book reviews
Book reviews for horror fans; weather a sleepless night with literary accounts of hauntings, possessions, zombies, vampires and beyond.
Stephen King's Dreamcatcher - Looking past the Sh*t-Weasels
“Jesus-Christ-bananas, The Beav said. Pete had once made a list of Beav-isms, and Jesus-Christ-bananas was high on it. Along with such standbys as doodlyfuck and kiss my bender.” (King, Stephen. Dreamcatcher: a Novel. Scribner, 2001.) Does that sound like a quote from a familiar classic novel? A literature masterpiece, perhaps? Well, of course it doesn’t. Rather that quote comes from the mouth of Pete Moore as he muses on the fellow-character they like to call; Beaver, in Stephen King’s ‘Dreamcatcher’. King is an extremely popular writer whose body of work is widely known as large & daunting. Among his total of around 63 books is that title 'the average-reader’ might not recognize. With such a large variety of work, it comes as no surprise that ‘Dreamcatcher’ seems to have been overshadowed by some of King’s more hit classics. How well could a book about aliens eating their way out of people in….a distressing way (to be discussed later) do when paired against ‘The Shining’, ‘The Stand’ or ‘IT’ (And both of those titles concern Derry, Maine)? The answer is pretty poorly in the eyes of most Stephen King fans & followers. ‘Dreamcatcher’ is often ranked at the bottom of King lists (both book & movie adaptation). While the novel isn’t immune to problems, ‘Dreamcatcher’ is actually a secret little gem among King’s body of work. The novel expresses the classic King trope of following a group of old childhood friends in an endearingly familiar yet new way. Which inherently gives the reader one of the most important pulls to a book; genuine care for the fictional characters. And that is very beneficial considering the story itself is founded in body horror that is actually effectively creepy. From this creatively creepy story, there are just so many odd details that really enhance the story in a genuinely charming way. This is a Stephen King book that is truly unique. It’s time to take a deep-dive into the reasons why the novel is underrated yet also explain the reason why everyone hates it for the wrong reason while ignoring the completely valid reason to hate it, which is seemingly it’s own unpopular opinion.
By Jaime Burbatt6 years ago in Horror
My Favorite Horror/Spooky Books and Stories
It’s midwinter, which means it’s time to curl up with a good book. For me, this often means curling up with something spooky or scary. While the Autumn months are my favorite in terms of coziness and spooks, there is something about the dark of Winter that makes me want some darker spooks. If you also like to be spooked in the Winter months, or if you’re just looking for something a little more thrilling, here is a list of my favorite spooky books, stories, and authors so far (have I said “spooky” enough yet?).
By Abby Siegel6 years ago in Horror
Reed Alexander's Literary Review of 'The Parasite from Proto-Space' by Brett Petersen
I knew I was going to like this when it started out with some random douchebag mumbling nonsense, whacked out on a cocktail of drugs. Specifically ketamine, fentanyl, and crack. For sure, that would likely kill the most hard core drug addict, but it sounds like a wild ride down a short rabbit hole.
By Reed Alexander6 years ago in Horror
Top Five Junji Ito Stories
Junji Ito is hailed as one of the innovators for different takes on the idea of horror. He had made several stories over the last thirty years to present the abnormal ways anyone or anything can be a threat. From grease, balloons, or a shape. He's been the one to change our viewpoint on an average item or routine. And keep our lights on at night. My list will be ten of the stories that have changed my perspective as well as what still shakes me to my core. This list will not have what I believe is the scariest to downgrade other stories he's done. It's an equal list of eerie.
By Samantha Parrish6 years ago in Horror
Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey (Book Review)
Just before Christmas I did what I usually do. Scour Amazon (UK) for new books, DVDs, Signed CDs, or whatever takes my fancy. This year was difficult. Having already spent what felt like a small fortune on books; hardbacks, limited editions signed copies, self published, traditionally published and secondhand. I was looking to pick up a few on the cheap. (Greatest achievement was a hardback at £0.88, and a very well reviewed crime thriller from J.D Robb for £1.30).
By Tom Sturtridge6 years ago in Horror
Reed Alexander's Horror Review of 'The Configuration Discordant' by John Baltisberger (2020)
I don’t normally do poetry. Like your typical ‘cain wagger,’ I don’t get it, and I’m not sure I even want it. If you’re going to ryme or rap, fucking throw a beat behind it.
By Reed Alexander6 years ago in Horror
'Magpie' - Sophie Draper (Book Review)
Magpie marks author Sophie Draper's second novel. Her first novel (Cuckoo) being a critical success and a worthy addition to any psychological thriller genre fan. Following on in those footsteps, Magpie marks a return to the psychological genre, but with a focus on suspense rather than being a thriller. This marks a nice distinction between the two books (as both being named after birds with a similar font and cover, I wouldn't blame you if you thought they were part of a series).
By Tom Sturtridge6 years ago in Horror
Sophie Draper - 'Cuckoo' (Book Review)
Despite being released to largely positive reception in late November 2018, I only came across this book by accident. Scrolling through AmazonUK looking for new books, or anything that took my fancy. Down to £2 for the paperback delivered to my door, I thought why the hell not.
By Tom Sturtridge6 years ago in Horror
The Greatest Ghost Stories Ever Written
Ghost stories are often called some of the scariest pieces of writing of all time, and they make up a great majority of the horror genre. Written from the beginning of literature onwards, people have always been interested in the movements of those who are already gone and have written many stories for and about them. Some are based on real experiences, some are completely fictitious (well, you better hope they are) and some have grounding in historical or fantastical realities.
By Annie Kapur6 years ago in Horror
Stephen King's 'Doctor Sleep'
Stephen King's Doctor Sleep: A Book Review "Dig if you will, this picture..." (Prince—"When Doves Cry") A loner with amazing powers but a dark and tragic past finds himself the unlikely mentor and protector of a young girl with powers similar to his own. Now he is in a race against time to fend off an evil organization who wants the girl and others like her for their own nefarious ends.
By Michael Bauch6 years ago in Horror
100 Horror Books to Read for the Halloween Season
Halloween is right around the corner and, with the holiday season presenting many spooks, I think it’s good to remember the literature that can also scare the living hell out of us too. There are many ways I like to celebrate Halloween, and one of them is by reading and re-reading some of my favourite scary reads on the way up to the special day. Others ways I like to celebrate are watching scary films and making some seasonal bakes such as things pumpkin flavoured and biscuits normally containing dark chocolate, raisins and toasted nuts. I’ve always been a big fanatic of Halloween because I love dressing up even if I’m not going anywhere. I like to make cookies and give them creepy aspects. Last year, I made my brother a cookie shaped and decorated like the Slenderman. Anyways, this list is meant to be a bit of fun, so we’ll go through one hundred books you can read to celebrate this holiday season. I’ll talk about ones that are particularly special to me. Before you ask, I only ever include books I’ve actually read myself in lists like this, so you can talk to me about any one of them if you’re having a hard time choosing (I don’t blame you because they’re all so good). I’ll mark some of my favourites with a (*) as well, so make sure you look out for them! Oh, and lastly, these books are in no particular order either.
By Annie Kapur6 years ago in Horror
