Book Review: The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton

CW: Forced Prostitution mentioned; Threat of Violence; Suspensus Baby Deaths mentioned; Child Abuse; Death of a Parent/s; Accidental Deaths; World War II; Homeness from bombing;

The Attic will keep you safe.

My real name, no one remembers.
The truth about that summer, no one else knows.

In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor in rural Oxfordshire. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins.

Over 150 years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist’s sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river.

Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets?

Told by multiple voices across time, The Clockmaker's Daughter is a story of murder, mystery and thievery, of art, love and loss. And flowing through its pages like a river, is the voice of a woman who stands outside time, whose name has been forgotten by history, but who has watched it all unfold: Birdie Bell, the clockmaker’s daughter.

This book leaps through time all surrounding this house slash the ghost who haunts it. Though, we start with archivist whose marrying someone she clearly doesn't like. Mainly it's the house and the ghost haunting it Birdie, who had a sad life and now has a sad afterlife. The end. Okay, there' s more to it that. This is about the mystery about who Birdie was and how she died.

My library has this as Historical Fiction > Crime & Thriller, I guess because there don't have mystery section in the Historical bit for some reason. It's a mystery. Crimes happened, not thrilling at all. Aren't genres a beautiful weird thing. It's very slow-paced.

No idea why they went for this title. Yes, her father is a clockmaker but it's not really a big deal. He's not really ever in the book. There are no scenes with him, and him being a clockmaker plays a very small part of the book. It would be like if someone called my life story the Taxi Driver's Child despite dealing with my life now when both of my parents are no longer Taxi drivers.

The ending was kinda asinine. Obviously, with Birdie being a ghost you know she has to die at some point but the way it happens feels so forced, especially with no one realising what is going on. It feels like Morton decided how she wanted the book to go, but then half-arsed.

Her name is made to be such a big deal and it's never revealed publically despite one the character discovering it. Instead, it ends with a weak thing about how cheating is complicated. Sure, in the Victorian times where marriages were mostly about power. A lot of characters end up injured with no memory of how they ended up that way. How convenient.

I'm not gonna lie, I kinda got bored during the end of this, during the kinda epilogue bit. They are so many characters of characters and time periods. This is a long book at 17 Hours 3 minutes, so you do spend a big chunk with all of them. The question is why though? There's no meaningful link up. I thought the book would have ended differently, which would have been more satisfying.

I listened to the audiobook as read by Joanne Froggatt. She does a decent job. Googling her lead me to find out there are only 16 episodes of Dinner Ladies. Watching things randomly on Gold sure leads you to think there's more of something than there really is. 

Overall, I gave this book 3/5 stars for Plotful Head-injuries. This book is frustratingly lacklustre at the end. There are questions left in the air that don't make sense at all. 

Released: 1 October 2018

Read 15 January 2020, Reviewed January 2020.

Source: Library

Book Review: The Travelling Bag: And Other Ghostly Stories by Susan Hill

Yeah, I don't know why I keep reading Susan Hill either.


From the foggy streets of Victorian London to the eerie perfection of 1950s suburbia, the everyday is invaded by the evil otherworldly in this unforgettable collection of new ghost stories from the author of The Woman in Black. 

In the title story, on a murky evening in a warmly lit club off St James, a bishop listens closely as a paranormal detective recounts his most memorable case, one whose horrifying denouement took place in that very building. 

In 'The Front Room', a devoutly Christian mother tries to protect her children from the evil influence of their grandmother, both when she is alive and when she is dead. 

A lonely boy finds a friend in 'Boy Number 21', but years later he is forced to question the nature of that friendship, and to ask whether ghosts can perish in fires.


So I have a hate-hate relationships with Hill, I find her horror to be boring and pretentious, with a lack of sympathic characters. I have reviewed two of her works (read 4 I think): The Small Hand and The Woman in Black. This book contains four short stories, which feel like Hill's abandoned works. Some of them don't feel like they have proper endings. Unlike my usual way of reviewing short stories, I'm reviewing them indivdiually from memory instead of writing mini-reviews as I read them.

The Travelling Bag: So this is the Victorianish set and we learn the story of someone getting revenge and then random fear of moths for no reason. This has a weird Narrative device as someone telling their fellow club memember the worst, spookest case they ever worked. How he knows the information he does is never explained and doesn't feel like him actually tellling the story. This feels like a series idea and I thought all the stories were going to be told as if they were cases this guy had, had, but no it was just one off. It adds nothing, but set up for disappointment. If we had just been the actual story instead of the weird narrative deice, I would have enjoyed it better. 2/5 stars for sweeping bodies.

Boy Number 21: This is the worst story. So very little happens in it and I was expecting something big with the set up. The big problem is a bigging up to nothing. Not a field trip and a possible psychotic break. 1/5 stars for squished Sandwiches.

Alice Baker:  This is probably the best. It doesn't have a weird narrator and has a concise ending that makes sense. It also from a female character's POV and it wasn't Hill's typical, terrible ghost motivation. This one takes place in an old office building where a new staff member cause a stink. I Not sure why it's was the one left out of the burb. 4/5 stars for Office Politics.

The Front Room: It's Hill's favourite thing. A spiteful person for the sake of being spiteful. Then she a spiteful ghost. A family does a nice thing by taking in an old lady, the father's step-mother. Most of it is set up and then dur-dur-DUR. 1/5 stars for only a shower.

Overall, I give this book 1/5 stars for mediocre nonsense. This book is just bad. There's one story that's worth a read but the others' are Hill's typical mess of work, except some of these feel like Hill just gave up and declare them short stories instead.

Book Review: Thriteen Chairs by Dave Shelton

You shouldn't go into abandoned buildings...by yourself.

 In an abandoned house, the ghosts gather. They argue, they laugh, and they tell their stories. Some tell their own stories, some tell stories they have heard elsewhere. Some of them are true, some are not. But each tale draws you closer.

One by one, the storytellers depart, until suddenly it's just you and the narrator, alone in the dark...

Usually I read and rated short stories as I read them, but as this is all by one writer I didn't. Instead I'm going back and rated them. This book also has the benefit of illustrations at the start of each story which I will share my favourite of.

Let Me Sleep: This is the standard past deeds coming back to haunt you, typical beware of actions. Probably is a weak start. 3/5 stars for bling.

The Wrong Side of the Road: The standard past deeds coming back to haunt you. Okay, this makes me think of The Midnight's society's first episode, but only because Taxi. Woods. Spoilers. Don't drink drive kids. 2/5 stars for smashed glass.

Oswald: Cats are evil. Oswald is an evil cat, a cat eviler than usual. Basically, torments his owner. Going with the motif of these being stories told, this is the first one that really feels like character telling the story. It works okay. 3/5 stars for ticker bell.

The Red Tree: This is an old grim fairy tale thing going on, matching the character telling the story. It's a good imitation and creepy idea. 3/5 stars for fool's gold.

Tick Tick Tick: This is another mash up. There's this clock tower, the character goes there, you can probably guess what happens. Though, apparently left the other characters 'shaken' besides Jack, when its a pretty dull, obvious ending that makes me want to go read Poe. 2/5 stars for cloak, cloak, cloak.

Beneath the Surface: A boy loses his parents and brother in a boating accident and is haunted by water. I had forgot this story and had to look it up which is one of the reason, why I won't be reviewing short story collections this way again. 3/5 stars for Death Puddles.

Razor: A journalist hears a ghost story about a murder house at a pub and goes for it. 4/5 stars for tidying spirits.

The Girl in The Red Coat: A revenge story, sort of. 4/5 stars for Eyes.

The Patchwork Sailor: A revenge story where Daddy finally comes home. 3/5 stars for odd handed.

Unputdownable: My favourite story in this book. Someone moves into a Writer's Cottage and then must write and write. 5/5 stars for fill-out notebooks. 

Snowstorms: This is set in the North Pole or somewhere really snowing.  The snow messes with you. 4/5 stars for snow globe.

Among the Dead: This is the life story of the leader of this ghost telling affair and what this thing is about. These last two stories connect the narrative

device with the stories. 4/5 stars for coffins.

The House Where the Ghosts Meet: Jack tells us what lead him to the house and just what the deal is. 3/5 stars for bike safety.

Overall, I give this 4/5 stars for ghost meetings. I think it pretty good for Juvenile Horror, people on Goodreads are really harsh towards this book and I don't understand why. The choice of story placement could have been better, especially as the start stories are very similarly theme wise.  It does contain some standard horror stories but it does them well. They're not scary, but I find it odd that adults are rating Juvenile Horror for its fear level. I found this Teen/YA section of the library, I probably place in the kids' section going off the other Juvenile Horrors.

Book Review: The Haunting by Alex Bell

Water and Witches don't traditionally go together.

Some curses grow stronger with time… 

People say that all Cornish inns are haunted, but the Waterwitch’s history is particularly chilling. Built from the salvaged timber of a cursed ship, the guest house’s dark secrets go further back than anyone can remember. 

Emma is permanently confined to a wheelchair after an accident at the Waterwitch which took place when she was ten. Seven years later, she decides to return to the place where the awful event occurred. But the ancient inn still has its ghosts, and one particular spirit is more vengeful than ever…

This is Alex Bell's second book in the Red Eye series (I have reviewed them all but Sleepless which I'm technically currently reading, they are all labelled Red Eye). I was a big fan of Frozen Charlotte and had big hopes for this book especially as I had found the other Red Eye books to be a bit lacking.

Not quite sure what was with the changing first person point of view. I think the book would have worked better with just one. Especially as our starting narrator just falls by the waste lines at a certain point. We do have the experience of unreliable narrator but I'm not sure if it works. In a way it just distracts from the book.

I know one of the main character is disabled and that sucks, but why did she hate her wheelchair so much. She just kinda hates on it without any emotional depth behind it, especially as she hates on her spine as well. It just feels really out of place sometimes with the situation that Emma is facing. With my other issues with the choice of POV through the novel, this character feels unnecessary. While diversity is important in books, I think its also important that the character belongs to the story and I'm not sure what she brings to the story other than her disability and her service dog. Or I'm just over analysing, as I am probably hasher to media that feature characters with disabilities/disorders/chronic illness as lot of it does it terribly or just gets it completely wrong. She does contribution to the plot somewhat and doesn't fall into any of the clichés that for some reason often come paired with disabled characters.

The horror has a good foundation but is a bit underdeveloped. There is a lot of great set ups that don't go anywhere sometimes. There is disturbing imagery, except it somewhat ruined by who sees it. I did enjoy the mythos of the ghost and the Waterwitch. It is both creepy and exactly like hotel you find in Tourist Hot spots by the British Sea. I wish we had gotten more the building and it permanent residence. The magic was interesting and I haven't came across something like it.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for incense sticks. I think there is good base for a story here, but the execution could have better. I enjoyed the story and think this would be a good introduction to the horror genre. While not as good as Frozen Charlotte, I would definitely read more of Alex Bell's work in the future. This is still the better side of Red Series and would probably rank it with Flesh & Bones, not that scary but good attempts.

I got this book for Review off Netgalley and it is being publish by Stripes Publishing on 11 February 2016.

Short Story: Into Darkness

Here's another repost. This is probably the earliest piece of writing that I still have. I wrote it when I was 14. Oh my god, that was almost eight years ago. I haven't change anything as there should be evidence of what my writing skill was back then and it probably the thing that's been edited the most times as this was part of my Stand Grade English Portfolio. I like to think I would have gotten a 1 if I had sat credit.

This was based off an old English Stand Grade writing exam prompt, you where meant to write a story with the title "Into Darkness" and/or based on a picture of a stone bridge. I did both. The sad thing is I'm petty sure the best thing I ever wrote was in my actual exam. Well, I really like my ending sentence so much I memories it and still have it: The living statue left the darkness and entered the panic of light.

It was based off a picture of a Gargoyle and its about a guy blowing up a bridge or a building I forget. It's odd as that something I so don't normally write like ever. So back to the story I can actually share with you as the SQA has brunt that story. I give my 14 years old self idea of horror and best piece of writing (if you had asked her what it was anyway).

Into Darkness

Lisa stood, on a bridge, in the flog, waiting for her best friend, Sandy. She was meant to meet her at 8 and it was now 20 past, but she wasn't worried. Sandy was always late.

She was more worried about herself. She knew it was stupid, but she couldn't help it. She had always been scared of the bridge, especially after she had seen a little boy fall off it. He had been all right, but she had nightmares for weeks after wards and she still had nightmares of the bridge sometimes.

The bridge was made of old grey stone; it had been built in the 16th century. It was surrounded by a forest; the trees were big and old. It would be easy to get lost in them. This made the bridge the prefect location for ghost stories. Whether it was ghost or serial killer, the bridge part alone would guarantee that you would be spooked by the end.

There had always been stories of the bridge being haunted… or something. Whilst it was being built, three of the builders went mysteriously missing and were never seen again. For years after wards people kept disappearing, they were all heading in the direction of the bridge the last time they were seen. Of course there was no proof of people disappearing and even if there was, there would be no way to say for certain that it was because of the bridge. People still go missing, but people go missing everyday. It meant nothing. It was just a normal bridge; well that’s what Lisa was trying to tell herself.

Lisa couldn't help but look over at the dark water below. It had been raining all week, so the river ran faster and deeper than usual. The water was almost hypnotizing. She wasn't afraid of water, not even the water under the bridge; she had played in the river under it when she was younger. It was the bridge that scared her.

It was getting late and she didn't want to be there when it got dark. Sandy had probably forgotten that she was meant to meet her. It would be best just to go and find her. However, just before she was about to leave, Sandy came running up to her.

“I'm sorry, I'm late”, Sandy panted. “I fell asleep.”

“That’s okay, I was just going to go and find you.”

Lisa turned back to the water and peaked over the edge of the bridge. Suddenly, she saw a pair of red eyes staring back at her. She shut her eyes, and shook her head. When she looked back there was nothing there.

“Hum, let’s go,” Lisa muttered

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” Lisa lied. ‘It’s just really cold’

“I know something’s wrong,” Sandy said as she put her hand on Lisa’s shoulder.

Lisa hesitated; there would be no way that Sandy would believe her. She didn’t even believe it her self.

“I thought I saw something.”

Sandy looked over the edge; she saw nothing.

“There’s nothing there,” Sandy said as she turned around.

“Of course there isn't, just my mind playing ticks on me,” Lisa said not sounding as if she meant it. “Let’s just go.”

She started to walk away. Sandy looked again. It was just the same, nothing was there. Sandy knew that Lisa was afraid of the bridge after all the stories she heard and everything that she had seen.
Her imagination had probably just gone wild. Being alone, all by her self at the bridge and it was twilight. It was when the darkness begins to sneak in, where the shadows get darker and there’s no where to run. Sandy admitted that she would have probably start seeing thing too.
Sandy notices how far away Lisa was already

“Wait for me, Lis.”

“Fine, but hurry...up,” Lisa had turned around to find that Sandy was gone. “Sandy where are you?” There was no answer. Lisa walked over to where Sandy had been. She looked around for her, but she couldn't see Sandy. She looked over the edge; there was nothing there. She turned around and went to look at the other side, but she didn't make it.

The last thing Lisa ever saw was those red eyes and then darkness.

***

 Funfact: A substitute teacher scanned read this and thought one of the characters had jumped off the bridge, which would have been so fucking random. (I'm always PG).

In reflection that ending is a bit rushed.

Book Review: Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield

Christmas does not feature in this book at all despite it going on for a lifetime.

ONE MOMENT IN TIME CAN HAUNT YOU FOREVER.
Caught up in a moment of boyhood competition, William Bellman recklessly aims his slingshot at a rook resting on a branch, killing the bird instantly. It is a small but cruel act, and is soon forgotten. By the time he is grown, with a wife and children of his own, William seems to have put the whole incident behind him. It was as if he never killed the thing at all. But rooks don’t forget . . .
Years later, when a stranger mysteriously enters William’s life, his fortunes begin to turn—and the terrible and unforeseen consequences of his past indiscretion take root. In a desperate bid to save the only precious thing he has left, he enters into a rather strange bargain, with an even stranger partner. Together, they found a decidedly macabre business.
And Bellman & Black is born. 

 This is not the sort of book you read to cheer you up but rather to enjoy misery.  There a lot of death in this book, I would its sort of it main theme. I also I know this get sold as a ghost story but its not really ghosts, more supernatural forces going on involving rooks. I don't maybe it is the ghost of the Rook William killed. I'm just that I wouldn't necessary say it ghost story. Yes, there a recurring strange man in black but he might not be a ghost per say.

The book is separated into three parts. William Bellman's life leading to deal, Bellman's life after it and part III is a tiny thing. I think it works for the book but I don't like how the chapters numbering resets at Part II. Through, that just mean like to know the number of chapters I've actually read of a book. Through out the book there is tadbits about Rooks somewhat corresponding to what going on in the story.

William Bellman is an interesting character, not perpendicularly lovable but do you feel for him. I really liked how well thought the background of characters are and their relationships with each other very rich. Even relationships from before William is born have been thought out.The characterisation was very good, they all felt rather real to me.

Overall, this was very good, creepy book. It will make you teary at times. It just generally interesting book. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars for a parliament of rooks.

P.S. Happy Christmas Losers, I didn't plan to put this up on Christmas. It just happen. At least next year I won't have to worry about the fact that last Wednesday of the year is on Christmas. No, it'll be New Years Eve.

Book Review: The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

The last of my saga of reading Ghost stories by Susan Hill and then complaining about how bad they are.

Proud and solitary, Eel Marsh House surveys the windswept reaches of the salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway. Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral Mrs Alice Drablow, the house's sole inhabitant, unaware of the tragic secrets which lie hidden behind the shuttered windows. It is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black -- and her terrible purpose.

Once again Susan Hill brings a pointless ghost story to the table. The Woman in Black is the best of Hill's collection of ghost stories. That does not make it good. It still has terrible slow start and incredibly dull characters.

I don't know why but Hill can't make sympathetic characters. I think with horror especially, it's important you care for the characters because otherwise what's the point. That rational part of your brain might be temporary tricked into being spooked by supernatural story but then you remember whilst house might be haunted in all 8 years of living there, they've done you no harm. Maybe the reason the characters are so unlikeable is because they always so privileged and we really learn nothing about them. All I know about Arthur is that he a lawyer with a country house.

There is actually a reason why the ghost is spitefully this time. She is frankly stupid spitefully but at least Arthur might actually did something to annoy her. Slight Spoiler warning, her kid who she was focused to give away because you know the times dies and then everyone else kids should die apparently.

The worst part is how freaked out Arthur gets over nothing. He goes from calm to terrified in a few sentences and it's not like something happens in those sentences. Yeah, like oh a creepy atmosphere suddenly. He doesn't see the ghost but in a state for days afterwards. He's frankly a wimp. The horror is just really badly written. There is not a single fearfully moment in the whole damn book.

It's written in the same lack of tension and imitation of Victorian Literature (which makes sense since that when its sort of set. Maybe it actually Edwardian though).  Hill can obviously write to a proper quality. That's all can be said.

Overall, it better than other ones. I gave it 2 stars for dead children. Yeah, that's all I've got to say.

P.S. this shows up the Wednesday before Halloween due to pure coincidence. 

Book Review: Doll Bones by Holly Black

 Creepy Doll action with a male protagonist (mostly).


Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. 

But one night the girls pay Zach a visit and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – which claims to be made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity . . .

The main and important thing that is missing from the above summery is the Game. The trio (no, they never refer to that in the book) have this elaborate story going on which they act out with dolls which is the main reason Zach is so upset that about his father throwing out his toys. (From the honest point of view of twenty year old, I'd still be playing with dolls if I hadn't moved when I was 12 and they some how never made it into the house. Instead I write more and go through session of watching others play with dolls on Youtube). 

Zach instead of telling Poppy and Alice the real reason the Game is over, lies to them, saying he doesn't care about the game anymore. The Doll a.k.a. the Queen of their kingdom turns out to be haunted and leads them on to a quest.

The main theme is growing up and change, partly afterlife. Both are very depressing. The growing up theme includes drastic changes, growing apart and first romance which I ignored mostly as I'm actually still an eight year old that's not at all interested in that.

I'm a big fan of creepy dolls that are haunted and compared to all the other ones I've came across this doesn't really cut the mustard if solely basing it off that. I just don't think a real creep level is ever reached. Stuff happens but never constantly, though it is meant to be in question on whether or not the whole thing with the doll is actually true. You meant to wonder if Poppy has made the whole thing up with the purpose of leading Zach back into the game. I suppose its a better mystery than a horror (even twelve year old level).

There are few very unrealistic things that happen, which can be let to slide since this is a kid's book and makes the plot more interesting. I just say "Bus station" and "harbour" which will make sense once you read this book.

The three main characters are well defined. I personally think the strongest part of book is their friendship and the issues they work out through the book. Twelve is that awkward age where a lot of friendship from childhood can die or be severally weakened (Of course this tends to happen in Scotland more to do with this being the age to start Secondary school, but still). There hints of deepness to the characters, however this being a 250 page book, the hints were fine.

There are some lovely illustrations in this book by Eliza Wheeler. Petty and creepy. I do have a favorite illustration but it bit of a spoiler if I say which one. If actually interested its the one that features the label that been in my last four reviews (including this one).

Overall, I gave this books 4/5 stars. A few minor problems with it, but its still very good books. I probably eventually get my own copy, but not for a while as I'm broke and spent my pretty book fund on Sherlock Holmes (I regret nothing).

Disclaimer: I got this book off NetGallary. So for free for Review. Don't worry that doesn't effect my opinion at all. 

Book Review: Horowitz Horror by Anthony Horowitz

So we meet again Horowitz Horror, you'll find that I'm even more horrifying now.


Welcome to a strange and twisted world where the spooky, the shocking, and the positively petrifying are lurking just out of sight.

A bus ride home ... turns into your worst nightmare.
A quaint country cottage ... has a grisly secret.
A man returns from holiday ... with bubbling skin and bloodshot eyes.

Horowitz Horror. It's all around you. Alive. Waiting.

Enter if you dare.

Horowitz Horror is collection of short stories, that I think was originally released as 3 stories per book but I originally read these stories as Horowitz Horror and More Horowitz Horror.  They have recently been released as just one book under Horowitz Horror (and now I have to make the hard decision over whether I will eventually ended up with double of the first stories). Seeing all the stories in the library (leaving my own copy of first part of the stories on the shelve at home), I thought I would give a reread and see how compares now that I'm no longer fourteen. I remembered like half of them properly.


I'm just going to go through each story:

1. Bath Night: It is a story of a haunted bath which is a bit genius. The whole vulnerable aspect of bathing and being naked. This is one of my favourite story first time I read it, it still good but it doesn't really touch me that much anymore. Isabel parents buy a bath that she just doesn't like and blood appears in the water but her parents don't see it. I think Isabell might have something wrong with her as apparently after three days without having a proper bath (while still washing), she notablely smells. I'm actually glad I re-read this as I missed the big twist the first time I read it. 3/5 stars as it just not as good as I remembered.
2. Killer Camera: The whole magic evil camera is a bit of cliché in the horror world as its been around since camera were invented. Everyone done it in some way. This one is slightly different as we get the background as to how the camera got that way. 4/5 stars.
3. Light Moves: Staying in the world of haunted technologies. This story features a computer haunted by the ghost of a sport journalist. Lets just say this computer gives the best horse racing tips this side of the afterlife, which cause the main character, Henry to do some underaged betting and get himself in trouble. 5/5 stars as it actually has good twist.
4. The Night Bus: Okay, here's a favourite featuring a tour of  Graveyards. It basically a twist on the ghost train idea, I think. Nick and his brother Jeremy find themselves stuck in the middle of London on Halloween (most of the story actually takes place after midnight). I just love this story. I gave this 5/5 stars because it awesome.
5. Harriet's Horrible Dream: This is the first story of terrible person/child getting what they deserved. Basically, Harriet is spoiled little brat, has a dream that her father goes bankrupt and since they have no room for her, he sends her away in a van to a restaurant called Sweeney Been. I never really liked this story, nor do I understand why use kids who ain't fully grown. Less meat. I grave it 2/5 stars as I just don't care for it.
6. Scared: Scared is surprisingly not that scary.  Its kinda like a Twilight Zone ep. The main character gets lost in the country, he's a dick and likes causing fear in his peers. It all ends happily for his mum. 3/5 stars because cause getting lost in a field means little to someone always lived surrounded by green background. Though, its get a whole star for good use of irony.
7. A Career in Computer Games: This is not the best story involving computer games, no that title goes to a  Midnight Library story. It aright, it another bad kid getting their comeuppance and teaches the lesson of not signing legal things without reading it first. It also the only story involving aliens, possibly. I gave it 3/5 stars for cone men on motorbikes.
8. The Man with the Yellow Face: A sexy young lad (this was originally written in 1999 btw) takes a photos of himself in mysterious photo booth in a train station. This is written first-person as reflection. With this reflectiveness you can feel what coming but its too much of a spoiler even to hint or joke about what happens. I gave 5/5 for a sexy train.
9. The Monkey's Ear: This is an amusing twist on the monkey fist story. You got dislikeable parents with their son Bart (not confuse with the one from Springfield) in a foreign market. Bart demands that his parents buy him a Monkey Ear which grants 4 wishes. As always these wishes goes astray and disaster is ensured. 5/5 stars for terrible parenting. This was where the first book ended and it was actually quite a strong ending, so good Editor choice there I guess.
10. The Hitchhiker: Okay, so now we're on to More Horror. I just want to say that I always thought the stories in More Horror were better. The Hitchhiker is clearly inspired by known stories but is meant to be a twist on them. Not sure how really talk about this without spoilering this story as it actually pretty simple plot.  4/5 stars for creative death method.
11. The Sound of Murder: This was my favourite story in More Horror. It actually pretty scary (in comparison) and comes in sort of chapters. I actually remember going to read it in Horowitz Horror (which I own) and realising that in it was in the other one (which I read from the school library). The main character Kate has been mostly deaf since birth and wears a hearing ad. Her hearing ad begins to play on up on the first day of term around her new teacher. She soon realises she can hear his thoughts. Kate only solution is to prove what he's thinking. I loved this story the first time and I still do. I gave it 5/5 stars for the Deaf hearing what others can't.
12.  Burnt: This is probably the most horror-frying (puns are so fun) of the stories. It involves no supernatural stuff and the main character is really just a witness to the horror. Its also in diary format and features Anthony Horrowitz's sons (seriously, I went WTF and checked). It another thing I miss when I read it the first time, it's not totally obvious, its just I happen to know something about Anthony Horowitz when these two kids said what their parents did, I went wait a second and confirmed my suspicion. Got to love me, solely on the fact I spent so much time on a single piece of Trivia. Tim has been sent on holiday with his Aunt Sara (blood relation) and Uncle Nigel. Uncle Nigel is a piece of work and obsessed with gaining a tan. Yes, the horror-frying thing happens to him with irony ensured. 5/5 stars for descriptive skin rebelling.
13.  Flight 715: If you've ever seen Final Destination, its that if death doesn't show up for revenge but not. Judith has a nightmare about her impending flight home and has to decide what to do about it.  Quite good. 5/5 stars for ending being twisty. Okay, its actually just because it's set in Canada.
14. Howard's End: This is awesome, because it kinda plays on what hell actually means and what it would be like. I won't say more. 5/5 stars for fluffy clouds.
15. The lift: This is quite a weird one, meaning that written from the sort of point of view of a retiring detective investigating his last case (You just couldn't stay away, could ya Horowitz?). I never brought into this story, just seems too unrealistic and it another one where the bad boy gets what he deserves for being an arse but with cannibals this time. Wait, we've had a bad kid and cannibals before. 3/5 stars for middle-age men.
16. The Phone Goes Dead: David's dad buys him a used mobile phone where the past owner died holding it causing some ghostly callers. Not much else to say, the ending does leave you thinking. I give it 4/5 for island streets.
17. Twist Cottage: Our last "Horowitz" story. This story involves a haunted cottage, sadly there wasn't really a twist to this story. What a waste of a title? Its also evil(ish) stepmother, sad father and unrealistic relationship. I never really understood why he married her or why she married him. Basically, it's hinted that she only went to uni, doing a course for a subject she didn't like to marry a professor. Most professors don't make that much money, I mean if I was gonna go digging, I wouldn't go there. I gave it 4/5 stars as it is actually quite good.
18. The Shortest Horror Story Ever Written: I'm not going to rate this as it not much of a story. I've just got to say, its either taking a while to get to me or they don't count library books as I've only ever read this story in lib books.

Overall, my only problem with this is that its a bit too middle class. Like it seems that the only non-middle class kids in this, are bad, which of course is sending a bad message. Though, if you've ever heard Anthony Horowitz talk, it petty obvious which class he is in so it probably just writing what he knows. I give this 5/5 stars for being as non-scary as I remember.

Book Review: The Small Hand by Susan Hill

Okay, any of you watch my BookTube videos know that me and Susan Hill are yet to make friends. Her ghost stories don't scare me nor do I find them even slightly spooky. Mostly baffled. I only keep reading as my local library has lot her books and they're short. 'The Small Hand' has not change my opinion.


The book summary goes like this:
Returning home from a visit to a client late one summer's evening, antiquarian bookseller Adam Snow takes a wrong turning and stumbles across the derelict old White House. Compelled by curiosity, he approaches the door, and, standing before the entrance feels the unmistakable sensation of a small hand creeping into his own, 'as if a child had taken hold of it'. Intrigued by the encounter, he determines to learn more, and discovers that the owner's grandson had drowned tragically many years before. At first unperturbed by the odd experience, Snow begins to be plagued by haunting dreams, panic attacks, and more frequent visits from the small hand which become increasingly threatening and sinister ...

 The main problem with this book is that I felt absolutely nothing for Snow (which is why I'm calling him by his last name). I really could not have cared less if he died. No one would have missed him. I feel no relief when he continues to not jump into various deep waters.

When I got to the ending I was like WTF. I so want to rant about how its ends, but I don't want to spoiler it for anyone after reading this review and still wants to read 'The Small Hand'. I will say it leaves you very sympathetic and it actually has a reason behind the "haunting" unlike "Doll".
I really left this book with nothing, no feeling or thoughts. This book is so scary that you could read in the middle of the night in a house alone during storm that knock out the power and still be 'meh'. 

While the plot content wasn't good, it was well written and still readable, so I gave 2/5 stars. Just though.