There was a decent number of stories in this anthology that
felt more science fiction less than horror. I’m not saying that it is a bad
thing but if you are looking for a pure horror anthology, I would look elsewhere.
My two favorite stories were Don’t Play in the Closet by David Worn and Crickets
by Solomon Forse. If you are a fan of survival science fiction, you might like
this better than I did. I want to thank Netgalley for the ARC. 3 out of 5
stars.
Doctor Stephen Swain and his daughter, Holly, get
transported to the New York Public Library by an unknown force to be a part of
a contest that has a very simple premise for the night, be the last one alive
of the seven contestants. If you are a fan of action movies or books I highly
recommend this book. It is a fast-paced story with contestants that are unique
and memorable. The battles that the contestants have keeps the reader engaged
and the setting for the contest is one I just love. 4 out of 5 stars.
This book is one of the rare instances where I like first
person point of view in books. Jack is a gas station worker who deals with some
really weird stuff, think what you would see in a stand-alone episode of the
X-Files. The absurd things that happen in this book is humorous yet mysterious
enough to keep you reading to see what is going to happen next and what exactly
is going on. The book feels like what would happen if Clerks had a crossover
with the X-Files. I look forward to reading more of the series and see where
the books take the reader next. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Here is another review for an educational children's book. This book on its own would make a good reed for young
elementary school students who like robots and dream of having one as a friend.
On top of that it offers readers tips on how to self-regulate when their
emotions seem to be getting the better of them. At the end of the book the author
also provides a qr code for readers to partake in more activities that are
related to emotional regulation. This book would make a good addition to a classroom
or personal library. 5 out of 5 stars.
On New Year’s Eve of 1999 three murders happen at a
Blockbuster. Fifteen years later a similar crime happens at an ice cream shop. Both
victims work to find out who was responsible for the murders. The story was
very reminiscent to one of the Scream movies, minus the Ghostface costume. The
characters are well written and have distinct personalities from each other.
The story is well written and keeps moving forward at a decent pace. I did find
the book very predictable though, but it was well written and paced that I
continued to see if I was right. 3 out of 5 stars.
Several years have passed since the events of Birdbox. The
kids are older and so is Malorie. The world has gone on with the creatures
still present and as dangerous as ever. While birdbox was a more suspenseful
story, Malorie has a more adventure like feel to it. I feel it was not as
strong nor did it leave me reading late into the night, it is a solid sequel. There
were parts that seem like a cheap work around but it was still a good read. 3.5
out of 5 stars.
I am not a huge fan of reading fantasy because I have trouble
with some of the fantasy terms used that are understood by fans but not really
explained to new readers (I get it though it would bog a book down to define each
fantasy term). However, the name and description of the book intrigued me
enough to want to read an advanced copy of this short story. The action is well
written and reminded me of some of the action from the Castlevania Netflix show
and the stories of Solomon Kane. The short story did not flesh out the
Character Malfus since he had little interaction with other people, so I am
unsure if he will be a character I care for or one that I will find annoying
after a few chapters. I am adding the full story on my to-read list but not
sure if it will jump to the top of the pile. 4 out of 5 stars.
Birdbox does a lot of things right in the way I love reading
stories. The horror in the book that is making people go insane when they view
it, the mysterious things are teased but never shown, leaving it up to the
reader to imagine what it could be. In this way the reader almost feels like
they are blindfold as well to the horror that is in book. The characters in the
book, for the most part, are given enough backstory and personality to care
about them while a couple were not as fleshed out so I felt no connection to
them. There is enough mystery and suspense to keep the readers engaged to
continue reading. I’m not a huge fan of books that jump from then and now time
periods, but this book does it in a right way that I looked forward to the next
time it would shift time periods because I was invested on what happened before
and what will happen in the now. 4.5 out of 5 stars
Here is another book aimed at younger readers that I am reviewing. I am thinking of continuing to rate books that parents and teachers can buy for their children and placing their reviews on some weekends separate from my usual reviews. This chapter book is packed full of interesting information
that I can see many middle-aged elementary students would enjoy. On top of that
the pictures and illustrations of the creatures are a bonus companion to those
facts. The book does not try to dumb things down for readers. It would make a
good addition to a student’s personal library or an educator’s classroom library.
5 out of 5 stars.
