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Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts
Michael Joseph | 29 September 2022 | 352 pgs
Source: Library
This is a compilation of a passion project (and not to mention her debut short story collection) C. J. Tudor had put on the back burner, but decided that instead of scrapping a book which she didn't feel good enough due to the difficult times she'd been through (the pandemic and her father's passing), she thought that this shorts collection seemed like the perfect opportunity instead of skipping a publication year (in 2022) and letting her readers and her publishers down.
I rarely read short stories, but I couldn't turn this book down because it's Tudor's and this is one of my favourite genres. Without further ado, here's my brief write-up of the eleven tales and my favourites highlighted in red.
End of the Liner - A scary story about a virus obliterated the world and for decades people are living their life on giant cruise ships in the middle of the ocean. There're rules within the cruise and while the passengers are more or less satisfied with their confined life, something seems to be off.
The Block - A group of friends decided to explore an abandoned building and stumbled upon some scary creatures.
Runaway Blues - This is a story about twisted love and revenge. The ending is not what you'll think and expect.
The Completion - A ruthless property agent who'd do anything to get the deals sealed, until he meets his next client - a strange old man living in Bragshaw Manor.
The Lion at the Gate - A graffiti that comes alive? Perhaps you'll have to think twice before touching that paintings in this short.
Gloria - Gloria first appeared in Tudor's second novel, The Taking of Annie Thorne. The author had a huge soft spot for this character and always felt that there was a possibility that she might one day return. So here it is - a chanced encounter between a hardened mercenary and a girl with a strange gift (you wouldn't guess this one.)
I'm Not Ted - This story was super short, and a bit strange. A person who claimed he wasn't Ted found himself in a luxurious building with everything nice equipped. A mistaken identity? Probably not. Just a test of your temptations resistance.
Final Course - In an apocalypse world of darkness, a father and daughter travel along eerie country lanes after an invitation for a reunion gathering at an isolated manor. The manor is exceptional, except that the good old schoolmates have somewhat changed. And the host has a motive - a plan to engage his invitees to commercialize the apocalypse, but it comes with a price.
The Copy Shop - What if you could replace anything old or broken with a copy better than the original? An original tale about reproductions with a bit of Stephen King vibes.
Dust - A woman went to Gran Canaria to escape from her past. The stay at Villa de las Almas Perdidas was supposed to be a great escapism, but then there's Calima wind and the place was often coated with layers of fine sand. But this wasn't the worst, she'd have to remember what she'd done in the past or she'd never leave.
Butterfly Island - A frightening story about killer butterflies and a murderous psychopath roaming the island. There's no closure to the ending, and the author stated that this is one of her favourite short stories that she might expand it into a novella one day (Please do! I want to know what happened in the end!)
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Del Rey | 30 June 2020 | 320 pgs
Source: Library
Source: Library
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William Morrow | 20 October 2020 | 640 pgs
Source: Library
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Dutton | 30 June 2020 | 400 pgs
Source: Library
"Every house has a story to tell and a secret to share."
I'm a huge fan of Riley Sager's books and I've to say each of his book has a different feel and vibes and you would never know what you'll be anticipating until you crack open that book and immerse yourself in the story. This book is no exception. I've thought that Final Girls is my favourite Sager book but it looks like this book has taken over that slot.
The book opens with our protagonist, Maggie Holt, returning to Baneberry Hall after she's inherited the rambling Victorian estate after her father passed. As an interior designer, Maggie is set to restore the house but what really drives her to it is the history and finding out what happened that had had she and her parents fleeing in the dead of night twenty-five years ago. Maggie knew she could always refer to her late father's phenomenal book, House of Horrors, in which he'd recounted his tale of ghostly experiences living in Baneberry Hall but she also knew half of them was either lies or she'd no recollections of the events that had happened considering she was only five.
As Maggie returns to Baneberry Hall to begin the restoration, she is intrigued to find the old estate is filled with relics and old antiques of the past but what chills her to the bone is learning of the murder committed by the estate's predecessor, Curtis Carver. But that is not all, Maggie also begins to experience the strange occurrences as mentioned in House of Horrors and like her, the reader will start questioning if she's reliving her childhood fears or if there's indeed some dark secrets lingering behind.
Reading this book was a delightful treat not only it's Riley Sager's but it's a combination of a ghost story and mystery. But what most appealing is the reader get to read House of Horrors alongside the story so you get two POVs and a double dose of intensity and suspense. And then there's the atmospheric Baneberry Hall and its history, the predecessors who stayed there (especially the first owner, William Garson, who built the estate in 1875, and the mystery surrounding his daughter, Indigo) and why no one seemed to stay long. This story plays with your mind and lead you into wondering if paranormal activities are at work in Baneberry Hall, or are they simply unreliable narratives? Or perhaps, both? I don't wish to indulge more so now it's your turn to find out.
© 2020 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
William Morrow | July 2020 | 320 pgs
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Having read three of Paul Tremblay's books and enjoyed them, I figured I couldn't turn down this latest release by him, especially since the theme hit a little too close to reality in a way.
Massachusetts residents are living in worrying and fear. In just a matter of weeks, they've been overrun by a mysterious, insidious rabies-like virus that is spread by saliva. But unlike rabies, this disease has a short incubation period of an hour or so and once the person is infected, he'll quickly lose his mind and is driven to bite and infect others (which reminds me a bit like zombies but well, they aren't walking deads). With the hospitals being inundated with the sick and dying, the commonwealth has no other option but to have the state quarantined and under curfew.
Natalie, who's eight months pregnant, is waiting for her husband's return from his grocery trip when horror strikes. In an attempt to save her husband who's being bitten by their infected neighbour, Natalie suffers the same fate as she, too, is bitten. Unlike her husband who is viciously attacked, Natalie's condition isn't considered fatal but she has to get to a hospital within an hour to receive a rabies vaccine, although it isn't a cure but it might buy her some time. Dr. Ramola "Rams" Sherman is a pediatrician and she happens to be a friend of Natalie. She agrees to bring Natalie to the hospital, knowing that she'll be breaking some safety protocols but aside from racing against the time, their biggest challenge would be the journey itself as they'd be faced with various kinds of dangers and most of all, how far would one go for survival, and for a friend?
If you're familiar with Paul Tremblay's works, you should be aware of his creativity and his taut writing style when it comes to constructing a dark, horrifying story like this one. His characters are fleshed out and intriguing; the topics may be gruesome or unthinkable but in this case he also adds the humanity issue for the reader to ponder about -- to save or not to save under dire circumstances? And what would one do to survive? This was one fast and a compelling read (and such a timely one given the current pandemic situation) as the story took place over the course of a few hours so the reader could feel the sense of horror and urgency in parallel with the two characters.
© 2020 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
Lake Union Publishing | June 2017 | 335 pgs
Source: Purchased
Eleanor Harper used to work as a crime reporter until she finds the overall ordeal is too much to bear. When she knew that Cliffside Manor is looking for a new director, she decided to give it a try. Cliffside Manor is an exclusive, isolated retreat for the artists and writers where they could stay for a short period of time without being bothered by the outside world. Eleanor knows little about the retreat, but she is aware that it used to be a tuberculosis sanatorium founded in the 1950s by a local philanthropist called Chester Dare. Unfortunately, Chester and one of his daughters, Chamomile, had passed during an accident and Eleanor remembers interviewing the other daughter, Penelope (the present director who is retiring), back then when she was still a new journalist. Eleanor eventually got the job but what she didn't understand is, why would Penelope commit suicide after giving her the role?
As much as Eleanor is perplexed and shocked over Penelope's act, she knew she has to stay on at Cliffside to welcome the fellows (in which the artists and writers are called) and assure that things are running as normal. As she gets to know more about the fellows as the days go, she is intrigued to learn that almost each of them has some connection with Cliffside Manor in one way or other, including herself considering she interviewed Penelope two decades ago. Eleanor begins to wonder if Penelope had intended to bring them together with a purpose but for what reason?
I've to say this book was atmospheric and suspenseful. The characters are intriguing and fleshed out and I enjoyed reading about everyone of them, be them likeable or not. Eleanor's interactions with the fellows and a few of the staff at Cliffside took up most of the plot, but there was also a sense of foreboding, too, given the history and the dark past of Cliffside as the reader would later find out as the story progresses. I was totally captivated by the suspense and the ambiguous sense of things that go bump in the night, but I wasn't prepared for the conclusion that left me feeling. . . well, stumped. That said, it was still an enjoyable read and I'll definitely look forward to more works by this author.
* This book was chosen by Lark for our buddy read some time ago but then the pandemic happened, forcing our libraries to close so our buddy read plan being pushed back. Lark managed to get her copy now that their library allows for curbside checkout, but ours remain closed until further notice (I hope the pandemic situation will get better for all of us; best of all, if there's a vaccine to it). Nevertheless, I'm glad we were able to read this book and I hope you'll visit Lark's blog after reading this (Thanks, Lark, for suggesting this book!) Below are Lark's questions to me on this book:
1. Of the five visiting artists--Cassandra, Brynn, Diana, Henry and Richard--which did you like best? And why?
1. Of the five visiting artists--Cassandra, Brynn, Diana, Henry and Richard--which did you like best? And why?
All the characters seemed fine to me, although I've to admit I didn't like Brynn due to her rude and arrogant demeanour. My favourite character among the artists will be Henry. He was kind and easygoing and I could feel his sincerity right from the start he stepped into Cliffside.
2. If you could only use three words to describe this book, what three words (or phrases) would you choose?
2. If you could only use three words to describe this book, what three words (or phrases) would you choose?
Atmospheric. Suspenseful. Mind-blowing.
© 2020 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
Penguin Publishing Group | March 2020 | 432 pgs
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Alma Katsu's previous novel, The Hunger, was an absorbing read mixed with true historical event and fiction of the Donner Party during the 1800s and I liked it that it has a horror twist aside from the historical facts. In this latest release, the author takes readers on board the Titanic and her sister ship, Britannic, set in 1912 and 1916 respectively.
Annie Hebbley has been spending four years in an asylum after surviving from the Titanic tragedy. She isn't mentally challenged, but the place deems like a safe place given the traumatic experience she'd suffered from her past. When she receives a letter from her friend, Violet Jessop, to work with her as a nurse on Britannic, a hospital ship, she knew her days at the asylum is up and also she couldn't turn Violet down. After all, Violet is one of the survivors from the Titanic tragedy, too.
Annie Hebbley has been spending four years in an asylum after surviving from the Titanic tragedy. She isn't mentally challenged, but the place deems like a safe place given the traumatic experience she'd suffered from her past. When she receives a letter from her friend, Violet Jessop, to work with her as a nurse on Britannic, a hospital ship, she knew her days at the asylum is up and also she couldn't turn Violet down. After all, Violet is one of the survivors from the Titanic tragedy, too.
But Britannic isn't a smooth sailing ride for Annie either; and to top it off, she meets Mark Fletcher again - a man whom she knew when she worked as a stewardess on the Titanic. Seeing him has conjured some memories during their days on the Titanic, her interactions with his wife and their little daughter as well as the strange occurrences that happened before the ship sunk.
Alternate between two different timelines, Alma Katsu weaves a foreboding and a haunting tale (with a dash of supernatural element) about the dynamics and the complexity of a few key characters and how their acts and decisions would lead to unexpected consequences. I've to confess the first part took me some time to be immersed in the story. This is neither a flaw nor a complaint as the author took her time in introducing the characters and constructing the background settings. Once the pace pick up and there's a shift of directions, I was eager to find out what happened. Once again, Alma Katsu has proven that she's a wonderful storyteller and she could expertly blend historical events with supernatural elements and give readers something unique and refreshing from a new perspective. While I'd still choose The Hunger over this one as my favourite, overall it was still an enjoyable read. I wonder which historical event would the author feature for her next book, if she intends to do so, that is.
Note: Violet Jessop may be a supporting character in this book, but she was truly one of the Titanic and Britannic survivors.
Click the following links for more info on -
1) RMS Titanic
© 2020 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
奇幻基地 | January 2019 | 320 pgs
Source: Library
This is book 8 of the second urban legend series by Ling Jing (笭菁). All her books read as stand-alones and her stories are based on various urban legends added with some imaginations and other elements of her own.
Note: The main characters in this series are different from the first series as the author felt a change for new blood is necessary to offer a new and different perspective.
Urban Legend origin: This is a well-known Taiwanese urban legend happened in 1995. A group of five men was grilling a fish they caught and before consuming it, they heard a voice asking them, "Is the fish meat tasty?" To their horror, they realised the voice came from the fish and what most terrifying was, they could see the shape of an old woman's face on its body.
Summary: After the horror of the urban legend episode, the Taiwanese were wary of consuming fishes for a while but there are still some people, especially tourists, who are fascinated by the tale and are keen to visit the place where the event happened. When a group of visitors finally witnessed the devil fish, this sparks the curiosity of the citizens if there's a hidden message behind this strange occurrence, especially if it doesn't come in one but tonnes and tonnes of them could be seen swimming near the shore; some even bearing the faces of their deceased loved ones. Out of reminiscence, some families began to keep those who remind them of their late family members as pets, but little do they know that they've unleashed an unthinkable nightmare upon themselves.
My thoughts: After reading this book, I did a little Googling and found a few videos which show the said devil fish. I've to admit it did look a little like there was a human face on its body. Onto the book, aside from all the horrors, it also states a bit about the environmental issues and how pollutions are threatening the lives of the sea living animals. I think this is one of the important subjects we've to look into and reflect upon alongside with the global warming issue. Overall, I thought this was actually quite a sad story, whatwith the environmental issues and the characters who are reminded of their deceased loved ones.
Note: This is a scheduled post as I'm currently taking a short break off of blogging. Comments and blog-hopping will resume once I'm back from my break. Have fun and happy reading! 📚
© 2019 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
奇幻基地 | May 2018 | 304 pgs
Source: Library
This is book 5 of the second urban legend series by Ling Jing (笭菁). All her books read as stand-alones and her stories are based on various urban legends added with some imaginations and other elements of her own.
Note: The main characters in this series are different from the first series as the author felt a change for new blood is necessary to offer a new and different perspective.
Note: The main characters in this series are different from the first series as the author felt a change for new blood is necessary to offer a new and different perspective.
Urban Legend origin: Anatoly Moskvin, a Russian philologist, historian and linguist, was arrested in 2011 for exhuming several dead girls bodies (aged between three and fifteen) from local graveyards before mummifying the bodies himself, had them dressed up and posed them around his home.
Summary: Young girls are being abducted and despite the police searches and investigations, they came up with nothing. It's as if these girls had vanished into thin air. When a member of the urban legend society discovered that the tomb of her late niece was being vandalised, it didn't cross her mind that someone was trying to dig up the body until the members stumbled upon a dark shadow behaving suspiciously around the graveyard one night. Their discovery led them for further investigations, and they soon have a suspect who seemed to fit the bill of the bodies stealer but they couldn't dismiss the thought that things have been going on too smoothly for them. Did they catch the wrong person?
My thoughts: This was such a horrifying story! And I don't only mean the dead bodies but the thought of someone going all the way of digging and dressing them up and treat them like live persons! Super creepy! That said, the story also added a mystery angle so aside from the horrors, the reader wouldn't know about the perpetrator and his motives until towards the end. I thought I'd guessed the perpetrator correctly but apparently I was in for a good surprise. Once again, the author has portrayed the meticulous and resourceful side of the characters and I've to say I like them more as I follow the series.
© 2019 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
奇幻基地 | February 2018 | 304 pgs
Source: Library
This is book 4 of the second urban legend series by Ling Jing (笭菁). All her books read as stand-alones and her stories are based on various urban legends with some imaginations and other elements of her own.
Note: The main characters in this series are different from the first series as the author felt a change for new blood is necessary to offer a new and different perspective.
Urban Legend origin: Hong Kong, 1989. An eatery received a food order call and had one of their staff to deliver the food. However, the boss discovered some hell bank notes among the stack of money he'd collected the next day. The same incident happened the following day and thinking the staff was playing a prank on him, he decided to make the delivery himself and had ensured it's genuine money he collected. He kept the money aside from the others but the next day what he found was, as you guessed, hell bank notes. He reported this incident to the police and this led to the discovery of four corpses in the apartment. But what most shocking was although the forensic concluded these bodies had been dead for a week, the food found inside their stomach were recent. And the hell bank notes had the fingerprints of the same deceased. The report later revealed they died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Summary: When one of the characters encountered the same incident as the urban legend origin, the members of the Urban Legend Society decided that they'd visit the delivery address again for further investigation. However, the place couldn't be found. Before this, there are news of some delivery staff who had gone missing and they wondered if the two are related. When they did find the place again, they discovered there's more than meets the eye surrounding the death of the deceased and their guess is murder. But they didn't realise that they'd stepped into another dimension until later and they've to find their way back or they'd be trapped within forever.
My thoughts: This story was scary from the origin's perspective. Imagine the eatery's boss suspected nothing and have the staff continued to deliver the food, does that mean the case will never surface? Onto the fiction, I think the feature of the other dimension connects well with the urban legend origin. What appeared to be a supernatural event became a horrific murder case and I liked how they're all interlinked and solved in the end. My verdict is, you can never know what humans are capable of doing and in some ways they're more terrifying than ghosts.
© 2019 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
奇幻基地 | May 2017 | 272 pgs
Source: Library
This is book 2 of the second urban legend series by Ling Jing (笭菁). Ling Jing had completed twelve books in her first series and this second series is still ongoing with the ninth installment as the latest. Each book read as a stand-alone although there will be character developments as the series go (but not much of a big issue if you ask me). Ling Jing's books are based on various urban legends added with some imaginations and other elements of her own.
Urban Legend origin: A tissue commercial from Japan aired in 1986 was taken down after theories revolve around the cast and crew dying mysterious deaths.
Summary: A well-known actress, including the crew of staff, suffered a mishap respectively after shooting an apple juice commercial. Before the shoot, an assistant claimed he heard someone running on the staircase but no one was seen around the area upon checking. Thereafter, accidents began to happen. A group of students, who are members of the "Urban Legend Society" in their University, decided to look into the case and discover something horrific that happened in the studio awhile back.
Note: The main characters in this series are different from the first series as the author felt a change for new blood is necessary to offer a new and different perspective. On top of that, people do grow up and change, don't they?
My thoughts: I don't know why but this made me think of the Japanese movie, The Ring. The similarity between these two is that the cursed video tape (in this case the shooting of the commercial) will lead victims to encounter unfortunate incidents. But, what made this story refreshing is the author blends urban legend with a mystery case which may or may not be supernatural and the creepy/suspense factors were intense. Each character portrays their strengths and weaknesses and these give readers some ideas what's their personality traits are like (also how one or two of them have some kind of specialty, e.g. one has sixth sense, and another is a female professional martial arts fighter - she's fearless and has a sharp observation skill in terms of combat as well as critical thinking. I didn't mention that she's the rose among the thorns and she's my heroine.) My verdict - this is a great series for those who enjoy urban legend tales with a twist. And I hope there'll be an English translation version of them in the near future.
© 2019 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
William Morrow | July 2019 | 352 pgs
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Having read two of Paul Tremblay's books (A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World) and enjoyed them, I knew I've to read this even though short stories are hardly my usual fare. Yes, this is a collection of nineteen short stories ranging from psychological suspense to literary horror all packed in this anthology and knowing the author's stories can be bizarre in some ways (I mean this in a good way) I read this book with a thrill of anticipation. Although I can't possibly write out the blurbs and thoughts of all the nineteen short stories, I can tell you a few which are my favourites.
Growing Things - This is an imaginative tale about the mysterious growing plants and two sisters from his previous novel, A Head Full of Ghosts.
Where We All Will Be - Zane was told his brain is different since young. Growing up with no major issues, he is astonished to find that one day his father seemed like another person and kept muttering about getting "There". This one has a bit of the apocalyptic vibe and that ending sent chills down my spine.
The Teacher - Mr. Sorent is one teacher you'll never forget and that's all I'm saying.
Notes from The Dog Walkers - Initially this read like ordinary notes from the day of a life of a dog walker but then it slowly spirals towards an array of madness when the topic changes as you go along.
Her Red Right Hand - This is a story about a girl called Gemma and her ailing mother and how her mother's death led her into sketching and creating a hero-like figure. Think Hellboy.
The Thirteenth Temple - I don't want to divulge too much of this since it read like a sequel to A Head Full of Ghosts. This is also the last short story of this collection and I liked how the author featured the two sisters in AHFOG in Growing Things as the beginning and finally ending it with The Thirteenth Temple.
I think short stories are hard to write and even harder to review. They don't often have the kind of details and well-defined developments like fictions do and the author has to input some extra "punch" to their stories or narrating them in various writing formats and I've to say Paul Tremblay did well in these two.
As in short stories collection, one may have some favourites and dislike a few others. There are also some which made you race through the pages, while some will make you think hard of the message behind it and still comes up with not much of a verdict (partly due to the ambiguity of it; which the author often does with his stories). That said, each story is unique and though I'm not really a fan of short stories I'm glad I read this because it's Paul Tremblay's.
© 2019 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
Penguin Publishing Group | March 2018 | 384 pgs
Source: Purchased
My blogger friend, Lark and I, decided to kick off the new year by reading Alma Katsu's The Hunger together and boy, what a good book it is! If you are familiar with the true event of the series of misfortunes and tragedy that struck the wagon train known as the Donner Party set in 1846-7, this book will interest you as it is a retelling of that historic event with a horror twist. The author mentioned that the names, locations, and dates have remained but much else has been changed to fit the story. I won't go into details of the true event on this review but if you're interested to read more, please click here.
During that period, a group of ninety people, consisted of men, women and young children as well, travelled from Springfield to California via route West; each family harboured a different dream in the hope of finding a better life. Amid the travel, the disappearance and the death of a small boy rippled their once peaceful atmosphere. To make matters worse, talks about an Indian tribe that is rumoured to perform human sacrifice to appease the devil further disturb the party. Tamsen Donner, the wife of George Donner, who took up the leadership role of the wagon party, wasn't spare either as some thought of her as a witch; both in concocting herbs and/or bewitching men. Whether it was her curse, their later ill-advised choice of an untested route through uncharted terrain or just plain bad luck, they soon found themselves stuck in dire and dangerous situations where aside from their fear and hunger, human nature under desperate circumstances is equally potent in setting one against another and before long they would all head into a disastrous route of no return.
Alma Katsu is a great storyteller. Taken the past event as the base of this story and through research and some re-imagination, she transformed the already harrowing experience of the original Donner Party into something more sinister with a horror element - something vague which question the reader what kind of horror that plagued them and pushed them to the brink of madness. Ms. Katsu's characters are fleshed out and she captured that foreboding and atmospheric feeling very well; meanwhile adding some backstory of a few characters so as to incorporate their emotions and how they will come to affect their outlook and judgement during their perilous journey. While many of the characters get more and more unlikable as the story progresses (a self-defense act I suppose), I do like one or two characters due to their characteristics. Overall it was a great read and I'd recommend this to anyone.
Below are some questions from Lark and my answers surrounding this story. I hope you'll visit Lark's blog for her review and the Q&A after reading this post. (Thank you, Lark, for this buddy read again!)
1. What if anything did you know about the Donner Party before you started reading this book?
I didn't know about the Donner Party until I came across this book and understand from other reviews that this was actually based on a true story. I was already fascinated by the blurb then and it was a great thing when Lark and I decided to read it for our next buddy read. Before starting the book, I Googled for more information regarding this unfortunate party and how their journey came about up till how it all ended up in tragedy. It was both so sad and horrifying.
2. If you had to team up with 3 characters from this book in order to survive, who would you choose and why?
Without a doubt, I'd team up up with Charles Stanton, Mary Graves and Elitha Donner. I choose Charles because he was the most practical and level-headed among all the men there; and he chose to use words first than fists when there are any disagreements and confrontations. As for Mary and Elitha, I chose them because both of them are sensible and are not afraid to voice their thoughts, in particularly Mary. I've to say she's my favourite character among all.
During that period, a group of ninety people, consisted of men, women and young children as well, travelled from Springfield to California via route West; each family harboured a different dream in the hope of finding a better life. Amid the travel, the disappearance and the death of a small boy rippled their once peaceful atmosphere. To make matters worse, talks about an Indian tribe that is rumoured to perform human sacrifice to appease the devil further disturb the party. Tamsen Donner, the wife of George Donner, who took up the leadership role of the wagon party, wasn't spare either as some thought of her as a witch; both in concocting herbs and/or bewitching men. Whether it was her curse, their later ill-advised choice of an untested route through uncharted terrain or just plain bad luck, they soon found themselves stuck in dire and dangerous situations where aside from their fear and hunger, human nature under desperate circumstances is equally potent in setting one against another and before long they would all head into a disastrous route of no return.
Alma Katsu is a great storyteller. Taken the past event as the base of this story and through research and some re-imagination, she transformed the already harrowing experience of the original Donner Party into something more sinister with a horror element - something vague which question the reader what kind of horror that plagued them and pushed them to the brink of madness. Ms. Katsu's characters are fleshed out and she captured that foreboding and atmospheric feeling very well; meanwhile adding some backstory of a few characters so as to incorporate their emotions and how they will come to affect their outlook and judgement during their perilous journey. While many of the characters get more and more unlikable as the story progresses (a self-defense act I suppose), I do like one or two characters due to their characteristics. Overall it was a great read and I'd recommend this to anyone.
Below are some questions from Lark and my answers surrounding this story. I hope you'll visit Lark's blog for her review and the Q&A after reading this post. (Thank you, Lark, for this buddy read again!)
1. What if anything did you know about the Donner Party before you started reading this book?
I didn't know about the Donner Party until I came across this book and understand from other reviews that this was actually based on a true story. I was already fascinated by the blurb then and it was a great thing when Lark and I decided to read it for our next buddy read. Before starting the book, I Googled for more information regarding this unfortunate party and how their journey came about up till how it all ended up in tragedy. It was both so sad and horrifying.
2. If you had to team up with 3 characters from this book in order to survive, who would you choose and why?
Without a doubt, I'd team up up with Charles Stanton, Mary Graves and Elitha Donner. I choose Charles because he was the most practical and level-headed among all the men there; and he chose to use words first than fists when there are any disagreements and confrontations. As for Mary and Elitha, I chose them because both of them are sensible and are not afraid to voice their thoughts, in particularly Mary. I've to say she's my favourite character among all.
© 2019 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
Penguin Publishing Group | October 2018 | 512 pgs
Source: Library
We are all aware that Bram Stoker is the author of the timeless classic horror, Dracula. Dacre Stoker, Bram's great-grandnephew, together with author J.D. Barker, cowrite this prequel inspired through Bram's journals and notes and tell readers not only about the origins of the scary vampire which haunts our dreams but also a story of Bram and an enigmatic woman who bound them together.
The year is 1854. Seven-year-old Bram Stoker is a sickly child and spend most of his time in bed in their Dublin's home, tended by a caretaker named Ellen Crone. The Stokers hired the young woman by chance after their previous caretaker left in a haste; and while the Stokers are skeptical of Ellen's enigmatic behaviours in the beginning, they soon get used of her characteristics given how Bram seem to get better under her care. Although Bram has a few other siblings, it is Matilda, his sister who's a year older, whom he share a deep bond with. As much as both of them adore Ellen, there are times that they couldn't put a finger on Ellen's actions and why she would leave the house for a few days and then return as if nothing happens. But what most perplexing is her appearance as she could be glowing today and then haggard the next. To unravel the mystery surrounding Ellen, Bram and Matilda did a little investigation and learned of her unknown side.
Back to the present in 1868 when Bram is an adult, we "find" him secured in a locked room at an abandoned abbey trying to fend off some monster which is on his trail. With time running out and hoping that help would be on its way, he hurriedly writes down all the events right from the start till what have brought him to the present and this begins the tale of Dracul.
Dracul is both a horror and a love story at its best. Told from two timelines through various sources like journals, diary entries, letters and notes, as well as a segment on a few narrators who also play an important role in this story (e.g. Matilda and Thornley Stoker, and Dr Arminius Vambéry who has some knowledge in vampirism). I find all the characters intriguing here; and I've to say Matilda was my favourite character among all. She's feisty since a young girl and we continue to see her bravery side and determination right up to her adulthood. Then, there's the close-knit relationship she had with Bram that I find rather heartwarming at times.
And if Bram is the leading role, then Ellen is the star of this story. There is so much I wanted to talk about her yet it wouldn't be fun if I indulge all her mysterious side and secrets; likewise the plot. As you can tell, I enjoyed the wild ride immensely. "Wow!" is an understatement of how I felt after closing this book and I hope you'll pick up this book quickly.
Note: This is a scheduled post as I'm currently on vacation. Blog hop and comments will resume after my return. Happy reading!
The year is 1854. Seven-year-old Bram Stoker is a sickly child and spend most of his time in bed in their Dublin's home, tended by a caretaker named Ellen Crone. The Stokers hired the young woman by chance after their previous caretaker left in a haste; and while the Stokers are skeptical of Ellen's enigmatic behaviours in the beginning, they soon get used of her characteristics given how Bram seem to get better under her care. Although Bram has a few other siblings, it is Matilda, his sister who's a year older, whom he share a deep bond with. As much as both of them adore Ellen, there are times that they couldn't put a finger on Ellen's actions and why she would leave the house for a few days and then return as if nothing happens. But what most perplexing is her appearance as she could be glowing today and then haggard the next. To unravel the mystery surrounding Ellen, Bram and Matilda did a little investigation and learned of her unknown side.
Back to the present in 1868 when Bram is an adult, we "find" him secured in a locked room at an abandoned abbey trying to fend off some monster which is on his trail. With time running out and hoping that help would be on its way, he hurriedly writes down all the events right from the start till what have brought him to the present and this begins the tale of Dracul.
Dracul is both a horror and a love story at its best. Told from two timelines through various sources like journals, diary entries, letters and notes, as well as a segment on a few narrators who also play an important role in this story (e.g. Matilda and Thornley Stoker, and Dr Arminius Vambéry who has some knowledge in vampirism). I find all the characters intriguing here; and I've to say Matilda was my favourite character among all. She's feisty since a young girl and we continue to see her bravery side and determination right up to her adulthood. Then, there's the close-knit relationship she had with Bram that I find rather heartwarming at times.
And if Bram is the leading role, then Ellen is the star of this story. There is so much I wanted to talk about her yet it wouldn't be fun if I indulge all her mysterious side and secrets; likewise the plot. As you can tell, I enjoyed the wild ride immensely. "Wow!" is an understatement of how I felt after closing this book and I hope you'll pick up this book quickly.
Note: This is a scheduled post as I'm currently on vacation. Blog hop and comments will resume after my return. Happy reading!
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
The Ghost Detective (今天的偵探)
Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff
Lee Da-Il is a private investigator. He was formerly in the military, but a whistleblower case led to his discharge. Jung Yeo-Wool becomes his assistant. She is a fearless woman. They work together to solve a mystery surrounding the death of a younger sibling. They also work together to solve other cases, some involving ghosts.
I binge watched these two dramas for the past few weeks and thus neglected my books. Well I still read, but my progress was slow. Now that I was done with them, I'm back to my regular reading mode (unless I was sidetracked once again). Anyways, back to the topic. The Ghost Detective was a horror thriller and I thought it has a good premise. The lead character, Da-Il (starring Daniel Choi) became a ghost while solving a kidnapping case; he was buried alive but his soul wanders around. Yeo-Wool (starring Park Eun-Bin) lost her sister to a paranormal incident and had requested the police to look into the case but was rejected. She encountered Da-Il and was the only person who was able to see him. They worked together to find this ghost who manipulated and killed several people, including Da-Il's mother and Yeo-Wool's younger sister.
The paranormal aspect was an intriguing one, but there are some scenarios which I found confusing, though. I was particularly skeptical about Sun Woo-Hye (starring Lee Ji-Ah), the ghost because she was actually a twelve-year-old girl but over the years her body was in comatose and was kept alive through a respirator. Her speech and mentality were like an adult at times, and she was a real devil. The supporting characters were intriguing as well, as they involved a shaman cum medical examiner and a meticulous cop who seemed to have a little crush on Yeo-Wool. The romance element was minimal, but I liked the chemistry between Da-Il and Yeo-Wool. Despite a few shortcomings, overall I thought it was an entertaining drama.
(3.5 stars)
Jugglers
Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff
Yoon-Yi (Baek Jin-Hee) works as a secretary and has held her job for the past 5 years. She is loyal and devoted to her work. Yoon-Yi also runs an internet community website for secretaries. One day, her boss's wife mistakenly assumes her husband is having an affair with Yoon-Yi. The scandal spreads throughout her company. Her boss though does not correct the misunderstanding to coverup his own real affair he is having with someone else. Yoon-Yi is placed on a waiting list for a new position and she is devastated.
Meanwhile, Chi-Won (Daniel Choi) is scouted for a managing director position in the Video Business Department at YB Ad. He carries a trauma related to a fire incident when he was young. He is not interested in socializing with other people and he does not a have a secretary. Yoon-Yi is assigned to work as Chi-Won's secretary at YB Ad, but Chi-Won tells her that he does not need her. Yoon-Yi tells him otherwise and that she will work hard for him. One evening, Chi-Won's boss invites him and Yoon-Yi out for dinner. Yoon-Yi gets drunk and Chi-Won takes her home. It turns out the house where she lives is the same house where the traumatic fire incident occurred when Chi-Won was a child. Next to the front door, he sees a flyer looking for a tenant for a second floor room. Chi-Won decides to rent the room to overcome his trauma.
Jugglers is basically a story about office employees (in particularly personal assistants) and the difficulties and challenges they often encounter while working alongside with their bosses; and at its core it is an office romantic comedy which I found both sweet and entertaining. I've to admit I watched this because of actor Daniel Choi. I was quite charmed by his charisma in The Ghost Detective and I was glad to see another side of him in Jugglers as he played a cool and an unsociable boss but ended up falling in love with his PA.
What I liked about this drama is aside from the romance element (so, so sweet and romantic, sigh), it portrays the everyday life of a PA and what they do for their bosses. From running the office to running personal errands, they are the personnel who represent their bosses and at times, they have to grit their teeth to accomplish tasks which are beyond their duties. While not all bosses are making use of their authority and taking their PAs for granted, there are still some who do that like Yoon-Yi's ex-boss in this drama.
Aside from Yoon-Yi's and Chi-Won's perspectives, I also enjoyed the story between Wang Jung-Ae (starring Kang Hye-Jung) and Hwangbo Yool (starring Lee Won-Geun). June-Ae was a shy, working single mother who struggled to make ends meet, while Hwangbo was a young director living a king's life. It was interesting to see the changes in them as the story progresses; and I felt for Jung-Ae throughout the drama because she led such a sad life. Fortunately there was a HEA for her in the end. I enjoyed this one much more than The Ghost Detective, perhaps this was a romcom and it had brightened up my mood amid my girls' school exams period (it was over as of writing this, thank goodness!)
(4 stars)
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
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Ecco Press | May 2014 | 260 pgs
Source: Library
"Under no circumstances will either one of you remove your blindfold. If you do, I will hurt you. Do you understand?"
For four and a half years, Malorie and her two young children have not stepped out of their house near the river. Because there is something out there and whatever this is it must not be seen. There are news that one glimpse of it and a person is driven to deadly violence. Those who have seen will kill anyone around them before killing themselves. No one really knows what it is and how it happened but like a disease it has spread quickly and afar.
Before the children, Malorie had seeked refuge at a stranger's place which housed a few others survivors like her. Tom, who took on the role as a leader, had guided and supported the five other housemates, including Malorie, like his family. During those torturous years, they lived on canned foods, and Tom and Jules had risked their lives to go out to search for food while blindfolded. Like a blind man, they relied on their instincts and broomsticks and each time they are back they all count themselves lucky for escaping death and whatever was lurking out there. Until Gary, a newcomer, stepped into their house and changed everything.
Bird Box was a frightening read on many aspects. First of all, the unknown. Like the characters, the reader has no idea what the threat is. Is the "thing" a man, an animal or a creature? All we know is, it is scary and it could mess up your mind and make you kill. Interweaving between the past and the present, we learn that fear comes in various forms, and that our minds can be a scary thing. And despite the darkness we also see some light through Tom's courage and the things he's done for his housemates. This book will appease readers who like reading about the apocalyptic world with a dose of horror. A soon-to-be film starring Sandra Bullock, Sarah Paulson, Rosa Salazar, and John Malkovich.
© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
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