Beautiful Darkness by Fabien Vehlmann and Kerascoët

Title: Beautiful Darkness

Author: Fabien Vehlmann and Kerascoët

Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly 2014

Genre: Comics

Pages: 94

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Newly homeless, a group of fairies find themselves trying to adapt to their new life in the forest. As they dodge dangers from both without and within, optimistic Aurora steps forward to organize and help build a new community. Slowly, the world around them becomes more treacherous as petty rivalries and factions form.

Beautiful Darkness became a bestseller and an instant classic when it was released in 2014. This paperback edition of the modern horror classic contains added material, preparatory sketches, and unused art. While Kerascoët mix gorgeous watercolors and spritely cartoon characters, Fabien Vehlmann takes the story into bleaker territory as the seasons change and the darkness descends. As with any great horror, there are moments of calm and jarring shocks while a looming dread hangs over the forest.

Not quite sure what I just read, but it was just horrifying enough that I found myself riveted to the pages. The horror takes a few pages to really present itself, but then we are off and running. I was really rooting for Aurora the entire time, hoping that she would be able to overcome the myriad obstacles in her path. This is a very quickly little horror comic that was an instant hit for me.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Title: The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories

Author: Angela Carter

Publisher:

Genre: Horror

Pages: 176

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual; Seasonal TBR

In The Bloody Chamber , Carter's famous collection of deeply unsettling stories inspired by fairy tales, a Beauty is turned into a Beast and Little Red Riding's grandmother is stoned to death as a witch; a young music student is swept off her feet in Paris by a middle-aged aristocrat and transported to his ancestral abode to re-enact the story of Bluebeard against a sumptuous fin de siècle background; a British soldier on a cycling holiday in Transylvania in the summer of 1914 finds himself the guest of an alluring female vampire. By contrast, in Wise Children, Carter's last novel), the comic, the bawdy and the life-enhancing prevail. An irrepressible elderly lady recalls the many colorful decades she and her sister spent as vaudeville performers - a tale as full of twins and mistaken identities as any plot of Shakespeare's. The early collection, Fireworks , reveals Carter taking her first forays into the fantastic writing that was to become her unforgettable legacy. The Everyman's Library omnibus gathers the best of Angela Carter in one astonishing volume.

I finally read this collection of short stories! And really, it’s a gem of the horror genre. We get a collection of stories that take classic fairy tales and turn them on their heads. The horror is subtle at times, but that makes it all the more terrifying. “The Bloody Chamber” is of course the story of Bluebeard, but we get such tension and buildup to the reveal that it makes it seem like a completely new story. I loved the vampire story as a new viewpoint on the undead in a crumbling mansion. Over and over, I was awed at the atmosphere and tension that Carter created within each short story. I really felt like I was right in the story experiencing the horror first hand. Beautiful and horrific collection!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

Title: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires

Author: Grady Hendrix

Publisher: Quirk Books 2020

Genre: Horror

Pages: 408

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Theme - December

Patricia Campbell’s life has never felt smaller. Her husband is a workaholic, her teenage kids have their own lives, her senile mother-in-law needs constant care, and she’s always a step behind on her endless to-do list. The only thing keeping her sane is her book club, a close-knit group of Charleston women united by their love of true crime. At these meetings they’re as likely to talk about the Manson family as they are about their own families.

One evening after book club, Patricia is viciously attacked by an elderly neighbor, bringing the neighbor's handsome nephew, James Harris, into her life. James is well traveled and well read, and he makes Patricia feel things she hasn’t felt in years. But when children on the other side of town go missing, their deaths written off by local police, Patricia has reason to believe James Harris is more of a Bundy than a Brad Pitt. The real problem? James is a monster of a different kind—and Patricia has already invited him in.

Little by little, James will insinuate himself into Patricia’s life and try to take everything she took for granted—including the book club—but she won’t surrender without a fight in this blood-soaked tale of neighborly kindness gone wrong.

It seems that I am in the minority when it comes to this book. The one good thing that I can see about the book is that Hendrix is amazing at writing tension. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The book never gets easier and doesn’t slow down. But, the writing cannot save a book filled with terrible characters, white savior complex, misogyny, sexual assault, and overall muddled messages. I hated that none of the men are punished or made to see the error of their ways. I couldn’t stand the fact that all the black characters are victims or ignore nameless faces except for Mrs. Greene, who no one listens to. I just couldn’t get behind any part of this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

Title: Sawkill Girls

Author: Claire Legrand

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 464

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Goodreads Random; Monthly Theme - October

Who are the Sawkill Girls?

Marion: The newbie. Awkward and plain, steady and dependable. Weighed down by tragedy and hungry for love she’s sure she’ll never find.

Zoey: The pariah. Luckless and lonely, hurting but hiding it. Aching with grief and dreaming of vanished girls. Maybe she’s broken—or maybe everyone else is.

Val: The queen bee. Gorgeous and privileged, ruthless and regal. Words like silk and eyes like knives; a heart made of secrets and a mouth full of lies.

Their stories come together on the island of Sawkill Rock, where gleaming horses graze in rolling pastures and cold waves crash against black cliffs. Where kids whisper the legend of an insidious monster at parties and around campfires. Where girls have been disappearing for decades, stolen away by a ravenous evil no one has dared to fight…until now.

I was super excited to read this one based on the plot description. I loved the mystery of the monster and the Sawkill Rock. But very quickly, the identity of the monster is revealed. Okay, I can roll with that. It was kind of interesting to see the story from the perspective of the monster. And then a character is killed and I was hoping the mystery would continue. Unfortunately things devolved into a melodramatic teen romance. I just couldn’t get over Marion’s weak character. At the end of the book, I was just meh about everything. Not my cup of tea.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven

Title: Fantasticland

Author: Mike Bockoven

Publisher: Skyhorse 2016

Genre: Horror

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Random TBR

Since the 1970s, FantasticLand has been the theme park where "Fun is Guaranteed!" But when a hurricane ravages the Florida coast and isolates the park, the employees find it anything but fun. Five weeks later, the authorities who rescue the survivors encounter a scene of horror. Photos soon emerge online of heads on spikes outside of rides and viscera and human bones littering the gift shops, breaking records for hits, views, likes, clicks, and shares. How could a group of survivors, mostly teenagers, commit such terrible acts?

Presented as a fact-finding investigation and a series of first-person interviews, FantasticLand pieces together the grisly series of events. Park policy was that the mostly college-aged employees surrender their electronic devices to preserve the authenticity of the FantasticLand experience. Cut off from the world and left on their own, the teenagers soon form rival tribes who viciously compete for food, medicine, social dominance, and even human flesh. This new social network divides the ravaged dreamland into territories ruled by the Pirates, the ShopGirls, the Freaks, and the Mole People. If meticulously curated online personas can replace private identities, what takes over when those constructs are lost?

I went into this book knowing very little about the actual premise and I’m glad that I went in a bit blind. It made the events at Fantasticland that much more horrifying. This was a very quick read. I was desperate to get to each next interview and find out the next phase of the events in the park. Parts are very disturbing (as they should be given the subject matter), but are told in such a way that are easy to read. I loved the interview format to recall the events in question. It reminded me very much of World War Z in that way. I loved the building suspense throughout the pages, but was a bit disappointed in the ending. There were so many unanswered questions. I would have liked to know more. Still it was a perfectly horrifying novel for this spooky October.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

Title: The Broken Girls

Author: Simone St. James

Publisher: Berkley 2018

Genre: Thriller / Horror

Pages: 334

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Literary Escapes - Vermont

Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants—the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall, and local legend says the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming—until one of them mysteriously disappears....

Vermont, 2014. Twenty years ago, journalist Fiona Sheridan's elder sister’s body was found in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And although her sister’s boyfriend was tried and convicted of the murder, Fiona can’t stop revisiting the events, unable to shake the feeling that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during renovations links the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past—and a voice that won’t be silenced....

This was the Girly Book Club selection for October and it is absolutely the perfect read for the month! I really really loved this page. St. James blends a murder mystery (well three actually) and a ghost story to create the perfect blend of thriller and horror book. I immediately fell for the 1950 storyline. The atmosphere was perfect for the plot. I felt very claustrophobic, just like the girls stuck at Idlewild. I was terrified of turning my head and seeing Mary Hand standing in my bedroom. Very scary! I loved the suspenseful moments sprinkled throughout. The modern storyline was not as good, at least for the first half of the book. I wasn’t a fan of Fiona, but she started to grow on me once we dove deeper into her emotions and goals. Once she met with Margaret Eden, I was finally onboard with Fiona’s story. From there, the book kicked into high gear and didn’t stop until the last page. Loved it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Capturing the Devil (Stalking Jack the Ripper #4)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson 2019

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 464

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell have landed in America, a bold, brash land unlike the genteel streets of London. But like London, the city of Chicago hides its dark secrets well. When the two attend the spectacular World's Fair, they find the once-in-a-lifetime event tainted with reports of missing people and unsolved murders.

Determined to help, Audrey Rose and Thomas begin their investigations, only to find themselves facing a serial killer unlike any they've encountered before. Identifying him is one thing, but capturing him---and getting dangerously lost in the infamous Murder Hotel he constructed as a terrifying torture device---is another.

Will Audrey Rose and Thomas see their last mystery to the end---together and in love---or will their fortunes finally run out when their most depraved adversary makes one final, devastating kill?

Am I mad that I called the villain and the ending at about page 150? Nope, because I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and especially these characters. The series is the right blend of adventure and horror. I love all the real historical references mixed in with our fictional story. The plot constantly twists and turns but not in a ridiculously annoying way. I enjoyed the roller coaster. But my favorite part of these book and ultimately the series is the relationship between Audrey Rose and Thomas. Oh so incredibly sweet! I am sad to reach the end of their story, but it was a great journey.

Stalking Jack the Ripper:

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Tower Formerly Known as Sears and Two Other Tales of Horror by Lisa M. Lilly

Title: The Tower Formerly Known as Sears and Two Other Tales of Urban Horror

Author: Lisa M. Lilly

Publisher: 2011

Genre: Horror

Pages: 45

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

A recruiting event at an amusement park turns deadly when the attractions develop minds -- and purposes -- of their own. A woman struggles with whether to stay in her soulless job, unaware that far more than her career is at stake. And an unpopular new law firm chairman faces not only disgruntled attorneys but a haunted skyscraper bent on his destruction.

I didn’t realize that this was such a short collection of stories. It was one of those free ebooks that I picked up along the way and I finally just opened it the other night. Very uneven stories. I really enjoyed the Sears Tower story. The amusement park story was interesting. But the last story at the restaurant was very strange and not to my taste at all.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Title: Wilder Girls

Author: Rory Power

Publisher: Delacorte Press 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 357

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

It's been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty's life out from under her.

It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don't dare wander outside the school's fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.

But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there's more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.

This book was downright terrifying. The reader is thrown directly into living in quarantine suffering from the Tox. I loved attempting to figure out what exactly the Tox is and how it is affecting the Raxter girls. As the story unfolds, my unease grew my leaps and bounds. By the end, I was on the edge of my seat completely terrified. This may be shelved as young adult, but it definitely has adult scares. Definitely loved this one!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist

Title: Let the Right One In

Author: John Lindqvist

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin 2008

Genre: Horror

Pages: 479

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Horror; Popsugar - Scandanavia; Horror

It is autumn 1981 when the inconceivable comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenage boy is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last---revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day.

But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door---a girl who has never seen a Rubik’s Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night. .

I have come to the conclusion that Scandinavian horror is just not for me. I was intrigued by the vampire story that this was billed as. And this was voted onto the NPR Top 100 Horror list. Once I got into the story, I just couldn’t really take it. This story is just too incredibly bleak. I struggled to get through all the terrible, dark things that happened in the book. This was definitely a no for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

Title: The Girl in Red

Author: Christina Henry

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 292

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Motif - Color; Horror

It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.

There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined.

Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....

I picked this one up at the suggestion of the Reading Glasses podcast and sped through it on edge the entire time. I love dark fairy tale-esque stories and this one really packed on the dark. Red is such a compelling character. The world building is complex and yet relatable. Often I am not a fan when a character and/or author mentions something, but doesn’t explain, but clearly is leaving it until later in the book. This story did that a few times and yet I wasn’t annoyed. Perhaps because I really enjoyed Red’s voice I couldn’t wait for her to reveal the entire story of how she got to the current point in her journey. I loved the play on the Red Riding Hood story complete with “wolf.” And then we get the final horrifying twist to the story. I was here for every single reveal. So good!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Title: The Woman in Black

Author: Susan Hill

Publisher: 1983

Genre: Horror

Pages: 163

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Horror; Monthly Keyword - Woman; Horror

Arthur Kipps is an up-and-coming London solicitor who is sent to Crythin Gifford—a faraway town in the windswept salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway—to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of a client, Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. Mrs. Drablow’s house stands at the end of the causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but Kipps is unaware of the tragic secrets that lie hidden behind its sheltered windows. The routine business trip he anticipated quickly takes a horrifying turn when he finds himself haunted by a series of mysterious sounds and images—a rocking chair in a deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child’s scream in the fog, and, most terrifying of all, a ghostly woman dressed all in black. Psychologically terrifying and deliciously eerie, The Woman in Black is a remarkable thriller of the first rate.

Finally got around to reading this one. I had seen the movie version featuring Daniel Radcliffe, but found it wanting. Too many ridiculous scenes. Thankfully the book was much better than the movie. We get a novella in the style of a traditional gothic story featuring lots of atmosphere, a creepy house, and towns people with secrets. I definitely got chills during the scene where Arthur hears the pony and wagon lose the path. Creepy creepy! I would have a liked to have had a few more appearances by the woman in black. But overall, a very enjoyable ghost story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Secrets of the Greek Revival by Eva Pohler

Title: Secrets of the Greek Revival (Mystery House #1)

Author: Eva Pohler

Publisher: Green Press 2015

Genre: Horror

Pages: 331

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Women Authors; Horror

Ellen and her two best friends share a mid-life crisis by hatching a plan to renovate an 1860's Greek revival in the nearby historic district of San Antonio. Although Ellen isn’t one to believe in ghosts, she comes face to face with something inexplicable in the attic. Her ghost-enthusiast friends convince her that they must help the spirit find closure, and as they dig deeper into the past, they uncover a shocking history that someone in the neighborhood doesn’t want exposed. But Ellen and her friends don't give up easily. They realize they've been called to give voice to the invisible women who suffered behind the walls of the house for decades.

This book, hmmm… It wasn’t what I was expecting. That disconnect probably caused a massive reduction in stars for me. I went in thinking this was going to be a horror book full of ghosts and long-kept secrets. And we only get long-kept secrets. Plus there needs to be some serious content warnings due to sexual assault. I was turned off my the descriptions of those. If this is the style of the series, I’m not going to continue reading these.

The Mystery House:

#1 Secrets of the Greek Revival
#2 The Case of the Abandoned Warehouse
#3 French Quarter Clues
#4 The Hidden Tunnel

Next up on the TBR pile:

Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Escaping from Houdini (Stalking Jack the Ripper #3)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson 2018

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Finishing the Series; Alphabet Soup - M

Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.

But privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The strange and disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow more and more bizarre. It's up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation before more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer's horrifying finale?

Still really enjoying this series. I loved the setting of a carnival on a cruise ship. Perfect to create a very creepy atmosphere. And I absolutely loved the inclusion of the tarot cards and various carnival acts. And I still love Audrey Rose and Thomas’s relationship. But I would have liked to see more of a focus on their relationship. The murders were just the right amount of gruesome and disturbing to be a follow up to the Ripper murders and the Dracula murders. But I must say that the ending of this book peeved me a little. I had hoped for a better conclusion. Oh well. I’ll still read the next book.

Stalking Jack the Ripper:

#1 Stalking Jack the Ripper
#2 Hunting Prince Dracula
#3 Escaping from Houdini
#4 Capturing the Devil

Next up on the TBR pile:

Tales of Mystery and the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell

Title: Tales of Mystery and the Macabre

Author: Elizabeth Gaskell

Publisher: Wordsworth 2008

Genre: Classics - horror

Pages: 305

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Women Authors; Horror

In the great mirror opposite I saw myself, and right behind, another wicked fearful self, so like me my soul seemed to quiver within me, as though not knowing to which similitude of body it belonged... Elizabeth Gaskell is better known today for her pioneering social novels such as Mary Barton (1848) but she also wrote some fascinating tales of the supernatural and the macabre, which are collected here in this volume. The real charm of this dark anthology is its variety. Unlike so many writers of this kind of material, Gaskell allows the story to fit the style rather than the other way around and as result there is a charming freshness to each tale. This remarkable author uses different voices, tones and topics to engage her readers and as you turn from one story to the next you cannot be quite sure what to expect.

I’ve read Gaskell’s North and South and Cranford, but didn’t realize that she had also wrote gothic horror stories. Overall, this volume was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed some of the stories especially those that focused on a specific character. I wasn’t as much of a fan of some stories that just seemed to meander instead of heading to a point. I also couldn’t get behind many of the rambling sentences and asides.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Hunting Prince Dracula (Stalking Jack the Ripper #2)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson 2017

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 418

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Random TBR Pile; Finishing the Series; Horror

Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper's true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe's best schools of forensic medicine...and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.

But her life's dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school's forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again.

Another fun and horrifying romp through murders and anatomical pursuits. I just love the pairing of Audrey Rose and Thomas. Their back and forth flirting and figuring out clues brings me life. I just love how the dialogue is written. Such fun! And the mystery and murders in this book were sufficiently horrifying. I loved the play on Prince Dracula and Elisabeth Bathory. Great folklore and setting. And we get to see the furthering of Audrey Rose’s academic pursuits. I can’t wait see what happens as they travel to America.

Stalking Jack the Ripper:

#1 Stalking Jack the Ripper
#2 Hunting Prince Dracula
#3 Escaping from Houdini

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

Title: The Cabin at the End of the World

Author: Paul Tremblay

Publisher: William Morrow 2018

Genre: Horror

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Multiple POVs; Literary Escapes - New Hampshire; Horror

Seven-year-old Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are vacationing at a remote cabin on a quiet New Hampshire lake. Their closest neighbors are more than two miles in either direction along a rutted dirt road.

One afternoon, as Wen catches grasshoppers in the front yard, a stranger unexpectedly appears in the driveway. Leonard is the largest man Wen has ever seen but he is young, friendly, and he wins her over almost instantly. Leonard and Wen talk and play until Leonard abruptly apologizes and tells Wen, "None of what’s going to happen is your fault". Three more strangers then arrive at the cabin carrying unidentifiable, menacing objects. As Wen sprints inside to warn her parents, Leonard calls out: "Your dads won’t want to let us in, Wen. But they have to. We need your help to save the world."

Goodness. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is intense. The action is graphic at times. But even more, the emotions are so high in this book! I was riveted to the spot while reading. I just couldn’t wrap my brain around the actions of the four intruders and those of the family thrown into the situation. The only part that I really didn’t like was the ending. I’m all for ambiguous endings or even open-ended endings, but this one was just too blah after the actions of the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Title: Heart-Shaped Box

Author: Joe Hill

Publisher: William Morrow 2000

Genre: Horror

Pages: 402

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Monthly Keyword - Heart; Horror

Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals . . . a used hangman's noose . . . a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is as widely known to his legions of fans as the notorious excesses of his youth. But nothing he possesses is as unlikely or as dreadful as his latest discovery, an item for sale on the Internet, a thing so terribly strange, Jude can't help but reach for his wallet.

For a thousand dollars, Jude will become the proud owner of a dead man's suit, said to be haunted by a restless spirit. He isn't afraid. He has spent a lifetime coping with ghosts—of an abusive father, of the lovers he callously abandoned, of the bandmates he betrayed. What's one more?

But what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost, no benign conversation piece. It's the real thing.

And suddenly the suit's previous owner is everywhere: behind the bedroom door . . . seated in Jude's restored vintage Mustang . . . standing outside his window . . . staring out from his widescreen TV. Waiting—with a gleaming razor blade on a chain dangling from one bony hand. . . .

After reading later Joe Hill, I had to go back into his back catalog. This one was thoroughly creepy. I could only read it during the day time. Night time reading gave me too many weird nightmares. Back to the story, Jude is a great character. His whole aging rock star persona is a great anti-hero. Originally I didn’t like Georgia, but she definitely grew on me. And the side characters were all great additions, especially Bon and Angus. The last 100 pages were a whirlwind.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Craven Manor by Darcy Coates

Title: Craven Manor

Author: Darcy Coates

Publisher: Black Owl Books 2017

Genre: Horror

Pages: 300

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Popsugar - Ghost Story; Horror

Daniel is desperate for a job. When someone slides a note under his door offering him the groundskeeper’s position at an old estate, it seems too good to be true.

Alarm bells start ringing when he arrives at Craven Manor. The mansion’s front door hangs open, and leaves and cobwebs coat the marble foyer. It’s clear no one has lived there in a long time.

But an envelope waits for him inside the doorway. It contains money, and promises more.

Daniel is desperate. Against his better judgement, he moves into the groundskeeper’s cottage behind the crypt. He’s determined to ignore the strange occurrences that plague the estate.

But when a candle flickers to life in the abandoned tower window, Daniel realises Craven Manor is hiding a terrible secret… one that threatens to bury him with it.

This one had a lot of promise. I loved the set-up and the initial time at the manor. Once Daniel met Bran, I felt like the suspense started to go out of the story. I wasn’t as intrigued or scared. I feel like the story lost a lot of steam at the end and the final conflict wasn’t as fraught as I would have liked. But I will say that the scene where Daniel first encounters Annaliese is amazing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

RC 2019: Horror

I ended up not finding a horror related challenge that I liked, so I’m going to do my own simple challenge. I want to read 10 horror books in 2019. Most will be pulled off of NPR’s Top 100 Horror books (on my Perpetual Challenges page), but I imagine I will pick up a few random ones from the library.