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truebookaddict's reviews
784 reviews
Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween by Jason Parent, Jason Parent
dark
fast-paced
5.0
What could be better during spooky season then to read a book of stories centered around Halloween? I say, nothing! These stories have everything. Monstrous creatures, ghosts, the undead, deranged slashers...everything needed for a genuinely thrilling Halloween ride.
My favorites from the collection...
Russian Dollhouse
Abandoned Colonial house, misguided teens looking for mischief, ghosts, and deepest fears revealed.
Keeping Up Appearances
Looks can be deceiving, know when to quit, Karma (perhaps?)
Ride Like the Devil
Ever went on one of those carnival horror rides (like at the fair) and wondered who might be lurking? Yeah, been there, done that. This one evoked memories of my true terror on those rides.
Pulp
A high school horror movie club, costumes based on horror movie characters, mayhem, keeps you guessing.
These were the standouts for me, but all of them are thrilling and horrifying. This collection is perfect for those who like to read scary around Halloween, and for the horror aficionados who love reading horror year-round. Highly recommend.
My favorites from the collection...
Russian Dollhouse
Abandoned Colonial house, misguided teens looking for mischief, ghosts, and deepest fears revealed.
Keeping Up Appearances
Looks can be deceiving, know when to quit, Karma (perhaps?)
Ride Like the Devil
Ever went on one of those carnival horror rides (like at the fair) and wondered who might be lurking? Yeah, been there, done that. This one evoked memories of my true terror on those rides.
Pulp
A high school horror movie club, costumes based on horror movie characters, mayhem, keeps you guessing.
These were the standouts for me, but all of them are thrilling and horrifying. This collection is perfect for those who like to read scary around Halloween, and for the horror aficionados who love reading horror year-round. Highly recommend.
Gollitok: A Horror Novel by Andrew Najberg
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
So, I'm a girl who loves "expedition" horror. Archaeology expeditions as depicted in Michael Rutger's The Anomaly, and in this case, a team on a cataloguing survey of an abandoned prison. The name of said prison is Gollitok, and if that in itself doesn't sound menacing, the story is even more perilous.
Through the entire novel, there is a sense of something not being right, and not just because the characters are saying it. There is a palpable feeling of dread as the story progresses through increasingly gruesome discoveries. This is an island prison that was really much more than just a prison. The various elements of strange phenomena and wildlife are very Lovecraftian in nature. There's something the "Bureau" did not disclose to the team, and some know more than others. This makes for a difficult time for the team in addition to the horrors that await them.
This is my first Najberg novel, and it will not be my last. Any story that keeps me filled with dread is a sure winner, and Gollitok proves he certainly has a talent for it.
Through the entire novel, there is a sense of something not being right, and not just because the characters are saying it. There is a palpable feeling of dread as the story progresses through increasingly gruesome discoveries. This is an island prison that was really much more than just a prison. The various elements of strange phenomena and wildlife are very Lovecraftian in nature. There's something the "Bureau" did not disclose to the team, and some know more than others. This makes for a difficult time for the team in addition to the horrors that await them.
This is my first Najberg novel, and it will not be my last. Any story that keeps me filled with dread is a sure winner, and Gollitok proves he certainly has a talent for it.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I've always been fascinated with H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau so when I saw that one of my favorite contemporary authors had written a reimagining, I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed. Moreno-Garcia tells the tale from the viewpoint of Doctor Moreau's daughter, Carlota, and Montgomery (a character who is in the original story and other incarnations of it). However, Montgomery is far different from the man in the original story. He is a broken man, but he is also compassionate, and treats the hybrids with respect. I really liked his character. Carlota is also compassionate, and though not a doctor herself, she holds firm to the idea of the Hippocratic Oath...Do No Harm. She is conflicted. She loves her father, but she also feels his attitude toward the hybrids is unfair. Of course, a lot more happens in the book, but I'm not giving anything away. It's a rich and compelling retelling and I commend the author for giving the hybrids dignity and humanity, something I have not seen in other versions.