Review: Hannah-Beast

If you are looking for a scary read for the Halloween season, Hannah-Beast by Jennifer McMahon (one of my favorite authors) definitely fits the bill.

A short story that is part of Amazon's Dark Corners series, Hannah-Beast expertly cuts between the past and present. Thirty-four years ago, a group made a decision. Thirty-four years ago, Hannah was sent on a scavenger hunt with dire repercussions.

In the present, a member of that fateful group is now a mother. She is triggered every time she sees a costume that reminds her of that night, and must fight both her inner demons and those that threaten her from outside on one terrifying Halloween night.

When I say terrifying, I mean terrifying. This story is so scary. It builds and builds until it's at that delicious almost unbearable point that comes with great horror, and then the absolutely haunting ending leaves you reeling.

Review: Murder on Millionaire's Row

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

I loved this book!

Rose Gallagher is a force to be reckoned with, a housemaid who is determined to find her missing employer. Yes, she is in love with him (and that is a romance I am definitely rooting for-their chemistry just oozes off the pages!), but she also is a strong and brave woman in a time when women, especially women in her station, were supposed to stay in their small set roles. The supporting cast is wonderful as well, but Rose is the star of the show.

And there are ghosts! I love the paranormal, and it is woven in so well and so almost matter-of-factly. It adds a real urgency and eeriness to the story and mystery.

I definitely recommend this book. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Week in Review: The Silence of the Lambs, Looking for Alaska, and The Complete Dracula

This is one of those books where I'm left wondering how in the world I hadn't read this before. This was so good-suspenseful, terrifying, a real thriller that had me desperate to keep turning pages. Hannibal Lector and Clarice Starling are, of course, fascinating characters in their own right, but the supporting cast around them are complex and gripping too. I found myself finding every spare moment I could to find out if they would catch Buffalo Bill, if Lector would talk to Clarice, and just what they would all find.

Like Paper Towns, I struggled to like the main female protagonist, Alaska, at first, But I think that was the point. As we get under her skin, we learn so much more about her and why she is the way she is. And the narrator is someone I could certainly sympathize with and understand-going into the teenage years wanting to find yourself, wanting to find your tribe and what your purpose is. I love John Green, and need to make sure I've read everything he's written.

I love the book Dracula, so I was highly intrigued by this graphic novel adaptation. This managed to be faithful to the original, while bringing its own level of horror and eeriness to the story with really great drawings. 

Reviews: The Destroyers and The Naturals

Here's the thing: I didn't not like this book.

In fact, I was definitely hooked at the beginning. A man at the end of his rope, Ian Bledsoe, ends up on a Greek island to reunite with his childhood best friend, Charlie. But as more and more events transpire, Ian thinks Charlie may have invited him there to play their childhood game, Destroyers--only this time, it's not pretend.

It's a fascinating premise. But my problem was how long it took to play out. Bollen has a wonderful writing style, but I felt like the book simply went on too long--a problem I didn't have with Orient, Bollen's book that was equally long but I found far more enjoyable. The twists in The Destroyers are definitely surprising, but by the time I got to them, I just wasn't as invested as I wanted to be.

This is the kind of really good YA series where I've already put the other books on hold at the library.

It centers around Cassie, a teenager who is a natural profiler, which makes her prime to be recruited by the FBI for their Naturals group--a collection of teenagers with innate skills who work to solve cold cases. Each have their own past, including Cassie, whose mother was murdered but whose body was never found. When a serial killer comes on their radar, the Naturals realize that this case may hit closer to home than ever before.

This book had me hooked from the start, and I flew through it. The characters are so interesting, as are the cases--and the house they all live in is fascinating, with a basement full of simulated crime scenes for them to practice on. This is a creepy, well-written book with a final twist that blew my mind. I can't wait until I can get my hands on the rest.

Review: The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street

Tessa is already upset with having to move from Florida to Chicago for her dad's job, but when she starts to suspect her house is haunted, she wants to move back to the sunny beaches even more. A new group of friends just might change her mind, both about Chicago and about solving the mystery behind her home's history.

This was a fun, spooky middle grade read that flew by. The characters felt real, and I enjoyed their  forming friendship and the paranormal research they embarked on. I especially loved that the book was set in Chicago-it always makes it extra fun when the setting is one you know well.

If you are looking for a quick enjoyable read as the Halloween season approaches, this would be a good book to pick up.

Review: If I Die Tonight

When a former pop star claims she is the victim of a carjacking, one that has put the teenage boy who tried to save her in a coma, it shakes up the foundations of a small town and brings everyone's secrets into the light.

This book was full of suspense. Gaylin really cleverly plays with the idea of a modern-day witch hunt, as the town decides on who they think is the perpetrator of the carjacking. Using multiple perspectives with cliffhanger endings as perspectives are switched was extremely effective.

I also really liked the use of social media as evidence. Everything we put online is out there in the public eye, and Gaylin shows how that can be used to build different types of stories, from hero to villain. 

I did feel one the ending felt a little pat for all that had come before. But the book as a whole was very strong, and completely drew me in.

Readers Imbibing Peril XIII Sign Up!

This is one of my favorite challenges of the year!

The purpose of the R.I.P. Challenge is to enjoy books that could be classified as:

Mystery.

Suspense.

Thriller.

Dark Fantasy.

Gothic.

Horror.

Supernatural.

I'm going for Peril the First, four books:

1) Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

2) The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie

3) The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

4) Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
5) The Complete Dracula by Leah Moore
6) Murder on Millionaire's Row by Erin Lindsey
7) Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
8) Private London by James Patterson and Mark Pearson
9) All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

And Peril the Short Story:
1) Hannah-Beast by Jennifer McMahon

I'm also going for Peril on the Screen, where I watch scary movies and shows:

1) American Horror Story: Apocalypse: Episode 1
2) The Nun
3) American Horror Story: Apocalypse: Episode 2
4) American Horror Story: Apocalypse: Episode 3
5) American Horror Story: Apocalypse: Episode 4
6) The Haunting of Hill House: Episode 1
7) The Haunting of Hill House: Episode 2

This challenge starts September 1st!