This was probably the best Halloween I've ever had in a long time, and it was the first time I really got into the spirit. I even spent the week of reading Halloween-themed or spooky books. I'm here to give my thoughts on the books I read this Halloween season, and others that I'd recommend for next year, or if you don't want to lose that spooky spirit.
Bird Box:
This book is INSANE. My hat is off to Josh Malerman for building suspense so well, and for piquing my interest. I devoured this book in 3 1/2 hours, staying up until 1 AM to do so. The premise is unique and suspenseful- Malorie must navigate Detroit to safety with two children while the world is plagued by creatures that drive you insane when you see them. Malerman truly grasped the concept that your imagination can always conjure the most frightening monsters to you. Scary movies are scariest when you don't know what's hunting the characters- until they reveal the monster.
Yes, there are some unanswered questions and small plot holes, but I didn't care because I was driven by one thing and one thing only- the need to reach the end. The alternating narrative between the present and the past keeps you on your toes and switches up the pacing, so that overuse of suspense numbs you. I would highly recommend this book: 5/5 stars
The Name of the Star:
This YA paranormal novel was problematic for me, but it has gotten excellent reviews otherwise. Rory leaves Alabama to go to boarding school in London, which has recently seen some murders committed in the same style as Jack the Ripper. Rory gets involved, and now she and her new acquaintances must figure out who's killing these people and how to stop him/her.
I had a hard time getting into the story because of underdeveloped and annoying characters, obvious hints and plot holes, but about 100 pages in, I started to get sucked into the story. Something exciting happened and the book finally switched focus from boarding school to catching the murderer. Before I knew it, it was 2 am and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The antagonist was frightening, the scenes were suspenseful and thrilling, and even though I knew they were going to win, I wanted to know how. I might recommend this novel to certain YA lovers, but it wouldn't be my first choice. 3/5 stars
Anna Dressed in Blood:
Cas Lowood kills ghosts, like his father did until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Cas, his mom and their cat go to Thunder Bay, Canada to kill Anna Dressed in Blood, a ghost who kills anyone who enters her home. But she spares Cas' life- why?
I can understand the mixed reviews, but I liked this YA novel a lot. The story had fun characters and focused on the main point of the story- Anna. Sure, the book had some classic paranormal YA tropes: the cocky main male, the weird names, a little romance, the loss of a parent, etc. But this book stretched beyond that. There was real suspense and tension, and though there were about four endings this book could've had, you weren't quite sure which one it was going to be. I loved the humor and pop culture references-this is not a humorous book, but it doesn't feel angsty. It also felt different due to the violence, a bit of gore, and swearing. The writing is beautiful, and the descriptions
compliment the scenes. I would recommend this book: 4/5 stars
Rosemary's Baby:
When Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse move into a New York City apartment, an elderly neighbor couple and their bizarre group of friends have taken a disturbing interest in them. Rosemary starts to become suspicious, but it may be too late.
The fact that I already knew the entire premise and how the book ends (sort of), did not matter one bit. The ending or the hidden truth isn't what makes this book great; it's the general feeling of paranoia. I spent half the book paranoid that Rosemary is in the midst of an evil conspiracy, and the other half paranoid that I was just being paranoid. IT'S INSANE. Levin does a fantastic job of keeping you in the dark, wondering if the plotting is actually happening or if you are going crazy, interpreting coincidences as truth.
This YA paranormal novel was problematic for me, but it has gotten excellent reviews otherwise. Rory leaves Alabama to go to boarding school in London, which has recently seen some murders committed in the same style as Jack the Ripper. Rory gets involved, and now she and her new acquaintances must figure out who's killing these people and how to stop him/her.
I had a hard time getting into the story because of underdeveloped and annoying characters, obvious hints and plot holes, but about 100 pages in, I started to get sucked into the story. Something exciting happened and the book finally switched focus from boarding school to catching the murderer. Before I knew it, it was 2 am and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The antagonist was frightening, the scenes were suspenseful and thrilling, and even though I knew they were going to win, I wanted to know how. I might recommend this novel to certain YA lovers, but it wouldn't be my first choice. 3/5 stars
Anna Dressed in Blood:
Cas Lowood kills ghosts, like his father did until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Cas, his mom and their cat go to Thunder Bay, Canada to kill Anna Dressed in Blood, a ghost who kills anyone who enters her home. But she spares Cas' life- why?
I can understand the mixed reviews, but I liked this YA novel a lot. The story had fun characters and focused on the main point of the story- Anna. Sure, the book had some classic paranormal YA tropes: the cocky main male, the weird names, a little romance, the loss of a parent, etc. But this book stretched beyond that. There was real suspense and tension, and though there were about four endings this book could've had, you weren't quite sure which one it was going to be. I loved the humor and pop culture references-this is not a humorous book, but it doesn't feel angsty. It also felt different due to the violence, a bit of gore, and swearing. The writing is beautiful, and the descriptions
compliment the scenes. I would recommend this book: 4/5 stars
Rosemary's Baby:
When Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse move into a New York City apartment, an elderly neighbor couple and their bizarre group of friends have taken a disturbing interest in them. Rosemary starts to become suspicious, but it may be too late.
The fact that I already knew the entire premise and how the book ends (sort of), did not matter one bit. The ending or the hidden truth isn't what makes this book great; it's the general feeling of paranoia. I spent half the book paranoid that Rosemary is in the midst of an evil conspiracy, and the other half paranoid that I was just being paranoid. IT'S INSANE. Levin does a fantastic job of keeping you in the dark, wondering if the plotting is actually happening or if you are going crazy, interpreting coincidences as truth.
If you like the author jerking your mental health around, or if you were a fan of Gone Girl because you didn't quite know what to think, then I would highly recommend this. 5/5 stars
Those were the books I read to put myself in the Halloween mood! I started to read Dracula, but kept falling asleep. That could be because I tried reading it in the evening, and it's slower than some of the other suspenseful and fast- paced novels I read, but either way, I'll keep trying.
There are some other books I would recommend, ones that I didn't read this Halloween, but I still think they still fit the bill.
There are some other books I would recommend, ones that I didn't read this Halloween, but I still think they still fit the bill.
- The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes: a time travelling serial killer in Chicago is now being hunted... by one of his attempted victims. Though the characters were a little under developed, I still found the premise to be interesting and the tension to be fantastic, not to mention one of the most twisted, yet fascinating, serial killers.
- The Shining by Stephen King: this classic features Jack Torrance and his wife and 5-year-old son moving into the mountains so Jack can serve as caretaker of a hotel in the winter months. There's evil in the hotel, and it's taking control of Jack... This one is definitely spooky, even scarier than the movie, and there's a good reason it's remained in our minds. Pet Sematary and Carrie were both good scary reads as well.
- Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion: 'R' is a zombie with few memories left, but with more than a shred of humanity. When he chooses to save and not to eat Julie, his non-life changes more than he could imagine. This one is more philosophical (what does it mean to be human?), but it has an interesting take on zombies and post-apocalyptic worlds. The movie's a lot of fun, too.
- I Am Legend by Richard Matheson: In this classic novel (which the movie barely resembles), Robert Neville spends his days killing sleeping vampires and fortifying his home. If you've seen the movie, it's much different from the book, down to its essence. It's an interesting read, nonetheless.
Happy reading!
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