I was supposed to read this with my grandson Aeverie for Read Your E-reader, but we never got around to it while he was here, so I went ahead and got to it. This is a middle grade book, and it was very fun. It covered several of the challenges for this read-a-thon.
SynopsisOn a sunny autumn day brother and sister James and Mandy head to the pumpkin patch with their friendly dog, Rosco, to choose a pumpkin for Halloween. While riding a hay wagon, visiting a petting zoo, and joining the kids on a scavenger hunt, Rosco sometimes makes mischief. But when the kids find trouble deep inside the corn maze, will Rosco shape up and help out? Join the kids and their rascally dog for fun and adventure in Rosco The Rascal Visits The Pumpkin Patch.
This was a really cute fall/Halloween read that anyone can enjoy. Even on the kindle it did have some really cute illustrations. It had a very fun plotline and some great characters. It was a very fast paced read that was really enjoyable.
I wanted to get this book read since I have had it for a pretty long time, and I had heard pretty good things about it. So I decided to read it for this Year's Spook Season and I still needed a 'G' for the A-Z challenge. I thought it would serve a purpose for me this year so I got it read. I have to say though, this book was just ok for me.
SynopsisAfter the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.
Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family...
Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.
Don't let the synopsis fool you like it did me. The first keywords for me to pick up this book were 'grisly murder'. Well I barely even caught that his family was murdered. I even went back and reread that part so I could understand better what had happened and why Bod was in the graveyard in the first place. That part of the story almost just felt kind of nonchalant to me. Like ho hum so what. I was hoping there would much more excitement as the book went on, that there would be a lot of adventures for Bod and I really just did not get that. I do feel like the author is a decent writer, I just don't think this book was for me. It did pick up at the very end of the book, it became a little more exciting, but it was pretty much a page to late.
The characters were pretty good. I liked most of them and they all served a purpose. I remember thinking that Bid has to be a pretty tough character living in a graveyard his whole young life. I never really understood what type of being Silas was though, I did not find that to be very clear, unless of course I missed it. I did like his character though and I found that this book was more character driven than it was plot driven.
All I can say about recommending this book is just pick it up and decide for yourself what you think of it. Maybe it will be more for you than it was for me. I just did not get into it is all. It is definitely directed towards younger audiences as well.
I read this book for one of the challenges for the Read Your E-Reader read-a-thon. It is a great YA paranormal horror story. I love stories about ghosts, and this one sure did fit the bill. So glad I got the chance to read it and I am anxious to continue with the story. For a free kindle book it was definitely worth the read.
SynopsisCherry blossom lipstick: check
Smokey eyes: check
Skinny jeans: check
Dead kid in the mirror: check
For sixteen year old Mattie Hathaway, this is her normal everyday routine. She’s been able to see ghosts since her mother tried to murder her when she was five years old. No way does she want anyone to know she can talk to spooks. Being a foster kid is hard enough without being labeled a freak too.
Normally, she just ignores the ghosts and they go away. That is until she see’s the ghost of her foster sister… Sally.
Everyone thinks Sally’s just another runaway, but Mattie knows the truth—she’s dead. Murdered. Mattie feels like she has to help Sally, but she can’t do it alone. Against her better judgment, she teams up with a young policeman, Officer Dan, and together they set out to discover the real truth behind Sally’s disappearance.
Only to find out she’s dealing with a much bigger problem, a serial killer, and she may be the next victim…
Will Mattie be able to find out the truth before the killer finds her?
Wow I loved the plot to this story so much. It had just the right pacing to keep it exciting. I thought that it was so original. I felt like I was in the middle of everything while I read this. The imagery is fantastic, it makes everything feel so real and that is great storytelling. It is chock full of terror and creepiness and is sure to please fans of paranormal horror. No sugar coating anything in this book. There are some pretty disturbing parts in the story, so if you don't like descriptive horror, you may wanna stay away from this one.
The characters are pretty good. I loved all of them for whatever part they were playing. I have to say that I loved Mattie the most. She is snarky and sarcastic, but not to the point of not liking her. She is also very strong and bullheaded. There was one thing that bothered me about her though and that was the way she had to over analyze everything. I know that this is part of her character and I just had to deal with that part of it. Otherwise I think she was fantastic.
I have to recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal horror, and to those who are looking for good ghost stories for this spook season. I would love to see this as a movie. I think they could do a lot with it and make it amazing. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and I will be looking for them in physical form soon.
I read this book for the Read Your E-reader read-a-thon. I have had it for a little while and decided it would be great for this. I did not know what to expect since this is a first time read of this author, but knowing it was a horror was a definite plus for me.
Synopsis'A loud bang was heard from above, scaring the boys. They shined their lights up the stairwell. The sounds of chains rattling on the floor stirred the dust above. Something or someone was up there. Doug, hiding his fear, took a couple of more steps up. Brandon and Kyle looked at him, their feet locked in place. They had no intention of going any further.’
A tale of horror with a twist of the Twilight Zone. The old, abandoned Saint Vincent Hospital is said to be haunted by the ghost of David Henry Coleman, the notorious serial killer, known as The Mangler. Coleman died on the fourth floor after being shot by police. For the three Jr. High boys, their curiosity gets the best of them as they explore the old hospital, despite ‘Old Man’ Jake’s warning. No one knew of Jake’s dark connection to the killer and the hospital. And now, on the anniversary of The Mangler’s death, a group of high school kids are planning a private party on the haunted fourth floor. Jake must keep everyone out and protect them from the true evil that lurks on Floor Four.
I absolutely loved the plot of this story, mainly because it was a horror story that surrounded the death of a serial killer who was pretty much haunting an old abandoned hospital. The writing was not the best I have ever read, but it was doable. It had great pacing so it did flow very well so it made it a very quick read. For the most part it was an interesting tale. There were some creepy parts and also I found it to be somewhat trippy as well, so you did not realize what was actually real and what was not. I think that added to the story, but may be annoying to some readers.
The characters were ok I guess, I did not really relate to any of them. David Henry Coleman otherwise known as 'The Mangler', our serial killer in question was an interesting character, but I didn't really feel like I found out why he was like he was, so that is a big chunk missing to the story. I really wanted to know more about it and just did not get that.
This book is definitely a plot driven book rather than a character driven plot. I feel like the author could have done a lot more with the story. It is worth the read though since there are plenty of creepy parts to the story along with the trippy parts as well.
It has been at least 15 years since I had first read this book. I decided to read this as a buddy read with a good friend. I knew that I had enjoyed this book before even though there were some parts of it that I did not remember. I have to say, I enjoyed it as much this time around and I did the first time I read it.
SynopsisSomething strange is going on in Jerusalem's Lot ... but no one dares to talk about it. By day, 'Salem's Lot is a typical modest New England town; but when the sun goes down, evil roams the earth. The devilishly sweet insistent laughter of a child can be heard echoing through the fields, and the presence of silent looming spirits can be felt lurking right outside your window. Stephen King brings his gruesome imagination to life in this tale of spine-tingling horror.
You have to love the plot of this story with a small town setting, a creepy house on top of a hill that no one likes, and then to be over run by vampires. What more could you ask for? Plenty of thrills and chills with this book that will keep you glued to the pages. Now if you are a King fan then you can actually deal with, and get through, the wordiness of this book. King sets up a great town and characters, but you must be patient because everything is described with very in depth details. For the most part I do enjoy that part of King's writing because it is pretty much a guarantee that one, you will know the town and who lives there, and two, you will never forget the story or the characters.
I have to say that there was a great number of characters that I loved in this story and will remember for a very long time. So well developed and so believable. I was able to relate with a lot of them. These are the type of characters that you would most definitely find in a small town, the type you could see yourself sitting down to lunch with. I do have to say that 2 of my very favorites were Ben and Mark. I feel like they went through the most together. There is a very large cast of characters in this book, so it may take some time to wrap your mind around them all, but you will love them for who they are.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves horror stories, or even if you love vampire stories, and most definitely to those who are King fans and have not yet read this book. It is very deserving of the 5 stars I am giving it. Such a great read for Spook Season!
I had this book for a very long time and I was very excited to be able to choose it for a Spook season read. I found that I was pretty disappointed in the story telling, the plot and the characters. This is a first time read for this author and will probably be the last.
SynopsisRamsey Campbell’s daring look into the mind of a psychotic killer was published in truncated form in 1979; an expanded edition was later published in 1982. The paranoid outlook of the book's main character, Horridge, is a grim commentary on a bleak Liverpool suburb and Thatcher-era England. Millipede Press is proud to present this masterpiece of paranoia literature in a brand new edition, with the corrected text by Campbell and the compelling photographs of J.K. Potter.
Ramsey Campbell is Britain's most respected living horror writer. He has been given more awards than any other writer in the field, including the Grand Master Award of the World Horror Convention and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Horror Writers Association, as well as numerous World Fantasy Awards.
I thought the plot of this story would be much more than it was. I expected that this would be an exciting psychological thriller but actually I found that the story was really just all over the place which made it quite confusing at times. There were parts that really grabbed my attention, but the slow and confusing parts far outweighed those parts that were appealing. I also found that the main storyline seemed to be put back on the back burner while other parts of the story were more in the forefront. I wanted to read about a maniacal killer, not a relationship between two messed up characters. This lead to parts of the story that I found were unnecessary.
The characters were just boring. I found that there was no connection for me with any of them. They did not have any development at all. Horridge the main character, who I expected to be chilling, creepy and beyond evil, was really just a guy who was confused, indecisive and mundane. I kept expecting him to turn into this psychotic serial killer, and never really got that from him. He was not a nice guy by any means, but he was a far cry from malevolent.
I really can't recommend this book to anyone since it was such a disappointment to me. I expected one thing and got something totally different. The reason it even got 2 stars was because I did really enjoy the illustrations by J.K. Potter. If the story would have been as good as the pictures it would have been a 5 star read.
I read this book for a Goosebumps read along that a friend on booktube was hosting. I could not get ahold of the other 2 books, but was happy to find this one. This is #4 of The Classic Goosebumps. This is a first time read for me of this author and this is a middle grade book/series.
SynopsisSomething scary is happening in GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND, the all-new, all-terrifying series by R. L. Stine. Just how scary? You'll never know unless you crack open this classic prequel!
Carly Beth thinks she's found the best Halloween mask ever. With yellow-green skin and long animal fangs, the mask terrifies the entire neighborhood. Before long, it has a surprising effect on Carly Beth, too. She tries to take it off . . . but it won't budge!
Halloween is almost over, but fright night is just beginning.
Now with all-new bonus materials!
I think this would be a pretty scary read for most Middle Graders. It has really good flow to it, lots of adventure, and also it has great pacing. I did however find it to be somewhat predictable, but then again I am an adult. Most middle graders would probably not find it to be so predictable. It was a very quick read with quite the cliffhanger at the end which is one of the parts that I found to be somewhat predictable.
The characters are fun in this story, and since this is a series I would think that they are developing more with each book that comes in the series. I think young readers will be able to connect with these characters pretty easily. You have your smart young lady, an awkward young girl and two boys who of course are tough guys. Each of them fit perfectly in the story.
After reading this story I feel like I would like to explore R.L. Stine a little more with some different series that he has wrote. I recommend this to anyone really. Even if you don't read middle grade, this is a cute Halloween story to share with your kids. Happy Spook Season!
I have been trying to catch up on my A-Z challenge for the year and chose this one for M. I love Harlan Coben's writing a lot so this was a real treat for me since it has been awhile for me reading one of his books.
SynopsisIt's a profile, like all the others on the online dating site. But as NYPD Detective Kat Donovan focuses on the accompanying picture, she feels her whole world explode, as emotions she’s ignored for decades come crashing down on her. Staring back at her is her ex-fiancé Jeff, the man who shattered her heart—and who she hasn’t seen in 18 years.
Kat feels a spark, wondering if this might be the moment when past tragedies recede and a new world opens up to her. But when she reaches out to the man in the profile, her reawakened hope quickly darkens into suspicion and then terror as an unspeakable conspiracy comes to light, in which monsters prey upon the most vulnerable.
As the body count mounts and Kat's hope for a second chance with Jeff grows more and more elusive, she is consumed by an investigation that challenges her feelings about everyone she ever loved—her former fiancé, her mother, and even her father, whose cruel murder so long ago has never been fully explained. With lives on the line, including her own, Kat must venture deeper into the darkness than she ever has before, and discover if she has the strength to survive what she finds there.
I really liked the plot to this story with the online dating spin. I found it to be very fluid and easy to follow but would have liked it to be a bit faster paced. I also thought there was a lot of good mystery to the story. There are 3 separate stories running in this one, but I found it to be easy to follow all of them. On the down side I found it to be a bit predictable, but not over the top. A couple of twists to enjoy in this one as well.
I think the characters were well developed and pretty realistic. I could really relate to Kat. I thought she was a strong female protagonist and I like how she does not just lay down in the face of fear. She does not let anyone get the better of her. At times though, it seemed like things were a bit too easy for her, not many challenges and that kind of makes the story lack that certain excitement when our protagonists have to fight for every inch.
I do recommend this book to any one who is a Coben fan. It is definitely worth the read. I just would have liked it to be a bit faster paced and a little more adrenalin pumping action, but other than that it was a great story. I am giving this book a 3.5 stars.
This is book #4 in the Grant County series. I am reading this series as a read along with a few of my friends. I am about one book behind though. I will catch up. Not enjoying this series as much as the Will Trent series, but definitely worth the read.
Synopsis
An officer is shot point-blank in the Grant County police station and police chief Jeffrey Tolliver is wounded, setting off a terrifying hostage situation with medical examiner Sara Linton at the center. Working outside the station, Lena Adams, newly reinstated to the force, and Frank Wallace, Jeffrey's second in command, must try to piece together who the shooter is and how to rescue their friends before Jeffrey dies. For the sins of the past have caught up with Sara and Jeffrey -- with a vengeance.
I think that with this book, we see the growth of Karin Slaughter in her writing. This books has 2 different time lines going in it which was a little annoying to me. I found it somewhat distracting but not so much that it took away from the story. It does help readers to learn a bit more about Jeffrey and Sara and their lives together. The story does start off with a bang and hooks readers from the start. It has great pacing and of course good imagery.
The characters are pretty well developed. Of course I love Sara, but in earlier books Jeffrey really rubs me the wrong way, in this one he is a little better, I think mainly because I am learning more about him, where he comes from and I am beginning to understand who he is and what he has went through in his life so far. I do however know what is coming with Jeffrey because I was spoiled by reading The Will Trent series first.
This is definitely a book/series I can recommend to other mystery/thriller fans, just be sure to read this series first before reading Will Trent series. I look forward to moving on in this series and seeing how everything comes together. Great read.
