Happy Halloween!! And a Review From Kim
Happy Halloween! It is a Monday, so it’s a work day for Jessica, but we celebrated over the weekend watching scary movies! I love this time of year!!!! And we all know how much Kim loves it and seemingly celebrates year round with her collection of scary dolls!…..
In the spirit of the day, we bring you a review from Kim, this one a classic:
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury!
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Series: Green Town #2
Author: Ray Bradbury
Published: September 17, 1962
293 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4.5 stars
Book Description:
For those who still dream and remember, for those yet to experience the hypnotic power of its dark poetry, step inside. The show is about to begin. Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destroy every life touched by its strange and sinister mystery. The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early. A calliope’s shrill siren song beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. Two boys will discover the secret of its smoke, mazes, and mirrors; two friends who will soon know all too well the heavy cost of wishes…and the stuff of nightmares.
Few novels have endured in the heart and memory as has Ray Bradbury’s unparalleled literary masterpiece Something Wicked This Way Comes. Scary and suspenseful, it is a timeless classic in the American canon.
Kim’s Review:
I just love Bradbury. He’s the true definition of a diverse author. So far we’ve seen sci-fi, political dystopia, and now soft horror.
While I admit that I didn’t get all the metaphors in this book, the plot and characters alone carry this book. They’re real and relatable and by the time you’re done, you want to live in Green Town every year at Halloween. Jim and Will are boys as boys should be. Their curiosity and courageous fear drive them through this story with reckless and responsible abandon. I know that sounds paradoxical, but isn’t that what little boys are?? And Mr. Halloway might be the most relatable character in literature. He works his way through reconciling his age with his position in life. And in the end, he is content. I really loved watching his journey and I love and respect him! I’ll admit that the carnival is where I get a little lost, but even without any complicated metaphors, the carousel is a terrifying prospect!!
Overall, this is a great Halloween read and I absolutely recommend it!!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Short Story Review: Gretel by Annalee Adams
Gretel
Author: Annalee Adams
Published: October 31, 2018
78 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4.5 stars
Book Description:
Kim’s Review:
I’m not sure what I expected from this little book, but it’s nuts! It’s the perfect short story for those Criminal Minds fans. The cover is amazing, the story is simple and effective, the characters are interesting and easy to sympathize with. My only real criticism is that I’d like more overall info; I also acknowledge that it’s just a short story. Gretel just left me shaking my head. It was terrifying and nasty and engaging and I have to say that the twist was pretty crazy! A very good book!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Book Review: The Witches of Harbour by Sian B. Claven
The Witches of Harbour
Series: Hex Duology #1 (Prequel to Hex)
Author: Sian B. Claven
Published: March 15, 2020
198 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4.5 stars
Book Description:
Harbour is a quiet small town with a big bad secret.
Sara doesn’t understand why she is running away in the cover of darkness from her hometown, or who the baby is that her mother is giving her to care for, but she trusts her mother enough to leave and not look back.
Christine knows that there may be a time that Sara is convinced to come back so she pens a letter to her explaining Harbour’s well kept secret, so her daughter can understand why she and the baby are in danger.
It all started years ago…
A prequel to Hex.
Kim’s Review:
Another great one by Claven! This is the prequel to Hex so of course I had to read it first. And now I can’t wait to read Hex! This was a very unique story that I felt I hadn’t read before. But let’s start with that half star: the character names got a little confusing. I felt like Christine would randomly mention a name and I had no idea who she was talking about. However, I think a chart would fix this … I’m all about charts! This also became a little bit of a problem once the resolution hit, but I also can’t really talk much about that cuz I don’t wanna give it away! Thankfully, everything made sense and I didn’t notice any loose ends. The plot was quick and engaging and I spent the book trying to work it out in my head before everything worked out. I didn’t, but that’s the sign of a good mystery! The characters were interesting and dynamic and I liked watching them grow and change throughout the story. The fact that I’m so excited to read the next book in the series shows how great this one is!!
Excellent book and I recommend it to any horror/thriller fan!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK