Review: In the Heart of the Dark Wood

In the Heart of the Dark Wood by Billy Coffey

My rating: 2 of 5 stars




I received a copy of In the Heart of the Dark Wood from the publisher in return for an honest review.

I was looking forwards to this as it takes place several years after When Mockingbirds Sing, having really enjoyed When Mockingbirds Sing I had high hopes for this one.

It started off well. The book centres around Allie and Zach, who after setting out on a journey realise they are lost in the forest. This worked fine to begin with but most of the story (from 25% - 90%) is about the two children and their experience while in the woods and it really started to drag for me. It felt like this part went on forever and I found myself starting to get bored and skim the pages, it was just too repetitive for my liking.

One thing that bothered me, the children are 12 years old but they acted very young for their age. I know they were having a rough time of it but some of the reactions and dialogue just didn't feel right for their age at times.

I was actually tempted to give up on this one and mark it as DNF but I wanted to know what was in the woods and what the outcome of their journey would be, so I stuck with it and skimmed most of the story from around 60% to 90%. The ending was sweet and emotional but the book as a whole just didn't work for me. I think perhaps because I wasn't enjoying it as much as I wanted to a lot of the deeper message inside the story was missed.


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Review: Doppelganger

Doppelganger by Sean Munger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Doppelgänger from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Anine moves to New York with her new husband, looking forwards to a new life in a new city and a nice new house, life seems to be on the up for Anine. Things aren't as they seem however, there is something sinister in her house and her and her new husband are not being made welcome.

This was a pretty decent read. the characters were nicely developed and the scenes and detail of the era were very well described and set out. I feel there could have been a bit more tension in the actual haunting but it was still a good read. The story revolves more around society, life and the times rather than concentrating on the fear and atmosphere that I would have liked to have seen.

The book held my attention and I wanted to keep reading to learn what the outcome was. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, I just don't understand why Anine just accepted the ending in the way she did.

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Review: What She Left

What She Left by T.R. Richmond

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



First reads giveaway win (Nov 03 2014) - Book arrived 7 Nov 2014

I received a copy of What She Left as a first reads giveaway and I also received a digital copy from the publisher in return for an honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The blurb caught my eye and the idea of rebuilding someones life from their digital footprint was something that I had never really thought of before reading this book. Many people put a lot of their lives online and on social media and I'm sure very few of us have ever considered the impression it would leave behind if ever something was to happen to us.

I liked the format, wasn't sure I would enjoy it but I did. The only thing I didn't like about it was the dates on everything, it jumped back and forth so often that eventually I gave up trying to follow the timeline. I did enjoy reading it, if asked to describe it, to give a simple rough explanation... It's a book about a book, Alice is found dead, Prof Cook is rebuilding her life from what he can find online and from her friends. He's putting it all in a book, we are now reading that book.

My feelings on the Prof were a bit all over the place, he wasn't easy to like and was a bit of a letch. A bit of a letch is putting it mildly actually, he was a disgusting, dirty old man and I didn't like him at all most of the time. I can't say I particularly liked Alice either, although everything you learn about her comes after her death and gossip is never a good thing, it always tends to focus on the negative and the flaws. The other characters didn't stand out at all. I don't know exactly what it was that kept me reading, although I didn't like Prof Cook much, his voice was captivating and kept me reading.

The book really explores the devastation of losing someone to then have a stranger expose all different parts of their life publicly without those left behind having any control over it. It really makes you think about yourself and what echoes of ourselves will we leave online and in diaries etc. What will our online legacy be when we are gone? How will what we have left behind affect the people we love after we're gone? What kind of impression of who we really are will it give?

Reading this book sort of feels like you're peeking through the window at someones life and they don't know you are watching. All the good, bad and ugly exposed for all to see. It's a bit like putting together a scrapbook of someones life, revealing all the different sides of them that not everyone gets to see. Their inner thoughts on the page before you, exposed to all. Diary entries, blog posts, emails, text messages, notes on their computer, all there for everyone and anyone to read and interpret any way they like. It certainly gives you a lot to contemplate on, makes you more aware of what you say and do online in a way that perhaps many haven't ever considered before.

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Review: Book of the Dead

Book of the Dead by Greig Beck

My rating: 5 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The Book of the Dead from the publisher in return for an honest review.

"And the Earth shall fall before they rise."

Sinkholes are opening up all over the world, getting larger and larger, birds are falling from the sky and hundreds of pets and people are missing. When the government start to investigate what's going on, they realise there is a lot more to what's happening and mankind is in danger of being wiped out.

In the authors notes at the end of the book it states that this book pays homage to H.P Lovecraft and I have to applaud the author, he did a damn fine job. This book had me totally hooked, I couldn't put it down I devoured it and the pages more or less turned themselves.

I couldn't find any fault in this book and I certainly can't find the words to express just how good this book was. I loved absolutely everything about it. The characters were great, well developed and fleshed out, the pacing was perfect and the world building was fantastic. I was totally engrossed in the story from start to finish. The whole time I was reading I felt like I was part of the world created in the story and I had to resist peeking further down the page.

Definitely one I would highly recommend. The Book of the Dead is a must read for all Lovecraft fans and is one of my top reads of 2014.

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Review: A Christmas Horror Story

A Christmas Horror Story by Sebastian Gregory

My rating: 5 of 5 stars




I received a copy of A Christmas Horror Story from the publisher in return for an honest review.

A Christmas Horror Story was a quick and fun read, it's not your usual feel good happy Christmas story though!

Katy, Emily and Jake are home alone on Christmas Eve waiting for their Mum coming home from work and looking forwards to having a nice Christmas together. A snow storm changes all that, their Mum hasn't made it home and something is outside trying to get in. The Child Eater is looking for more victims and his sights are set on the three of them.

I really enjoyed this one, it was fun to read a Christmas tale with a darker side to it. The characters were likeable and I was really rooting for them to get the best of the The Child Eater. The pacing was just right and held my attention, the scenes and environment were easily pictured and written very well. The author has included back story from previous years within this one to show that the Child Eater has been terrorising children for many many years and it adds more tension to the story knowing the history.

This year when you hear those bells and footsteps on your roof, you better be sure it's Santa and not the Child Eater come to pay you a visit!

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Review: Satan's Fan Club

Satan's Fan Club by Mark Kirkbride

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I was provided with a free copy of Satan's Fan Club by the author in return for an honest review on Scarlet's Web.

I'm not sure what genre I would file this one under, it kind of hinted at horror but then didn't quite get there for me. There was some mystery to it in regards to the serial killer but that's not really what the storyline centred around till later in the book. I would probably class it more psychological dark(ish) fiction, for me anyway.

The plot wasn't predictable at all, there were times I thought maybe I knew where it was going but it went in a different direction. I couldn't really connect with the characters, I'm not sure why. I think perhaps I didn't find any of them likeable as they all had faults in one way or another, there was no clear good guys/bad guys and I don't feel like I really got to know any of them. That being said, I still enjoyed it and wanted to know what happened. I couldn't have predicted the ending at all, which is always a good thing in my opinion. The pacing was pretty good although it felt a little slow to start with and the plot held my interest as it was unique and unpredictable. There was one part that confused me, now that I know how it all ends I'm confused as to who (and how) the youngest daughter was talking to but I can't really explain that here without giving away spoilers.

I'm not a fan of the cover, I know we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but this one wouldn't have caught my attention and made me curious enough to read the blurb.

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Review: Hillary: Tail of the Dog

Hillary: Tail of the Dog by Angel Gelique

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




The faces I must have pulled while reading this book. I have read so much horror and twisted dark books that I swear I have become desensitized and not many books have me cringing anymore. This one did!!

The warning that comes with this book should not be ignored, it's definitely not for the faint of heart. I honestly didn't know who's side to take in this story, perhaps that will become more clear in the next books. I did start off feeling for poor Hillary but as things progressed that certainly changed fast!

I honestly couldn't stop reading, it's brutal and has lots of twisted scenes of abuse and torture that somehow makes it feel wrong to have enjoyed reading it but I couldn't help myself I just had to keep reading. It's grossly addictive and I don't think I am ever going to able to scrub some of those scenes out of my head. My husband actually asked what the hell I was reading, every time he looked over at me I was making faces and cringing, he's not used to a book making me react like that anymore.

This is one I would recommend but only for those who are not squeamish and have the stomach for the twisted and extreme. I really enjoyed it and have recommended it to my daughter, not sure what that says about me, or my daughter lol.

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