Book Review: More Bloody Horowitz/Scared to Death by Anthony Horowitz

Oh, Horowitz we meet again...Yeah, we're gonna need to have a talk.

Stories of ultimate revenge, from freshly sold human meat and uncontrollable robots, to life-sucking MP3 players and reality TV where death is the penalty – all told with dark humour and gruesome relish, and made even more fiendish by retro illustrations, chilling facts and a puckish message from the author. This is Anthony Horowitz at his most wicked.

Scared to Death: Ten Sinister Stories by the Master of the Macabre

This chilling collection of ten nightmarish and fiendishly funny short stories is a perfect read for fearless children. From a train journey straight to hell, out of control robots with a murderous streak and even a television show where death is the penalty – these terrifying tales display the dazzling wit and wicked humour of master storyteller Anthony Horowitz, and are guaranteed to make your blood curdle and your spine tingle.

If you've been following my reviews for a while, you know that I'm a big of Horror and read Horrorwitz first horror stories when I teenager. I have since re-read and reviewed those stories. I thought they held up, so I brought this book from a library sale a while ago but ended up reading the ebook from the library because of Lockdown. I had been looking at the graphic novels and saw an adaption of the Hitckhiker, a story in Horowitz Horror collection. It was fine, I think it works better as a story but not worth a writing a full review but it left me curious if they had Horowitz other works. I saw these two story collections, More Bloody Horror and Scared to Death. Thinking they were completely different works, I check both them out.

These are the same books, but with changes to update them. Technically, Scared to Death ends up with less content, which is probably for the best. The first story and Intermission is left out. Probably should have left the terrible poem in as the whole intermission in the re-released. 'Scared to Death' does have its one unique story.

This has the layout out of a newspaper article, which I'm sure is very charming in a physical book but a pain in the butt for me reading it digitally from pdf. Each story has an illustration before it and sometimes a minor one after. The illustrations are well done, if not sometimes spoilerly for what ends up happening to the characters.

I wrote reviews for each story as I went so half of the review was written before I knew that Scared to Death was a re-released with some of the problematic things changed.

The Man Who Killed Darren Shan: I'm sure Horowitz got permission to plot the murder of real children's writer Darren Shan. Though, imagine if he didn't and the first you hear of it is during book festival season. How awkward.  This book was about a failed horror writer deciding that the similarity between his and Shan work being too much for coincidence. 3/5 stars for taking out the competition.

Bet Your Life: So this a game show with an obvious twist, the story takes place on the finale eve which has five finalists so it's perfectly pre-dates Drag Race, including the transphobia (okay, I thought it was four when I made this joke, but it's only a matter of time with Ru). All the finalists are men, because of course, but one of the contestants is a Trans man who they call a 'woman' and use she/her pronouns for him. The exact quote describing him is 'She gave away very little about herself - although, she had let me known if she won, she wanted to become a man.' I could let this go as it being dated, but this book is also sold as comedy apparently. Also know that a Trans woman has won Big Brother, a show referenced in the opening so definitely leaves me on the alert. And I was right because we get a bit of ableist common to reality shows "Clive in his wheelchair, hoping to claw something back in a life that had been wrecked by a car accident". I guess this could count as commentary.

A prefer named is given as Melvyn, so that's what I'll use. He is referred to as 'pitless' and is made out to be the villain in this, like he's a terrible person for competition against a 16-year-old, but not that feeling towards anyone else involved.

Why would the prime minister be the final question giver? How well does pig feel compared to humans? What does this Latin quote mean? How many people am I directly responsible for killing?
Horowitz is a TV writer and there was a very negative feeling towards reality TV at the time. This does and says nothing. It somehow manages to be Cliché almost immediately. The most noticeable is the transphobia for no reason.

Replacing the transphobia is a knowledging you did something wrong but its not enough to take it out. If they had just changed the character to being an openly trans man using the correct name and pronouns, who wants the money for top surgery. That's commentary. I mean the way the character is written is terrible so you would have to actually completely re-write or make another character trans for it to be forgivable. They are no quick fix for transphobia. What I've read of Horowitz work, his books have never been diverse. He rarely writes outside his middle-class white man bubble, so perhaps its best he didn't attempt it. Realistically I'm not sure what the fix is. Maybe this story should have also been taken out of the re-release.
0/5 stars for Transphobia.

You Have Arrived: Steal a car and so it goes badly obviously. This story's illustration tells you the twist before you've read it. It's whatever.  2.5/5 stars for Dionaea Muscipula.

The Cobra: Kid is a brat in a foreign country. Gets his comeuppance. 2.5 for Anti-venom.

Robo-Nanny: Robots kidding on to be 'Mexican to get a job at McDonalds'. The twist at the end ruined it. Why would that be horrorfic for kids? 2/5 stars for Spare Parts.

Transmission: Not really, just excuse for poems.

Bad Dream: A poem about the mud coming for revenge for the father's sins. 2/5 stars.

'Why Horror has No Place in Children's Place by Wendy Grooling'- If we taking notes, besides mothers, the only femme characters have been a Trans man being misgendered, killer robot, and now this fake writer hating on horror. Here's a quote about J.K. Rowling 'It's all too often forgot that she has single-handly taught an entire generation the value of reading,' This is meant to be a joke (I think), but I wouldn't be surprised if that's the Koolaid that Just Kidding is drinking now.
Also Alice in Wonderland has horror elements, which I mean the baby that gets turned into a pig and probably eaten. Maybe that add realism as the people who write long essay about hating on a thing, never know what they talking about.

Oh, no Horowitz you really got me. The 16-year-old who would read and review this book 10 years after publication who gonna point out the transphobia and the lack of girls. Don't worry, I rate you somehow more dated than the 90s Point Horror I also read for kicks. Don't worry, you're a better adult writer than Stine but children? IDK, I haven't played enough attention to which ones weren't ghostwritten. Also definitely not the week for J.K. Rowling to be getting any praise.

Also this references the Hitchkiter whose graphic novel adaption I recently read. The adaption was fine. This is my favourite story because it's not newspaper formatted and meant I didn't have to backtrack while reading it.

There is a crossword, something as a Dyslexic I have always hated. The clues sure are something. Anyway, calls Black Panther terrorist group which is very 60s America. I mean I've not managed to find them a case of them being linked to a terrorist act. Did they go into a building armed? Sure, white people are allowed to that shit. It's fucking questionable to have in a kids book, without a conversation.

My Bloody French Exchange: This another obvious one. These stories are for kids, but definitely feel too young for the character age group. This is just a revamp of the Hitchkiter story so not for fans of the first book. 3/5 stars for the same twist and I'm gonna straight-up reference it.

SheBay: Finally the first girl protagonist, and she immediately human trafficked. Guess what it the same Twist as 'Harriet's Horrible Dream' and even references it. It's slightly different but worse.
1/5 stars because Human trafficking online is definitely real and horrifying.

Fuck, some terrible news. This is where I found out this was re-released as Scared to Death, which my library has as a decent ebook of and would have been a lot easy to read from than this nightmare one. I had already rechecked it out. The transpobia has been removed. The lone AFAB contest now wants to give all her money to donkeys. "She gave away very little about herself - although, she had let me known if she won, she would give all her money away to charity. She particularly wanted to help look after donkeys in Spain." Don't worry Clive is still there but it now references Love Island. Did I change copies when I discovered? No, because of transphobia.

Are you sitting Comfortably?: This told in first POV by our second girl main character, compared to most being in the third person. And I was right to because this book has some casual racism. "At first sight, I thought he might not be British. He was dark-skinned'.  He's still described as dark-skinned in Scared to Death, but his Britishness is not questioned. This probably one of the better stories, especially as it not just a re-harsh of one of his past works. It probably shares themes with Cottage one though. 3.4 stars for life insurance.

Plugged In: "Jeremy Browne is Gay" is graffitied on a bus shelter, this is changed to him being a weirdo in StD. I get the choice and it is probably best not to use the word gay unless you're going to have a conversation about homophobia. That being said what teenager liked Take That enough in 00s to keep up with their single release schedule. That was such a mum band then. They're replaced by Ed Sheeran in 2018. None of the other bands are updated, but a line about Solar-powered MP3 players not existing is taking out. Well, they still don't and probably never will because no one owns mp3s anymore. We all have phones. I guess maybe a few joggers might have them. I guess this was taken because solar power travel banks exist.
4/5 stars for Not Trusting Your Neighbours.

Power: This is a story written by someone who doesn't know a thing about the care system. You can give up a child at any time. They will try and convince you not to. You can put a child in care at any time. The main character ending up naked which is horrifying due to the likely damage to an uncovered body. I think it didn't need to be so obvious, he says "even his boxers". This is another spoiled kid meets a terrible fate. Mixed message with the last story. I guess the moral is be a hermit and never talk to anyone. 2/5 stars for extreme sports.

The J Train: This is the new story in Scared to Death, I suppose to replace Darren Shan Murder one. This book is also dated for its Time of 2018. It mentions 're-reading those Vampire books' and Stranger Things. Really shows that Horowitz does not keep up with the business he's in. Also Hamilton tickets, but who would guess where we ended up two years later. The mother sounds like a goth with killer nails. Two or three hours doing nails isn't really that long if you're doing designs. The most horrifying thing about this story is that Horowitz felt the need to point out that Donald Trump is president and they have a photo of him for some reason. Donald Trump was a Slumlord and New Yorker really don't like him. Why not just have vague a picture of the president. It was just a weird detail. This story is told in the third person and while having a teenager daughter, the main one it follows is the dad, so maybe an effect to balance the gender split but not really.

Seven Cuts: This is a note from the publisher, in this Horowitz is a murder who doesn't take notes. I just don't any of this meta stuff really works. 1/5 stars for not respecting women.

Overall, I gave this book 1/5 stars for Transphobic Donkeys. This is definitely weaker than Horowitz Horror books. There is a reason this was weeded from a library and I'm definitely glad it was when it does have such obvious problematic things in it.
There are no girls in this book. This is a problem with "Boy books" in general, boys are not exposed to girls they own age, just being people in fiction. Girls are so often forced to be the token, even in their own fiction. Basically, we have trick parents into buying their boys books with girl main characters. So that's just a general problem, and girls do like horror as well. His first collection felt more balanced. Maybe it's just because the girl main character stories were the better ones and more spread out instead of just being in the second half of the book.

This book does raise the question, do I have to go back and re-read Horrowitz Horror in the original form I read it to see if it been problematic all along. It has definitely put me off reading any more of Horowitz's work. I've not loved what I've read since that first collection, either been okay or this. They are so many other books in the world, so why waste my time with white man nonsense?

Crossed posted to Strangeness Books. I do post reviews earlier on Strangeness Books, basically, as soon as I finished them.

Read: 8/6/2020 to 11/6/2020
Reviewed: 8/6/2020 - 26/6/2020
Medium: PDF/Ebook
Published Date: September 1st 2010 (re-released October 4th 2018)
Publisher: Walker & Company (Walker Books)
Source: Library
CW: Casual Transphobia; Causal Ableism; fatphobic; Causal Racism; Causal Homophobia;

Book Review: Whiteout by Gabriel Dylan

Ski Trips: For the rich kids to die on.

Charlie hopes that the school ski trip will be the escape from his unhappy home life he so desperately needs. But there is something wrong with the remote ski village of Kaldgellan. Something is out there, something ancient and evil, among the pines and the deep untracked drifts, watching and waiting. 

And when the storms blow in, Charlie and his schoolmates wake to find the resort deserted. Cut off from the rest of the world far below, as night falls the few left alive on the snowbound mountain will wish they were somewhere, anywhere else. Only ski guide Hanna seems to know of Kaldgellan’s long-buried secrets, but whether Charlie can trust her is another question…


This is the second Red Eye book to featuring snow storms that cause isolation and with it having other similarities I couldn't help but compare them, especially as 'Fir' is one my favourite Red Eye books. I was pretty excited for this concept, as Teen "30 Days of Night" which oddly is one of the vampire films not mentioned in this.
                                                 
This book has third person narration that closely follows a few different people in the group. Charlie is the main character and gets a sort of romance. There are lot of characters at the start with this meant to be school trip, with thirty pupils so probably has two or three teachers with the group, so it's slightly confusing with all the girl names thrown around. We have other characters such as Tara who is the spoiled ex-rich girl; she is a terrible person, that's her deal and she only there to undermine everyone else. She meant to be the character you dislike the most, but guess who I dislike the most?That's right, Nico. My notes involve telling Nico to go die in the snow. Nico is your toxic geek stereotype with side of sexism. This sexism comes in his first introduction so that I was able to confirm that this quote made it to the finial book by using the Amazon Preview: "Ellie’s blue eyes were locked on to Stefan, a glint of admiration hovering there that gave Nico a twinge of envy. She was pretty, although he wondered if she’d be even more attractive without so much make up."

Yeah, Ellie is described as breaching her hair and wearing fake tan, and skiing with hooped earrings so is probably in that awkward phrase of make-up but it's makes me dislike Nico immediately because girls are judged for their make-up use even when it's fantastic. There's other comments by Nico through out the book make me dislike him for his toxic geek culture. I think these comments are meant to make him relatable but he just makes me think of those guys who quiz girls when they say they like Star Wars and deny that girl geeks exist. You can have shitty characters or flawed characters, but it doesn't add to the character or more importantly challenged. So with that sexist comment, I started counting how often the characters cry, 3:1 when comes to girls to boys. One of those times Tara cried for no reason and then never again. Maybe that was to show she was attention seeking. It's really minor thing, they are diverse side of girl characters so can just ignore Nico if you want.

Another thing to mention about Nico is that lot of his geek references feel slightly dated, I mean he plays World of Warcraft which isn't much of thing anymore. Also it's subscription based game, with it being £10 a month. It does have a free mode and these kids are on a ski trip so maybe they parents would pay that a month for game but it's seems more likely they would be messing about on Gary's Mod or Skyrim. I don't think MMORPG are much of thing anymore or I don't think any fantasy games really have online player mode. Films are mentioned as well but films can be randomly discovered that game with pay wall wouldn't. Though, no date is actually state. They have phones but are never described so I guess this could easily take place when I was a teen and not going on the sky trip where someone smuggled weed into several other countries. I don't think they went to Austria.

I love vampires, and was really excited to hear that a Red Eye book would be tackling them. They're done okay, somewhat old school with side of sort of original myth. The final conflict was decent and with Red Eyes being established as having no win situations sometimes the states were pretty high till the end.

Overall, I give this 4/5 stars for h. A lot of filler characters, but there's one character with strong motivation so that's fun. I guess I don't like the ending, it's not terrible but it meant to be a redemption for these characters that didn't feel earned for at least one of them well at least for me. . I get what their arc was meant to be, maybe it would have been better to focus on less characters for this story. I guess they all like 16 or something anyway. It's a decent horror story, in probably in the middle for me of the other Red Eye books which I have reviewed all of them.

I received e-arc of this book for free to do an honest review.

Book Review: Zom-B: Goddess by Darren Shan

Will B finally get herself killed?


Where can you turn when you've run out of Options?

What card can you play when the deck's stacked against you?

Is there any hope in a world of the lost?

B Smith has reached the end...

So after 4 years, 7 months, 28 days (or 1701 days). I am finally here with a review of the final book of the Zom-B series (I have review every book but one because I forgot I hadn't reviewed till months later. I went to Florida. I miss Florida). It's hard to review this book without refering to the rest of the series, so like always I presume you have read the last 11 books or don't care about spoilers (hell, maybe you even want them).

Reading this book, the thought popped into my head, would have done the child bride thing if B had been male? Would we have gotten an child groom then? It probably would have been treated the same, a fourteen year old flirting with a hundred old something. This series started by messing with expectation of gender, but feel like B had to be a girl or female. I'm not saying Shan is sexist, if anything it's do with society sexism. Just the child bride thing and B being forced into the oddest mother role ever. Shan never really addresses sexism in the series outside of B's gender being a twist at the start. It's just something to think about when writing/reading. Yeah, it's stated it's not sexual. But still fucking creepy. In terms of horror it the most scariest thing in the whole series. The zombies and the forced gore just seem laughable next to it. Actually,that part was just dumb.

Everything is finally reveal for the most part, I still had random plot thoughts, one of the big problem with this book and the rest of the ending books is there's this rush to remind the reader of these characters we've only spent two or three books with and then have abandoned for six books in between. So they've just became names and B hasn't thought about them since the last time she seen them. Mainly because everyone B actually cared about is dead, so named characters do die but if you're read all the other books you're be desensitised to their deaths because all the more important characters are all gone. Basically, Shan has had B with no reason to live for the past three books. If the book were paced better or maybe read them back to back (if someone done/does that tell me if you feel closer to the characters that are left at the end) it could work. Twelve Books was too many for this story and not good enough job is done to make them interesting as standalones as the series goes on.

This book has a preachy speech at the end about taking better care of the planet and each other on a globe scale. I am millennial, so I'm dead inside due to knowing how fucked over my generation is and how fucked over the future one will be as things are only getting worse. However, kinda undermines the world series where you spell out what is wrong with humanity as whole and blaming the individual is how we end up with ableist banning of straws instead of pressuring corporations to dispose of their waste appropriately. Hell, it might come into law soon.

I did really like the first book, I guess I still do. Shan tried to rise a lot important subjects in this series: racists, corruption and paedophile but it's probably ruined. Having read them all and made it through them all, I would say give up when you feel like it. Walk away then. There was a point where I think the books become more of a chore to read, in the hope of plot, than enjoyable. I know children/middle grade books do have repetitive formats but this series didn't actually have that. So much of it is B fucking around and I don't think we get plot stuff or world development every book.

Overall, I give this book 3/5 stars for fucking up everything. This isn't really a series I can recommend as whole, the last book in the series wasn't satisfying. It was fine. It's been so dragged out  that there's no impacted and that's a problem. I feel like I've wasted money and time with these books so not fun. Because I don't care anymore.

Book Review: Zom-B: Fugitive by Darren Shan

Walking Tour of London, anyone?

WHERE DO YOU TURN WHEN ALL IS LOST?

HOW CAN YOU BUILD A FRESH FUTURE ON THE SANDS OF A TWISTED PATH?

WHAT IF EVERYTHING YOU KNEW WAS A LIE?

B SMITH IS ON THE RUN...

This is the 11th and penultimate book in the series and I have reviewed most of the previous books. Nothing feels like it happening in this book. It's a very slow walk.

There's a lot referencing previous novels, building up sudden emotion for nothing and while adding to the general plot. It's very so what for me. Obviously, I am older than the target audience. 12 year old me was reading crime thrillers and religion allegories with aliens so I don't she think would have been that impressed either. If we go younger it has no novels, only horror films and other masterpieces of film. Also junk. What's my point? Yes, plot stuff.

The thing about B is that her character is so moldable that she doesn't feel like a real person anymore. Her emotions have been came so plot related and she is so easily brain washed. It's happened three times now. Should she be so trustworthy after her father's lies? and I just don't like cult B. In general she is dislikable but they use to be a nugget. Over 11 books, the only developed we've got is she definitely not a racist anymore.

The Holocaust is brought up and it just seems so out of nowhere. It's a flashback and it feels like she should have already been brought up. Very life lesson.

The actual ending, it just play for emotion that it just makes me go what. More and more this series is 12 books because that was the agreed amount more than the story calls for it. I would be very so what, if I didn't have the next book to read. Not sure I would have brought it. Probably library pick up.

Overall, I give this book 2.5 stars for Old files. I hold Zom-B: Goddess in my hands and think this is going to be satisfying. The last two books felt like they were going somewhere. This book feels like a stall at the finish line. I've read a eleven books so of course I will be back with the final books and a  full series review.

Book Review: Savage Island by Bryony Pearce

Yes, Children trust Mark Zuckerburg and his fictional counterpart.

When reclusive millionaire Marcus Gold announces that he’s going to be staging an “Iron Teen” competition on his private island in the Outer Hebrides, teenagers Ben, Lizzie, Will, Grady and Carmen sign up – the prize is one million pounds … each. But when the competition begins, the group begin to regret their decision. Other teams are hunting their competitors and attacking them for body parts. Can the friends stick together under such extreme pressure to survive? When lives are at stake, you find out who you can really trust…

One of the more boring Red Eyes, as it literally wandering an island for three days. Other stuff happens conspiracy and the risk of maiming. It takes from other Red Eye books (intentionally or not). It's similar to 'Flesh and Blood' and reminds me of Frozen Charlotte because it's on an Scottish Island (one of the Shetland islands, meant to be private island). So Rich, gore and isolation. A bit of 'Sleepless' as well.

I really lacked the motivation to finish this and it's not like it long. There were few hiccups. Ben doesn't have a great relationships with his brother, Will but it pressured into looking after him. Will is some sort of Genius and clearly disturbed. There was an awkward moment for me where I was like "is he meant Autistic?" No, he's a sociopath. I wouldn't say that a spoiler, it clearly what going on and I want talk about it. People often confuse Autism and Sociopathy, despite being different and think having that "oh no" feeling probably didn't help my enjoyment of the book. My own research (after reading this book) said that what Pearce wrote can be accurate, it just awkward for me.

We have the island stuff and tons of childhood flashbacks of Ben being sad. Lots of fun wildlife while you know horror. This format worked well for what Pearce was trying to do. The book stays in Ben's POV so we only know what he knows. It also get repetitive after awhile. A lot of going in circles. 

There's also a dumb romance because people can't just be friends (Okay, that's really just my pet Peeve). The characters are done well and Pearce does an good job of balancing everyone. I think the relationships are part that's done the best, which is good to see in horror when so much is just bodies to get rid of. Though, I did think Carmen being Spanish was pushed a lot at first.

This is sociopaths and conspiracy theorist stuff. If you find most of that stuff boring and overplayed, this probably not the book for you. Obviously, conspiracy theories are hot right now with the youths so makes sense and there's always an online quiz asking if you are Sociopath. Maybe I know too much about Sociopaths and the ones that become killers for this book. I guess most of the target market won't be like that. That being said I've read true crime novels since I could read, but still I probably would have enjoyed this more when I was younger.

I found the ending to be dumb. The END bit I mean. I get the ending for the story Pearce was trying to tell, I saw it coming so stop being invested. There's a twist, I guess it works and Pearce lays down the ground work for it. It's just didn't have much of impact. The Reveal just seemed like a bad business plan and like why?

Overall, I give this 3/5 stars for Geocache Boxes. This was an okay addition to Red Eye series. It makes sense to tackle conspiracies in this series (again), and I do think it might be part of personal taste in what you want your horror to be, if you're like this book. Not so much for me, it might work for you. Having read the all the Red Eye books, I do compare them to one another. This one is kinda in the middle for me. The cover is cooler than the actual book as well, because it's really cool. I just wish I had liked the book as much.

I got this book for review off NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, it was published on 5th April 2018.

Book Review: Zom-B: Bride by Darren Shan

Marriage is not how to solve politician issues. Anymore.


Does True Love lurk in the Darkest of Places?

Could a psychotic stalker be the man of your dreams?

Can a Killer win your heart?

Here comes the Bride...

This is the 10th in the Zom-B series (which I have review the majority of the series: Zom-B, Undergound, City, Angels, Baby, Mission, Clans, Circus, and Family). This one was odd. Odder and creepier than the other books in the series.

B is 13 years old physically and a fully grown man/clown is telling her he loves her. This isn't a spoiler with what this book is called. It stated several times that it not romantic, but it still creepy. Creeper than the babies.

There's a lot of gore for gore sake. Limbs everywhere and other dumb decorating choices.

We get more answers in this book, but B also ran away from answers. 
The Plot is clearly gearing up for Climax of the series. It's definitely going somewhere.

B's personality is her weird, soft, cult side. Not sure where her head is.

Overall, I give you this book 3.5/5 stars for blood baths. I feel my opinion might change on this book with what happens with the last two in the series so might update this rating or address that in my future reviews.

Book Review: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Odd that book adaption is has less detail than the film.

Sometimes, a door is closed for a very good reason...

There is something strange about Coraline's new home. It's not the mist, or the cat that always seems to be watching her, nor the signs of danger that Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, her new neighbours, read in the tea leaves. It's the other house - the one behind the old door in the drawing room. Another mother and father with black-button eyes and papery skin are waiting for Coraline to join them there. And they want her to stay with them. For ever. She knows that if she ventures through that door, she may never come back.

I've had watched the film before reading the book and that was a mistake. In that the film is a pretty accurate adaption, adding stuff and with slight changes. So if you have access to both, then read first then book. Because I knew the beats of the story then they wasn't much to compelled on reading and I think I would have enjoy the book better if I hadn't seen the film.

Coraline is surrounded by weird characters and busy parents. She is a explorer and compels the plot which is nice to see in children's book. With tons of horrifying imagery (that was partly illustrated).

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for button eyes. Coraline is good story and freaky as hell so give to every child you come across.

Book Review: Black Cairn Point by Claire McFall

Is Time Team still on TV?

Two Survivors, One Terrible Truth.

Heather agrees to a camping holiday with Dougie and his friends because she's desperate to get closer to him. But when they disturb a pagan burial site above the beach, Heather becomes certain that they have woken a malevolent sprit. Something is alive out there in the pitch-black dark, and it is planning deadly revenge. 

One year later Heather knows that she was very lucky to escape Black Cairn Point relatively unscathed, but she is still waiting for Dougie to wake from his coma. If he doesn't, how will she prove her sanity, and her innocence? 

Okay,  I'm not sure what this novel is trying to be. A horror thriller I guess.

This book is set in Scotland somewhere and it fun to guess where. They're leaving the city and going through Ayrshire countryside on the M77 and stop in Kilmarnock which is in East Ayrshire. The city has to be Glasgow because that's the only city on the West side of Scotland. Kilmarknock seems like a weird place to stop for booze if staying for the M77 a while longer so must be someone where before Ayr where the M77 stops and becomes the A77. Does anyone care? They going to Stranraer and if you got there in a hour from Kilmarnock you're probably be dead.

Random geography :Strangler isn't in Dumfrieshire.  It's in Wigtownshire. They not even next to each other. Also not a chance you could not successfully hitchkite to Glasgow, even to get to a town with decent public transport would take a while. He would have to find his way to Dumfries or get super lucky. There's are buses, but it's all nonsense.

Heather is bit too impressed by the ocean for someone who lives on an island. The ocean is an hour away and I haven't seen it for months either.

The boys became out being very dislikable, almost straight away...even the love interest. I didn't care much about the characters. I was mostly when do you all die and how?

The book is told in the POV of Heather, in Now and Then. This an affect to have an unreliable narrator in Heather. Except she not really. This is kinda spoilery so skipped if you don't want to be at all. It's just straight up lies and it's never clear what version of events we meant to be getting. It's not satisfying to be given account and then have the Twist on one page. There were meant to be hints, but not enough. It's just hur? I would want to have a proper recount of what actually went down, if this was what you're were going to do.

Overall, I give this book 3/5 stars for dumb fires. I own one of Claire McFalls's other books and still plan to t read it but I'm hoping it was better than this. This novel brings up a lot of questions, to give an obvious twist. It's just fine. 

Book Review: Zom-B Family by Darren Shan

If the zombie apocalypse had came, it would probably be over by now.

Can anyone hurt you as much as a love one?

When does the fight become the much to bear?

How much pain can one person endure?

B Smith is discovering the true meaning of family...

This is the 9th book in the Zom-B series (which I review the majority of Zom-B, Undergound, City, Angels, Baby, Mission, Clans and the in between that is Circus). So now that series has been finished for over a year, I'm finally back to reading it after two years of a bit of not doing so. After this book I've only got three to read and I'm planning to read and review them one after another basically.

The book has a lot of resolutions and is definitely going somewhere which has been my biggest problem with the series in the past. It's builds on B's family issues and all that racist stuff. The KKK was still perhaps on the nose but then again why not be blunt about this things (especially the way things have/are turning out in real, non-zombified world).

I think B has pretty much had enough now, so I'm wondering where that's going to lead the series. 

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Banners. The series is building to something and I want to know what that something is. I will be reading the next books pretty soon and should have them all read and reviewed by end of February.

Book Review: Whispers in Graveyard by Theresa Breslin

This book might have been written for me if only for a few things.If it was Harder core and female lead.

They want me to join them. All I have to do is to reach out to them...

Nobody understands Solomon's dyslexia. The only place he feels safe in the old graveyard, under the rowan tree. But when the workment uproot the tree, a dark and terriflying power is released, and only only Solomon can stop it...

Whispers in the Graveyard won the Carnegie Medal, and has became a modern classic of children's literature.

This book has Graveyard in the title and main character dyslexia. If you've been playing attention then you'll know I am dyslexic (which explains weird spelling and grammer mistakes) and that if book has a graveyard in it I specifically tag it. Also Graveyards because character limits. It's a thing I have been doing since 13 February 2013. So of course, I checked this book of the library.

This book was written purely for Dyslexia by a librarian. I also stopped at Dyslexia so didn't see the modern classic bit. So once I started I checked when this book was written which as 1994.  Two years before Dunblane shooting where at lot of laws changed. It's of its time, but not in a bad way, it was just odd going in thinking this was a modern contempory and not realising that is was when it came out 23 years ago. When I was tiny and cute. So I'm talk a little abit about Dyslexia during this time and whether it get's it right.

So I was dynosis when I was eight meaning sometime in 2001, but had been probably going through tests since 1999 so 5 years after this book was published. Solomon has his eyes tested, colour tested, and hearing. I don't remember getting my hearing tested (nor does my mother). But my eyes were tested several times and remember doing the colour blindness tests a lot. Dyslexia was the thing during time, then it was ADHD (my headteacher was convinced what I had, though I had none of the symtoms). Now it's Autism, which basically means people know what it is in theory but also not at all.

So the writer has done their research. Do I think it is captured well? Not really, but kinda of. So I was dynosised just for having Dyslexia when I was eight, but also then Autism when I was Twenty-Two so my symtoms overlap. The crumsness of Dyslexia is there, but he never get offically dysnosised. There's just a wonder teacher that realises his disability.

My worst compliant about this book is that there's speech by the Wonder teacher that says dyslexia is not a dysabily. Oh, honey I just wrote Disability completely wrong and I will forever miss-spell basic words. I live in a world with google and voice reconsigation software and you didn't know those things were coming. Dyslexia is a Learning Disability. It's a disability. Calling it a difficulty as those two thing don't mean the same thing in this situation, is missing the point. It's like getting upset when someone calls a novel a book. Yes, two different definitions. A book can be a non-fiction or a collection of short stories but novel always come in book form whether e-book, physical or a stack of maginze. Not that last one so much now and the best of those ended in up physical book form. It's ableism. A Disability is something about your body that makes life more difficult for you than people who don't have the disability, that can be how brain processes things or that you can't walk un-assisant. Being Dyslexia obvious never used be a big deal when most people were illiterate and didn't go to school. You were just clumsy and had bad joints (yeah, those are dyslexic symptoms). However, you can be a real disadvantage now. A lot of Daily Life is reading whether that's paperwork or just trying to watch YouTube videos. Disability is not a dirty word. I know this was written over 20 years ago but I don't think enough people realise that now either. I say this as someone who could just passes as a bad speller most of the time and can read most things unaided. It's re-creating the written word I mess up (then there's the Autism and the thing that making my hands go dumb as I try to write this).  Also Beslin made the main character a boy because Statistically more boys have it, so stereotyping then.

There's a lot of other issues going on. Solomon's mother has left the family home due to Solomon's father being abusive Alcoholic and then there's the ghost in the graveyard. Also this book is set in Scotland somewhere. Probably Central Belt. He love his local Graveyard, which is next to Kirk (church) which how I realise that this was set in Scotland. There also an evil entry connected to Scotland's past (go on guesss what it could be linked on, if you know anything about Scottish Supernatural history then you're get it, but I'll leave out because it kinda spoiler). There is a lot for a book less than 200 pages and some stuff does feel underdeveloped. The graveyard and Solomon's home life storylines don't fit that nice together. Hell, the evil enty doesn't even specifically want/need Solomon. Anyone in theory could have stopped it. The plot kinda works, but I think it just need more developed or more character agrency in the plot. Things just kinda come to point and that's that. This book is set in a Primary school so I probably should be less forgiving about the plot but I found it in the YA Section of the library. That was probably a mistake like the time I found R.L. Stine's one adult novel there too.

It has horror elements in it, but it's not scary hence the P5 main character (9 years-old). Horror didn't come to mind till I saw other people call it horror in the review. But I was already desenstive to any horror by the time I was in P5. The idea I like, the excuation not so much. It's fine, some of it works. Someone does die in this...so there's that.

Solomon is pretty defined by his Dyslexia. He doesn't have any other characterisation. The story is told in his POV. Even the Dyslexia side is surface level. No one really does have much characterisation. His dad is probably the one with the most depth. The wonder teacher is unrealistic try hard. Also shows up at student's house which also how you know it was written in the 90s. Pretty sure you can't just take a kid out of his normal class on a hunch, even if his teacher is terrible and kicks him most of the time.

Overall, I give this book 3/5 stars for Rowan Berries. I think the dyslexia is really all this book has going for it. Of the other Carnegie Medal winners I have read, it doesn't match up to them. I would like this book if his teacher had Dyslexia. I felt like it was building to that in places but she doesn't. It's an okay portrayal of dyslexia and his homelife is the better part of the book. The magic part doesn't work. I would love a book with magic with Dyslexia or any other disabled character published in the main steam but this wasn't great on the supernatural side. However, this book is less than 200 pages and is worth a read if anything that I have said interested you. While I wanted better it's fine for its intended age group, not amazing but worth the read. 

Book Review: Fir by Sharon Gosling

Forests are obviously evil.

Moving from Stockholm to an isolated pine plantation in northern Sweden is bad enough, but when the snows come early and all links between the Strombergs and the outside world are cut off, it gets worse. With only a grudging housekeeper and increasingly withdrawn parents for company, there is nothing to do but to explore the old plantation house. Anything to stay out of the endless pine trees pressing in on them. But soon it becomes clear that the danger within the old plantation house is even greater than what lies outside…

A chilling YA horror, perfect for fans of Dawn Kurtagich, Juno Dawson and Stephen King.

I just want to comment on the Stephen King being added on to YA horror writers. Sure, they on the same level as King's horror (Well, I know I rather read Kurtagich or Dawson again. King though...?). So finally with this book I have read all of the released books of the Red Eyes series (I don't have connections to get a book five months, that has a preview in Fir so is probably finished. We can compare in April).

So this is unique setting of Sweden (though I know of another British Horror book out there that is set in Northern Sweden and involves the Forest. Stay out of the Forests in Northern Sweden I guess).

The book is told in the POV of a unnamed protagonist in sort of a diary form, with poem from the forest every second chapter, which is why is probably compared to Kurtagich with her 'Dead House'.

The parents are generic have their own issues going on so lets solve our problems by moving to nowhere without a support unit to run a business that they know nothing about it. We also have a guide and much of kids that part of programme to educate kids about the forests. Then there's the creepy old maid that's worked at the house her whole working life.

The forest is also personified with tales of creatures in it.  The house is spooky as well so the setting is great and the mystery side works.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for secret hidey-holes... I'm now conflicted because this book levels with Frozen Charlotte or is better. It has similarity with isolation and supernatural beings messing with people. Also spooky child/ren. I would recommended if like that book and just if you like YA Horror.

Dis: This is the only Red Eye book that I have currently not gotten this for Review off NetGalley. Just saying so you know I didn't forget the disclaimer.

Buy.

Book Review: Sleepless by Lou Morgan

Don't take pills you brought off the internet...that ain't googable victims.

The real nightmare begins when you’re awake…
 
Young, rich and good-looking, Izzy and her friends lead seemingly perfect lives. But exams are looming – and at a school like Clerkenwell, failure is not an option. Luckily, Tigs has a solution. A small pill that will make revision a breeze and help them get the results they need. Desperate to succeed, the friends begin taking the study drug.

In terms of don't mess with drugs messages that have appeared in Red Eye books this is the better one. So this was one of the first Red Eye books that were published and I have owned a physical copy since then. It's one of the better ones, so it shame I left it for so long. I have read all the Red Eye books now but Fir by Sharon Jones (working on it).

The Red Eye books are quite happy to have terrible ending which is one of the reasons I appreciated it. The characters stop sleeping and therefore go insane. There are some background stuff hinted at and I feel like we don't get a straight answer about. It doesn't matter.

The Horror starts after Lizzy and her pals take terrible smelling pills (the first major red flag) and after the horror of exams, the shadowy images start appearing from the group and they turn against each other.

The book is in first person, in Lizzy pov, which works well, especially when they start betaying each other. 

Overall, I give it 4/5 stars for Exam freak outs .I think I rank it under Frozen Charlotte but higher than the other four stars books in the series ( Flesh & Bones, The Haunting and Charlotte Says). Actually, I don't know. The Red Eye Series started badly for me, but overall the series on avange the series sits at 3.6. Yeah, one star can really tank an avenge when you do the maths. It could be rounded to 4 stars which is what the series actually sits at for me.

I technically got this book for Review off of NetGalley from the Publisher Stripes. But I was gonna do this anyway and this is my own mission now.

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: Charlotte Says by Alex Bell

My Nana is out on that Isle somewhere...in pieces.

Following the death of her mother in a terrible fire, Jemima flees to the remote Isle of Skye, to take up a job at a school for girls. There she finds herself tormented by the mystery of what really happened that night.

Then Jemima receives a box of Frozen Charlotte dolls from a mystery sender and she begins to remember – a séance with the dolls, a violent argument with her step-father and the inferno that destroyed their home. And when it seems that the dolls are triggering a series of accidents at the school, Jemima realizes she must stop the demonic spirits possessing the dolls – whatever it takes. 

Another Red Eye book and the Prequel to Frozen Charlotte. The last book ends with a set up for a sequel, but I actually forgot that I said I would rather a prequel. Past me got what she wanted I guess. I would have to read Frozen Charlotte to see how much this book links up but there are nods to the first book in this.

Jemina is our leading lady and like most Edwardian girls without family, she needs to find work and she takes a job she barely qualified for as a teacher at Bordering School in the Isle of Sky. It's terrible, with abusive headmistress and her spooky past catches up to her.

We learn what's the deal with Frozen Charlotte books are and we get some fun Victorian ghost fun. The Victorians were obsessed with ghosts, it one of their many quirks. This book actually place ten years after Queen Victoria died, but who cares about any of the Edwards. I know I don't.

I don't care for Henry calling Jemina "Darling Girl", is he a middle-aged man? Did other young people really refer to people their own age as that? Weird thing: None of the main characters that ain't antagonists appeared to be from the Sky or Scotland. I mean this is for plot reason I guess, but why?

Overall, I give it 4/5 stars for Tiny Wigs. Alex Bell continues to be my favourite of the Red Eye writers I have read. This was decent addition to the Frozen Charlotte lore and I love them more now (but still would advise against listening to them, I'm hoping to finally read the other books in the Red Eye series before Halloween (I was an idiot who missed out on getting Fir by Sharon Gosling for review. Oh, well.) Strangely enough, it's the other female writers that I've not read yet. Though, I do own books by all of them (including the only Red Eye books I have physical copies of).

I got this for review off of NetGalley and it is being published by Stripes Publishing on 7th September 2017.

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.

Book Review: Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell

We get it Sophie, you have the hots for your cousins.

We're waiting for you to come and play.  
 
Dunvegan School for Girls has been closed for many years. Converted into a family home, the teachers and students are long gone. But they left something behind…

Sophie arrives at the old schoolhouse to spend the summer with her cousins. Brooding Cameron with his scarred hand, strange Lillias with a fear of bones and Piper, who seems just a bit too good to be true. And then there’s her other cousin.

The girl with a room full of antique dolls. The girl that shouldn’t be there.

The girl that died.

This is another book in the Red Eye series and so far it's my favourite. Not just because it mostly takes place in Scotland and an isle of heritage importance to me (heritage is meaningless). This involves odd Victorian dolls with a matching folk song if that doesn't scream creepy then you have never seen an a doll or know the horror of Folk singers.

The chapters are headed by lyrics of the song Frozen Charlotte. This was interesting tactic as the song isn't creepy or really at all related to the dolls. It does involves two idiots dying but that's all. Okay, maybe some people would find that creepy.

The Protagonist Sophie is a likable character, surrounded by sympathetic characters. Some of the characters are almost horror archetypes, but they didn't feel that way when I was reading it. The horror is built up well, with a extreme start but Sophie's fear gradually grows and there is an effect to create tension.

This is also involves an old house in an isolated cliff that was once a bordering School (see, it checking off a lot from the Spooky List of Horror). Also Ouija board and at least one ghost. There is one small modernisation but I think it really works and it is realistic thing someone would do.

The ending does play more like a horror film punchline than a novel conclusion(, Slight Spoiler:it really reminds me of the start of Jurassic Part II). Especially, if anything it's a prequel this novel deserves, more than a sequel.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for Sealed Windows. Whilst not being that scary, the horror elements are done well and I buy the story.  Also I loved anything with evil dolls that tell you to do bad things. Update: I have now reviewed the prequel, Charlotte Says.

I got this for review off NetGalley and it' is published by Stripes Publishing. (Though, I also actually owned a copy for ages, this was getting review no matter what, but I'm at uni and I couldn't take every book I own and ebooks are handy for times when feel awkward taking a book and reading it, say the student union). 

Book Review: Monster by C.J. Skuse

The real monster is Slut Shaming.


At sixteen Nash thought that the fight to become Head Girl of prestigious boarding school Bathory would be the biggest battle she’d face. Until her brother’s disappearance leads to Nash being trapped at the school over Christmas with Bathory’s assorted misfits.
 
As a blizzard rages outside, strange things are afoot in the school’s hallways, and legends of the mysterious Beast of Bathory – a big cat rumoured to room the moors outside the school – run wild.
 
Yet when the girls’ Matron goes missing it’s clear that something altogether darker is to blame – and that they’ll have to stick together if they hope to survive.
 
This is the second book by C.J. Skuse I have had the pleasure to read (and reviewed). I like this book a lot better than Dead Romantic. The ideas are more interesting and the characters were somewhat better. Still flawed though.

I love the fact the chapter headings were horror films. It could be argue that these were used for overshadowing, but some were just distracting and kinda forced. Though, normally I don't sit analysing chapter titles.

The characters are mostly a diverse bunch of girls. They are kinda stereotypes: the stuck-up bitch, the rebel, the kid, the creepy weirdo and the proper pure protagonist. They feel okay as characters when reading it, but there's not much to them or their relationships with each other. There is almost something there, but not fully. 

The slut shaming and emphasis on the main character being virgin is problematic, especially with the ending. These are realistic issues that go on within groups of teenage girls, but its not addressed at all that's it a issue. Also the "slut" is presented as being unlikable and is also a sadist. Even if Skuse was mirroring the horror trope of the protagonist being a virgin, its just something that should be abandoned (unless virgin is in a recipe).

The plot is okay. There is the idea of what a monster is something I thought was good. The ending could have been better set up and loses all realism after a point. The bordering school in the middle of nowhere is a good horror setting, however, I found the complications of that to be too tedious especially as they are in walking distance of other people.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for priest holes. I enjoy reading this book, it wasn't that scary and I never felt any tension for the characters. It was still a decent idea and good light read.

I got this book for review off NetGalley and is being published on 24th September 2015.

Book Review: Zom-b: Clans by Darren Shan

At first it's hard to hang off a Cliff but eventually you forgot you're on a Cliff.

How much do you value your best friend's life?

When do you go when run out of options?

How far can you trust an evil promise? 

B Smith must consider her next move...

This is the 8th book in the Zom-B series (which I review the majority of Zom-B, Undergound, City, Angels, Baby, Mission and the in between that is Circus). The last main book ended on a major cliff-hanger so it took me months to pick this book up. Life is a weird thing that happens to you. 

The book continues straight off from last book and I found it easy to fall back into it. The story quickly goes into a weird angle not far in.

The characters were basically their typical selves. But who cares because in this book we finally get the origin stories of certain characters and that is why you should read this book.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for Hypocrites. I like this book because we get answers and B isn't acting as though she devoted cult follower anymore. Question superiors, kids. Though, with the ending of this book, who knows if that will last.

Book Review: Dark Room by Tom Becker

The Sleepaway Camp Twist? Really?
 
The camera never lies…

Darla and her dad are looking for a fresh start. But when they wind up in affluent Saffron Hills, Darla stands no chance of fitting in with the beautiful, selfie-obsessed teens at her new school.

Just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, she starts having visions. The gruesome snapshots flashing into Darla’s mind seem to suggest she’s going crazy… until she realizes they’re actually a horrifying glimpse into the future. 

With a killer on the loose, can she make sense of what she’s seeing before it’s too late?

This is a horror where I did not guess the ending, mainly because it's not at all foreshadowed and is one of the worst twists to ever feature in horror. Part of the twist would have been okay, but the other part is just dumb and undermines the rest. Frankly, it was a twist that I didn't think anyone would be dumb enough to execute it in this decade. I won't say what the twist is and I can't at all talk about my main issue with it without spoilers but I feel I won't be the only who one to see fault with it. While being problematic, it's also lazy and unnecessary.

The summary of this book is misleading and left me disappointed a few chapters in. It is in third person and I felt detached from what was going on, so not at all scared. Though, there was only one scene I thought worked in terms of suppose terror.

The main character Daria is likeable and I felt for her. It still lack in the fear and tension, I think that does have something to do with the supporting characters. They all mostly distasteful, though I don't hate any of them.

The book is second of the Red Eye Books set in America. When someone writes a setting in another country from their own, I always questioned it, especially when that setting is the USA. The plot does involve a beauty pageant and underage drinking, which are both big deals in America. I guess it works but America is such a boring setting. But the setting is more about the town than the country so it doesn't matter where it was set globally.

Overall, I gave this book three out of three stars for Echoes. I enjoyed this book right till the climax. The twist was just kinda cheap and bad 80s horror film. The execution was decent with a likeable protagonist but that ending took too much away from it. I've read one other book by Tom Becker (While the others sleep which has a review). The ending and twists were what let down that book as well so maybe this is a pattern for him.

I got this for review off NetGalley and it is being publish by Stripes Publishing on 10 September 2015.

Book Review: While the Others Sleep by Tom Becker

I slept like a baby after reading thing. Though, a baby with insomnia, but that's normal.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Alfie can't sleep. He's been sent to the sanatorium to "get better".

And it's a terrifying place.

Especially at night...when everyone else is asleep.

Alfie soon discovers that being awake is the most dangerous condition of all.

You'll find out why. But don't expect to sleep afterwards.

I liked this book, right till the end because I really don't get what going on there. The conclusion of this book is unsatisfying and confusing. There were questions raised I don't think were answered. The twists were dumb.

The writing seems to be too modern. I can understand this with this being YA and aimed at inexperienced readers but this story doesn't fully work in it's time setting to begin with. Asylums are talked about as if they are a thing of the distant past but this is going on right now, in the hell day of them being terrible. 

 Overall,  I give this book 2 out of 5 stars for night walking. This story was okay, but in terms of horror, it's not scary and is very cliché in a nonsensical way.  There is some interesting imagery but that's about it. ALSO WHO THE HELL SET FIRE TO THE HOUSE?