The October Film Haunt
The October Film Haunt is eerie, gripping, dark, chilling, mysterious, and riveting. I had both the book and the audiobook and found the narration of the audiobook did a fantastic job of bring this book to life! This book blurs reality, fiction, horror, obsession, and the supernatural brilliantly. The October Film Haunt was made up of a group of hard-core horror film enthusiasts who had a popular online group following. The members, Jorie, Beth and Colin, would go to the locations where horror movies where being filmed. Of course they would go to the filming of . Proof of Demons the most scary and chilling cult horror movie ever made by Hélène Enriquez. But that night everything in the graveyard changed…. Now Jorie and her young son live a very quiet and isolated life in Vermont. When she receives a VHS tape in the mail, it is a horrific and anxiety provoking blast from the past. The VHS leaves her feeling unsettled and feeling as if she is being filmed. Is Hélène Enriquez making a sequel to Proof of Demons? Is Jorie an unexpected and unwilling participant in the film? This is a unique book which is eerie, unsettling, and had me wondering what was real and what was not. I enjoyed this look at obsession, fans, horror, and cult movies. I enjoyed the chilling and atmospheric feel of this book. I also enjoyed the tension and dread in this book. I thought the author also did a great job showing the increasing dread and anxiety in Jorie. This book wont be for everyone but it was for me! I enjoyed how this book was told using various forms of media. I am seeing a trend of this in books. Often it works very well but sometimes it does not. It did work in this book.
The Midnight Knock
Welp! I thought I would love this one about strangers who come together at the Brake Inn Motel, an isolated motel in Texas. I loved the ‘trapped’ feeling in books and this book fit that bill. Strangers who come to a remote motel who find that they are repeating the same day repeatedly (think Groundhog Day). They are all fleeing something. They all have things in their past they would rather no one else know. They are drawn to this motel at the base of a mammoth mountain but why??????? When a woman turns up dead, things become more tense and questions swirl through the air. I feel as if I read a different book from everyone else. I found this book to be too slow, and I hate to say this but boring. I wanted something to happen and even when it did, it failed to impress me. Mostly because it took too long to get there. What did work was the feeling of isolation, tension, and atmosphere in this book. I could feel the remoteness and the sense of unease. Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Dead of Summer
Eerie, creepy, atmospheric, mysterious, and horrific! The Dead of Summer is a YA horror book which takes place on Anchor’s Mercy, an island off the Maine Coast. Anchor’s Mercy is a haven for drag queens, locals and tourists! It sounds like a lovely place to visit except for the fact that the locals seem to get sick…. Ollie, a gay teenager, and his mother, Grace, have been gone from their home on Anchor’s Mercy for a year as she battled Cancer. But now she is Cancer free, and they are back home. It should be a time of happiness but, well, things are complicated. Ollie’s friends (Bash and Elisa) think he has abandoned them, and he has met Sam, another young man and piano player on the ferry over from the mainland. As Ollie is trying to reconnect with those in his life, a storm descends… Three weeks later Ollie is being questioned on a military ship. The Dead of Summer gave me strong “The Fog” vibes. I enjoyed the eerie vibe, the cast of characters, and the way the author wrote the book though the story and interviews on the military ship. This is a YA book, and it has just the right number of thrills and chills without being scary. I found this book to be highly original and unique. There were a few twists in this book with one reveal which shocked me. I love when that happens. This series is off to a good start. Again, this book is YA, and I have a feeling that it will be a hit with its target audience. This book might have you looking at the beach and ocean in a different way! I did want to know more about the history of the island and more about Elisa’s mother. Overall, this was an enjoyable book which piqued my interest and has me wondering what will happen next! Thank you to Scholastic | PUSH and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival
“They tore off our belongings, food and clothing but music is the one thing that they could not take away from us, music that evil could not destroy”. – Alice Herz-Sommer, pianist and Holocaust survivor The Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival is a moving and informative tale of survival, talent, bravery, sacrifice, and the horrors of Auschwitz. Music means so much to so many people, we turn to it when we are happy, sad, celebrating, saying goodbye, healing from a broken heart, or just to enjoy ourselves. For the women in the Orchestra no matter their skill level, music became a matter of life or death. It saved them, it brought them together, and it entertained the Nazi’s. “That I survived nearly one year in Auschwitz is without any doubt due to the fact that I became a member of the camp orchestra. As long as the Germans wanted an orchestra, it would have been counter-productive to kill us”.- Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, cellist in the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz Anne Sebba did a tremendous amount of research in the writing of this book. It is evident and showcased on every page. She also interviewed those who played in the orchestra. As I mentioned the orchestra was made up of women with talents ranging from Alma Rosé, a celebrity violinist prior to the war, women of varying musical skills, and lastly to to Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, the last surviving member of the Orchestra. “This is what we have, and with this we will triumph”:was the rallying cry Alma Rosé used with her orchestra members in the camp. The women survived by being given extra food, better accommodations, undergarments, and dresses to play while performing. They practiced for hours and end and were at the whim of the Nazi’s who would often wake them at various to have the play. They were playing for their lives while having to entertain those who took the lives of their loved ones, those who threaten their daily existence, and those who look down upon them. “In Birkenau music was both the best and the worst. The best: it swallowed the time and allowed us to forget, like a drug; afterwards you were numbed and sucked dry. The worst: our public—on the one hand, the murderers, and on the other, the victims”. -Fania Fénelon, pianist and vocalist in the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz: This was a wonderfully written and moving book. I love books that cause me to think and feel while also teaching me something new. I love books about ordinary people who are faced with extraordinary circumstances. To be able to survive in such a place is a blessing. It is our duty to remember their stories. That is why books such as The Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival is important. They are vital especially now in a time where Antisemitism is rearing its ugly head. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Their Haunted Hearts
It’s close to Halloween time and you that something sinister is going to happen in Black Rock Falls! The town is known for its crime and serial killers but this fall season there is a “vampire-like killer” claiming victims left and right! Their Haunted Hearts is the 27th book in D.K. Hood’s gripping, thrilling and chilling Detectives Kane and Alton series. D. K. Hood has proven that she is not slowing down and perhaps is only getting started. I loved how she tied her vampire killing baddie in with the Halloween season. Make no mistake, this killer is not Buffy the vampire slayer. This is one sick and deranged individual who is killing innocent women. Jenna and Kane have their hands full with their now fifteen-month-old son, Jackson, and his older brother, Tauri. They are enjoying family life with their boys when the body of a young woman is found with bite marks on her neck near one of the town’s Halloween attractions. Fans of the series know that both Jenna and Kane will pull out all the stops to catch a killer! As with the other amazing books in this series, this book was wonderfully written, well thought out, full of tension, twists, dread, mounting danger, and great detective work. I love D.K. Hood’s vivid descriptions and how she has created a sense of found family and community amongst her regular characters. I enjoy the character development and banter between her characters. Jenna and Kane are both strong characters and I enjoy them both equally. I enjoy how D.K. Hood has written them. I root for them both individually and as a couple. I also love how she balances their work life with their personal life. This makes for very enjoyable reading, and I feel invested in both of their characters. A BIG plus of this series is that you can jump in at any time. Most of the books in the series work as stand-alone books but one can always go back and begin at the beginning if you like. Gripping, thrilling, mysterious, and hard to put down! I can’t wait to read what D.K. Hood writes next. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
One of Us
This one was different. It’s unique, imaginative, and original, I’ll give it that. But it also was not my cup of tea. The book follows thirteen-year-old twins, Bolt and Eleanor, who leave home after their mother dies and they are left in the care of their “uncle” Charlie. When they flee from his care, the meet up with Mr. Jengling and join his carnival of wonders. Other reviewers have mentioned this book reminded them of American Horror Story’s Freak Show (Season 4). I get that, I see some similarities as well. This book is less than 300 pages and yet it felt like it took me forever to get through. I found it to be slow and that is always an issue for me. But I do have to give the author props for the originality of this book. It’s odd, bizarre, and I never really knew what to make of it. I do like the aspect of found family. That is always a plus for me in books. There is an audience out there for this book. Unfortunately, I am not part of that audience. Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. I had both the book and audiobook of One of Us. The narration of the audiobook was very well done. 2.5/3 stars Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The October Film Haunt
The October Film Haunt is eerie, gripping, dark, chilling, mysterious, and riveting. I had both the book and the audiobook and found the narration of the audiobook did a fantastic job of bring this book to life! This book blurs reality, fiction, horror, obsession, and the supernatural brilliantly. The October Film Haunt was made up of a group of hard-core horror film enthusiasts who had a popular online group following. The members, Jorie, Beth and Colin, would go to the locations where horror movies where being filmed. Of course they would go to the filming of . Proof of Demons the most scary and chilling cult horror movie ever made by Hélène Enriquez. But that night everything in the graveyard changed…. Now Jorie and her young son live a very quiet and isolated life in Vermont. When she receives a VHS tape in the mail, it is a horrific and anxiety provoking blast from the past. The VHS leaves her feeling unsettled and feeling as if she is being filmed. Is Hélène Enriquez making a sequel to Proof of Demons? Is Jorie an unexpected and unwilling participant in the film? This is a unique book which is eerie, unsettling, and had me wondering what was real and what was not. I enjoyed this look at obsession, fans, horror, and cult movies. I enjoyed the chilling and atmospheric feel of this book. I also enjoyed the tension and dread in this book. I thought the author also did a great job showing the increasing dread and anxiety in Jorie. This book wont be for everyone but it was for me! I enjoyed how this book was told using various forms of media. I am seeing a trend of this in books. Often it works very well but sometimes it does not. It did work in this book.
The Midnight Knock
Welp! I thought I would love this one about strangers who come together at the Brake Inn Motel, an isolated motel in Texas. I loved the ‘trapped’ feeling in books and this book fit that bill. Strangers who come to a remote motel who find that they are repeating the same day repeatedly (think Groundhog Day). They are all fleeing something. They all have things in their past they would rather no one else know. They are drawn to this motel at the base of a mammoth mountain but why??????? When a woman turns up dead, things become more tense and questions swirl through the air. I feel as if I read a different book from everyone else. I found this book to be too slow, and I hate to say this but boring. I wanted something to happen and even when it did, it failed to impress me. Mostly because it took too long to get there. What did work was the feeling of isolation, tension, and atmosphere in this book. I could feel the remoteness and the sense of unease. Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Dead of Summer
Eerie, creepy, atmospheric, mysterious, and horrific! The Dead of Summer is a YA horror book which takes place on Anchor’s Mercy, an island off the Maine Coast. Anchor’s Mercy is a haven for drag queens, locals and tourists! It sounds like a lovely place to visit except for the fact that the locals seem to get sick…. Ollie, a gay teenager, and his mother, Grace, have been gone from their home on Anchor’s Mercy for a year as she battled Cancer. But now she is Cancer free, and they are back home. It should be a time of happiness but, well, things are complicated. Ollie’s friends (Bash and Elisa) think he has abandoned them, and he has met Sam, another young man and piano player on the ferry over from the mainland. As Ollie is trying to reconnect with those in his life, a storm descends… Three weeks later Ollie is being questioned on a military ship. The Dead of Summer gave me strong “The Fog” vibes. I enjoyed the eerie vibe, the cast of characters, and the way the author wrote the book though the story and interviews on the military ship. This is a YA book, and it has just the right number of thrills and chills without being scary. I found this book to be highly original and unique. There were a few twists in this book with one reveal which shocked me. I love when that happens. This series is off to a good start. Again, this book is YA, and I have a feeling that it will be a hit with its target audience. This book might have you looking at the beach and ocean in a different way! I did want to know more about the history of the island and more about Elisa’s mother. Overall, this was an enjoyable book which piqued my interest and has me wondering what will happen next! Thank you to Scholastic | PUSH and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival
“They tore off our belongings, food and clothing but music is the one thing that they could not take away from us, music that evil could not destroy”. – Alice Herz-Sommer, pianist and Holocaust survivor The Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival is a moving and informative tale of survival, talent, bravery, sacrifice, and the horrors of Auschwitz. Music means so much to so many people, we turn to it when we are happy, sad, celebrating, saying goodbye, healing from a broken heart, or just to enjoy ourselves. For the women in the Orchestra no matter their skill level, music became a matter of life or death. It saved them, it brought them together, and it entertained the Nazi’s. “That I survived nearly one year in Auschwitz is without any doubt due to the fact that I became a member of the camp orchestra. As long as the Germans wanted an orchestra, it would have been counter-productive to kill us”.- Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, cellist in the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz Anne Sebba did a tremendous amount of research in the writing of this book. It is evident and showcased on every page. She also interviewed those who played in the orchestra. As I mentioned the orchestra was made up of women with talents ranging from Alma Rosé, a celebrity violinist prior to the war, women of varying musical skills, and lastly to to Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, the last surviving member of the Orchestra. “This is what we have, and with this we will triumph”:was the rallying cry Alma Rosé used with her orchestra members in the camp. The women survived by being given extra food, better accommodations, undergarments, and dresses to play while performing. They practiced for hours and end and were at the whim of the Nazi’s who would often wake them at various to have the play. They were playing for their lives while having to entertain those who took the lives of their loved ones, those who threaten their daily existence, and those who look down upon them. “In Birkenau music was both the best and the worst. The best: it swallowed the time and allowed us to forget, like a drug; afterwards you were numbed and sucked dry. The worst: our public—on the one hand, the murderers, and on the other, the victims”. -Fania Fénelon, pianist and vocalist in the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz: This was a wonderfully written and moving book. I love books that cause me to think and feel while also teaching me something new. I love books about ordinary people who are faced with extraordinary circumstances. To be able to survive in such a place is a blessing. It is our duty to remember their stories. That is why books such as The Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival is important. They are vital especially now in a time where Antisemitism is rearing its ugly head. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Their Haunted Hearts
It’s close to Halloween time and you that something sinister is going to happen in Black Rock Falls! The town is known for its crime and serial killers but this fall season there is a “vampire-like killer” claiming victims left and right! Their Haunted Hearts is the 27th book in D.K. Hood’s gripping, thrilling and chilling Detectives Kane and Alton series. D. K. Hood has proven that she is not slowing down and perhaps is only getting started. I loved how she tied her vampire killing baddie in with the Halloween season. Make no mistake, this killer is not Buffy the vampire slayer. This is one sick and deranged individual who is killing innocent women. Jenna and Kane have their hands full with their now fifteen-month-old son, Jackson, and his older brother, Tauri. They are enjoying family life with their boys when the body of a young woman is found with bite marks on her neck near one of the town’s Halloween attractions. Fans of the series know that both Jenna and Kane will pull out all the stops to catch a killer! As with the other amazing books in this series, this book was wonderfully written, well thought out, full of tension, twists, dread, mounting danger, and great detective work. I love D.K. Hood’s vivid descriptions and how she has created a sense of found family and community amongst her regular characters. I enjoy the character development and banter between her characters. Jenna and Kane are both strong characters and I enjoy them both equally. I enjoy how D.K. Hood has written them. I root for them both individually and as a couple. I also love how she balances their work life with their personal life. This makes for very enjoyable reading, and I feel invested in both of their characters. A BIG plus of this series is that you can jump in at any time. Most of the books in the series work as stand-alone books but one can always go back and begin at the beginning if you like. Gripping, thrilling, mysterious, and hard to put down! I can’t wait to read what D.K. Hood writes next. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
One of Us
This one was different. It’s unique, imaginative, and original, I’ll give it that. But it also was not my cup of tea. The book follows thirteen-year-old twins, Bolt and Eleanor, who leave home after their mother dies and they are left in the care of their “uncle” Charlie. When they flee from his care, the meet up with Mr. Jengling and join his carnival of wonders. Other reviewers have mentioned this book reminded them of American Horror Story’s Freak Show (Season 4). I get that, I see some similarities as well. This book is less than 300 pages and yet it felt like it took me forever to get through. I found it to be slow and that is always an issue for me. But I do have to give the author props for the originality of this book. It’s odd, bizarre, and I never really knew what to make of it. I do like the aspect of found family. That is always a plus for me in books. There is an audience out there for this book. Unfortunately, I am not part of that audience. Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. I had both the book and audiobook of One of Us. The narration of the audiobook was very well done. 2.5/3 stars Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
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