
As the story unravels – mothman reveals itself and causes a kindly trucker to wreck – Addie shows her metel as a Final Girl. In one night, she goes through the dark night of the soul and comes out of the other end new person with not only a new view on life but also on herself and her goals.
I literally cheered at the ending even though the resolution is…shaky enough that I really hope we get a sequel in the future or that Addie shows up as a background character in another story. (Wanting sequels or characters to come back again in future work is another thing I’m noticing in Laurel Hightower’s work because her characters are amazing!)
As a paranormal investigator, I was thrilled by this book. Hightower not only includes mothman, as seen on the cover, but also cave goblins, government conspiracies, and Men in Black (not the Will Smith kind but the OG John Keel scary, uncanny valley not really human kind). Has Hightower seen Hellier or does her love for the weird go back further than that? Either way, I was STOKED to read this book.
My only complaint is wanting more. A good problem to have.
Highly recommend Below for fans of paranormal stories around cryptids and conspiracies, fans of the weird, and fans of troubled characters that are ordinary people finding themselves in extraordinary experiences and coming out changed for better or worse.
1. making traumatized characters dealing with PTSD from abuse that I relate to more than I want to analyze and
2. writing about the world of weird that I obsess over in my other job as a paranormal investigator. I’m talking ghosts, cryptids, etc.
Below grabbed me with Addie, the woman who is on a road trip – destination: best friend’s house where they will drink wine and watch horror movies (my kinda women). During this time, she is recovering from 13 years of emotional and mental abuse from her ex-husband. She has anxiety (most of it seems to spawn from said abuse) and is understandably nervous about traveling, at night, in bad weather, alone, as a woman. My nerves were ALREADY on edge for her as the story opens on a near accident with a creepy person.
As the story unravels – mothman reveals itself and causes a kindly trucker to wreck – Addie shows her metel as a Final Girl. In one night, she goes through the dark night of the soul and comes out of the other end new person with not only a new view on life but also on herself and her goals.
I literally cheered at the ending even though the resolution is…shaky enough that I really hope we get a sequel in the future or that Addie shows up as a background character in another story. (Wanting sequels or characters to come back again in future work is another thing I’m noticing in Laurel Hightower’s work because her characters are amazing!)
As a paranormal investigator, I was thrilled by this book. Hightower not only includes mothman, as seen on the cover, but also cave goblins, government conspiracies, and Men in Black (not the Will Smith kind but the OG John Keel scary, uncanny valley not really human kind). Has Hightower seen Hellier or does her love for the weird go back further than that? Either way, I was STOKED to read this book.
My only complaint is wanting more. A good problem to have.
Highly recommend Below for fans of paranormal stories around cryptids and conspiracies, fans of the weird, and fans of troubled characters that are ordinary people finding themselves in extraordinary experiences and coming out changed for better or worse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Gaslighting
dark
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Like a terribly written no sleep story. Ugh.. makes no sense. Main character is very unlikable
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
oh man this was fun. moves at a breakneck pace, jerks you around, and ultimately ends on a fiercely righteous note. i didn't relate to a ton about addy's life but i related so much with her ANGER, and the drive she finds within herself. i love this take on the mothman, and wish i knew more about the underlying mystery, but damn if this doesn't get points for how it makes me feel!! mothman vs the patriarchy!
dark
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not necessarily a horror book, but that’s okay because it’s not typically my genre. I really appreciate the female perspective in this genre and the overarching character arc is clear and appreciated
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Short and sweet little horror novel. Fun read, but definitely bites of a bit more than it can chew - brings in a few too many plot points for a 100 page book. But has some interesting takes on women in horror stories with some fiery lines and a hopeful end