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:

Strange Weather by Joe Hill

Title: Strange Weather

Author: Joe Hill

Publisher: William Morrow 2017

Genre: Horror

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Reading Assignment; Popsugar - Weather

A collection of four chilling novels, ingeniously wrought gems of terror from the brilliantly imaginative, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman, Joe Hill.

"Snapshot" is the disturbing story of a Silicon Valley adolescent who finds himself threatened by "The Phoenician," a tattooed thug who possesses a Polaroid Instant Camera that erases memories, snap by snap.

Thoroughly creepy story. I loved the fantastic imagery, especially the scene with the lightning storm. This story reminds a lot of NOS4A2. I definitely had a few disturbing dreams after readying this one.

A young man takes to the skies to experience his first parachute jump. . . and winds up a castaway on an impossibly solid cloud, a Prospero’s island of roiling vapor that seems animated by a mind of its own in "Aloft."

An interesting character study of a sorts. I really loved the concept of an alien entity creating Aubry’s heart’s desires. The reveal on the cloud was perfect. And the ending was lots of fun.

On a seemingly ordinary day in Boulder, Colorado, the clouds open up in a downpour of nails—splinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. "Rain" explores this escalating apocalyptic event, as the deluge of nails spreads out across the country and around the world.

My absolute favorite story from the volume. Very creepy, very suspenseful, great characters. I sped through this story not being able to wait to see what happened to Honeysuckle and assorted company.

In "Loaded," a mall security guard in a coastal Florida town courageously stops a mass shooting and becomes a hero to the modern gun rights movement. But under the glare of the spotlights, his story begins to unravel, taking his sanity with it. When an out-of-control summer blaze approaches the town, he will reach for the gun again and embark on one last day of reckoning.

My least favorite of the bunch. I just really didn’t love the storyline or any of the characters. There have been too many mass shootings and general gun violence for me to enjoy reading this story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Locke and Key: Heaven and Earth

Title: Locke and Key: Heaven and Earth

Author: Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Publisher: IDW 2017

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 72

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Following the Small World deluxe edition, this special deluxe release finally reprints the oft-requested and long-denied Eisner-winning one-shot, "Open the Moon!" Plus the other long-sold-out one-shot, "Grindhouse!" PLUS plus: the even more hard-to-find IDW 10th anniversary Locke & Key tale, "In the Can!" And additional covers, behind-the-scenes photos and more, all wrapped up in a beautiful 72-page hardcover package.

Love the extra little stories we get collected in this volume. Of the stories collected, I really loved "Grindhouse!" as it was the most in spirit of the original series. Very in line with the horror of the keys and the house.

Next up on the TBR pile:

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

Title: NOS4A2

Author: Joe Hill

Publisher: William Morrow 2013

Genre: Horror

Pages: 720

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsguar - Meant to get to in 2017; Seasonal Series - Read while listening to the rain

Victoria McQueen has a secret gift for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. On her Raleigh Tuff Burner bike, she makes her way to a rickety covered bridge that, within moments, takes her wherever she needs to go, whether it’s across Massachusetts or across the country.

Charles Talent Manx has a way with children. He likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the NOS4A2 vanity plate. With his old car, he can slip right out of the everyday world, and onto the hidden roads that transport them to an astonishing – and terrifying – playground of amusements he calls “Christmasland.”

Then, one day, Vic goes looking for trouble—and finds Manx. That was a lifetime ago. Now Vic, the only kid to ever escape Manx’s unmitigated evil, is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx never stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. He’s on the road again and he’s picked up a new passenger: Vic’s own son.

Holy hell was that a creepy book... Definitely a winner. I finally picked this one up and started to read it after the book sitting on my Kindle app for at least a year. Don't know why I waited so long. Hill has taken a ton of pointers from his father (Stephen King), but has made the horror genre his own. I was sucked into this very creepy story right from the beginning. I eagerly ripped through the pages (actually clicked through as I read it on my iPad) desperate to find out what happened to Vic and Wayne, horribly anticipating the appearance of Christmasland, and hoping for some kind of explanation for all the weird events. I loved the cast of characters (especially Maggie) and the various settings of the book. The descriptions were just enough for my mind to create a vivid landscape.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Locke and Key: Small World

Title: Locke and Key: Small World

Author: Joe Hill

Publisher: IDW 2017

Genre: Graphic novel - Horror

Pages: 72

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; I Love Libraries

Three years after wrapping up their award-winning, best-selling Locke & Key saga, the team that built Keyhouse returns to Lovecraft, Massachusetts with a new tale of terror and suspense! An impossible birthday gift for two little girls unexpectedly throws open a door to a monster on eight legs!

Another Locke and Key volume! I got so excited when I saw this on the library's new books shelf. I loved this little vignette from the history of Keyhouse. We get to see yet another key in action and a fun little story. A quick read, but very enjoyable.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Locke and Key Vol. 6: Alpha and Omega

Title: Locke and Key Vol 6: Alpha and Omega

Author: Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez

Publisher: IDW 2014

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 212

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Seriously Series; Well-Rounded Reader

The shadows have never been darker and the end has never been closer. Turn the key and open the last door; it's time to say goodbye. The final arc of New York Times bestselling Locke & Key comes to a thunderous and compelling conclusion. An event not to be missed!

A fitting conclusion to a great series. I love just how dark this series gets before the end. This series is not for everyone. It certainly is an adult series dealing with many adult themes. But I love that the protagonists are teenagers. Somehow it makes the story seem more believable. I loved seeing how the final keys came into play and how each side used them. Great conclusion!

Locke and Key:

Locke and Key Vol 5: Clockworks

Title: Locke and Key Vol 5: Clockworks

Author: Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez

Publisher: IDW 2012

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 152

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel, Library, Seriously Series

How I Got It: Library Loan

The sprawling tale of the Locke family and their mastery of the 'whispering iron' thunders to new heights as the true history of the family is revealed to Tyler and Kinsey. Zack Wells assumes a new form, Tyler and Kinsey travel through time, and surprises beyond imagination will be revealed before the sixth issue ends!

I thought this was the last volume. Turns out I was wrong. There's one more volume, but it won't be released in trade form until sometime later this year. Even with my mix up, this was a great volume. We learn so much more about the keys and the history surrounding Keyhouse. We also finally see what happened to Dodge all those years ago. We find out how he came to be the way he is. And man is it a wild ride! There's twists and turns everywhere within the pages. I am so excited to see how this series concludes.

Locke and Key:

Locke and Key Vol. 4: Keys to the Kingdom by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Title: Locke and Key Vol. 4: Keys to the Kingdom

Author: Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Publisher: IDW 2011

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 152

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; T4MC -- Cult Classic (20 points); Book Bingo -- 2 from series

Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's Locke & Key unwinds into its fourth volume in Keys to the Kingdom! With more keys making themselves known, and the depths of the Locke's family's mystery ever-expanding, Dodge's desperation to end his shadowy quest drives the habitants of Keyhouse evercloser to a revealing conclusion.

I had a few issues with this volume. Overall, I am still in love with this series. I love the illustrations. I love the characters. I love the general storyline. My issues came with the pacing of the story and the style. There are many jump cuts in this volume. We get snippets of the action as instead of a complete follow through. The entire first chapter, I was a bit confused by the new style. And we get a ton of new keys with not much explanation of what they do. I would have liked a little less stuffed into this one volume. I like the slower pacing of the first three volumes. Even with my issues, I still love this story and can't wait to read the conclusion. But I'll have to until April since I don't have the next volume... Darn!

Locke and Key:

Welcome to Lovecraft
Head Games
Crown of Shadows
Keys to the Kingdom
Clockworks
Alpha and Omega

Locke and Key Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Title: Locke and Key Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows

Author: Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Publisher: IDW 2010

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 152

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novels; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; T4MC -- Christmas Present (20 points); Book Bingo -- 2 from series

The dead plot against the living, the darkness closes in on Keyhouse, and a woman is shattered beyond repair, in the third storyline of the Eisner-nominated series. Dodge continues his relentless quest to find the key to the black door, and raises an army of shadows to wipe out anyone who might get in his way. Surrounded and outnumbered, the Locke children find themselves fighting a desperate battle, all alone, in a world where the night itself has become their enemy.

Intrigue, mystery, and suspense. Oh my! The storyline just keeps getting darker and darker as this series goes on. I am in awe of how good this series is. I imagined a flaky plot with flaky characters. Thankfully I was mistaken. I love Hill's penchant for complex, but realistic characters. Even Dodge is realistic as a malevolent being possibly a puppet for another more malevolent entity. I loved the introduction of Scott and Jamal in this volume. They filled out the story even more. I can't wait to read Volume 4!

Locke and Key:

Locke and Key Vol. 2: Head Games by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Title: Locke and Key Vol. 2: Head Games

Author: Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Publisher: IDW 2010

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 162

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; Book Bingo -- 3 from TBR; T4MC -- New Author (5 points)

Following a shocking death that dredges up memories of their father's murder, Kinsey and Tyler Locke are thrown into choppy emotional waters, and turn to their new friend, Zack Wells, for support, little suspecting Zack's dark secret. Meanwhile, six-year-old Bode Locke tries to puzzle out the secret of the head key, and Uncle Duncan is jarred into the past by a disturbingly familiar face. Open your mind - the head games are just getting started!

Another stunning volume. I am really into this series now. I love the colors, the drawings, the characters, and above all the storyline. This volume deepened the mystery surround the house and the creature from the well. Plus we get the appearance of another mysterious key. At the very end, we get a page from an old journal detailing the known keys. I can't wait to see the others in action.

Locke and Key:

Locke and Key Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Title: Locke and Key Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft

Author: Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Publisher: IDW 2009

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 168

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; New Authors; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; Book Bingo -- 3 from TBR

Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them, and home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will not rest until it forces open the most terrible door of them all! Acclaimed suspense novelist and New York Times best-selling author Joe Hill (Heart-Shaped Box) creates an all-new story of dark fantasy and wonder, with astounding artwork from Gabriel Rodriguez.

I grabbed this volume because it has appeared on many other book bloggers' lists. And I was definitely not disappointed. This story starts off with a bang and doesn't stop. We follow a damaged family through their pain and eventual opening of new horrors. I loved the style of writing. Hill conveys such emotion through short dialogue bubbles. The story itself is intense and horrifying. I sped through the volume on pins and needles. And was left wanting more... Thank goodness I have Volumes 2-4 just waiting to be read.

Locke and Key:

Welcome to Lovecraft
Head Games
Crown of Shadows
Keys to the Kingdom
Clockworks
Alpha and Omega