Review: Long Black Coffin

Title: Long Black Coffin

Author: Tim Curran
Release Date: December 18th 2012
Publisher: DarkFuse
Pages: 390
Source: Netgalley

Summary:

“The Long Black Coffin is a '67 GTO. A street-eater and a life-taker. Like an open grave, it's hungry for death.

Vic Tamberlyn committed suicide in it. His son Kurt asphyxiated in it. Maybe there's no connection, but Kurt's best friend, Johnny Breede, doesn't believe it. He begins seeing dark connections, convinced that beneath the skin of the Coffin there beats a black, terrible heart. But it's even worse than he can imagine.

For the Long Black Coffin has a history. And that history will lead Johnny into a web of murder, insanity, and sexual perversion. He'll learn gruesome family secrets that connect a decade-old series of child abductions to a primordial evil that lives on in the car in the form of a sadistic teenage girl.

A girl whose mother was human, but whose father was anything but.”

My Thoughts: 

I have never been a huge horror fan but I’ve been trying to branch out and read different things. While I was browsing netgalley one day, this book caught my attention right away. While it wasn’t the best read ever, it was still enjoyable.

The writing was super creepy and compelling and captivated me from the prologue (which was creepy and made we want to read more). The writing kind of reminded me of Stephen King’s (which is saying a ton). The main protagonist Johnny Breede was funny and full of spunk but still was practical and had a conscious.  

While the story mostly had an eerie moods, there were some pretty cool scenes in it too. There was a lot of drug and party scenes that led to some interesting comments. My favorite line would have to be “Swear I just saw a unicorn smoking joints with centaurs”! Yes – that’s actually from the story. Those druggie scenes were majorly cray. I really liked these parts because as a new horror reader, it was nice to have some light parts to calm my nerves.

Now, onto the gory goodness. The actual horror story was really interesting, especially with the dark themes and mystery involved with this story. Kurt, who was Johnny’s best friend, played a huge role to the plot in the beginning. I really liked seeing his obsession with his father and trying to analyze his life. The real central part about Kurt was the introduction to his father who was cruel and had a deadly secret. The whole story from there has to do with Johnny discovering what it is and dealing with the demons that came with it.

There were a lot of sexual scenes that kind of added a weird twist to the story. If you don’t like sex or are too young, then I don’t suggest reading this book. There were parts in the book that felt long and drawn out but later those parts lead to something greater. Also, the mystery was built over time and actually served a purpose rather than a filler. Really loved that too.

Towards the end I started losing interest in the story simply because I got tired of the sex. Other than that, I’d recommend this book to those looking for a horror novel that isn’t super gory.

Rating: 3/5 

Review: Rape Girl

Title: Rape Girl

Author: Alina Klein
Release Date: September 1st 2012
Publisher: namelos
Pages: 126
Source: Netgalley

Summary:

“Valerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl.

But not the rape girl.

That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it.

Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family. After, she has a court case, a support group, and a house full of strangers.

The real truth is, nothing will ever be the same.”

My Thoughts: 

I never feel comfortable talking or reading about rape because of how intense and horrific it can be. While I have not read many books on the topic I was interested in this young adult version because I wanted to see a younger perspective on it. I wanted to see how a young girl would cope with the aftermath of such a horrifying event. Sadly though, Rape girl fell short for me. Now, don’t get me wrong, the story has some very powerful and realistic scenes that left me feeling raw.

I really wanted to connect to Valarie and feel all the pain and sorrow she had to go through, but I couldn’t really feel anything for her. This whole book is super short and to be honest it felt incomplete by the end and some chapters felt like they were put together at the last minute. I just didn’t have enough time with Valarie to actually develop strong enough feelings for her struggle. Also, I had a huge problem with her character too.

While Valarie went through an unforgivable experience, it deeply bothered me on how she seemed only concerned with how other’s would view her rather than trying to cope. It bothered me so much because I just couldn’t connect with that at all. I wanted to be in her mind and see how her mental health was after the event and see how she worked through that. The social aspect just really turned me off. I mean Valarie’s mother having her breakdown felt more realistic to me than anything else. It was just so frustrating, and the ending didn’t do anything for me either.

While this book missed the mark for me, I do see the importance of this story. Rape Girl is a powerful and graphic novel I feel would be great for young readers. While the story didn’t go into enough depth for me, I think it would be a great read for younger readers wanting a glimpse of tougher issues.

Rating: 2/5

Waiting on Wednesday (10)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine! Each week, bloggers spotlight what upcoming release they're eager for.

Title: The Walking Dark by Robin Wasserman

 Released: September 10^th 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

“They called it the killing day. Twelve people dead, all in the space of a few hours. Five murderers: neighbors, relatives, friends. All of them so normal. All of them seemingly harmless. All of them now dead by their own hand . . . except one. And that one has no answers to offer the shattered town. She doesn't even know why she killed—or whether she'll do it again.

Something is waking in the sleepy town of Oleander's, Kansas—something dark and hungry that lives in the flat earth and the open sky, in the vengeful hearts of upstanding citizens. As the town begins its descent into blood and madness, five survivors of the killing day are the only ones who can stop Oleander from destroying itself. Jule, the outsider at war with the world; West, the golden boy at war with himself; Daniel, desperate for a different life; Cass, who's not sure she deserves a life at all; and Ellie, who believes in sacrifice, fate, and in evil. Ellie, who always goes too far. They have nothing in common. They have nothing left to lose. And they have no way out. Which means they have no choice but to stand and fight, to face the darkness in their town—and in themselves.”

Review: Every Day

Title: Every Day

Author: David Levithan
Release Date: August 28th 2012
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 324
Source: Purchased

Summary:

“Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.”

My Thoughts: 

I have never read a book quite like Every Day in my entire reading life.

When I first went into this novel, I expected it to only focus on the romance but I was so wrong. This story is about all the different people in the world. It’s so beautiful and just amazing. I really loved seeing A go through the bodies and seeing the lives they lived through a new perspective. It made me really think about how everyone is unique in their own way. That was my favorite part of the whole book. The journey through each person.

The love A had for Rhiannon was deep. I mean he/she found every way possible to be near her. I know that sounds creepy to some people but I found it kind of sweet. The only thing I didn't like about the book was how it ended. I felt like there were too many questions left unanswered and it simply felt rushed. I kind of hope there’s a companion or sequel in the future because I want to know what happened to A and also Rhiannon.

So overall, I am so happy I read this book. It’s original and brings up a tons of thought provoking questions. It’s a very beautiful book.

Rating: 4.5/5  

Review: The New Hunger

Title: The New Hunger

Author: Isaac Marion
Release Date: January 28th 2013
Publisher: Zola Books
Pages: 140 (ebook)
Source: Purchased

Summary:

“New York is a bayou. New Orleans is a reef. The entire country has been devastated by natural disasters and governmental collapse, and on top of everything else there is the annoying problem of zombies trying to devour you at every turn. But sixteen-year-old Nora and her younger brother Addis are about to discover the most frightening thing yet: being abandoned in this horrific world by their own parents.

Left with only a bag of clothes and a first-aid kit, Nora and Addis begin a harrowing journey to connect with anyone who isn't looking to rob them or eat them. A wounded man wrecks a meal of green beans and French fries at the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. An attempt to get a good night’s sleep in a fortified motel is ruined by an undead face staring at them through the window. And they just can’t seem to shake someone – something – that’s been following them everywhere they go….

Meanwhile, a girl named Julie is traveling toward the city in an SUV with her parents. She is only twelve, but has already seen friends die and her school burn. She has watched her father become nearly as cold and remorseless as the Dead. All she wants is someplace to call home, even if it never really will be.

And somewhere nearby, a tall man awakens in the woods, unsure of exactly where he is, or even who he is. As he struggles to remember details of his life, a single consonant comes to him: R. He is…a name that begins with R….

Isaac Marion once again demonstrates his remarkable gifts as a storyteller as he brings the world of WARM BODIES back to life. Grounding his characters in real emotion, Marion makes you root for them to save the world even as they simply try to stay alive.”

My Thoughts: 

It’s no secret that I loved Warm Bodies and when I found out Isaac made a prequel I may have squealed and flailed a bit. Even though it’s so short, I LOVED IT. I just LOVED it.

Its incredible how in such a short novella, Isaac was able to create such an apocalyptic world that seemed so real I felt like I was part of it. Seeing R from when he first turns was so insightful. I really liked watching him try to fight of becoming a zombie and to try and stay as human as possible. It made me like him even more than I did originally and I didn’t think that was possible. R’s story was probably my favorite out of the three because of how profound and deep is thoughts are. R is such a complex and interesting character because he is so different.

It was neat seeing Julie as a child and seeing some insight into her. Though I thought it was a tad boring I still liked seeing a snippet of her mother.

The most depressing and terrifying story involves Nora and Addis. To be fair, I feel like this whole prologue was Nora’s and just featured R and Julie. It was heart breaking to watch Nora struggle to survive and protect her little brother from the world and the monsters inhabiting it. I was such a contrast of seeing Addis in this world. He’s only a boy and still has his innocence. I really loved him and the happy lightness he added to the book.

This novella really helped answer some questions I had while reading Warm Bodies. It’s insightful and an emotional roller-coaster. If you liked Warm Bodies or zombie novels, than I suggest picking this up.

Rating: 5/5 

My review of Warm Bodies is here

Review: The Hallowed Ones

Title: The Hallowed Ones

Author: Laura Bickle
Release Date: September 25th 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 311
Source: Purchased

Summary:

“Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.”

My Thoughts: 

This book was perfect. I absolutely adored it from beginning to end.

I have never read a book such as The Hallowed Ones before but Laura beautifully blended two genres I never thought would go together – dystopian and religion. Yet, this story was so incredible and so unique.

The writing was beautiful and captivating and I just couldn’t get enough. The actual story itself was haunting and disturbing. The religious beliefs made the story feel even more eerie and I feel like that added to the mood of the book a lot. The monsters in this book were terrifying and gave me chills. They were just so creepy!

I really loved Katie and how strong of character she was. Katie was a fighter and stood up for what she believed in. I mean that’s saying a ton considering how she brought up. I loved seeing her question everything and making her own path. I just really loved Katie.

Even the romance between Katie and Alex was sweet and actually helped push the story along rather than smother it. I really loved these two together and I don’t often say that about characters in books.

Overall guys this book is incredible and I can’t stop gushing about it. I feel like this book is under rated and totally recommend you all pick it up!

Rating: 5/5 

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine! Each week, bloggers spotlight what upcoming release they're eager for.

Title: Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Released: July 23rd 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

"In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...
In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.
Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.
As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love."