Firestarter by Stephen King

Date: 1981
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 401
Genre: Adult horror
Rating: 4/5

This is a story about secret government experiments and a young girl with an extraordinary power - a psychic ability that allows her to set things (and people) on fire. Her father is frantic in trying to protect her from those that would use her as a weapon, so the book opens with the two of them on the run.

This is a shorter King novel, which is good for a change from his usual 700+ page beasts. The other short novel I read of his was Misery, in which I absolutely loved. Similar to Misery, the focus on here is only on a small handful of characters instead of a mural of people. We are constantly zoomed in on what happens between Charlie and her father and it really pays off. One of the things I love about King is his way to really make the characters feel real, no matter how many there are. I find myself feeling interested and intrigued in all characters, even the so called "bad guys."

Sometimes, King's prose is amusing and I find myself chuckling at the words he chooses or weird things the characters say. That didn't happen as much in this novel, but it was still a pleasure to read. It was fast paced, exciting, suspenseful, and had a satisfying ending. I loved Charlie's development as a little girl and as a little girl in this terrible situation, and felt it was both appropriate and engaging. It isn't as strong of a book as Misery, but it is still a great read and I would recommend it to King fans that are looking for a fast paced, action read.

N0S4A2 by Joe Hill

Date: April, 2013

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 689

Genre: Adult horror

ISBN: 0062200577

Rating: 5/5!

What an amazing book! This is Joe Hill's first clunker of a book and it was well worth the effort. Where does a story go that contains a little girl that can ride her bike over a bridge and end up wherever she needs to be in order to find something, and a deranged man named Charlie that takes children for rides in his Rolls Royce Wraith (fueled by souls) to a disturbing place called Christmasland? Everywhere.

Not only does Joe Hill take a comforting, familiar holiday (Christmas) and turn it into something terrible (Christmasland), he offers an incredible amount of insight on trust and parenthood. In particular, his commentary towards motherhood is nothing short of amazing and is a great example of how this classically defined horror novel is more than just adrenaline fueled turn pages. Tough issues such as drug abuse, death, and psychological states are handled with finesse, and the result is a book filled with empathy and hope. These characters feel like real people and you can't help but root for all of them, even the terrible Charlie Manx. 

This is by far, Joe Hill's best one yet. 

If you are interested in reading this book, there is a link below that you can click to buy. :) 

The Terror by Dan Simmons

Date: January, 2007

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Pages: 769

Genre: Historical fiction, horror

ISBN: 0316017442

Rating: 3.5/5

This book was a really enjoyable read, perfect for the winter. It is about the Franklin Expedition, where Europeans tried to establish a trade route by sea through the Northwest Passage (North of Canada). The actual history books tell us that this was an unfortunate and failed mission. This book re-imagines that historical event with a chilling edge of survival in the arctic.

The writing was extremely detailed and dense. I found I had to really take my time with this story in order to absorb all the little bits of information. I read the paperback version which is close to 1000 pages - no easy feat! But it was well worth the effort. I really felt like I was on the ships with the crew, battling the same gruesome weather and starvation. 

The characters were not as established as I would have hoped. Many of them blended together and didn't have too many distinctive details about them. The captains were obviously memorable, as was the mysterious native woman on board, but many others I have already forgotten about. Some characters were gay, which was both a surprise and delight to read. I feel there really should be more LGBT* characters in literature because we are a population that exists and should be represented in stories with large casts of characters. Of course, these gay characters were viewed in a historical context, but I was just happy to see they were there.

The plot moved quicker than I expected for such a brick of a book. There was an overall feeling of loss, hopelessness, and alienation but the crew were kept busy. One minute someone's dying, the next there's some freaky thing out on the ice, and it just kept going on and on. As soon as we are able to compose ourselves, something else is happening (good or bad). I was really afraid that parts would be a struggle to read, but that was far from the case. 

Then I got to about the 3/4 part of the book and it was difficult for me to finish. It had all the same elements as the beginning, but by then I wanted something different. It was just the same stuff happening, except it was all worse, but the magnitude of it didn't impact me the way it was suppose to. I was very curious about the natives, but they were not focused on as much as I expected. 

Overall, this is a very dense and well written story about survival. I really felt like I was on the ship and trying to survive with the crew. However, more distinctive features between crew members and more emphasis on the natives would have made the book more well rounded for me. If you are looking for a dense, historical novel that is amazing at setting, then this is your book. However, as a horror novel I felt it fell short despite some creepy moments.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using the link below.

Horns by Joe Hill

Date: January, 2010

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult horror

ISBN: 0061147958

Rating: 5/5!

This book was absolutely amazing! Very creative, strong characters, and an ever-moving plot that dipped between the past and present. Please check out my video review for more information.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please use the link below. Thank you! ^-^

October Summary

October was a good reading month for me. I was able to read a good variety of scary and creepy books. I also watched a movie based on a book, which I haven't done for awhile.

Books Mentioned:



Also Mentioned:

• Daisuki by Hildred Billings (Amazon Kindle Store)
• The Grimm Chronicles (Amazon Kindle Store)
• Chasing the Dragon 

My top picks of the month were The Shining by Stephen King, and Possess by Gretchen McNeil.

Did you read any spooky books this month? Which was your favourite?

The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey

The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey

558 pages
Published September 2011 by Simon & Schuster

Description:

When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting for the “Holy Grail of Monstrumology” with his eager new assistant, Arkwright, he leaves Will Henry in Victorian New York. Finally, Will can enjoy something that always seemed out of reach: a normal life with a real family. But part of Will can’t let go of Dr. Warthrop, and when Arkwright returns, claiming that the doctor is dead, Will is devastated—and not convinced.

     Determined to discover the truth, Will travels to London, knowing that if he succeeds, he will be plunging into depths of horror worse than anything he has experienced so far. His journey takes him to Socotra, the Isle of Blood, where human beings are used to make nests and blood rains from the sky—and puts Will Henry’s loyalty to the ultimate test. - Amazon.ca

My Review:

Rating: 4/5


Each of these books has taken a different approach to telling a story, and surprisingly I have enjoyed them all. The first book was a classic monster hunter story, the second book was mainly about character development of Dr. Warthrop, and this book was about Will Henry's character development and the darkness within all men.

I was expecting a ton of gore, so I was a bit thrown off that there didn't seem to be too many scenes that fit that agenda. Near the beginning and near the end there are a couple of scenes, but I was hoping for more sprinkled throughout the middle. That's just a minor point, though.

The prologues to the story seem to have their own thing going on, and I especially liked how I was able to really connect the prologue in this book to elements in the story. It made it feel more realistic and interesting.

I love Dr. Warthrop, but I feel some people may have been less than enthused with him in the Curse of the Wendigo. In this book, I feel he becomes more likable and vulnerable. Will Henry's limits are tested, and he grows quite a bit as a character too. Will Henry is also tempted by the Bates family in regards to where he belongs.

The plot has a bit of a thriller aspect to it, in that the characters are on the hunt and are being hunted themselves. But instead of being hunted by a monster, they are hunted by some bad guys. This was a change to the previous books, but it did work out quite well, especially given that there were some celebrity guest appearances!

These celebrity guest appearances also really added to the world building. Rick Yancey has done a phenomenal job in creating this world where men and monsters exist together, but by keeping it realistic and historical. The writing was just as amazing as the first two books, although some bits felt a bit slow.

If you liked the first two books, I highly recommend this one. Just be aware that it is more philosophical and contains less gore. :)

Book Haul

There have been some books I have been hoarding for awhile, so I finally got around to making a book haul!

Books Mentioned:

What books have you gotten recently? I have read & reviewed The Shining, and I am currently reading The Isle of Blood. Next on my list is Velveteen! I actually have a personalized copy coming to me in the mail of Velveteen because I won a giveaway. I'm extra excited because the author, Daniel Marks, knows who I am and he is really fun! Looking forward to getting into his dark mind.

King of Horror: The Shining (Book & Movie Review)

The Shining by Stephen King

"The Overlook Hotel is more than just a home-away-from-home for the Torrance family. For Jack, Wendy, and their young son, Danny, it is a place where past horrors come to life. And where those gifted with the shining do battle with the darkest evils. Stephen King's classic thriller is one of the most powerfully imagined novels of our time." - Amazon.ca Description

I recently read the book and watched the movie starring Jack Nicholson. First I will talk about the book and then my thoughts on the movie (spoiler-free of course!).

My Rating: 4/5

We have all heard of the Shining. We all know it is one of Stephen King's greatest novels. But what exactly is it about? Personally, my only recollection of the story concerned a parody the Simpsons did several years ago. I knew a hotel was involved, something called "redrum," and lots of blood.

The book is brilliantly written, although some foreshadowing was a bit obvious. I really felt like we got to know the characters. Not only are we acquainted with their stay at the hotel, but we learn of their past struggles as a family. These past episodes add a depth to the characters that can be interpreted later in the story as being significant or not. Jack, the father, is a man with a history that is trying to support his family. He is an aspiring author and is looking forward to months of peace and quiet. His wife, Wendy, is along for the ride and plays a very supportive role. They have a little boy, Danny, and he is special. 

Let's talk about the real aspect of the book: the horror. The horror was the believable type with a bit of supernatural essences thrown in. Or, if you'd like, it was purely believable. There were several scenes in the book with their fair share of gore, but also several creepy moments that I felt were more convincing than the gore itself. The book is not particularly scary, but it is absolutely creepy. Imagine being in a large hotel in the middle of a snowstorm, phones are out, radio doesn't work, and you can't escape. Then creepy things begin to happen. Ready to leave yet? This family all struggles with the hotel in their own way, and I felt the progression of the story with the winter was really fitting. 

Movie Review - Rating: 3/5

The movie was adapted from the book, so it did not follow the same script. Some minor things were changed and the ending was also slightly adjusted. I was a bit disappointed in that the movie chose to omit some of the best gory and creepy scenes, and also a large part of back-story for Jack's character development. The movie demonstrates that he is trying to write a book but it does not tell what the book is about. In the book we learn exactly what he is writing and why it is affecting him so much. As well, the movie added a huge element to the story - an outdoor hedge maze. Although plants were significant in the book, I was disappointed in the maze because it meant an omission of two scenes I was looking forward to seeing on the screen.

However, it should be noted that Jack Nicholson's portrayal of Jack was an amazing performance. His famous line, "Here's Johnny!" should be witnessed sometime in your life, and can be if you watch this movie.

King of Horror: Misery by Stephen King

Misery by Stephen King

338 Pages
Published 1988, Signet
My rating: 4.5/5
Click below to purchase the book or the movie!

Paul Sheldon. He’s a bestselling novelist who has finally met his biggest fan. Her name is Annie Wilkes and she is more than a rabid reader–she is Paul’s nurse, tending his shattered body after an automobile accident. But she is also his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house. Now Annie wants Paul to write his greatest work–just for her. She has a lot of ways to spur him on. One is a needle. Another is an ax. And if they don’t work, she can get really nasty… (From Goodreads.com )

 My Review:

I really enjoyed this one. It felt so realistic, which made it feel very creepy.

The protagonist, Paul, is an author that ends up in the care of a crazy fan/ex-nurse after being in an accident. She is nuts! Most of all, she wants him to continue writing the series of books he is known for. The set up – being trapped in a room with limited access to anything at all – feels like the story could be restrictive or drag, but it was quite the opposite. The tension and suspense was high in this one!

What I liked the most about the book was that whenever Paul was in a situation, he would think of all his options. The process of him thinking of his options felt similar to how my brain works so I felt like we were on the same page (har har puns). While reading, I would think of something and then Paul would think of it too. Then King would decide if it would work or not. It was exciting trying to figure out what to do during different situations. It made it feel like *I* was Paul and I had some crazy bitch after me. So, it felt exciting!

The amount of gore and horror was great. It was gruesome, but realistic, which is perfect for this type of story. It was also spaced nicely throughout the story. The ending was also very satisfying.

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

378 pages
2011, Balzer + Bray
My Rating: 4/5

Description(From Goodreads.com - shortened):

Rule #1: Do not show fear.
Rule #2: Do not show pity.
Rule #3: Do not engage.
Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.
Rule #5: They lie.

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

My Review:

I really enjoyed this book. I was a bit hesitant at first because of the major Catholic themes in the book, but it all worked out. I am an atheist so I tend to roll my eyes over religious talk and I was worried that there would be a lot in this book that I didn't care about. I was very pleased to see that there wasn't much of a religious agenda at all and that the plot was great!

Bridget is our protagonist. She is half Chinese, which is something I haven't seen in a protagonist before (in books, obviously), and her personality is quite spunky. She has a gay friend so I enjoyed that there were pro LGBTQ themes. The other characters were realistic and likable. I liked the variety of characters.

I was worried about romance, but I liked the direction this book took it. In particular, Bridget's mom is involved in a love triangle that involves Bridget's best friend's dad. I thought that was an interesting touch because it isn't often that we see a love triangle that involves the parents!

The plot was really well done and I think this was my favourite aspect of the book. Some bits were predictable, but there were so many layers to the story that I couldn't help but try to anticipate what was going to happen next. The book read like a creepy mystery, and I found I especially loved the creepy scenes. There were several instances where I was creeped out and I really enjoyed that. Alongside the creepy scenes, there was a phrase that jumped out at me a few times for comic relief: "Sweet cartwheeling Jesus!"

This was a really nice read to have right before Halloween. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to read a YA horror/paranormal story. Plus, look at that cover! It is so beautiful. :)