The more I think about it, the more I realize how much this book annoyed me. I completely don't buy that the NYPD would allow a civilian to "consult"The more I think about it, the more I realize how much this book annoyed me. I completely don't buy that the NYPD would allow a civilian to "consult" on high profile murder cases, so I'm not really on board from the beginning. I hated how Clare is casually sexually harassed throughout the book, and it's usually for laughs. And there was waaay too much plot and not enough description for my tastes. By the end, I felt like I needed a flow chart or something to keep track of all the plot threads, characters, and suspects. I guess it came together at the end...? but then I felt like certain plot threads (Mike's trouble with his ex-wife, for example) were complete unnecessary and wasted my time. The author could have cut out all the unnecessary plot stuff and thrown in some sparkly description, instead - details that would help the readers fall into the story, rather than feel like they're racing from one event to the next. Oh, and finally - I find it ridiculous that every one of these novels (I've read three, but I'm assuming they all end in this fashion) ends with Clare catching the killer before the professionals.
I'm definitely over this series, and if I want something Christmas-y to read next year, I'll go with something like Jean Shepherd's A Christmas Story...more
Loved this so much - such a touching friendship story!! I loved Julia's House for Lost Creatures, and this was very much along the same lines. TheLoved this so much - such a touching friendship story!! I loved Julia's House for Lost Creatures, and this was very much along the same lines. The book is mostly wordless, so it might be good for beginning/struggling readers? My favorite illustration was when Little Robot was covered in cats!!! This is such a warm and fuzzy story - one that I can see myself revisiting in order to cure bad moods. :)...more
Yikes! This was intense. Lots of blood and gore. From what I skimmed of the Wikipedia article on Vlad the Impaler, this seemed to follow theYikes! This was intense. Lots of blood and gore. From what I skimmed of the Wikipedia article on Vlad the Impaler, this seemed to follow the trajectory of his reign fairly accurately. I wonder about the relationship with his brother, though, and how accurately it was represented in the comic. Like, did they have a hand-to-hand combat showdown that resulted in Radu claiming the rulership of Wallachia? That's the thing about non-fiction comics; there's always going to be some amount of artistic interpretation for the sake of the story.
But amongst all the spraying blood and impaled heads (not easy to forget), the part from this book I'll remember most is how Vlad the Impaler said "Oops." That was so hilarious to me, because I'm positive that's a word that never left his lips. You can impale my head on a stake if I'm wrong.
Also! Reading the Wikipedia article on Vlad the Impaler led me down a Wikipedia wormhole where I learned about fun things like Hapsburg jaws and inbreeding!! Sure glad I didn't live in the 1400s!...more
Another winner from Yasmine Surovec, author of I See Kitty, which is one of my favorite storytime books! This book is told from the perspective of aAnother winner from Yasmine Surovec, author of I See Kitty, which is one of my favorite storytime books! This book is told from the perspective of a stray cat, who presents a facade of being happy with his feral lifestyle, but is really longing for human companionship. The illustrations are a-dor-a-ble, and there are lots of spot-on details about cat behavior (the "head boop" was my favorite). I'd give this to kids who love cats, cute things, or who are bridging the gap between beginning readers and chapter books. It would also be good for older kids who are reading below grade level....more
I only ever read the first book in this series, but wanted to read this one because I heard that the future version of Harold has a husband! I wasI only ever read the first book in this series, but wanted to read this one because I heard that the future version of Harold has a husband! I was able to follow along even though I haven’t read most of the other books, but oh my gosh - the pace of this book made me feel like I was on meth. The basic plot: the gym teacher, Mr. Meaner, invents a spray solution that makes kids into mindless rule-followers. Harold and George are safe because they have colds and can’t smell, but they know their colds won’t last forever. They decide they need trustworthy adults to help them, and the only ones that fit the bill are their future selves. So they hop in a time machine (from a previous book, I guess) and travel 20 years into the future to appeal to their adult selves (this is where we learn that future Harold has a husband, and it’s a complete non-issue - yay!). Future Harold and George travel back in time, and defeat Mr. Meaner with a little help from Captain Underpants.
I liked that Pilkey pokes fun at the people who challenge his books. The whole book was pretty irreverent towards adults, and normally I’m cool with poking fun at pretty much anything. But the thing that got under my skin just a little bit was the fact that pretty much all of the teachers in the book are portrayed as evil bumbling idiots who aren’t deserving of respect. In my opinion, it bordered on mean-spirited...but maybe it was more tongue-in-cheek than I perceived it to be. Regardless, I’m so glad that books like this exist, if for no other reason than it proves that freedom of speech is alive and well!
And I loved the flip-o-rama - I did each one, like, a lot. They really do look animated! And now I need to go take some downers to recover from this book. :P...more
The writing in these books is all bare-bones efficiency. As an adult, I need a bit more sparkle in the writing - but I sure loved these when I was aThe writing in these books is all bare-bones efficiency. As an adult, I need a bit more sparkle in the writing - but I sure loved these when I was a kid. These books were probably one of my first introductions to the horror genre, which I'm sure is the case for a lot of readers. Even though I don't love the writing, I'm glad that Stine makes horror accessible to young readers. It's a compulsively readable genre, and I think it gets a lot of kids hooked on reading. I'm also glad that Stine seems to focus equally on male and female main characters, because I feel like that doesn't lock anyone out of enjoying these books. I'm glad that the recent movie has rekindled interest in a series that was very much a part of my early reading life! ...more
Arthur Bobowicz is instructed by his mother to pick up the family's Thanksgiving turkey. But the butcher lost Mrs. Bobowicz's order, and has no extraArthur Bobowicz is instructed by his mother to pick up the family's Thanksgiving turkey. But the butcher lost Mrs. Bobowicz's order, and has no extra turkeys to spare. Arthur trudges around Hoboken, first trying to find a turkey, and then trying to find ANY kind of bird his family could eat for Thanksgiving. Almost ready to give up, Arthur stumbles upon a sign on an apartment door advertising chickens for sale. Arthur thinks it must be some kind of shady meat vendor, but he's desperate. When he enters the apartment, he realizes that it belongs to a mad scientist, and that the chickens for sale aren't ordinary chickens - they're huge mutant chickens. The scientist convinces Arthur to buy Henrietta, a 266-pound mass of poultry. It doesn't take Arthur long to realize that, though she's huge, she's also incredibly sweet and docile. He quickly develops a soft spot for her, and by the time he returns home he's prepared to ask his family if they can keep her as a pet rather than eat her for Thanksgiving dinner. His father acquiesces, the family has meatloaf for Thanksgiving, and Arthur has a giant chicken for a pet.
All goes well for a while - Arthur teaches Henrietta tricks, and she sleeps by his bed every night. But when she causes the slightest disturbance in the Bobowicz house, Mr. Bobowicz insists that Arthur must take her back to where she came from. But when the scientist refuses, Henrietta grabs an opportunity to escape, running pell-mell through the streets of Hoboken. Now a 266 pound chicken is on the loose, and people are terrified. They don't realize that Henrietta is harmless; they're just afraid of what they don't know, and treat her horribly as a result of their fear and ignorance. The unkindness makes Henrietta into a surly menace, and she stomps around Hoboken destroying property and terrifying anyone who crosses her path. Will Arthur be able to get back the sweet Henrietta he knows and loves?
Very funny story that's a great metaphor for how irrational fear can make people do stupid things. I think there's a lot of irrational fear and mistrust in the world today that's the result of ignorance. While silly, this book sends the message that treating everyone with kindness and respect can go a long way in abating that fear and mistrust. An important message for anyone of any age, at any point in history....more
Still funny, but these books are seeming reeeaaallly formulaic by now. And Greg seemed like even more of a jerk in this book. All of his missteps areStill funny, but these books are seeming reeeaaallly formulaic by now. And Greg seemed like even more of a jerk in this book. All of his missteps are funny, but sometimes I wish he had more redeeming qualities or he wasn't completely self-absorbed and selfish 100% of the time. He just isn't that likable.
As in the previous books in the series, this one is made up of a series of episodes centered around a main idea - in this book, Greg's mom spearheaded a town-wide "unplug to connect" day, so most of Greg's misfortunes stem from having to go "old school" for a day. Most of his catastrophes start out as relatively small blunders which, through a domino effect, become epic public fails.
Favorite moments from this book: -Rodrick dressed as "old-timey Timothy" - that mascot head was spot-on with its blank-eyed stare and creepy wide smile -the pig! I forgot about the pig. It's adorable. -"No pants after dinner." On a related note, how is Manny still so tiny and un-potty trained? -The urban myth of Silas Scratch - this is probably a pretty accurate example of how these kinds of stories get started!
Did I love it? No. Did it keep me entertained for an hour? Absolutely. There's nothing wrong with enjoying a little fluff now and then!...more
Very thought-provoking. This would be a great book club selection. Here are some of the things it made me think about:
-The efficacy of the prisonVery thought-provoking. This would be a great book club selection. Here are some of the things it made me think about:
-The efficacy of the prison system. Gantos was relatively lucky in that he worked in the prison hospital as an x-ray technician, so he learned a valuable skill - but not all prisoners had similar opportunities. It seemed liked Gantos' prison experience (outside of his hospital work) was pretty oppressive and not at all helpful in terms of making positive life changes. He was in prison in the early 70's, but I kind of doubt our prison system has improved much since then.
-Is there any benefit to sending young people to prison for non-violent crimes (ie, crimes that essentially amount to making a dumb mistake)? I learned recently that the brain isn't fully developed until an individual reaches 25 years of age. So if someone is under 25 and makes a bad judgement call, I don't think they should be punished so harshly. They should be held accountable to some degree, but in that kind of situation, prison is only going to ruin lives - not save them.
-the transformative effect the written word can have on lives. Gantos got through his prison sentence by reading and writing. His goal to become a writer kept him going, and he's a successful author today, despite having a criminal record. I believe very strongly that reading and writing are ways to make sense of our lives and become better people, and this book re-enforced that belief....more
Fantastic! Lots to enjoy here - the descriptions of the Pagoda Olympics are insane, and I can't believe Gantos isn't dead or at least maimed. The oneFantastic! Lots to enjoy here - the descriptions of the Pagoda Olympics are insane, and I can't believe Gantos isn't dead or at least maimed. The one that blew my mind the most was the one where Gary poured gasoline in his backyard swimming pool, set it on fire, then threw explosives in while his brother and Gantos swam around, trying not to get killed. All of the parts with Gary and his family are disturbing yet darkly humorous. And then there are many parts, especially towards the end, where Gantos elaborates on his feelings of self-hatred and helplessness. For folks going through depression or other similarly dark experiences, it's reassuring to know that Gantos went from being in a really bad place to being a successful (Newbery-winning) author. Looking forward to reading Hole in My Life next, and will be recommending this one to anyone looking for an eye-opening (and sometimes jaw-dropping) memoir....more
For someone who typically doesn't like superhero comics, I liked this a lot! I think it had a lot to do with the fact that the hero is a young woman,For someone who typically doesn't like superhero comics, I liked this a lot! I think it had a lot to do with the fact that the hero is a young woman, not a muscle-bound dude. And yes, she's beautiful, but she's also incredibly smart. I also really liked the recent Ms. Marvel comics for this same reason - strong female characters are appealing to young women. The diversity in the cast of characters was fantastic - there are people of color, a character with muscular dystrophy, and people of varying sexual orientations. It felt very inclusive. I also really liked how they updated the character - everything was very modern and chic, from the coffee shop where Babs and her friends cure their hangovers to the technology and apps that were integral to the story. I haven't read any other comics in the Batman universe and was able to follow along with this just fine. I would definitely seek out future Batgirl comics, and I'd feel confident recommending this volume to teens and comics fans at my library....more
very much in the spirit of the early autobiographical books by Jeffery Brown, and also books like the Scott Pilgrim series. also reminded me of avery much in the spirit of the early autobiographical books by Jeffery Brown, and also books like the Scott Pilgrim series. also reminded me of a bunch of people I knew in college, including myself. was annoyed about how some characters (including LDB) scoff at hipsters, when they are so clearly hipsters themselves. Loved the idea of "style points" bowling, and am hoping Jason Poole will want to do this with me sometime. Am sufficiently curious about how LDB will cope with his insensitive crush (and perceived girlfriend) revealing that she has a boyfriend that I ordered the next few volumes in the series....more
Absolutely loved this! Phoebe kind of reminded me of a less butch Peppermint Patty. The thing I liked most about her character is that she came acrossAbsolutely loved this! Phoebe kind of reminded me of a less butch Peppermint Patty. The thing I liked most about her character is that she came across as a kid - not noticeably masculine or feminine. So I think this book would appeal to a wide audience - boys and girls - although it might take a little work to sell it to certain boys because of the whole beautiful sparkly unicorn angle. But it’s super-funny throughout, which will help in recommending it to lots of different kinds of readers - in my experience, humor is always a win. I think this series would do particularly well with readers who have enjoyed books like Babymouse and Fashion Kitty. I really wish I had read this a couple weeks ago, because I had a gal in the library that I think would have really gone for it. She wasn’t a big reader, but liked comics. This kind of book is perfect for reluctant readers because it’s funny, and because (while there are a couple overarching plot lines) a lot of the book is one-page jokes. Even the overarching plot lines are primarily made up of single-page jokes, which makes it unintimidating and easy to swallow. I think I may get multiple copies of this book for my library, because I think I’ll be recommending it liberally.
ps - I completely loved the recipe at the end for “Magical Unicorn Poop” cookies, and I totally want to make them!! ...more
Most of this book is Janie’s melodramatic inner monologue about what she should do once she finds out that her parents aren’t her biological parents.Most of this book is Janie’s melodramatic inner monologue about what she should do once she finds out that her parents aren’t her biological parents. Throw in her first relationship (with the boy next door), and what emerges is a barely tolerable potpourri of teenage angst. I bet I would have really liked this book when I was 15 (and since that was only 3-4 years after this book was first published, it wouldn’t have seem so culturally dated...cassette tapes, haha!), but reading it as an adult had me rolling my eyes more than whizzing through the pages. As an adult reader, I’m also a little more tuned in to things like writing style and plot coherency...in terms of the plot, sometimes it seemed like Cooney whisks the reader from point A to point B with relatively little (or no) transition. For example, Janie goes from being relieved once her parents explain all the jazz about Hannah and the cult and Janie being a cult baby, blah, blah, blah to being convinced that her parent really did kidnap her to make up for losing Hannah. Janie really did seem to accept the story her parents told her, so it was jolting when all of a sudden she’s awake at 2am, drenched in sweat because she’s convinced her parents are criminals. There was no transition between those opposing convictions, which left me scratching my head. As for the writing style - it seems very stream-of-consciousness, and like it could have benefitted from some generous editing. Overwrought similes abound, as do sentences with 2+ semicolons (I didn’t even think you could do that...maybe you can’t and Caroline B. Cooney just makes up her own rules about sentence structure). The cliffhanger just made me mad because I kind of want to know what happens with Janie’s biological family, but not enough to actually read more books in this series. So I guess I’ll never know.
Even so, I finished this book in pretty close to one sitting, so I guess that counts for something. I’ve been having trouble settling into a book that really catches my interest, and I remembered how much I liked Code Orange, so I thought I’d give this a go. Plus I thought it might be a good recommendation for our teen readers at the library. But while I would recommend Code Orange to a wide variety of readers, I think I’d only recommend this one sparingly. The whole overwrought teenage romance angle pretty much makes it a no-go for most teen boys, and the whole self-obsessed melodramatic inner monologue approach made it kind of generally unappealing, in my opinion. ...more
Really enjoyed this! Very funny look at a guy's first year of high school. he goes through lots of changes and overschedules himself with way too manyReally enjoyed this! Very funny look at a guy's first year of high school. he goes through lots of changes and overschedules himself with way too many activities, but handles it all with humor and a good attitude. there's also a pretty substantial message about not judging people at face value. I really liked how at the end his close friends ended up being the "outcasts." My job is really stressful right now, and this was the perfect book to help my addled brain chill out....more
**spoiler alert** dark and gritty mystery with a hint of the paranormal. found it underwhelming, but not a complete miss. the vibe was decidedly dark**spoiler alert** dark and gritty mystery with a hint of the paranormal. found it underwhelming, but not a complete miss. the vibe was decidedly dark and despairing, so if that’s what the author was going for, she nailed it. the mystery aspect was done relatively well; pieces of the story were revealed slowly enough that it wasn’t totally obvious from the beginning what really happened.
but then there were parts of the story that seemed clumsy and/or not particularly fleshed out. I hated Jaxon - he was just so “perfect boyfriend” that he came off as one-dimensional. and Harmony - that character was kind of a mess. her actions and motivations seemed contradictory at times - like she’s willing to literally crawl through broken glass to avoid going to a group home, but when she finds out that her biological father is dead (just like she suspected all along), she kills herself? she alternately exhibits a strong sense of self-preservation and a sense of just wanting to give up and die. and I didn’t like that Harmony commits suicide at the end - she’s the main character! I know that it’s a dark story, but give readers a little ray of hope at the end. Sure, Brea hangs in there, but that didn’t mean as much since there wasn’t as much at stake for her. plus i didn’t really care about her character. she was supposed to be an outcast, but she was dating the hottest and most popular guy in school, so i totally didn’t buy her characterization.
as an aficionado of the horror genre, I can say that there were some details that were genuinely spooky, and I appreciated that (the example that comes to mind is when an unseen voice whispers “goodnight” in Harmony’s ear in the pitch-blackness of her bedroom). It’s clear pretty early on that that the ghost is actually Harmony’s father, trying to tell her how he really died. throughout the course of the story, readers learn that he was abusive to Harmony’s mother, but never to Harmony. she actually has happy memories of him being loving and affectionate towards her. so why was his ghost so horrible to her, then? that made no sense to me. and it also seemed like once Harmony figured out the truth behind his death (that her mother killed him as an act of self-defense and bricked up his body in the basement), the ghost would have done something - like shown her some kind of approval or acknowledgement or something. but no.
so, in summary - this wasn’t god awful horrible. i think it may have been self-published, and i think it’s better than a lot of self-published books that are out there. people who don’t read a lot and who aren’t critical readers might even think this is a great book. which is fine, i guess? i’m trying to think who i could possibly recommend this to. maybe to brooding teens who like really dark stories? i’m just trying to justify the hours i spent reading this book so that i don’t feel like it was a complete waste of time....more
argh, so disappointed in this book! i picked it up because I came across it as I was shelving books at the new library and the description made itargh, so disappointed in this book! i picked it up because I came across it as I was shelving books at the new library and the description made it sound awesome - kind of like Candleshoe, which is one of my fave movies. the description made it sound like it was packed with wall-to-wall action: ghosts, murder, buried treasure, secret Underground Railroad passageways...but in reality, the story was subdued and dated. Even the high-action scenes seemed to drag along at a sluggish pace. And I swear to god, it seemed like that stupid church scene (where the Smalls silently face off with the Darrows) took up a good 25% of the book. I'm trying to put my finger on why the book seemed so slow, and maybe it was because the writing seemed overly dreamy and descriptive? for kids who are used to books like the 39 clues being the gold standard for action/adventure stories, this totally isn't going to cut the mustard. which bums me out, because i read it in the hopes that i'd be able to recommend it through readers' advisory. nope. another thing i thought was weird was how i had a hard time discerning the characters' races. i was able to piece together that the Smalls were a black family moving to a primarily white town (?), but that wasn't clear to me at first. and i feel like if that wasn't obvious to me as an adult reader, then most kids aren't going to pick up on the racial implications of the story (like how the Darrows ruined the Smalls' kitchen as an act of hatred).
also, when pluto, mayhew, and the smalls started cooking up that elaborate scheme to scare away the Darrows from Dies Drear's treasure cavern, it didn't make a lot of sense to me. i was thinking that the smalls should have just turned it over to the foundation that owned the property - then they wouldn't have to worry about the Darrows getting their paws on it. but then i understood that it was more a matter of dignity - they wanted old Pluto to feel like it belonged to him at least until he died, and they also wanted to show the Darrows that they couldn't mess with the Smalls and Pluto. So it was more a matter of the black folks standing up to the whites, sending the message that they wouldn't tolerate any racial hatred. but that's a pretty high-level message, and one that's not totally obvious! i think you need to be a relatively perceptive reader to suss all that out, and i'm not sure that kids today have the skills to reach those conclusions.
so...meh. i have the video version on hold, maybe that will be better?...more
E ARC from NetGalley, although it's probably not available there anymore since the book is officially out.
Meh. I had actually started this one monthsE ARC from NetGalley, although it's probably not available there anymore since the book is officially out.
Meh. I had actually started this one months ago, but stopped a couple chapters in because I was underwhelmed. I picked it up again when I kept seeing it around - at my library, at barnes and noble. I definitely didn't like the narrator's voice. It was like the author was trying to do funny AND creepy, and in my opinion, you can't do both. A book like evil librarian, which i also just finished, does the paranormal thing in a funny, campy way - it's not trying to be a legit scary story. and at the other end of the spectrum, a book like project 17 (one of my faves) just works the creepy angle - it’s not trying to squeeze in a few chuckles amidst the mad dash through the abandoned asylum. If you try to do both, you’re diluting both angles. so that was my main problem - that the “aw shucks, i’m so clumsy and awkward it’s adorable and silly!” narrator really diluted the creepiness factor.
I DID like the big reveal at 50% - i wasn’t expecting that, and i thought it took the story in an interesting direction.
other issues i had: a premise that requires too much explanation, and some of that explanation seemed kind of convoluted and not always logical. Maybe part of the problem is that the author guessed (and rightly so, in my opinion) that most readers wouldn’t be familiar with the idea of luiseach, and therefore had to explain the mythology/backstory, as well as how their powers (or whatever) work. i felt like the story got way too bogged down in these explanations, and in sunshine’s resulting confusion/questions.
in short? kinda sloppy. doesn’t succeed on a comedy angle, and doesn’t succeed on a creepy angle. may be appealing to teens who are interested in niche aspects of the paranormal. was it worth my time? not so much. will i read other books in this series? nope. ...more
**spoiler alert** Danielle Vega knows how to write a page-turner - I read the whole book in close to one sitting. Kind of reminded me of The Descent,**spoiler alert** Danielle Vega knows how to write a page-turner - I read the whole book in close to one sitting. Kind of reminded me of The Descent, with more drugs and with tentacles instead of Billy Corgan-looking cave creatures. At the end, I thought that Casey would realize she hallucinated the whole night in a drug-induced frenzy, but it seems like maybe the tentacle monster was real? And what was with the bouncer who said that no one could leave until the party was over? Was someone conspiring to keep people down in the subway with the monster? With her history of drug addiction - and the fact that she was high out of her mind that night - Casey was definitely an unreliable narrator, so I’m not sure what to believe.
I DO know that I love Danielle Vega, and that I can’t wait until the sequel to the Merciless comes out. ...more
Art club newcomer Penelope and science club nerd Jaime are friends (after a rocky start), but their clubs hate each other. The feuding has gotten soArt club newcomer Penelope and science club nerd Jaime are friends (after a rocky start), but their clubs hate each other. The feuding has gotten so bad that the principle has suspended both clubs' activities until they are able to act more civil towards each other. This means that neither group will have a table at the club showcase...unless they can figure out a way to settle their differences and work together.
Loved this! So many great things here - diverse cast of characters, kids speaking out against bullying, blending science and art...and the list goes on. Penelope is a very likable main character - her insecurities and fears make her easy to relate to, and she always tries to do the right thing even when it isn't easy. The relationship between Penelope and Jaime was a little bit inscrutable - they're certainly the right age to have crushes on each other, but any romantic feelings weren't overtly discussed. It seemed like the focus was more on their friendship, which was actually kind of refreshing.
I predict this will become very popular, and will be a great read-alike for Raina Telgemeier fans....more
Jenny Lawson is my hero. I love how she writes hilarious & ridiculous essays, and balances them with really serious pieces about battlingJenny Lawson is my hero. I love how she writes hilarious & ridiculous essays, and balances them with really serious pieces about battling depression and chronic illness. I am also a young person who struggles with these issues. especially in terms of my chronic illness (which sometimes involves severe joint pain), people don't understand how you can be sick if you look normal. especially if you're relatively young, people automatically assume that you're healthy. I come across a lot of older people who complain about the aches and pains that go along with aging, and they ALWAYS say, "But you wouldn't understand because you're young!" Actually, I understand way more than I want to. There have been times my husband has had to carry me up the stairs because my joints make it too painful to do so myself. Being a young person with a chronic illness is a woefully underrepresented perspective, so I'm glad that such a widely-read author is giving voice to it....more
fast-paced ghostly suspense! scott corbett’s books remind me of john bellairs - they’re both vintage creepiness. even if the setting is old-timey, ifast-paced ghostly suspense! scott corbett’s books remind me of john bellairs - they’re both vintage creepiness. even if the setting is old-timey, i don’t think that matters as long as the story is good. this one was a good ol’ haunted house story, which is totally my jam. since i’m a horror fan and have watched a lot of scary movies and read a lot of scary books, the “twist” didn’t surprise me (spoiler alert: Jamie Bly is really a ghost, and the house he takes bill and bruce to is a ghost version of the ramshackle mansion from the beginning), but i didn’t mind too much. I loved the red room setting and how bill brought up the fact that the decks of battle ships used to be painted red so that blood wouldn’t show after violent gun fights. Made you feel like something really sinister was going on in that red room. I also loved how the “slaughter of the innocents” tapestry seemed to come alive - it’s not often that the murdering of babies comes up in children’s literature, so that was a shocker more than anything else. in the end, bill continues to be a fact-seeking skeptic, convinced that Jamie hypnotized them into thinking they had all those paranormal experiences. bruce is more willing to believe the unbelievable, and in the end, it’s up to readers to decide which side they’re on.
I’d recommend this book, but i think it’s out of print and only a couple libraries in our system have it. it would be a great addition to a “spooky books for halloween” display. ...more
Howie and his older brother Mitch have landed summer jobs doing lawn maintenance in the cemetery next door to their house. The cemetery overseer is aHowie and his older brother Mitch have landed summer jobs doing lawn maintenance in the cemetery next door to their house. The cemetery overseer is a creepy old man named Ezekiel Zenger, which gives the boys some pause, but the money is good enough they’re willing to bear with Ezekiel’s eccentricities. Ezekiel has an even more bizarre older brother named Nathaniel, who looks like a bag of bones and has a nasty mean streak. Ezekiel and Nathaniel can’t stand each other, and with some detective work, Howie and Mitch are able to figure out why: the Zenger family were some of the finger-pointers during the Salem witch trials, which was the start of the bad blood in the family. Ironically, it seems that Nathaniel is a practicing warlock, and though Ezekiel is no peach himself, he chafes at Nathaniel’s evil ways. Fearful of what might happen, the boys consider quitting their jobs, but Mitch is a budding writer and can’t quash his writer’s curiosity. It all comes to a head on Saint John’s Eve, a night that’s supposedly significant to witches and warlocks. To Howie and Mitch’s considerable relief, Nathaniel is on Nantucket Island for Saint John’s Eve. But they’re alarmed the next day when they receive the news that Nathaniel has died under mysterious circumstances, and his body is to be flown back to his hometown. Ezekiel is overjoyed, which unnerves the boys even further, especially when he sings a jaunty tune as he digs his brother’s grave. Listening to the radio that evening, Howie and Mitch learn that the plane carrying Nathaniel’s body has been lost at sea. Mitch convinces Howie that if they don’t tell Ezekiel, then no one will - at least not in a timely manner. So the boys dash over to Ezekiel’s cottage, which takes them through the cemetery at night during a raging storm. Already spooked from their creepy environs, the boys nearly die from fright when they discover the cottage door open and hear Ezekiel screaming for help. But when they reach the source of the cries, they find Ezekiel - dead - and a satanic symbol etched in the window. Was Nathaniel really a warlock, and did his evil spirit come back to murder his brother?
The ending is ambiguous - readers don’t know for sure what happened. Normally this would really bug me, but I’m willing to forgive the ambiguity because I loved the cemetery setting, mystery, and fast-paced action. The story is dated in terms of some of the details and dialogue (and the illustrations in the edition I read were horrendously seventies-looking), but the story has enough redeeming qualities that I think today’s readers would still enjoy it.
Holy hell. My main takeaway from this book: Was I living in a cave in 1998?? Because this story was totally new to me, which is weird, since itHoly hell. My main takeaway from this book: Was I living in a cave in 1998?? Because this story was totally new to me, which is weird, since it happened relatively close to my hometown. I was sixteen in 1998, which is definitely old enough to have been paying attention to the news (and I’m sure this was big news) yet I remember nothing about it.
Another odd thing is that Kendall Francois, though a serial killer, never achieved the same level of notoriety as someone like Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, or Ed Gein. Why? His total victim count even surpassed that of Jack the Ripper. I think it’s because the aforementioned killers had some weird, memorable quirk: Dahmer ate parts of his victims; Gacy had the creepy clown angle; and Gein flayed his victims and made things like lampshades out of their skin. Kendall Francois kept the bodies in the attic and basement of his house, which is weird, but not legendary status weird, I guess.
As a recounting of the killings, this book was okay. I was glad the author didn’t try to victim-blame those who were killed just because they were prostitutes. On the contrary, I thought he did a good job of expressing that their lives were as meaningful as anyone else’s; their occupation had nothing to do with their right to live or die.
But then I felt like the author brought up some ancillary issues that were woefully under-discussed. Or there were some glaring issues that weren’t discussed at all. My main thought was that this case probably enforced a lot of the negative stereotypes that some people have about black men - although the police didn’t pursue Francois at first because black men typically aren’t serial killers. But I bet the uneducated masses didn’t know this, and the Francois killings probably strengthened prejudices lurking in the backs of peoples’ minds. To me, this is a relatively big piece of the story - but Rosen didn’t address it at all.
Not the greatest true crime book, but an interesting look at a true sociopath....more
so grateful to other goodreads users for adding this book so I found out about it! Mary Downing Hahn is one of my favoriteE ARC from Edelweiss
so grateful to other goodreads users for adding this book so I found out about it! Mary Downing Hahn is one of my favorite authors, so a new book from her is super-exciting for me. It's also hard for me to talk about her books without melting into a puddle of gooey fangirl-dom. The best compliment that I can give this book - well, a couple - first, the story has the same feel (and same level of creepiness) as an urban legend like Bloody Mary. Just like the story of Bloody Mary had me terrified to go into the bathroom alone at night, this story will have kids terrified to go near the woods for fear of running into Bloody Bones. Second - this is the kind of book that will stick with kids for years. Kids who read it now will surely remember it in 20 years as that scary book with the witch, the razorback hog monster, and the creepy doll. Books that lodge themselves in your brain like that are really special, and the books that stuck with me from childhood are still some of my favorites.
I will be recommending this left and right once it comes out and I get it in my library!! Mary Downing Hahn, I love you forever and hope you write a zillion more ghost stories....more
I could not pass up buying a book with this title. Thank you Bucket O'Blood!
It may be one of the trashiest books I've ever read, but we're atI could not pass up buying a book with this title. Thank you Bucket O'Blood!
It may be one of the trashiest books I've ever read, but we're at Pitchfork this weekend and I needed something that requires little concentration and also doesn't matter if beer gets spilled on it. I feel a little self-conscious reading it in front of all the hipsters, but the good thing about being in your thirties is that you give less of a shit. I'll write more of a review when I'm done!
***
Done! Poor book is also done, because it got soaked during the scary thunderstorm at Pitchfork today. It was actually better/more substantive than I thought it would be. It wasn't just a timeline of events - there was also some relatively astute commentary that I agreed with. Namely, the author posits that you can't point to one factor as the prevailing motive for the murder; it was a combination of a whole slew of things that made these kids act the way they did. I was glad the author didn't just paint them as horrible teenagers. That would have been easy to do, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Instead, DeFelice holds society largely responsible, saying that other people/institutions should have stepped in when it became clear that Evans and Gardner were slipping. There was a good quote towards the end about how we're all responsible to each other, but I can't copy it since the book is too waterlogged.
I guess true crime books are the Amy equivalent of a "beach read," and as such, it served me well!...more
Seems like this book does more in terms of explaining the architecture behind scary books and movies rather than being scary itself. Disappointingly,Seems like this book does more in terms of explaining the architecture behind scary books and movies rather than being scary itself. Disappointingly, the cover is way more chilling than the story. I just can't get worked up over a book where an exorcism is followed by something as wholesome as a good ol' fashioned house cleaning....more
utterly charming!!! I loved everything about this book. it totally appealed to my feminist sensibilities and also to that (big) part of me that hatesutterly charming!!! I loved everything about this book. it totally appealed to my feminist sensibilities and also to that (big) part of me that hates gender norms. but it wasn’t preachy about being feminist; it was mostly just a story about these kick-ass gals having adventures at camp. I loved the Kitten Holy (now THERE’S a deity I can get behind), the hipster yetis, and the unbearably polite cookie-baking Scouting Lads. I’m sad that the book ended with the cultish meeting of the evil incarnation of the Scouting Lads - what a cliffhanger! - but that just guarantees I’ll pick up the next volume. i have to find out what the heck is going on in that forest!! would highly recommend this to anyone who likes comics!
as a side note, Ripley totally reminded me of my friend Phil, so I hope he reads this book. :) ...more
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