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howlinglibraries's Reviews (1.89k)
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters.”
I couldn't possibly tell you how I, as a horror lover since childhood, have managed to live to the age of 31 years old without being seeing The Shining or being spoiled for more than the barest bones of this story's plot, but I'm pretty sure it was thanks to some sort of universal intervention on my behalf because the cosmos knew I would adore this, or something. 😅
Seriously though, I absolutely loved this book! It's easily my new favorite Stephen King title, which is saying a lot, because it's been years since I read Misery and nothing beat that out until this novel. I was fully hooked from the first chapter and couldn't get enough of the claustrophobic setting, the lovable characters of Danny and Hallorann, and most of all, the immense feeling of dread that built in me with every turning event.
I won't spoil anything in case you're somehow like me and haven't experienced this one yet, but I will say that I didn't expect the ending we got, and I was really pleased with it. From start to finish, this was a gorgeously told story that I'm going to think about for a long time to come.
(And yes, I'll watch the movie next, but I don't have high hopes. After all, the book is always better, right?)
✨ Representation: one Black side character
I knew I probably shouldn't have bothered picking up this book since I was so bored and unimpressed by Legends & Lattes, but several people told me they liked this one more, so I decided to give it a chance. Unfortunately, I only somewhat enjoyed the first half of this prequel, and once it hit about the halfway point, I stopped being even remotely compelled to continue.
Most of my issue seems to be with the writing, because I found the characters very flat (which was also an issue I had with L&L), but the final straw for me was the forced inclusion of a romance. If you've read Legends & Lattes, you can already assume how this book will end, and while I can sometimes get behind a "temporary" romance with a pre-determined expiration date like this one, it didn't work for me at all in this scenario. It made me feel like every scene between Viv and the love interest was crammed in for filler material and I was beyond bored.
I wish I could love this series the way everyone else seems to, but I guess I need to accept being the odd one out here. Ah, well.
Thank you to the publisher and LibroFM for the audio review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Representation: sapphic MC and side character
Most of my issue seems to be with the writing, because I found the characters very flat (which was also an issue I had with L&L), but the final straw for me was the forced inclusion of a romance. If you've read Legends & Lattes, you can already assume how this book will end, and while I can sometimes get behind a "temporary" romance with a pre-determined expiration date like this one, it didn't work for me at all in this scenario. It made me feel like every scene between Viv and the love interest was crammed in for filler material and I was beyond bored.
I wish I could love this series the way everyone else seems to, but I guess I need to accept being the odd one out here. Ah, well.
Thank you to the publisher and LibroFM for the audio review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Representation: sapphic MC and side character
dark
medium-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:
Yes
I think it's about time that I accept that Ania Ahlborn's books just aren't very exciting for me. This is the third book of hers that I've read, and I think I've given each one 3-3.5 stars because, while she's great at writing characters, all three of the books have just bored me. 😩 I still plan on trying the other books of hers that I own, but I don't have high hopes at this point.
The Shuddering had potential to be a great read for me: it follows a group of characters essentially stranded in a snowstorm, surrounded by man-eating monsters, and honestly, I'm a big sucker for that sort of thing. Combining the supernatural element of inhuman creatures with the danger of real-life survival? Sign me up!
But this story just dragged because the vast majority of it was about the relationships and drama between these characters, and even when there were action scenes, I was left wanting more. I couldn't bring myself to root for any of the characters because I simply did not care about any of them. Had The Shuddering been a movie, it would've been that film I started playing on my phone 30 minutes into because I wanted to see how it all played out, but I didn't want to invest any real attention to it.
I should also say that the audiobook made this a less enjoyable experience for me; I'm being generous by bumping it up a star because it isn't the author's fault that the narrator did a terrible job, but his voices for the women characters all made them sound like horrible whiny children. Then again, the writing itself also kind of made all of the women out to be horrible whiny children, so...
If you're looking for a good snowy horror read, there are a ton out there that are way more exciting than this. I don't recommend it and kind of wish I could get my time back.
The Shuddering had potential to be a great read for me: it follows a group of characters essentially stranded in a snowstorm, surrounded by man-eating monsters, and honestly, I'm a big sucker for that sort of thing. Combining the supernatural element of inhuman creatures with the danger of real-life survival? Sign me up!
But this story just dragged because the vast majority of it was about the relationships and drama between these characters, and even when there were action scenes, I was left wanting more. I couldn't bring myself to root for any of the characters because I simply did not care about any of them. Had The Shuddering been a movie, it would've been that film I started playing on my phone 30 minutes into because I wanted to see how it all played out, but I didn't want to invest any real attention to it.
I should also say that the audiobook made this a less enjoyable experience for me; I'm being generous by bumping it up a star because it isn't the author's fault that the narrator did a terrible job, but his voices for the women characters all made them sound like horrible whiny children. Then again, the writing itself also kind of made all of the women out to be horrible whiny children, so...
If you're looking for a good snowy horror read, there are a ton out there that are way more exciting than this. I don't recommend it and kind of wish I could get my time back.
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The vet is in.
Oh my gosh, I LOVED this. As an animal lover who has worked and volunteered with animals before and seen some of the terrible things humans are capable of doing to their "pets", there was something immensely cathartic about this story. It's graphic and includes some really painful references to animal abuse, so it won't be for everyone, but if you can stomach the trigger warnings, I highly recommend it. The writing was also fantastic and it made me very excited to read more from this author!
Also, that ending? PERFECT!
✨ Representation: Camilla is part Native American
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder
Minor: Child abuse
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Go for it. But bury me deep, you motherfucker. Bury me deep or I'll come back. I swear to Christ in heaven, I'll come back for you."
Holy hell, this is the kind of extreme horror I'm looking for!
Horror House of Perversion is a short, nasty horror read for everyone who finds catharsis in a victim's revenge story. If you've ever wanted the book version of I Spit On Your Grave or similar films, here you go: a group of rapists getting their comeuppance in vile, creative ways that will have you cringing and cheering at the same time.
At less than 100 pages, there isn't much more I can tell you about this story other than the fact that it was bloody, messy, and fantastic. Carl John Lee's writing is incredible and I'm so glad there's a sequel, as well as a few other books by this author waiting for me, because I'm going to snatch those right up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder