Grab a Book & Play Booktivity! discussion
What Are You Reading?
>
Reviews for Oct 2023 - Scary Cover item or scene in book
date
newest »
newest »
Mod
Cloud Cuckoo Land – Anthony Doerr – 5*****
It’s hard to describe this book. It is equal parts historical, contemporary and futuristic. It took me a while to get into the rhythm of Doerr’s storytelling. I was so confused at the beginning by the changing scenarios and could not imagine how he would weave this into a cohesive story. But I’m glad I persevered, and I finally saw how intricately he managed to weave these stories together. The teenagers, who are lonely and/or alone, find solace in an ancient fantasy and ultimately in reaching out to others.
LINK to my full review
Skeleton on the cover and a locked room mystery
The Bones of The Story - Carol Goodman
Genera: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Gothic/Horror
5★
This is an author that I really enjoy, having read two of her previous books. This was the perfect opportunity to become reacquainted with her work. This one had plenty of dark academia vibes and was also a locked-room mystery. The atmospheric pull to it gave the reader a true feeling of "being there". I am not particularly an Agatha Christie fan, but I loved Christie's "And Then There Were None" and this one made me think of that. The vibes are certainly there, but this author put her own spin on things so that you never really knew what to expect. There is a very strong sense of place, and I am always a fan of that. The wintry setting completely sets the mood and adds to the overall tension. This is a dark and ominous story that kept me engaged from start to finish. Between the traditions of the school that we learn from the past storylines to the secrets that are being kept, this is one twisted story that you cannot stop reading. It kept me guessing all the way through.
The Devotion of Suspect X - Keigo Higashino - 4.5*
Mystery
Starts with a scene threatening violence. Includes a murder and a battle of wills between two geniuses, one trying to work out how the other either committed the murder or is covering it up. Very psychological and unpredictable, at times creepy. It contains a lot of details of Japanese culture, like bento lunch boxes, university life, etc. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
Murder has a tendency to scare me...especially when it isn't fiction.
Down The Hill, My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi - Susan Hendricks - (Indiana)
Genera: True Crime
5★
Before February 13, 2017, what was known about anything that happened in the small town of Delphi, Indiana was kept among its residents. Among those residents were two teenage girls Abigail "Abby" Williams and Liberty "Libby" German, and the man who would, five years later, be arrested for their murders, 50-year-old Richard Allen. Now, the area has a population so small that it doesn't even have a hotel to accommodate the jury that will be selected for Allen's trial in 2024, but will forever be associated with the killings that took place there and the ominous phrase heard by the two young friends when they encountered him while exploring a nearby hiking trail on a day off from school, captured by a brave and quick-thinking Libby, and later recovered from her cell phone as a key piece of evidence. This is one of the last things Abby and Libby heard as they were led to their deaths in broad daylight. It's also the title of a book, written by veteran CNN and HLN journalist Susan Hendricks, who has reported on this case since the beginning. She has spent time with the victims' families and advocating for them against a sea of headlines that, more frequently than not, gives a voice to the girls' killer rather than the other way around. For Hendricks, the decision to focus her first book on this case was not to recount the grisly details of what's been titled the "Delphi murders", but to keep the memory of Abby and Libby alive an to remind the residents that these girls had had lives in Delphi that was cut short in a way that law enforcement has yet to fully reveal, other than to call their deaths "brutal." She follows the case from 2017 to just after Allen's arrest, and frequently mentions the girls' families waking up, day in and day out, telling themselves, "Today's the day." Meaning, today's the day justice will finally be served. After seven long miserable years, that day will soon finally be here. The account, I can't bring myself to call it a story, is about a small town in middle America that’s been haunted by an unfathomable act of violence and the ways families and communities cope with grief and move forward after tragedy. It's also about the limitations of local law enforcement and the rise of technology in helping to solve cases. The reader has to remember that this is really "Small Town America" and the police had never before even remotely encountered anything resembling this nightmare that was left on their doorstep. It shows that compassion, connection, empathy and resilience is still alive on a very real, very human level in spite of the way the world might seem to be headed.
Can't have too many dead things walking around:)
C.H.A.R.O.N. - Gail Z. Martin - (Pennsylvania)
Night Vigil Series Book #2
Narrator: Jeffrey Kaffer
Genera: Fantasy/Paranormal/Adventure/Thriller
5★
Travis Dominick is an X-Priest, and his creature hunting partner, Brent Lawson is an ex-FBI agent. Together they make up the bad-ass team that hunts demons, monsters, and other supernatural troublemakers. Brent gets a call for help from an old army buddy, so he and Travis head to central Pennsylvania. The town is experiencing strange and really gruesome and unexplained deaths by demonic creatures that are taking the paranormal activity to a new level. The murders are similar to crimes that took place decades ago. These creatures aren't bad enough, so let's throw in a shady government experiment that, as can be expected...make the bad situation even worse. Imagine that! Constant rain and overflowing rivers mean there's no way to escape the creatures from the shadows of Hell. The creatures are found to be the results of people's deepest fears and thoughts. They literally feed on human terror. With the lives of everyone in the town at stake, Brent and Travis are their only hope. They'll have to uncover the dark secrets, which includes the secret supernatural government program, as well as Brent and Travis's own not so pleasant memories. C.H.A.R.O.N. is a dark fantasy filled with old world spirits, legends and lore. Add some vengeful ghosts, magic, secret government agencies, Vatican ninja-priests, family, small-town secrets, grouchy but helpful bartenders, psychics, mediums, witches, small-town heroes, and an unshakable bond of friendship, then mix well and you have the recipe for a scary, creepy, well told tale that just may have you leaving the lights on at night. What more could you ask for? I have met these two heroes, Brent and Travis, before as they have made appearances in other series of books authored by Gail Z, Martin that she writes as Morgan Brice. She's one of my favorite authors and her books are some of my always go-to rereads. "Badlands", "Witchbane", and "Deadly Curiosities" have hosted these two characters, many times as they come to the assistance of the main characters of these books. Gail Z. Martin, a.k.a. Morgan Brice is a wonderful author that gives life to Brent and Travis as well as their many friends.
This fiction book is about the development and testing of the atomic bomb. This is the stuff of many a nightmare. 
1 star
White Sands, Red Menace is the sequel to The Green Glass Sea. I enjoyed The Green Glass Sea and gave it four stars, giving this book one star. It just did not have the same feel as the first book and did not like the ending. I made myself finish it and wish I had stopped when I was halfway through the book and found myself bored to death.
Under Cover of the Night: A True Story of Sex, Greed and Murder by Diane Fanning 2 stars
I have always liked Diane Fanning's true crime books, but this one missed the mark for me. It is mostly word for word trial transcripts. Just when you think the trial is over but the book is only half done, guess what! Now there is word for word transcripts of the appeal, basically rehashing everything from the first trial. Nothing unusual about this case. Your average crazy husband kills wife story.
A House that someone was murdered in.
The Stranger Upstairs - Lisa M. Matlin - (Australia)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Paranormal
4.5★
“Want a great deal on a house? Buy one where someone was murdered!” From this first sentence you want to yell "NO! STOP! ARE YOU NUTS?", at the stupid determined to buy, buyer. Hasn't she ever read a paranormal or a mystery & suspense novel? Is Stephen King or Shirley Jackson a mystery to her? Evidently so...because she buys it lock, stock and barrel. From there on the story is an ever-accelerating rollercoaster ride. Lisa M. Matlin is a debut author that has created an excellent first novel. She has managed so well to drop one dizzying twist after another until all reality threatens to disintegrate...and what is left is an interesting and intriguing haunted-house tale. When we first meet therapist and social media diva, Sarah Slade, she has just taken on a whopper of a house-flipping challenge: Melbourne’s infamous Black Wood House. Sarah doesn’t seem to mind that the prior occupants perished in a grisly murder-suicide, or that her new neighbors would rather see the place burned to the ground and the ashes buried rather than ever see it sold and renovated, or any occupant to ever enter it. Sarah is NOT just the house’s next innocent victim. Behind her polished persona, you will find that Sarah carries some very disturbing secrets of her own. Just sit back, keep turning pages and keep your fingers crossed for poor disillusioned Sarah... and by no means place any of your hard-earned money betting on the outcome of this horrific matchup from hell. We, the reader, realize long before Sarah that she is losing the game against this house that is straight out of every classic gothic horror story ever written. The only question we can hope to find the answer for is who will prevail...and I think before the last page is read that we already know the answer. If you like psychological thrillers with a spooky atmosphere that even manages to deliver some dark humor, although it is with a mean streak.... you will like this book...a lot.
Haunted Woods- People Disappear.
It Waits in The Woods - Josh Malerman - (Michigan)
Narrator: Lauren Ezzo
Genera: Horror
5★
I believe that I have loved everything that Josh Malerman has ever written, including this one. It's a short story that has everything needed to be completely compelling. The author brings to life a story that feels complete and very well-rounded. The character of Brenda is outstanding. You understand her motivation, and there are some things about her parents that are just alluded to. After all, she does mention that her parents blamed her for her sister’s disappearance. Three years after the disappearance of her younger sister Amanda, Brenda, an aspiring filmmaker, decides to return to the woods where she disappeared. Everyone believes that Amanda was kidnapped, but after hearing about the local urban legend, Brenda wants to find proof of what took her sister. What makes this short story even more exciting is the urban legend of Opso and the bridge. Some like me may remember sneaking a book under the covers and reading late into the night, the stories like legend of Ospo that made the hairs on your arms stand up and goosebumps cover your body. Not to mention that the perfect campfire story is about something hiding in the forest, searching for something that it lost, threating anyone who stumbles across it with meeting some unspeakable fate. Most of this story weaves around Brenda’s search for closure of her sister’s disappearance. Her encounter in the forest begins slowly, with her search for the bridge, and once she finds it. This is where Lauren Ezzo wonderful narration abilities come into play. Her narration makes this novel delightfully extra frightening confronting those unknown nightmare things who go bump in the night. Or, more specifically in this case...the forest. As the book cover states, "Some campfire tales ring too true to ignore." The story is an eerie fun treat for horror fans. I couldn't help but think to myself, "what a movie this would make!"
Mod
American Dirt – Jennine Cummins – 4****
Lydia runs a bookstore in Acapulco. When her journalist husband publishes a profile of the head of the local drug cartel, their family is in the crosshairs. Lydia has to flee with her son, and there is no one she can truly trust. This is a gripping story. Lydia is an intelligent woman but she is not equipped with the street smarts for this journey. Luck and the kindness of a few strangers, plus her basic privilege (as a white, middle-class, educated woman with money in the bank), all serve her well. But I have some issues with the book.
LINK to my full review
Mod
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens – 3.5***
Decades ago, I read a children’s classic abridged version; I’ve also seen at least one of the film adaptations; I figured it was time to get to the original. It’s typical Dickens in that there are many characters and many hidden relationships between them, which will eventually be revealed and explain the seemingly “random” encounters. I enjoyed watching Pip mature from a child to a young man, and I loved his brother-in-law Joe Gargery. On the other hand, I thought Dickens gave too little attention to the women. Miss Havisham and Estella would be ideal main characters but were relegated to supporting roles.
LINK to my full review
The Running Grave -
- Robert Galbraith who is also J. K. RowlingA major part of the book takes place inside a cult - VERY scary with all kinds of mistreatment, gaslighting, punishments and control of bodies and minds.
Wow, this book of 34 hours audio took over my life and I was still sorry for it to end. I stayed up late listening and sneaked in as much time as I could during the day. It happened that I did the first book of the series on audio, and I was so impressed with the narrator that I've done them all that way. I am wary of books with dark themes (I have a rule of thumb to avoid books with the words "chilling" or "gripping" in the description) but I make an exception for this series. I also don't care about the author (who is of course J.K. Rowling) having some questionable views on some subjects. These books always draw me in and I enjoy all the details about the side cases, people's families, whatever.
This one gets very intense and I even dreamed about it. And it has a surprising ending. I hope the next one comes out soon! It's astounding how Rowling/Galbraith could have written in such very different styles and registers and be a huge success in both.
I am looking for recommendations of some other series that are as engaging. The only one I can think of is the Three Pines series by Louise Penny, which also has wonderfully complex characters/ But I have read all of those. So let me know if you have suggestions
The Hound of the Baskervilles. The Hound of the BaskervillesThe location where the crime took place is rumored to be haunted.
This was a really quick read with great atmosphere and vivid descriptions. The story is narrated by Watson who gives Holmes a condescending air. If arrogant characters bother you, the original Sherlock Holmes books are not your style. I would appreciate more detail so that the reader can try to figure out the mystery and follow Homes thought process throughout the case, but overall I tore through the book.
Being turned into a toad is pretty scary:)
Thornhedge - T. Kingfisher
Genera: Fantasy/Fairy Tale
4.5★
I know that words such as "beautiful" are not the words usually used to describe the darker corners of the fantasy world...however, that is what T. Kingfisher has done so well in this story. This is really a novella, a stunningly written novella. Though the story’s darkness is inescapable. Our heroine, Toadling.. is so sweet everyone feels that she should be protected at all costs. She is a changeling baby stolen at birth and raised by child-killing, flesh-eating, fish fey in fairyland. Now when you have absorbed that bit of fantasy and are still reading...you will be ready for the rest of the tale. This story makes a really good read for those who enjoy darker novels. You also have to be willing and capable of suspending your disbelief and just go with it. The author shows that, even with some very dark events in a short space of time, darkness is not absolutely overpowering. If you are a fan of this type of literature this story will tick all the boxes for dark and gritty, while throwing an imperfect protagonist into the mix. It exceptionally written, with some small pieces of escapism and can easily be read in one sitting and in just a couple of hours. I'm not a big fan of fantasy, and if it hadn't been that it fit a challenge category, I probably would never have picked it up...but it was worth the hour or so spent in Kingfisher's fairy world.
The Creeper - A.M. Shine - (Ireland)
Genera: Horror
3★
The atmosphere of this story makes you want to check over your own shoulder while reading. At first, I felt this novel was very similar The Watchers, also by this author, but then realized that only the premise is very much the same; someone or something constantly stalking the characters with no good intentions. If you’ve seen the movie "It Follows", that’s what the vibe is like. A relentless entity of impending evil without a real cause. Once again, the darkness is its realm, a temporary safety is alluded to during the daylight, which is a feature used in both of A.M. Shine's novels. The writing is excellent, with just the perfect balance of action, dialogue and description that keeps up a consistent pace to hold the readers interest throughout. Shine takes us back to Ireland with the remote setting as we follow the characters on an excursion to identify the folklore of an unknown incestuous tribe which has been hidden for over 200 years and frozen in time. The characters switch between an archaeologist, a historian and the strange, wealthy intellectual that has hired them. I wanted slightly more from The Creeper. There were many intriguing aspects mentioned but never really expanded much on. It was almost as though pieces of plot or the manuscript, had been cut out. This made the ending very abrupt leaving me asking myself "what happened"? I even checked to see if pages were missing. Perhaps it was done as a set-up for a third book...but it was confusing and disappointing.
Mod
Midnight Howl – Clare Hutton – 3.5***
This is the fifth entry in the Poison Apple series of middle-school books dealing with various paranormal phenomena. Each book can easily be read as a stand-alone work, however. I’m not a great fan of paranormal genre, but this one is light on the paranormal and focuses more on the relationships between the kids. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story. At its core, this is a story of friendship, loyalty and compassion.
LINK to my full review
Ghost stories in places that are already creepy feeling. 
3 stars
Colin Dickey gives you a good mixture of ghost story and history book. Just to name a few places he takes you to; houses, mansions, bars, brothels, asylums, parks, etc. that are found throughout the USA. Overall, I did not find the stories scary but a couple I did find to be a very creepy. Nice collection of haunted places and I would recommend to those who are into these types of books.
Not as scary as I had hoped...but still scary.
The Sallie House Haunting: A True Story - Debra Lyn Pickman - (Kansas)
Genera: True Story/Haunting/Horror
4★
This book was interesting, but really only scary if you were reading it on a dark night while alone in your house...but it was interesting. It doesn't really matter if you believe in ghost or not... if this is really happening, then there was at least one very active presence. I wish it had been written to voice Debra and Tony's experiences instead of just what Tony had experienced and his thoughts at the end. Also, the book said there were pictures but there were only two not very clear pictures in the entire book. I found a few...actually a very few, interesting comments about the house from people who had visited it that will share. I believe a lot of it was things these folks who had forked over a great deal of money to "investigate" or just to visit, brought in their own imaginations, hoping to find something to be true. "We walked in the door to a heavy feeling. We immediately went to open the basement door, where most of the activity seems to stem from. We hear footsteps going up the stairs above, but no one but us was in the house and we were all in the kitchen. From there it was a parade of shadows, equipment going off, voices, you name it." Then there are many more comments from people that saw it as an overpriced supposedly haunted "Disney World". The Sallie House was a huge disappointment. The main concern was people coming up and knocking on the doors and windows asking to come inside, or just popping up in a window and taking photos. There are not many blinds or curtains in the house. The house is on a busy street so all you see are car lights going around the rooms. In summer you will have the old AC unit making noise. We did not get any sense of anything out of place and was not scared nor did we have any strange feelings anywhere in the house. I honestly would recommend you NOT waste your money. The history of this house does not show at any time there being a little girl called "Sallie" in the house much less dying in the house. . It's a good Halloween story...but is it true? Who knows? As my Irish grandmother used to tell us as kids when we scared ourselves silly reading ghost stories..."I'm not sure if there are ghosts but I'm not looking to invite one to tea".
I know this isn't how this monthly topic was intended...but this whole idea presented in this book should scare us to death.
Lay Your Body Down Amy Suiter Clarke -(Minnesota)
Genera: Mystery/Thriller (this is how its library listed...I would call it propaganda with a big capital P)
2★
This can best be described as a cult-themed book, which I generally try to avoid at ll costs. So why am I reading this? First of all, it was recommended by a trusted friend and secondly my neighbor bought it, read it, and is still singing its praises. I found that Amy Suiter Clarke’s Lay Your Body Down is not the typical cult book. Somehow, she manages to toe the line between cult and the "mega-church gone haywire".... but it's still brain washing no matter what fancy names you give it. She cleverly raises the question, and has characters mention the word "cult" several times but leaves it to readers to decide for themselves. The Messiah, or “The Mess,” ...isn't that cuteness personified?), doesn’t immediately have all the markings of a traditional cult leader. The followers can attend college, but only colleges preferred by "The Mess". They can have contact with people and family that are not a part of "The Messiah".... but they are carefully and secretly monitored. So as far I could see the whole shebang had all the distinct characteristics of a cult where the members didn't question authority...they were told what they needed to know...with all the typical patriarchy structures. It takes a bit from another religion with the confessionals. I found out that in this religion it is called "Auditing". “The members here are so afraid of being shunned that they even started making up sins to please the elders. Frankly, in spite of it being an "eye-opener" about these groups...I spent the majority of the read saying "What is the matter with you people? Stop acting like little lab rats"!! Then I just became overly frustrated with them all and stopped reading.
Body found hanging in tree
- Land of WolvesThis book takes place at the end of winter/beginning of spring in the Wyoming high plains and mountains. So snow and ice remain an issue even when the rest of the country is warming up.
I deliberately skipped the previous book which takes place in Mexico, without most of the usual characters. It sounded very grim and (view spoiler). Now we are back home with Henry, Vic, Ruby and the rest. A body found hanging in a tree starts an investigation into a closed community of Basque landowners and shepherds. There is enough reference to the previous book that I was able to tell what happened without enduring it. As always in this series, there is a hint of magical realism, just enough that nobody is totally sure about it.
Mod
Rules Of Prey – John Sandford – 4****
There’s a serial killer on the loose in the Twin Cities. This is the first book in the Lucas Davenport series. He’s a lieutenant with the Minneapolis Police, and also a creator of computer games which have made him very wealthy. The “maddog” may be a very smart killer, but Davenport is smarter. Sandford is really skilled at writing a taut, suspenseful, psychological thriller. We always know the identity of the killer, so it’s not a typical mystery. But, boy oh boy, is this an exciting ride!
LINK to my full review
Mod
The Lifeboat – Charlotte Rogan – 3.5***
In the summer of 1914, newly married Grace Winter and her husband Henry, set sail from London back to America. But after an explosion aboard ship, Grace is hurried aboard a lifeboat that is over capacity. As days go by with no sign of rescue it becomes clear that not all (if any) will survive. Grace is not a completely reliable narrator. There are times when I felt Grace was a weak woman content to let the wind blow her where it will. And other times when I felt she was manipulative and scheming. But then again, we have only Grace’s word for what happened.
I have a fear of being scammed. This is a book about a scam artist. 
1 star
I just could not finish this book. I did not care for Scott Johnson's writing style and the story is lost in all the nonsense information and things that have very little to do with the crime. I got so lost on what was going I gave up. Sounded interesting but it is a nope for me.
Someone is leaving gruesome packages
Love and Monsters - Max Walker - (Georgia)
Book Club Boys series Book #1
Narrators: Simon Dornet & Javi Wilder
Genera: M/M Romance/Mystery
5★
I checked, and I have now read or listened to every book that Max Walker has thus far, pulled out of his head and put on paper...some of them more than once. This one, Love and Monsters, is the start of a new series..."The Book Club Boys". Like all of Max Walker's books, I absolutely loved it. The characters of Noah and Jake are so good together from the time that they first met. They are coworkers as well as friends. Noah is fairly sure that Jake is straight but is surprised and happy to learn that Jake is bi. Noah has a book club composed of friends that he has known all his life and knowing Noah's love of reading, he invites him to join the next book club meeting. While at the meeting a package is delivered to Noah’s neighbor instead of Noah's home. This starts the mystery. Noah is frightened to think that anyone would do this to him, and the police was less than enthused to be much help, so Jake invites Noah to spend the night at his house. Of course, we know that this will start what will bloom into a sweet romance. That there was ever going to be a romance was evident from this point on, but they didn't just kiss and fall into bed right away. I really liked that they instead, set out to get to know more about one another before sparks ignited too much. Noah was still receiving scary, unwanted "gifts" from who by now we knew to be a stalker. It was actually pretty late in the book before anything heavier took place between Noah and Jake but was well worth waiting for. The mystery was well done, and the secondary characters were hilarious. Max Walker dangled the " gift bearing stalker's" identity in front of us almost from the start, but I never made the right connection...but I know that I can't wait to read the next one.
Mod
At First Bite – Ruth Ames – 3***
This is part of the Poison Apple series for middle-school-aged readers. In this episode, the focus is on vampires. It's a fun, fast read. And like other books in the series, the focus is more on the relationships between the characters than on the paranormal aspects.
LINK to my full review
Grab a Book & Play Booktivity!
Books mentioned in this topic
At First Bite (other topics)Love & Monsters (other topics)
The Con Queen of Hollywood: The Hunt for an Evil Genius (other topics)
The Lifeboat (other topics)
Rules Of Prey (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Robert Galbraith (other topics)Keigo Higashino (other topics)
Here's the place to share your opinions / reactions / recommendations.
Our October 2023 theme is:
* Something on the cover or a scene in the book that creeps you out, scares you or you have a fear of. (nominated by SouthWestZippy)
Happy reading!
.