Review: The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

Title: The Girl with All the Gifts
Author: M.R. Carey
Published: June 19, 2014
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic, Horror
Pages: 460
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Rating: 4.5 stars
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“you can't save people from the world. There's nowhere else to take them.”
― M.R. Carey, The Girl with All the Gifts

Synopsis
NOT EVERY GIFT IS A BLESSING

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class.

When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite. But they don't laugh.

Melanie is a very special girl.

Emotionally charged and gripping from beginning to end, THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS is the most powerful and affecting thriller you will read this year. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
I’ve been looking forward to reading The Girl with All the Gifts for some time, knowing that I would love it. Everything about it, from the intriguing, unclear synopsis to the stunning cover, had me wanting it immediately. I’m not usually into zombie books, with the exception of some like This Is Not a Test, but The Girl with All the Gifts is another book that focuses more on the development of the characters than it does the hungries (what the zombies are called in this book). Yes, we’re given plenty of information about the hungries and the infliction from a scientific standpoint, which I found fascinating, and we see some hungry attacks, but there’s so much more to this book than pure, raw fear and bloody gore. It’s a harrowing tale that plucks your heartstrings, and fills you up with raw emotion.

Review: The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey Book

Title: The Isle of Blood
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: The Monstrumologist #3
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Horror
Pages: 538
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
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*This book review is spoiler free*

“There are those who labor in the darkness, that the rest of us might live in the light.”
― Rick Yancey, The Isle of Blood

Synopsis
When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting the "Holy Grail of Monstrumology" with his eager new assistant, Arkwright, he leaves Will Henry in 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 will take him to Socotra, the Isle of Blood, where human beings are used to make nests and blood rains from the sky--and will put Will Henry's loyalty to the ultimate test. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
The Isle of Blood is the heart-pounding third installment in The Monstrumologist series. Once again, Rick Yancey does not disappoint when it comes to horror and suspense, and he manages to write gory books without crossing the line into cheesy. The Monstrumologist series has reminded me of how horror should be done and it has become one of my favorite series.

Review: The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey

Title: The Curse of the Wendigo 
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: October 12, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: The Monstrumologist #2
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Horror
Pages: 424
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
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*This book review is spoiler free*

“There are things that are too terrible to remember, and there are things that are almost too wonderful to recall.”
― Rick Yancey, The Curse of the Wendigo

Synopsis
While attempting to disprove that Homo vampiris, the vampire, could exist, Dr. Warthrop is asked by his former fiancé to rescue her husband from the Wendigo, a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh, and which has snatched him in the Canadian wilderness. Although Warthrop also considers the Wendigo to be fictitious, he relents and rescues her husband from death and starvation, and then sees the man transform into a Wendigo.

Can the doctor and Will Henry hunt down the ultimate predator, who, like the legendary vampire, is neither living nor dead, whose hunger for human flesh is never satisfied?

This second book in The Monstrumologist series explores the line between myth and reality, love and hate, genius and madness. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
I thought it was impossible to love The Curse of the Wendigo as much as I loved The Monstrumologist. I was wrong. While The Curse of the Wendigo is not as terrifying or gruesome as its predecessor, it is a beautifully written, suspenseful and evocative read in a series that continues to impress.

Review: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Title: The Monstrumologist
Author: Rick Yancey
Published: September 22, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: The Monstrumologist #1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Horror
Pages: 434
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
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“Yes, my dear child, monsters are real. I happen to have one hanging in my basement.”
― Rick Yancey, The Monstrumologist

Synopsis
These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me.

So starts the diary of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthorpe, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of monsters. In his time with the doctor, Will has met many a mysterious late-night visitor, and seen things he never imagined were real. But when a grave robber comes calling in the middle of the night with a gruesome find, he brings with him their most deadly case yet.

A gothic tour de force that explores the darkest heart of man and monster and asks the question: When does man become the very thing he hunts? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Do you know that feeling you get when you've discovered a new favorite series? In my case, I am on cloud nine. I want to dance a jig, frolic through a meadow of flowers...you get the idea. This was how I felt after I started The Monstrumologist. I was captivated from the beginning. In fact, after finishing my library copy of The Monstrumologist, I proceeded to purchase all of the books that are currently out in the series, including the one I just read which I bought for rereading and loaning purposes. And after recommending the first book to my mom - well, actually after thrusting it in her face and forcing her to read it - I devoured the rest of the series. It's that phenomenal. It's creepy, spine-tingling, brillant writing, and I just might be obsessed with Rick Yancey now. Don't worry. I'm not the stalker type. Or am I?

Review: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Title: The Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
Published: September 19, 2011
Publisher: Speak
Series: Shades of London #1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Pages: 372
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3 stars
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“Keep calm and carry on.
Also, stay in and hide because the Ripper is coming.”
― Maureen Johnson, The Name of the Star

Synopsis
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target?

In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
I have been putting off reading The Name of the Star for far too long. For some reason, I have this morbid fascination with Jack the Ripper (probably because it's still an unsolved case after more than a century has passed), and I was beyond excited to begin the Shades of London series. The Name of the Star was a captivating read that had me entranced from the start, and I could tell Maureen Johnson had done her research. Btw, I also did a bit of investigative research before diving into this book. If you didn't already know, I'm kind of a nerd and enjoy research projects. So anywho, I did some serious digging into the old case files of the Ripper murders before reading The Name of the Star. In other words, I went on Wikipedia. And I'm happy to say that the information presented in this book matched up with my findings. Go Johnson!

Review: The Shining by Stephen King

Title: The Shining 
Author: Stephen King
Published: January 28, 1977
Publisher: Pocket Books
Series: The Shining #1
Genre: Adult Horror, Paranormal
Pages: 683
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 5 stars
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“This inhuman place makes human monsters.”
― Stephen King, The Shining

Synopsis
Danny was only five years old but in the words of old Mr Halloran he was a 'shiner', aglow with psychic voltage. When his father became caretaker of the Overlook Hotel his visions grew frighteningly out of control.

As winter closed in and blizzards cut them off, the hotel seemed to develop a life of its own. It was meant to be empty, but who was the lady in Room 217, and who were the masked guests going up and down in the elevator? And why did the hedges shaped like animals seem so alive?

Somewhere, somehow there was an evil force in the hotel - and that too had begun to shine...(Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Hands down, The Shining has to be one of the most terrifying novels I have ever read. I even had to sleep with my mom one night. A grown woman of 22 reduced to a little girl running to mommy because every single noise in the house, whether it was a cat jumping down from the counter or just the wind, made her jump. And I LOVED every single page! The Shining was amazing and it raised my expectations for every other horror book I will read in the future.

Review: The Dark Half by Stephen King

Title: The Dark Half 
Author: Stephen King
Published: November 1, 1989
Publisher: Viking Adult
Genre: Adult Horror
Pages: 431
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 5 stars
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“But writers INVITE ghosts, maybe; along with actors and
artists, they are the only totally accepted mediums of our society. They make worlds that never
were, populate them with people who never existed, and then invite us to join them in their
fantasies. And we do it, don't we? Yes. We PAY to do it.”
― Stephen King, The Dark Half

Synopsis
In 1985, 39-year-old Stephen King announced in public that his pseudonymous alter ego, Richard Bachman, was dead. (Never mind that he revived him years later to write The Regulators.)

At the beginning of The Dark Half (1989), 39-year-old writer Thad Beaumont announces in public that his own pseudonym, George Stark, is dead.

Now, King didn't want to jettison the Bachman novel, titled Machine Dreams, that he was working on. So he incorporated it in The Dark Half as the crime oeuvre of George Stark, whose recurring hero/alter ego is an evil character named Alexis Machine.

Thad Beaumont's pseudonym is not so docile as Stephen King's, though, and George Stark bursts forth into reality. At that point, two stories kick into gear: a mystery-detective story about the crime spree of George Stark (or is it Alexis Machine?) and a horror story about Beaumont's struggle to catch up with his doppelganger and kill him dead. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Let me first preface this review by saying I worship Stephen King (pardon me if that sounds sacrilegious). I want to marry his mind. I'm usually a very open-minded individual who tries to respect others' opinions, but all of that goes out the window when it comes to King. I will defend his books until I'm in my grave, and I don't care if I'm being dramatic. It's the truth. My family loves Stephen King. My mom read me his books when I was in the womb. I was not allowed to read his works till I was older, but since then, I have enjoyed every single one of them that I have read thus far. And I will read every last one. Now that I've sang my praises for him, I guess I'll continue with an actual book review.

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough Book Review

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: July 10, 2012
455 pages
Rating: 4 stars
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"Said my lord to my lady, as he mounted his horse,
Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the moss.
Said my lord to my lady, as he rode away
Beware of Long Lankin, that lives in the hay.
Let the doors be all bolted and the windows all pinned,
Except one little window,
where Long Lankin crept in..."

Synopsis
With their mother away and their father off on business, sisters Cora and Mimi are sent from London to the isolated village of Byers Guerdon to stay with their Auntie Ida at Guerdon Hall. But they receive a less than warm welcome, as Auntie Ida is adamant about them leaving right away. Auntie Ida is eccentric and strict, and the girls are eager to get back to London. But the girls don't know what happened last time there was two little girls at Guerdon Hall. 

As they become closer to two boys from the village, Roger and Peter, they try to find answers to their questions. Why are children forbidden to go down to the old church, All Hallows? What is their Aunt Ida so afraid of that she has to lock all the windows and doors at all times? They end up awakening an evil that has been haunting the village for ages, and Cora will have to protect Mimi from being the next victim. 

My Thoughts
Long Lankin was super creepy, but it wasn't Stephen King scary so I was able to sleep at night. I am always up for a suspenseful read with some chills, and this book had a nice blend of creepiness and mystery. While it started off slow, and it never really reached a neck breaking speed, it kept my interest with its storytelling and things that go bump in the night. I couldn't wait for Cora and Roger to uncover more secrets, and as their revelations grew in number, so did my fears. As in, they found out something and I thought oh crap. 

Roger and his brothers were adorable. Their crazy antics were hysterical. I loved learning more history about the village and all of the villagers. There were so many eccentricities and secrets just waiting to be revealed. I'm not talking about juicy gossip or drama. I'm talking about blood-chilling, traumatic memories of the past. I would not want to live in Byers Guerdon. Not my home sweet home. 

Cora grew on me eventually, but I really didn't feel any connection to her in the beginning. Or to Mimi. She was just too whiny. I know she's four years old, but it was annoying. Though you can't help feeling sorry for Mimi because if she's not being pushed around or yelled at by her sister, she's being scared to death. Poor little girl. And for the most part, I wasn't too fond of Auntie Ida. I would never condone physically punishing a child, even if it's a different time period. And if Auntie Ida was so keen on getting the girls out of Byers Guerdon, she should have taken them far away in the beginning. But then there wouldn't have been a story to tell. 

I found the constant switch between POVs interesting but, in all honesty, erratic. It was so distracting when the POV shifted almost every other page. I wasn't a fan until the end when it worked a little more and  everything came together. Since the setting was England in 1958, the vernacular was unapologetically British. As in, grizzling and blimin' and cor. While I didn't understand some of it, I could make a guess as to the meaning and it didn't interfere with my enjoyment. In fact, it made the book more authentic. 

My favorite part about Long Lankin was Guerdon Hall. It's like every hall in every Gothic novel you read before. I fell in love. The sweeping cobwebs, the creaking floorboards, and twisting passages. Its fallen beauty and disrepair. It had so much history to it, and I savored every description of its interior. I'm that lame. 

If  you like a haunting read, with some thrills and mystery, written at a leisurely pace, Long Lankin is your kind of book. It definitely is worth adding to your TBR pile. 

**Here's the creepy book trailer with some lady singing**

Happy reading,

Courtney 

Possess by Gretchen McNeil Book Review

Possess by Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: HarperCollins, Inc.
Release Date: August 23, 2011
384 pages
Rating: 3 stars
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“She felt like a baton getting passed along in a relay race, completely devoid of any control over her destiny.” 
― Gretchen McNeil, Possess

Synopsis
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.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Possess had some seriously creepy parts. I actually had to stop reading late at night because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep without the light on. But the majority of the book wasn't too scary. Just a few parts. Which was fine by me. The plot was entertaining enough. One scene took place in a doll shop which made me think of my close friend who is terrified of dolls. Bridget was also scared of dolls. And spiders. I agree. I hate spiders. Her phobias were amusing, and I like how they fit into the plot. 

I have to admit that I didn't really like the protagonist in Possess. Bridget was just too much of the stereotypical hormonal teenager. That should be expected since she's fifteen. But she was whiny, prickly, and sarcastic. She was so defensive and confrontational even when people wanted to help. I honestly couldn't stand her for most of the book. Plus, she was immature. Most of the characters were immature. Their conversation annoyed me. I understand they're in high school, but I hate the use of teenage slang. Everybody said dude. I never said dude when I was in high school. Bridget was constantly saying whatever and her responses annoyed me. She also said fail a lot. At least, I think it was fail. It showed up as flail a few times in the Kindle edition, but there were several typos and spacing problems in this edition. That didn't affect my enjoyment though. 

Something that bugged me about Possess was the romantic interest. Matt was sooooo overprotective. His concern for Bridget was cute, but his constant need to protect her, watch over her, and ask how she was doing every minute of the day was a little creepy. Is he her father figure? Her bodyguard? He asked her how are you? a million times. And I can't help but judge him after he dated that b***h Alexa. How could any guy date her and still be likable? Is he brain damaged? Plus, Bridget was so harsh and rude to him, but he still kept trying. Why? I would've given up and said the heck with you a long time ago if someone was that rude to me. Many people, especially the targeted teen audience, will love Matt with his irresistible hotness and his baseball skills and his unwavering need to protect Bridget. But for me, he was just too good to be true and a little needy.  

I did love the storyline and the details behind Bridget's power. The Watcher and Nephilim myth popped up again just like in a recent book I read, Angelfall. Possess offered some suspense, and it was cool to see the mystery unraveling. Though Bridget was a little slow on the uptake. I found Peter Kim amusing and terrifying. It shows that Asians in puppy love can turn psychopathic fast. 

I heard there may be a sequel in the works. Which makes sense because there are some loose ends. Nothing too big or significant though. I'd recommend Possess for anyone who wants an enjoyable read with some chills. But, and I hate to say this, it had its downfalls and I didn't really feel connected to the characters at all. Meaning, I probably won't pick up the sequel. 

Happy reading,

Courtney

Review: The Passage by Justin Cronin

Title: The Passage 
Author: Justin Cronin
Published: June 8, 2010 (first published January 1st 2010)

Publisher: Ballantine Books
Series: The Passage #1

Genre: Adult Horror, Paranormal
Pages: 784
Source: Gifted
Rating: 5 stars

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“We live, we die. Somewhere along the way, if we're lucky, we may find someone to help lighten the load.”
― Justin Cronin, The Passage

Synopsis
“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”
First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

The Passage was absolutely fantastic! Yes, it was almost 800 pages, but even at that length, I just did not want this book to finish. It terrified me, it moved me, almost made me cry a couple of times. It was a dark, wonderfully written book and I am so happy that there is more to come. Two more books!

The premise of The Passage is the usual man plays God, military infects convicts with a vampiric virus in order to make the perfect weapon until the vamps break loose and the United States has a bit of an infestation problem (understatement). One girl, Amy, who is also a lab rat, is the only hope for the world.

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly Book Review

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Release Date: January 1, 2006
470 pages
Rating: 5 stars
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“For in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lies the adult that will be.” 
― John Connolly, The Book of Lost Things

Synopsis
High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own -- populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things.

Taking readers on a vivid journey through the loss of innocence into adulthood and beyond, New York Times bestselling author John Connolly tells a dark and compelling tale that reminds us of the enduring power of stories in our lives. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
The Book of Lost Things was absolutely fantastic! A new favorite! It was definitely a Courtney book. It had the fantasy, the fairytale aspect, the dark twist, and the creepy factor. It was a great spin on a old fairytale, and it included a lot of fairytales within, but they became sicker and twisted. Little Red Riding Hood was never told that way. Little Red Riding Hood was no innocent, little girl.

The Book of Lost Things was written beautifully. Connolly spent a good amount of time building the plot in the beginning and developing the characters and their relations, but I wasn't bored or anxious for the next part of the story to begin. I felt like the escalating tension between Rose and David and then David's entrance into the fairytale world worked wonderfully. I also loved the house and David's room. The house definitely had that magical feel, especially the sunken garden and the woods surrounding it. Even in London and the surrounding countryside, there seemed to be a magical aspect to the story.

The story was very moving and touching. There was a deeper message to it, exploring death and children coming to understand death and the afterlife. The story also had sinister overtones, coming to terms with the dark fates many children meet. It had a meaningful purpose and I loved watching David mature and develop after his mothers' death.

There was also a humorous aspect to some of the characters. There was dark humor, but also some of the fairytales, like Snow White, became almost comical. I found myself very entertained by their retelling and the little twist they were given.

There is that creepy factor I mentioned. I will admit there were a couple of parts I read at night that made me shiver. I think the Crooked Man was a great character because he inspires fear and portrays the dark imaginations of children, and he is far from cliched.

All in all, this book was amazing. It was a great and fast read! It actually kind of reminded me of Coraline and Pan's Labyrinth. Parts of them, such as the young child feeling ignored and exploring and finding a darker world, really mirrored this storyline. I was impressed by this book.

What is the lesson we learn from these tales? Don't let your child out of your sight or ignore them or they'll enter a dark, fantasy world where children are preyed upon. Through a secret door or through a garden wall.

Happy reading,

Courtney