The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Serpent's Tail / Profile Books in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a long time since I've read a book that has made me struggle to put into words the effect it has had on me. Particularly when it comes to this book, I feel it is better to go in blind so I can't actually say too much about it. On the surface, The Last House on Needless Street is a familiar story. We are introduced to Ted, a man who was suspected of kidnapping a little girl several years ago and who now lives with a mysterious daughter and a cat. The cat acts as a secondary narrator and this is where the weirdness starts.

Almost immediately you get the sense that something is 'wrong' with this picture, and it's that wrongness that draws you in and keeps you hooked. It is very easy as a reader to make assumptions and this book plays with this, making you feel like you are wandering into an obvious trap and yet you can't see how else things could go. The result is this book casts a brilliant spell. It consumed me in a way few books can, and I was desperate to keep reading it at every opportunity.

Overall, I don't think there's much else I can say except that I think most people should give this book a try. The horror is subtle and slow, and it creeps up on you. I think even those who don't enjoy horror as a genre but enjoy thrillers or similar mysteries would get something out of this book. It has a lot of depth and interesting things to say, as well as just being a fantastically written and immensely entrancing story. I know this book will stay in my mind for a long time after reading it and it was an experience I won't forget.

Overall Rating:

.5

Chopping Spree by Angela Sylvaine

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Unnverving in exchange for an honest review.

This book is crazy in all the best ways! Honestly I was expecting a bit more of a traditional slasher style horror book but what I got instead was a welcome surprise. Chopping Spree is the story of Penny, a girl who works in an 80s mall. She has a weird encounter with a man in a wolf mask, followed by a weirder encounter with her work colleagues. The blurb of this book implies that what follows is a standard slasher set in a mall but the story takes quite a different turn. Instead it is more focused on an anti-capitalism, cult-type story.

I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The writing is fantastic and the usual problems of the genre (weird sexualisation elements and bad characterisation) are completely absent here. I'm not even a huge fan of cult stories but I was completely absorbed by the plot and I finished it in two sittings. I really liked the unique vibe it had and I couldn't predict where the story was going which was really nice. As with the other Rewind or Die book I read, this genuinely brings something new to the horror table and it's a welcome breath of fresh air.

Having said that, I don't want to give you the wrong impression. This book isn't ground-breaking and it still has a lot of staples of horror that you would expect and enjoy as a horror fan. There is some semblance of the slasher elements and there are a lot of 80s references which give it that classic touch. This isn't a criticism from me, I just want to make it clear that there are both traditional and new features which blend well to create a really solid horror book.

Overall, I think this book and others from the series are definitely worth a try if you are a horror fan. So long as you don't expect a full-on slasher, there is a lot to like about this book and it's so short that you can't really go wrong.

Overall Rating:

The Dark Side of Alice in Wonderland by Angela Youngman

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Pen & Sword in exchange for an honest review.

The Dark Side of Alice in Wonderland is a nonfiction book focusing on various interpretations and properties surrounding Alice in Wonderland. The first few chapters focus on contextualising the life of Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson and Alice Liddell, with some discussion of the darker elements. I found the very first chapter decent enough but I skimmed most of the second as I am not hugely interested in Carroll's life outside of his work as an author. However, these chapters may be of interest for history buffs and I did enjoy the discussions of Carroll potentially being Jack the Ripper, farfetched as the theory might be.

The rest of the book has each chapter focus on a theme (eg. drugs, sex, horror etc) and then talk about various adaptations or experiences that are Alice-themed based around that chapter topic. I enjoyed this section of the book the most and I felt like it covered a wide range of different adaptations/experiences. The chosen topics all made sense and fit the 'dark' theme well, on top of just being interesting topics in of themselves.

I think this book fell slightly flat for me for two main reasons. Firstly, I didn't realise it would be focused so much on the discussion of properties outside of the book itself. I know Alice in Wonderland is short but I would have liked a bit more of a focus on how elements from the book fit with the chapter topics, with the discussion centered on the book itself rather than everything created from it. Secondly, while this book does cover an impressive range of adaptations/experiences (no easy feat) the result is a little shallow in parts. Some things get a good chunk of thought/page space dedicated to them but some are almost name-checked without adding much.

Having said that, I still think this is a well-researched and very engaging nonfiction book. I did genuinely enjoy reading it and I felt like it does cover everything you would expect a book like this to. The writing is extremely accessible without sacrificing any academic merit. If you love the world of Alice in Wonderland, then this book does have a lot to offer you.

Overall Rating:

The Invitation by A.M. Castle

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ Digital in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely surprise this book was! I am a huge fan of Christie-style mysteries and I was expecting much more of a traditional thriller based on the cover of this book. To my delight, it is most definitely a murder mystery with a lot of elements of the old school genre.

The Invitation is the story of three female friends and their families. The wealthiest friend, Rachel, invites the others to her island for a reunion. It soon becomes clear that a lot of bad blood has built up over the years with the various dramas culminating in the murder of one of the group at dinner. There is no 'main character' of the book, with the narration instead rotating between the majority of characters throughout. Through this method you really get to experience the different dramas and secrets each of the characters are going through.

This book definitely has more of a humorous, light-hearted tone than a serious murder mystery. There's a lot going on in this and some dark stuff is mentioned, but usually it is lightened by the tone. I found some of the characters a bit lacking and I did tend to confuse a couple of them. Particularly with the main three women, I felt their backstories blended together to me so I was often confused as to who was partnered with who etc. Having said that, a lot of the characters were more unique than those in your typical murder mystery and I definitely appreciated that. There was an interesting cast and it added a lot of depth to the story.

Overall, this book is great if you're looking for a fun murder mystery with a sharp sense of humour. It doesn't have the most complex or intricately plotted murder around, but there's a lot to like here and Castle is a distinct and welcome voice in the genre. I am excited to see what is in store for them as an author.

Overall Rating:

.5

Shiver by Allie Reynolds

 

 I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Hachette UK Audio in exchange for an honest review.

I have discovered I really love winter thrillers. Something about a group of people being trapped in the snow and dealing with a threat makes for a very enjoyable atmosphere. Shiver is definitely a solid take on the formula, with the snowboarding aspect adding a nice unique spin to it.

A group of friends reunite after a 10 year gap caused by the disappearance of their friend Saskia. Now in a mountain resort, things are starting to go wrong as it becomes clear someone is messing with them. Meanwhile you get flashes back to the past as the story of what really happened 10 years ago is uncovered.

Right off the bat, I really liked the unique aspects to this thriller. I've already mentioned the snowboarding but it really does provide an excellent backdrop for drama, as well as a solid reason for all the main characters to know each other. For this reason, the flashbacks to the past were my favourite parts because I really felt like the interpersonal dramas and general competitive atmosphere were executed so well. It gave the characters a lot of depth and made you care about the nuances which is so important in a thriller like this.

As an audiobook, this was a great experience. The narrator does a good French accent for one of the characters and has a lovely clear voice which was easy to listen to. I didn't get lost as to whether I was in the past or present and it was very easy to follow key plot points.

Overall, Shiver is a solid thriller with a lot of strengths to offer. It is the perfect read for a chilly day or if you fancy a thriller which really focuses on the character drama and dynamics. The ending is satisfying and makes sense, the tension is there and it doesn't overstay its welcome. For your next wintery read, Shiver is definitely worth a try.

Overall Rating:

The Binge Watcher's Guide to Black Mirror by Marc W. Polite

 I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Riverdale Avenue Books in exchange for an honest review.

So the first thing I would like to say about this book is that it is a guide and not any kind of deep analysis. I was initially disappointed by this but I realised it was my own expectations causing that disappointment and so I think it's important that as a reader going in, you are not expecting any kind of detailed essay format. The second thing I would like to say is I really enjoyed it.

This is a fun, short guide to every episode of Black Mirror, with the bulk of the content being episode summaries and there being some additional commentary at the end in the form of four short chapters/sections. It is clearly written by a fan and it was nice to relive the episodes in this way. It definitely made me want to rewatch the show and experience it anew.

There is brief discussion of the themes/purpose of each episode but I found this very limited. I think I noticed it most for USS Callister and Striking Vipers where there is barely a mention of any feminist/sexual/queer themes despite those being huge parts of those episodes. Perhaps the author thought these were too obvious to mention but it felt odd to read about a lack of STDs in videogame encounters in Striking Vipers being appealing while the incredibly complex relationship in that episode is brushed over. As I said, deep analysis is not promised or expected here but there is an attempt on commentary and this sometimes falls flat.

Having said that, the main joy of this book is the enthusiasm of the author. It is clear which episodes the author likes the most and it's always nice to read about a TV show from the point of view of someone who does genuinely love it. I read this book almost entirely in one sitting and it was a wonderful experience, so if you are a fan of the show then I strongly recommend checking this out.

Overall Rating:

In Her Shadow by Mark Edwards

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Amazon Publishing UK in exchange for an honest review.

In Her Shadow turned out to be a very different book than I was expecting, which isn't necessary a bad thing. The blurb describes it as the story of a woman, Jessica, whose sister died four years ago. She always accepted it as an accident but when her daughter starts behaving strangely, she wonders if it might have been murder instead.

This is still definitely a thriller but the strange behaviour the daughter experiences gives the whole story more of a horror edge as she appears to be communicating with the ghost of Jessica's sister. This is the main bulk of the story and I was a little surprised that it wasn't more explicit in the blurb. Most of the tension and uneasiness comes from never being quite sure if her daughter really is communicating with a ghost or if there's something more sinister at play.

On the whole, this is a decent thriller and has a plot with some interesting elements and a solid sense of tension. Unfortunately I felt like it had a couple of flaws which stopped it being much more than that. Firstly, it is pretty long for a thriller and I felt like it could have been cut down without losing much. Perhaps more importantly, the ending suffers greatly as it falls into the folly of having every character suspected in turn, meaning when you reach the actual suspect you are not surprised because they are literally the only character left who hasn't been dismissed. This makes for a dull and tedious ending as you can tell by the pages left when it is a fakeout reveal.

Elements I liked however: the characters were pretty good. In particular I liked learning about Isabella, the dead sister, and I felt she was a very unique and interesting character to read about. Her job as a sexual therapist was something I've not seen before and it was handled extremely well. I also liked Jessica's relationship with her daughter and that was written very well compared to a lot of thrillers. Her daughter felt like an actual part of the story rather than a plot device that disappears whenever she stops being immediately important.

Overall, there was a lot going on in this story and I appreciated the depth and focus given to some of the side characters and plots. I think it was a shame about the ending as I was enjoying it a lot more until then, and I think trimming that down would have also helped with the overall feel of the book being too long. There is some nice creepy imagery and good characterisation to be found here, it's just a shame that some of the elements fell a bit short.

Overall Rating:

The June Boys by Court Stevens

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas Nelson and Zondervan in exchange for an honest review.

The June Boys is the story of Thea, a girl whose father is accused of a terrible crime when there are an occurrence of several kidnappings in a town. Every year, three boys are taken on the 1st June and held captive for a month before being released. This so-called Gemini Thief has never been caught and Thea, along with her boyfriend Nick, have become involved in investigating ever since Thea's cousin was taken by the thief. Suspicion falls on her father and she must come to terms with the fact that the Thief might be someone close to home.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book and I went in fairly blind. It is definitely a thriller in terms of plot but the style is quite laid-back and at least for me, it didn't have a strong sense of tension the way a traditional thriller usually does. Having said that, I was very intrigued and engaged with the premise of this book. I found Thea to be a very interesting character and I felt I could both sympathise and understand the personal dilemmas she went through. My favourite sections by far though were the 'Elizabeth Letters' written by Aulus while he is in captivity, and these added that much-welcomed sense of danger and tension to the story.

As an audiobook, I found both the narrators were great. I will say that the Elizabeth Letters section does lose a little of the detail in audio format as the physical book has little doodles, asides and other comments with the way the letters are presented. However, this is a very minor thing.

In terms of the mystery, I wasn't necessarily shocked by anything that happened in this book. I think that was down to the more laid-back style. There were also some strong religious undertones to the whole thing which I didn't personally connect to much. Overall though, the June Boys is an intriguing YA thriller with a very unique premise and setting which was a breath of fresh air in the genre. I think it deals with the subject of kidnapping well and has some interesting exploration surrounding that topic. It is definitely worth checking out if you're sick of being disappointed by YA thrillers and want something with a bit more meat to it.

Overall Rating: