pulp_fiction_books's reviews
493 reviews

No Other Blue by Craig Charles

4.0

Phone Calls by R.L. Stine

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

I didn't know what to expect with a Stine rom-com but I had so much fun reading this, I literally laughed out loud so many times. It's basically a lighthearted comedy of errors style set-up that felt so early 90's in the best possible way. The layout of the book was very unique too as the entire thing is told through people phoning each other. Also I loved the dedication at the beginning of the book from Stine to his wife... 
For Jane, who actually liked this one.

Found: An Anthology of Found Footage Horror Stories by Gabino Iglesias, Andrew Cull

3.0

I found this collection fine. pretty much every story in here was serviceable and had that eerie feeling you get with found footage media. It didn't have any lows particularly but also never really hit any highs either. There were a handful of stories I did quite enjoy, I have to say it's bookended by the strongest entries. The first and last I was really taken with.

Scavenger Hunt by Christopher Pike

1.75

This felt like two half books stitched together. I was totally with the first half of the book and the titular scavenger hunt. We pretty much get thrown straight into it and I enjoyed jumping between our main two teams and following them along on the hunt but then around halfway this book completely changes direction and does so significantly for the worse. The second half of this book is straight up nonsense, so much so that I considered giving this one star despite quite enjoying it early on.

Maul Rats by Ivy Tholen

dark tense medium-paced

4.75

I loved this and still rated it five stars despite the fact I wasn't a fan of the killer reveal (I thought there was a much better set up for an alternate suspect). The reason It's still five stars? So many reasons... Ivy Tholen's books are so fun and so well written, she absolutely excels at writing fantastically unique and wacky antagonists. I felt the characters were also so well written and developed (a criticism I had with her previous book 'Tastes Like Candy' which despite that fact was also a five star read). The fact that she created a whole horror franchise in here too was fantastic and to make the 'final girl' in that franchise and in this book black was another positive for me (I'm white fyi). Finally there are subtle Easter eggs sprinkled throughout giving nods to her previous work which I absolutely ate up and loved and which inferred that we're dealing with a shared universe which is always fun.

Case of the Kate Haters by Lisa Banim, Terri Minsky

2.75

Case at Camp Get-Me-Outie by Lisa Banim, Terri Minsky

4.0

This is a fun mystery set at camp. It felt like a cross between Lizzie McGuire and Scooby-Doo and that's right up my alley. 

Goblin Monday by R.L. Stine

3.25

This is another solid, entertaining entry from 'House Of Shivers' without being anything spectacular. It has a very similar vibe and setting to the previous book in the series and like the previous book leans more into fantasy rather than horror but I will say there are a few dark scenes in here which I did appreciate, especially as I was extremely worried that it was going to be a lawn gnomes style rehash just focusing on pranks and mischief from the titular goblins but I am happy to report it was anything but that.

The Thrill Club by Tom Perrotta, R.L. Stine

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

Falling Animals by Sheila Armstrong

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Although fiction, this is based on a true story that happened in Ireland back in 2009 (about 90 miles further north on the coastline where I live) when a man's body was found on a beach and whose identity and cause of death were never able to be established. 
 The way this story is structured is really unique. Every chapter follows a different person's perspective (and there are x chapters). It however becomes less a story about the mysterious body on the beach and more the story of each individual character and their place within this small coastal town. I also wanted to bring attention to the writing and of how high a level it felt despite this being a debut. The author'ss seemingly elffortless use of lyrical, eloquent descriptors perfectly paint a melancholic tale on Ireland's wild Atlantic coast.