Category Archives: Horror

Book Reviews

April 18, 2016 posted by Nichole

Book Review: The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas

The Darkest Corners is a psychological thriller about the lies little girls tell, and the deadly truths those lies become.

There are ghosts around every corner in Fayette, Pennsylvania. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened there that last summer. Memories of things so dark will burn themselves into your mind if you let them.

Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the faces of her demons—and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.

Tessa and Callie have never talked about what they saw that night. After the trial, Callie drifted and Tessa moved, and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.

But ever since she left, Tessa has had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette—to Wyatt Stokes, sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the one other person who may be hiding the truth.

Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer—and this time, it won’t be so easy to run away.

Book Review:

I am a huge fan of Kara Thomas. Kara also writes under the name Kara Taylor and is the author of the Prep School Confidential series, which I LOVED & hosted as our book of the month 2-3 times. She is a flawless writer with a huge talent. That being said, I was super anxious to dive into The Darkest Corners, because I’ll read anything that Kara writes. It’s just a given.

I did really like The Darkest Corners. I thought that the writing was amazing and the storyline was spooky and rivoting. However, I couldn’t finish it. This is a really weird case for me, because it’s not like I DNF’d this book. That is not the case at all. I LOVE Kara’s writing style. No…..this book scared the crap out of me. I was SO SCARED. I usually read in my bed at night for an hour or two….no. I could not read this book in the dark. It was giving me nightmares…I couldn’t do it. Instead, I tried to read the book during the day. Nope…..still scared me senseless. I would be freaking out checking every nook and cranny in my house.

Let me just tell you that I am a HUGE wimp. I didn’t really expect to get scared over a YA book, but I did. I love Kara…I love her writing style…I 100% recommend this book….but I ended up just being wayyyyyy too big of a wimp for it.

Pages: 336

Publication Date: April 19th, 2016

Publisher: Delacorte

Book Reviews

November 27, 2014 posted by Nichole

Unmarked (The Legion #2) by Kami Garcia

The heart-pounding sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller, Unbreakable, by New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures co-author Kami Garcia.

He is here… and he could be anyone.

Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengeance spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us–a demon she accidentally set free.

Now Kennedy and the other Legion members–Alara, Priest, Lukas, and Jared–have to hunt him down. As they learn more about the history of the Legion and the Illuminati, Kennedy realizes that the greatest mystery of all does not belong to any secret order, but to her own family. With the clock ticking and the life of someone she loves hanging in the balance, Kennedy has to ask the question she fears most: what is it about her past that has left her Unmarked?

My Review:

I was realllly disappointed in this book… I read Unbreakable last year and absolutely LOVED it! But this one? Yeahhh….it fell flat for me.

First of all, the ooey gooey romance between Kennedy and Jared was just way too over the top. They were constantly all over each other and whining about their problems and their relationship. Not to mention, Jared was over-protective and grated on my nerves when he couldn’t let Kennedy take care of herself. I wanted to see more teamwork between them; more grittiness and raw emotions. What I got was a high school prom drama fest.

Another thing that was really annoying in this book was that nothing major really ever happened. All of the scenes seemed to be rushed and there was no real focus on anything super major that was happening. I guess the author tried to make one thing major, but it honestly seemed pretty ridiculous and drawn out. I mean, it took up like half of the book and I was unimpressed.

I guess I just don’t understand the whole point of this book. Everyone was supposed to try to defeat the big scary demon (I forgot his name so let’s call him that) but he didn’t seem all that big or scary to me. I mean, he obviously had powers, but it didn’t seem all that hard to contain him. Don’t worry, I’m really not giving out any spoilers. I remember in the first book he was made into a much bigger deal and my hard was pounding all over the place. In this book, though, I just had a bored expression on my face while flipping through the pages. I was bored. End of story.

I’m not sure if I really want to read the next book when it comes out… I’m really sad that I loved the first book so much and the second book fell flat for me. And, come on, I ranked Jared as one of my top ten book boyfriends of 2013. I don’t even get that now! There was nothing attractive about that boy in this book. It’s like he’s been ruined for me ]=

Overall, I would not recommend this book. I would still recommend the first book in the series since I remember loving that one…but just leave it there. Create the rest of the ending on your own.

Pages: 384

Publication Date: September 30th 2014

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Rating: :

Book of the Month

June 12, 2014 posted by Nichole

Wicked Games – Sean Olin

Wicked Games is the first book in a sexy thriller series where passion, lies, and revenge collide-perfect for fans of Simone Elkeles and Sara Shepard.

To all the locals in the small beach town of Dream Point, Carter and Lilah seem like the perfect It Couple-but their relationship is about to brutally unravel before everyone’s eyes.

Carter has always been a good guy, and while Lilah has a troubled past, she’s been a loyal girlfriend for the last four years. When smart, sexy Jules enters the picture at a senior-year bash, Carter succumbs to temptation. And when Lilah catches wind of his betrayal, she decides that Jules needs to pay.

By the end of the summer, the line between right and wrong will be blurred beyond recognition. Blood will be shed. Nothing in Dream Point will ever be the same.

This juicy summer read will keep readers turning pages until the shocking, nail-biting finale

………

That was my reaction when I finished this book. I had to take a couple days before I could write this review, because I was in such deep mourning and shock and pissed off ness and ….oh my goodness…so many feels! I’m sitting here and my mouth is flopping open and closed with unspoken words. I’m being a little bit choppy since I have so much I want to say. But these words can sum up this book. So. Many. Feels.

I was a little nervous when I first started Wicked Games. They’re calling it a sexy thriller. I wasn’t quite sure what that meant. After reading it, I’m still not quite sure how that description relates to the book. However, I will say that this was one rollercoaster of a read. I felt so many emotions, my heart rate was probably sky high, and that ending? OH MY GOD, THAT ENDING? guys….THAT ENDING! I’ve never read such an ending. I’ve never had a book leave such a impression on me. I’ve NEVER been so upset over a book that I had dreams about it two night in a row. This book will last with me forever.

Have you ever watched the movie Swimfan? The one with the creepy stalker girl…I think she plays the sister lawyer on Parenthood. If that was a book…this would be it. Wicked Games was so spooky, so dead on, so jumpy…omg at how many times I jumped throughout this book. It scared the living crap out of me.

What I loved about Wicked Games was the characters. I thought everyone in the book was exceptional. It was almost like just reading about real people and a real story that happened. And then at the end of it you have to remind yourself that it’s a book and those things didn’t really happen. There was Carter, and my heart was broken for him and all of the things that he had to go through. There was Jules, the new girl in Carters life who Lilah was targeting, and then there was Lilah, the messed up girl who went psycho and started stalking her ex and his new girlfriend. It’s so hard to put into words how brilliant these characters were because there is so much to say about each and every one of them. If it were up to me, I would break down every single damn scene in this book and tell you all about it. But since I actually want you to read the book, I will refrain.

I think the thing that I loved most about Wicked Games were my feelings toward Lilah. For most of the book, I thought she was a crazy ass psycho girl who needed to be locked up. Then there were times that I felt so sorry for her. I really wish that we had the chance to learn more about her past and what exactly caused that trigger in her to go off. When she’s first introduced in the prologue she seemed like such a normal girl. I guess I loved the message that not everyone is who they appear to be. Obviously, I thought she was nuts, but I think that she was my favorite thing of this whole entire book.

There were two reasons that I knocked Wicked Games from a 5 star to a 4 star. First, I didn’t really care for how quickly Carter got over Lilah. When you’re in a four year relationship those feelings don’t just go poof in the air. I respected that he was trying to distance himself because she was going a little batty, but I wish that there would have been more scenes showing his pain and regret over the situation in private. It just kind of seemed like he was over Lilah like that and moved on with Jules. I’m not saying that couldn’t happen. They are portrayed as teenagers, and…well….enough said there….but I just didn’t like that part.

My second complaint was with the ending. And I have VERY mixed feelings over the ending. At first, I hated the book because of it. Then, I wanted to give it 5 stars because of how brilliant and unexpected the ending is. And then I settled on 4 stars once I had time to come to terms with it. Well….to get over it a little bit more than I was. I have never had such an emotional reaction to a book before. I almost cried over that damn ending. It was just……it was so out of nowhere. Part of me wants to tell you all to read the whole book except for the very last chapter. That very last chapter…those last 3-4 pages….they made me uncontrollably mad and upset. Another part of me wants to tell you to read the whole damn thing and experience what I did. I’m honestly torn. I feel like it must be a great ending if it had me so worked up. But all I can feel is just shock. That’s it. Shock.

My verdict for Wicked Games is that it is absolutely brilliant. Probably one of the best books that I have EVER read. And if you don’t go buy this book right this second, you’re missing out.

Pages: 352

Publication Date: June 10th, 2014

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Rating: :

Book Reviews

April 6, 2014 posted by Nichole

DNF: Dear Killer – Katherine Ewell

Rule One—Nothing is right, nothing is wrong.
Rule Two—Be careful.
Rule Three—Fight using your legs whenever possible, because they’re the strongest part of your body. Your arms are the weakest.
Rule Four—Hit to kill. The first blow should be the last, if at all possible.
Rule Five—The letters are the law.

Kit takes her role as London’s notorious “Perfect Killer” seriously. The letters and cash that come to her via a secret mailbox are not a game; choosing who to kill is not an impulse decision. Every letter she receives begins with “Dear Killer,” and every time Kit murders, she leaves a letter with the dead body. Her moral nihilism and thus her murders are a way of life—the only way of life she has ever known.

But when a letter appears in the mailbox that will have the power to topple Kit’s convictions as perfectly as she commits her murders, she must make a decision: follow the only rules she has ever known, or challenge Rule One, and go from there.

Katherine Ewell’s Dear Killer is a sinister psychological thriller that explores the thin line between good and evil, and the messiness of that inevitable moment when life contradicts everything you believe.

When I first received an ARC of Dear Killer, I didn’t really know what it was about. I actually thought that it was going to be very similar to Find Me by Romily Bernard. You know, I thought that there was going to be this big murder and the main character was going to solve it and there were going to be a bunch of suspense and action scenes. I wasn’t prepared for the main character in Dear Killer to be a serial killer. It wasn’t a plot that I was very interested in, so I was a little nervous. It just didn’t work for me. It was just…….a little awkward to read about.

I had several issues with Dear Killer, but my main issue was with the main character, Kit. As a serial killer, she lacked emotion, and that was very difficult for me to process. I didn’t enjoy the serial killer route. It really made me want to distance myself from Kit. It was also really creepy to read about her. I also didn’t like how we were pretty much always in Kit’s head. There wasn’t a ton of dialogue. It seemed more like reading about her thoughts and plans with a little bit of dialogue.

I don’t just want to put the issue on Kit, because the supporting characters were also very weird and creepy. I want to bring some attention to Kit’s parents, especially to her mom. I had a lot of issues reading about a serial killer who got married and had a kid simply to turn that child into a serial killer. Kit’s mom was very uncomfortable to read about. I also had to skip several scenes because of the child abuse that was portrayed. When I say child abuse, I’m not really talking about physical abuse. But, obviously, there is some serious abuse in turning your child into a serial killer.

Another thing that was very uncomfortable to read about where the killing scenes. Since I DNF’d this book, I only read one of those scenes. Let me tell you, though, that was enough for me. It was a short scene, but it was gory and not really necessary. I didn’t like it. And I know that there’s at least one more killing in Dear Killer.

There were several holes in Dear Killer. It didn’t make any sense to me that all of these people knew where to deliver a letter to Kit but the police never knew about it. If the drop off spot was known to that many people the information would have eventually leaked. Not everyone would have kept that secret. Another thing was some of the criminal investigation stuff that Kit knew about. She knew how to hide fingerprints and a whole bunch of other stuff. Maybe it’s because I went in to this book knowing that Katherine Ewell is only 18, but it felt a little juvenile to me. The final thing that bugged was that it was sent in London. I don’t think that Ewell is located in London. I could be wrong. That made it a little awkward that Dear Killer is set in London. I kind of wish that Ewell would have stuck with more familiar territory.

I find it very hard to recommend this book, because it was just way too difficult for me. I didn’t enjoy it. I found it too heavy and intense. It’s also not really a book that I would recommend to any kids that I know. Actually, it’s not something that I would recommend to any kid. I found it to be a bit of a concerning topic, which is not something that I say very often. So this is pretty much a read at your own risk type of book.

Pages: 288

Publication Date: April 1st, 2014

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Rating: DNF

Teaser Quote: Rule one.

Nothing is right, nothing is wrong.

That is the most important guideline, and the hardest one for most people to understand – but I have understood it my entire life, from the moment I laid my hands on that first victim’s neck to this very moment as I think about the blood under my fingernails and the body I have so recently left behind. Nothing is right and nothing is wrong. For some people a thing may be right, and for others it may be wrong. There is no greater truth to morality – it is merely an opinion.

I don’t crave death. I’ve heard of serial killers who love it, who live for the moment when their victim stops breathing, who thrive on it. I am not like that. I kiss as a matter of habit and as a consequence of the way I was raised. I could walk away from the killing and never look back.

But I won’t walk away, not now. My faith in my new way of life has been tested. I have doubted myself. But I have overcome my doubt.

My name is Kit, but most people know m e as the Perfect Killer.

I kill on order. I am everyone’s assassin. I belong to no one but the grim reaper herself. (ARC pages 1-2)

Book Reviews

March 17, 2014 posted by Nichole

DNF: Gone by Michael Grant

The first in New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant’s breathtaking dystopian, sci-fi saga, Gone is a page-turning thriller that invokes the classic The Lord of the Flies along with the horror of Stephen King.

In the blink of an eye, everyone disappears. Gone. Except for the young.

There are teens, but not one single adult. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what’s happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents–unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers–that grow stronger by the day. It’s a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else…

Michael Grant’s Gone as been praised for its compelling storytelling, multidimensional characters, and multiple points of view.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

My Review:

It really upsets me that I didn’t end up liking this book. There really wasn’t anything wrong with it story and writing wise. My problem lied with the kids being the main attraction of the story and the haunting truth behind human behavior. As an adult, I was beyond freaked out at the harsh abuse that these children were exhibiting. It was even more creepy with the thought in the back of my mind saying that kids really would act like that in that type of situation. It’s only human nature. It was just too harsh for me, though. I found no enjoyment from reading this type of series. Most of all, I found it to be really upsetting and disturbing .

I can definitely see why this series is so beloved and talked about. Grant’s writing is both powerful and moving. There really wasn’t anything to complain about writing or style wise. It really just came down to how much I could personally handle.

The characters were interesting, but I didn’t really latch on to any single character. I only made it 35% into this book before I had to stop so there was still a lot of time for character development that I just didn’t get around to see. Around the part that I quit reading there was a no twist being introduced that I think might have definitely increased the entertainment level.

One thing I did enjoy about this book was the take on powers and an almost Harry Potter vibe with kids and magic. I think that I would have responded to that twist better if I hadn’t already been so upset with the book. However, the powers themselves seemed to lead to even more destructive behavior between the children, which automatically turned me off.

In my personal opinion, this is a book that is going to appeal more to younger readers than adults. I only say that because I don’t think younger readers will be so terrified at the actions of the children like an adult will be. However, I’m looking at my Goodreads page and I see a ton of people LOVED this book. Maybe I’m the only wimp around here. It’s not a book or a series that I will be continuing, but I would definitely recommend that people check it out because of how powerful the writing is.

Fans of the TV series Under the Dome should give this series a chance!

Pages: 558

Publication Date: June 24th 2008

Publisher: Harper Teen

Rating: DNF

Teaser Quote: “It’s vital to keep a sense of humour when the world seems to have suddenly become a very strange place.”

Book Reviews

January 13, 2014 posted by Nichole

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

Small towns are nothing if not friendly. Friendship, Wisconsin (population: 688) is no different. Around here, everyone wears a smile. And no one ever locks their doors. Until, that is, high school sweetheart Ruth Fried is found murdered. Strung up like a scarecrow in the middle of a cornfield.

Unfortunately, Friendship’s police are more adept at looking for lost pets than catching killers. So Ruth’s best friend, Kippy Bushman, armed with only her tenacious Midwestern spirit and Ruth’s secret diary (which Ruth’s mother had asked her to read in order to redact any, you know, sex parts), sets out to find the murderer. But in a quiet town like Friendship—where no one is a suspect—anyone could be the killer.

One word describes No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale; Creepy. And of course, being the brilliant person that I am, I mostly read this book at bedtime when it was dark outside and I could have the crap scared out of me. It was so vivid, so beautifully detailed, so fucking creepy. Holy smokes. I had to actually give myself lectures to not dream about scarecrow stuffed girls hanging from a tree before I went to sleep. Yes, I really just said that.

No One Else Can Have You is one of the best mystery books that I have ever read in the YA genre. With many mystery books, the plots are very obvious and predictable. No One Else Can Have You left me hanging until the very last second. Sure, I had suspects in my head, but I never really knew who did it. I guessed who it was before they were introduced at the end but that’s only because it was pretty much laid out for the reader by then. One could complain that the killer was one of my original suspects from the very beginning of the book. However, I kind of pushed them aside and thought that it was between a few other people. My only complaint is that the final showdown felt a little rushed. I would have preferred a little more time dedicated to that since almost 350 pages were dedicated to trying to figure out who did it. I also would have liked one final confrontation with the killer at the ending of the book. I felt that they had more to say, and I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get to hear it. Maybe there will be a second book? I feel that this could either work as a standalone OR as a series.

On a more negative note, I did have two complaints with No One Else Can Have You. First, I didn’t like Kippy. I actually couldn’t stand her. She didn’t come off as a 16-year-old to me. She seemed a lot younger and really immature for her age. There were some times I struggled with the book, because it was just so hard being in Kippy’s head all the time. Secondly, I had a really hard time with the accents of the characters. Everyone came across as very uneducated and hickish. It was very difficult for me to like or connect to any of the characters, because I just couldn’t stand them. It was almost like every single character had something a little wrong with them. The writing itself was beautiful, but the characters were just way too annoying for my taste.

The best part of No One Else Can Have You was Kippy’s adventures and her mission to find out who really killed her friend. I may not have liked Kippy very much, but I sure did suck this book down fast. I felt like it was always holding me in suspense. I just couldn’t wait to figure out what was going to happen next. There was nothing tame or mild about this book. It was an in your face roller coaster ride that just left my heart pounding. I loved it. I loved the suspense and the tiny bit of horror to it. It scared the crap out of me. I love being able to say that about a book.

I will warn readers that there will be parts of this book that absolutely piss you off. Everyone is against Kippy finding her friends killer. They think she’s crazy and that she’s just having a mental breakdown. The things that are said and done to her in this book left me fuming. It was really difficult not to skim through those sections because they just made me so angry. At the same time, those parts are necessary for the book. It’s a brilliant book and those scenes really add to it. But they will make you so mad. You have no idea until you actually read it. There’s also a really weird section toward the end of the book. Power through it. It will be worth it!

Fans of Romily Bernard MUST read this book!

Pages: 384

Publication Date: January 7th, 2013

Publisher: Harper Teen

Rating: :

Book Reviews

November 29, 2013 posted by Nichole

Arson (Arson #1) – Estevan Vega

ARSON is the first book in a Young Adult Paranormal series. Book two, ASHES, is also available now.

ARSON GABLE FEELS LIKE A FREAK. HE CAN CREATE FIRE. HE NEVER ASKED FOR IT. HE NEVER WANTED IT. BUT HE CAN’T SHUT IT OFF.

Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl–who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin–moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he’s never had: purpose. After years of living in fear, he will be forced to confront his haunting past and embrace the unknown as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Edgy, realistic, and breathtaking, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated teenager with unimaginable ability, is set to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.

I was originally drawn to Arson because of the cover. It’s spooky and kind of hard, which really appealed to me. The book itself kind of followed that pattern. I wouldn’t call it light and fluffy by any means. It was definitely a paranormal read with a lot more deeper, meaningful issues included. It almost felt that it had a realistic contemporary feel to it.

The characters were spot on. I thought that everyone had their own individual personalities and they all added to the story. I didn’t overly love Arson. Sometimes I liked him better than others. I thought that the real star of the show was Emery. She was a really intriguing character. I will say that I thought that there were too many characters thrown in the mix. Sometimes when that happens it gets a little bit confusing for me.

There was a big chunk of Arson that felt really drawn out. I didn’t see a lot happen until closer to the ending of the book. I would have liked more suspense and more action moments thrown in the mix. I like a lot to be happening in my books. This one seemed a little too mellow for my personal taste.

Estevan Vega’s writing is beautiful and haunting. Oh my goodness, there were times that I thought I was going to cry just from how pretty the writing was. Vega almost seems to have a lyrical and poetic aspect to his words. That’s not going to appeal to everyone, but I think that contemporary lovers are going to adore Vega’s writing style. While there were parts of Arson that I liked better than others, I always found it peaceful and enjoyable to read.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I think that Vega has huge potential in the YA field. Readers of all ages are going to enjoy this one!

Pages: 318

Publication Date: 2011

Publisher: Stonehouse Ink

Rating: :