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A review by spookyoctopusreads
In the Scrape by James Newman, Mark Steensland
5.0
You know when you finish reading a book and you love it so much and you're just inflated with all kinds of emotion? That's me with this book right here. Seriously, what a great coming-of-age, suspenseful, relatable, and emotional novella.
I was so impressed with the character development in this story. The relationship between the brothers was so real and authentic. I found myself getting very invested in their story and rooting for their escape from their ruthless father. The father was a character that I loved to hate, but he was a complicated character. There were times when I understood some of the things he said or did, and these times were glimmers of the good father he could have been, but then there were other times that I truly wanted something terrible to happen to him. His alcohol infused cruelty that left his sons cowering in their beds waiting for him to just pass out really got to me. However, as much as these characters ripped at my heart and made me run the gamut of emotions, they were so very well-written. This story made my heart ache, had me smiling, had me filled with rage, and had me downright scared. I commend Newman and Steensland for being able to elicit so many emotions from readers in such a brief story. If you like your horror with a side of emotion, this is totally for you!
4.5/5 - My only complaint lies in the epilogue of the story. It read like one of those "where are they now" portions of a movie or TV show where the writers sum up how everyone has moved on with their lives after the traumatic events they experienced. I just don't enjoy those types of endings. In most stories, I would much rather not have everything all neatly wrapped up for me. Leave me turning that last page, with my jaw dropped, reassuring myself that everyone will get their own deserved form of karma.
**Thank you Silver Shamrock Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
I was so impressed with the character development in this story. The relationship between the brothers was so real and authentic. I found myself getting very invested in their story and rooting for their escape from their ruthless father. The father was a character that I loved to hate, but he was a complicated character. There were times when I understood some of the things he said or did, and these times were glimmers of the good father he could have been, but then there were other times that I truly wanted something terrible to happen to him. His alcohol infused cruelty that left his sons cowering in their beds waiting for him to just pass out really got to me. However, as much as these characters ripped at my heart and made me run the gamut of emotions, they were so very well-written. This story made my heart ache, had me smiling, had me filled with rage, and had me downright scared. I commend Newman and Steensland for being able to elicit so many emotions from readers in such a brief story. If you like your horror with a side of emotion, this is totally for you!
4.5/5 - My only complaint lies in the epilogue of the story. It read like one of those "where are they now" portions of a movie or TV show where the writers sum up how everyone has moved on with their lives after the traumatic events they experienced. I just don't enjoy those types of endings. In most stories, I would much rather not have everything all neatly wrapped up for me. Leave me turning that last page, with my jaw dropped, reassuring myself that everyone will get their own deserved form of karma.
**Thank you Silver Shamrock Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**