Review: Blackout by Mira Grant

Title: Blackout
Author: Mira Grant
Series: Newsflesh Trilogy #3
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

632 pages
Published May 22th 2012 by Orbit
Purchased

Goodreads | Author | Publisher | Amazon | Book Depository

Okay, I know it for sure now. This book is one of my all time favourites.

This book. This whole series. It's so, so, so GOOD.

In this third and last part in the Newsflesh Trilogy, the After The End Times bloggers play the endgame. It's now or never, all or nothing. All the bodies they left in their wake are a dark presence they have to live with. Will they uncover the conspiracy before the government finds them and shut them up once and for all?

To be honest, I wouldn't recommend Blackout, or any of the books in this series if you are looking for a gruesome zombie book. Because to be honest, the amount of zombie encounters in this book is minimal. It's not about the shambling dead. It's about how fear can be used to control countries. It's about how easily people are persuaded when they are afraid, and how easy it is to scare them. These books are so much more than just zombie reads.

And it has intricate story lines! Hurray! I loved how all the threads came together in this one, and the fact that no questions were left unanswered. Blackout had some massive plot twists that literally made me go "oh my god oh my god what's happening". It's that good.

The only fault is something I don't mind personally, but I get why other people might get annoyed by it. There is some repetition in sentences and scenes. For example, the main characters are subjected to blood tests at every single building. But the thing is, repeating the fact that there are blood tests over and over again actually has a purpose in the story. It shows how paranoid everyone has become. It shows how repressed and twisted their society actually is. There was no unnecessary repetition in the story in my opinion.

If I was rich, I would gift these books to every person I know. Since I can't even afford buying myself new books, I will have to settle for recommending it to everyone I know. Seriously guys. These are keepers.

Blurb

Rise up while you can. -Georgia Mason

The year was 2014. The year we cured cancer. The year we cured the common cold. And the year the dead started to walk. The year of the Rising.

The year was 2039. The world didn't end when the zombies came, it just got worse. Georgia and Shaun Mason set out on the biggest story of their generation. The uncovered the biggest conspiracy since the Rising and realized that to tell the truth, sacrifices have to be made.

Now, the year is 2041, and the investigation that began with the election of President Ryman is much bigger than anyone had assumed. With too much left to do and not much time left to do it in, the surviving staff of After the End Times must face mad scientists, zombie bears, rogue government agencies-and if there's one thing they know is true in post-zombie America, it's this:

Things can always get worse.

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: Deadline by Mira Grant (5/5 Stars)
• Review: Generation by William Knight (4/5 Stars)
• Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer by Cecily von Ziegesar (4/5 Stars)

Review: Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton

Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton
(Anita Blake #8)

4 out of 5 stars

Published 1998 by Ace
This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the series

There are so many characters in the Anita Blake series. Almost every book there are added more to Anita's group of sexy hunks. All these characters are both the strength and the weakness of Blue Moon.

Usually when I write a review, I add a little paragraph describing the main plot. The problem with this book is that there is so little plot that it almost seems useless to try to explain it. I'll give you a tiny summary instead: Richard is accused of rape, he'll turn furry soon, have to get him out of jail. And something with trolls.

Hamilton's heavy characterising is taking the toll on her plots. When this series started, the books were about a murder or an investigation, and you met some awesome people in between. Now the people are taking the stage, leaving almost no room for the plot. Seriously, there is so much talking, so much in depth flashes into the lives of about eight people of her sexy hunk group. The real plot could be described in just eighty pages.

The thing is, I really like character based books. So I don't get bored of all the interactions. But I know many of you are plot-lovers. I wouldn't recommend the Anita Blake books (the fifth and up) if you prefer plot-heavy books. In this one, there was a teeny tiny plot. From what I've heard, it'll only get smaller and smaller from now on.

Aside from the fact that I just detest Richard lately, this book was very enjoyable for me. It's like watching a horror paranormal soap series. Nothing very exciting, but definitely addicting.

On to the next one!

Blurb

When she chose master vampire Jean-Claude over her ex-fiancé, alpha werewolf Richard Zeeman, Anita learned that sometimes love is not enough. But though she and Richard won’t be walking down any aisles, she can’t turn her back on him when he’s arrested on a rape charge in Tennessee. Anita knows firsthand that Richard has the morals of a saint—or at least a boy scout. But his guilt or innocence is not the issue. He’s behind bars, and in five days a full moon will rise…

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: Burnt Offerings by Laurell K. Hamilton (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Generation by William Knight (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright (2/5 Stars)
• Review: Enormity by W.G. Marshall (4/5 Stars)

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads
• Book Depository

Review: Carrie by Stephen King

Carrie by Stephen King

4 out of 5 stars

Published 2007 by Hodder & Stoughton
First published in 1974

A classic in the horror genre, and written over thirty years ago, this book is still very enjoyable. I read it to get in the appropriate Halloween spirit in October, and I must say, Carrie certainly fit the bill!

On a traumatic afternoon in the group showers after PE Carrie gets her first period. After being picked on by her classmates for years, this only makes it worse. Her extremely religious mother has never told her about periods. Then unexplainable things start to happen around Carrie.. Resulting in a horrible night the world won't forget soon.

Having read a few books of Mr King (including It and Insomnia) I have seen quite a bit of his writing style. This was one of the first of his shorter books I have read. Even though I enjoy his longer work, it was nice to see him focus on one storyline for a change, with just a small cast of characters. One of the things I always enjoy in his books is how he portrays the character's thoughts. He understands that thoughts are rarely full formed sentences, but more like snippets of memories and impressions.

Mr King's other big strength lies in describing dysfunctional relationships. The relationship between Carrie and her extremist mother was wonderfully crafted. Instead of making her mother a monster, he adds a touch of humanity that makes her into a three-dimensional character. The same thing with Carrie herself; you know from very early on in the story that she will probably kill some people. You don't know how, but you get the feeling she will. Yet still, the only thing I wanted to do was to hug her and tell her everything would be al right. She's just a sweet girl, pushed too far.

Carrie is a collection of newspaper scraps, reports, scientific books, a memoir, and the "real" storyline. I quite liked the idea; but towards the ending I wished that there was more "real" and less other stuff. At times it took a bit of speed out of the story.

For people that want to read some Stephen King, but don't know where to start, I would certainly recommend Carrie. It's a great story, and I will probably read it again sometime!

Blurb

Carrie White has a gift - the gift of telekinesis.

To be invited to Prom Night by Tommy Ross is a dream come true for Carrie - the first step towards social acceptance by her high school colleagues.

But events will take a decidedly macabre turn on that horrifying and endless night as she is forced to exercise her terrible gift on the town that mocks and loathes her...

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: Insomnia by Stephen King (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Generation by William Knight (4/5 Stars)
• Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Burnt Offerings by Laurell K. Hamilton (4/5 Stars)

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads
• Book Depository

Review: Burnt Offerings by Laurell K Hamilton

Burnt Offerings by Laurell K. Hamilton
(Anita Blake #7)

4 out of 5 stars

Published by Penguin
This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the series

The Anita Blake series is a guilty pleasure of mine. I just don't know why, but I enjoy reading them. I like to see main character Anita struggling with herself and her countless "I'm bigger and badder than you" enemies. I like the horror side of the series. Ms Hamilton definitely has a sick mind sometimes, but it works.

Burnt Offerings was perfect for satisfying my Anita Blake fix. I'm glad Anita is still (kind of) monogamous in this one, from what I've heard she won't really stay that way. The infamous vampire council comes to town, which brings a big bunch of amazing characters like the tortured Asher and another triumvarate.

Anita, as always, runs around waving with her gun and generally kicking ass. She's getting some very interesting powers with Richard and Jean-Claude behind her. But I see a bit of a change in this book; she's mellowing down a bit. Don't take me wrong, she still has attitude problems. But she knows when a person needs a bit of comfort, and she doesn't shy away of giving it.

There was a lot of plot going on in Burnt Offerings. Anita has to deal with the vampire council, an arsonist on a rampage, two kinds of shifters that vie for her attention, and a jealous boyfriend. I wasn't completely satisfied by the way everything wrapped up. Probably just because I wasn't expecting it to be that way.

The Anita Blake series is one that you can't recommend or discommend. You either hate it, or love it. Some people love the early books, but hate the latter. There is just one way to find out to which team you belong, and that is to try it. I personally know for sure, I'm not done yet with Anita.

Blurb

Anita Blake is a vampire hunter. But when someone else sets his sights on her prey, she must save them both from the inferno.

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: The Killing Dance by Laurell K. Hamilton (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Bloody Bones by Laurell K. Hamilton (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Generation by William Knight (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Enormity by W.G. Marshall (4/5 Stars)

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads

Review: Generation by William Knight (Blog Tour)

I am writing this review as part of a Novel Publicity book tour. The layout of this post will be slightly different from how I usually format my reviews to make it stand out from my regular posts. Make sure to check all the other awesome blogs in this tour out too, and read the Tour Notes below (you can win stuff!)

Review

Generation by William Knight
4 out of 5 stars

Published by Standing Hare
Review copy received as part of the tour

When I started reading Generation I was expecting full horror with a little bit of crime mystery. The first page did nothing to change those expectations; we begin with Patient SW0112 who feels how his own body is decomposing in graphic detail. I got quite a strong stomach for this kind of story; but I was very glad that this book is more than just three-hundred pages of gore.

Hendrix Harrison is a journalist for the Strange Phenomena magazine. When he gets sent to a small village to do research for a story, he comes across something way bigger than just a ghost sighting. There are bodies disappearing from a university facility, and it looks like they were used for testing genetic modification drugs by a pharmaceutical company. People are noticing that Hendrix is digging in stuff he isn't supposed to and some people are getting very, very annoyed.

When a book has an average rating of over four stars on Goodreads I get sceptical. It's impossible that everyone loves the same book, right? In the case of Generation I have to admit, this book is of a very professional standard. It's very well written with just the right amount of suspense, conspiracy, gruesomeness and science. I really liked how the virus that turns people into some kind of concious zombies was developed. Some authors take the easy way out and leave the details unexplained; Mr Knight on the other hand gives us a solid foundation so we can believe in his story.  

Generation is a very engaging book. Slowly you discover together with Hendrix what is going on at the university and the pharmaceutical company. For me personally it was too slow. I knew what was going on about halfway of the book, and the main characters took several agonizing chapters until they finally wanted to admit the "big secret". I did like the big conspiracy though, so I wasn't that annoyed. The characters were pretty lifelike and layered, but it turned out they just weren't people I very much liked. It's hard for me to identify with a single ex-military turned journalist. There was also a little romance that I didn't understand at all. I couldn't find any reason for them to be attracted to each other.

Luckily these were just minor problems and they didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. I think a lot of lovers of thrillers will adore Generation. I would definitely recommend it, on the condition that you can handle a little bit of gore!

Novel Publicity Blog Tour Notes

> You can get your own copy of Generation on Amazon or Barnes & Noble

> Please vote for Nyx Book Reviews in the traffic-breaker poll for this tour. The blogger with the most votes wins a $50 Amazon gift card (which is totally awesome). You can vote in the poll by visiting the official Generation blog tour page and scrolling all the way to the bottom.

> Be sure to enter for your chance to win an autographed copy of Generation

Author Bio

William Knight is a British born journalist and technologist currently living and working in Wellington, New Zealand. He's chased a varying career starting in acting, progressing to music, enjoyed a brief flirtation with handbag manufacturing and was eventually wired into technology where he's been since 1989. In 2003 he published his first feature in Computing magazine and has since written about the many successes and failings of high-tech for the Guardian, Financial Times and the BBC among many others publications. He continues to maintain a lively IT consultancy. Connect with William on his website, blog, Facebook, Twitter or GoodReads.

Review: Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan

Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan
(The Saga of Larten Crepsley #1)

4 out of 5 stars

Published by HarperCollins Children's Books

A prequel series to his Cirque du Freak books, The Sage of Larten Crepsley follows the life of vampire Larten, who will play such an important part in the later books featuring young Darren. Set three hundred years ago, we meet Larten as a human. We see the world through his eyes, and learn how he has become the person he is.

The thing that stands out first is the writing style in Birth of a Killer. It is so different from how Mr Shan has written his Demonata series, which I've read before this one. The language in Birth of a Killer is slightly more formal, richer, more detailed. Especially the more formal part worked really well with the historical feel. It was nice to see that he has such a diversity of writing.

Another thing that is remarkable in comparison with his other work is how little action there is in this book. Usually you can count on some kind of big fights at least three times throughout his books, but it felt like Birth of a Killer was way more mellow than his other books.

Even though there might not be that much action, this book can still classify as horror. Not because there are demons or vampires in it, but because it describes the horrors of what some human beings can do to each other. You know, the true evil in the world. There was quite some heavy stuff going on in the first part of the book, so I was glad there were also some lighter parts to give some relief.

Birth of a Killer is a very quick read, even though it doesn't rely on action to keep it moving. You should see it more like some kind of diary of Larten's childhood and the beginning of his vampire life. Not everything is told; just some key elements that have formed the way he is.

For lovers of the Cirque du Freak series, I would definitely recommend Birth of a Killer. Larten is one of the most interesting characters in the series, and he deserves some books of his own. If you haven't read any Darren Shan yet, I wouldn't recommend this book to start with. Especially the mechanics of the vampire society will probably go completely past you if you aren't familiar with the world.

Birth of a Killer is different, but not a bad different.

Blurb

The highly anticipated prequel to the New York Times bestselling Cirque Du Freak series!

Before Cirque Du Freak...
Before the war with the vampaneze...
Before he was a vampire.
Larten Crepsley was a boy.

As a child laborer many centuries ago, Larten Crepsley did his job well and without complaint, until the day the foreman killed his cousin/bestfriend as an example to the other children. In that moment, young Larten flies into a rage that the foreman wouldn't survive. Forced on the run, he sleeps in crypts and eats cobwebs to get by. And when a vampire named Seba offers him protection and training as a vampire's assistant, Larten takes it.
This is his story.

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Feed by Mira Grant (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Blood Beast by Darren Shan (3/5 Stars)
• Review: Alienation by Jon S. Lewis (4/5 Stars)

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads

Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

4 out of 5 stars

Published by Razorbill

The Replacement has this eerie fairy-tale feel. It's really hard to describe this book, it's different from the average young-adult novel. I'm having troubles reviewing this book (which is quite rare for me), but I'll do the best I can.

Mackie lives in Gentry with his parents and sister yet he is not their real family. He comes from a place no one talks about. He is something no one talks about. Evil lurks in Gentry, and this time it might get personal.

The setting of The Replacement reminds me of a young-adult version of Derry, the town Stephen King has created. It has the same foreboding feel to it, the same sense of evil. And even though everyone feels it, and everyone knows, they don't move to another town. They are used to the fear.

Horror is one of the hardest genres to write in. To make a story truly scary you need more than just some gore and bloodshed. You need true evil, something that sends shivers up your spine. I love how Ms Yovanoff sets the ambience. Although it really isn't that scary, I refrained from reading this book in bed. I'm very prone to nightmares, and I don't want to meet any of her monsters in my sleep.

In The Replacement it evil isn't just black and white. It has many shades of grey and the main character's perception changes throughout the story. Mackie really undergoes a transformation. From a shade of a person that only wants to disappear he turns into someone that looks problems into the eye.

To be very honest this was a strange book. At times it felt dreamlike, fairy-tale like while at other times it felt like a contemporary paranormal novel. I'm still not sure what to think about The Replacement, and I'm not sure yet whether or not I will read it again. I am curious to maybe read some of Ms Yovanoff's other works. She has an interesting voice that I would love to see more of.

Blurb

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Deadline by Mira Grant (5/5 Stars)
• Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Blood Beast by Darren Shan (3/5 Stars)

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads

Review: Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright

Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright
(Habitat #1)

2.5 out of 5 stars

Published by Dragonfairy Press
Review copy received through the author

You know the feeling when every single person you know loved a book, but you don't? And you wonder why people don't see it? That is how I feel about Fire Baptized.

Supernaturals are being forced to live in cages the size of small cities. Here they live in poverty and suppression. But things are even worse if you are a Mixbreed. They are second-class citizens, even in the Habitat. When she witnesses a gruesome murder on the way home, Lanore is determined to find the killer. But then he starts targeting people around her, and the killings get more personal.

The best way to describe Fire Baptized is an Anita Blake novel merged with a dystopian with social suppression themes. Think pre-orgy Anita Blake here. It's graphic urban-fantasy. There is a high level of gore and sex scenes that leave very little to imagination. I wouldn't recommend this for the sensitive reader. But for those of you who like it gritty - you might like this.

I admire the idea behind the story. It's different from what we're used to. There are Shifters, Vampires, Fairies, Pixies, Half-Demons and Witches; about every supernatural creature you can think of. They live in a caged city, cut off from the world. It's a highly original concept, and I just wish the execution was better.

The thing is, when you make this fantastic world with countless creatures that inhabit it and even make a whole religion for them, I want details. I want to know who built the cage. How does it look. What kinds of supernaturals are there, and what are their powers. When did supernaturals come out of the closet, so to speak? My main problem with Fire Baptized is that these details aren't there. There are pixies flying around, but I don't even know what they look like. Trolls make an appearance, but I have no idea whether they're black, green or orange. I get that you have to avoid info-dumps in books, especially in genres like urban-fantasy, but I sense a new phenomenon here. I'm calling it info-voids.

One of the biggest info-voids is why the supernaturals are even in a cage. Who put them there? Didn't they put up a fight or something? It mustn't be easy to put witches inside of a cage. The elements that make this story unique are just hinted on. Too much information is bad for a story, and it bogs it down. But too little makes it senseless.

Another thing that bothers me is inconsistencies. At one point in the novel, a law is mentioned that says vampires can't grow older than the age of a hundred. A few chapters later, we meet some vampires that are about two hundred years old. Maybe there is an explanation for this, but it isn't mentioned in the book.

My biggest annoyance in the book is the language Ms Wright has created. I think it's admirable to create your own language; I think it's great that Rebels speak some kind of dialect. You can even call it Lib Lib if you want to. What I don't like is that the Rebels talk like Yoda on a trip to Jamaica. As an illustration, I will quote some of the Lib Lib sentences spoken by a Rebel.

"Me no like this place already," Nona complained. "It's full of oppressors. We sit in the front."

"Me understand, but he can't harm you. You're Zulu's breeder."

And this is a response from heroine Lanore.

"Rest your... um, mouth, Nona," I said, straining to think of the few Lib Lib phrases I knew. "Him good."

I'm willing to believe in magic. But I am not willing to believe that this person cannot understand basic English. She SPEAKS basic English, only like a three-year-old. It just wasn't credible at all and turned into something that annoyed me every time it came up.

If you like stubborn (not necessarily smart) heroines, love triangles, alpha males with rock hard abs, gruesome murders and grown-up bullying, I think you might like Fire Baptized. It really isn't a bad book, and a lot of people have enjoyed and will keep to enjoy it. As of now I am the only person here on Goodreads not to like it that much. Try it, and see for yourself.

Blurb

Since the 1970s humans have forced supernaturals to live in caged cities. Silver brands embedded in their foreheads identify them by species: a full moon for Vampires, a crescent moon for Shifters, a pair of wings for Fairies, and the list goes on, for each supernatural species has been tagged and categorized by humans.

Lanore Vesta is marked with a silver X, the brand of Mixbreeds, second-class citizens shunned by society. She stays to herself, revealing her ability to create fire only during emergencies. All she wants to do is graduate college and stop having to steal to survive. But when she stumbles upon a murder in progress, she catches the attention of a supernatural killer. Now all she wants is to stop finding dead bodies in her apartment.

Enlisting help from her Were-cheetah ex-boyfriend MeShack and a new mysterious friend named Zulu, she is steered through the habitat’s raunchy nightlife. But their presence sometimes proves to be more burden than help, as they fight for her attention.

While the corpses pile up, and the scent of blood fills the air, Lanore is left wondering: will she find the psycho or die trying?

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: Demon's Fall by Karalynn Lee (2/5 Stars)
• Review: Broken by Kelley Armstrong (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Stone Kissed by Keri Stevens (2/5 Stars)
• Review: The Killing Dance by Laurell K Hamilton (4/5 Stars)

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads

Review: Heart of Perdition by Selah March

Heart of Perdition by Selah March

2 out of 5 stars

Published by Carina Press
ARC received through Netgalley

Heart of Perdition is another steampunk novella published by Carina Press, but this one had a different feel to it than for example Photographs & Phantoms or Like Clockwork. It's a bit darker, more Gothic novel than mystery. There are ancient curses and spooky settings. Although it is a romance, it did felt a little bit lighter on romance than the average Carina Press novel.

I loved the idea of this book. I was kind of amazed by how complex of a story Ms March was building. There was a lot of intrigue and tension, and I started wondering how she would tie all the ends up in such a short story. This is where the low rating comes in - she doesn't tie all the ends up. She doesn't tie a single one of them. There is no redemption, no solution, no confrontation. Just when I think something interesting is about to happen, I see the last sentence. "...To be continued".

Which was terribly lame. It just felt like the author couldn't come op with a handy solution to figure everything out, so she just stamped on a "to be continued" so no one could get angry about it. I've contacted the nice people at Carina Press and they told me that the second part in the series is being currently written, and it will probably release in 2013.

I would still be interested to read the sequel to Heart of Perdition, because I did like the feel of the story. But as a story itself, this was a bit disappointing.

Blurb

As the nineteenth century draws to a close, James Weston, Earl of Falmouth, is dying along with it. Despite living in an age of airships and automatons, even London's finest physicians cannot cure the young man's ailing heart. His last hope lies in retrieving a powerful artifact from the remote island home of an eccentric scientist's daughter.

Elspeth Shaw prefers her solitary life to the tragic results that come from mixing in society. Elspeth is cursed: every mortal being who forms an attachment to her dies a horrible death. Yet when the doomed Lord Falmouth arrives in search of the very artifact that blights her, she hasn't the will to refuse. But the price for cheating death may be more than any human can pay...

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: A Treasure Worth Seeking by Sandra Brown (2.5/5 Stars)
• Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger (4.5/5 Stars)
• Review: The Debutante's Dilemma by Elyse Mady (3/5 Stars)
• Review: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (4/5 Stars)

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads

Review: Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer by Cecily von Ziegesar

Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer by Cecily von Ziegesar
(Gossip Girl #13)

4 out of 5 stars

Published by Poppy
This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the series

This is exactly what the title says. This is a parody of the first book in the Gossip Girl series, but the weird thing is that the parody is written by Cecily von Ziegesar herself. I find this both courageous and extremely weird. It must feel uncomfortable to butcher your little baby book.

Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer is heavier on the killer part than the Gossip Girl part. All the original characters are in it: Blair, Serena, Chuck, Nate, Jenny and Dan. The book loosely follows the original storyline, but adds massive slaughters and gross murders.

I have to say, this book is pretty gruesome. If you're not interested in horror, or if you are squeamish for blood or severed heads, don't read this. This book isn't really for hard-core Gossip Girl fans, it's more for the fans of cheap horror flicks.

I personally actually quite like horror. But even for me this was a little bit too much at times. It took me a very long time to get into the book, and to get into the dark humour. In the end, it was entertaining, and the adaptation from the original novel was very well done. I would recommend Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer but with a fair warning.

Blurb

Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep-sometimes with each other. It's a luxe life, but someone's got to live it . . . until they die.

So begins Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer, a re-imagined and expanded slasher edition of the first groundbreaking Gossip Girl novel, featuring all new grisly scenes and over-the-top gore by #1 New York Times bestselling author Cecily von Ziegesar.

Just as in the original story, Serena returns from boarding school hoping to make amends with her BFF Blair Waldorf--things just haven't been the same since Nate Archibald came between them. But here's where our dark tale takes a turn: Serena decides that the only way for her to make things right with Blair is to eliminate Nate. If that means killing him, well, c'est la vie. Her attempted murder doesn't go unnoticed by Blair, however, who isn't about to let Serena kill whoever she wants-not when there's Cyrus Rose and Chuck Bass and Titi Coates and everyone else who's ever irritated Blair to get rid of first . . . .

American Psycho's Patrick Bateman has met his match in Manhattan's newest, most fabulous trendsetting serial killers, Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen.

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: Katana by Cole Gibsen (3.5/5 Stars)
• Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Feed by Mira Grant (4/5 Stars)

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads

Review: Blood Beast by Darren Shan

Blood Beast by Darren Shan
(The Demonata #5)

3 out of 5 stars

Published by Harper Collins Children's Books
This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the series

This is the first book in the Demonata series that I didn't particularly like. Darren Shan books are usually characterized by their fast moving plots, their inventive gore and lots of magical fighting.

Blood Beast doesn't have any action until the very end. Most part the story is about Grubbs going through the motions of teenage life, while worrying about not so teenage problems on top of that. He might have the family curse; he might turn into a werewolf.

I didn't like Grubbs's teenage problems. They didn't only seem trivial to me, but quite stupid too. Maybe it's just that I can't identify with them anymore, but I just couldn't stand some thoughts and actions of his. He is in that fase of life where leaving friends behind for other friends is totally acceptable, where you let your so-called "friends" hurt other people without speaking up for the victim. I think that's an ugly time. It might be consistent with how teenagers act like and think like at that age, but somehow I feel uncomfortable for seeing it justified.

Blood Beast felt like an in-between book, not a legit part of the series. There was just a lot of prepping you for the next book, setting up a bunch of plotlines, coming together in a massive cliffhanger. Worst thing was, I saw the massive "surprise" of the book coming from miles away. I know that even though I might expect it, there has to be more explanation for those who don't.

Overall this book felt empty for me. There was no character growth, no major plot points other than one I was already expecting, and no action until the very end of the book. I am hoping the next book will be more like the other books in the series.

Blurb

Grubbs Grady has so far escaped the family curse, but when he begins to experience alarming symptoms at the onset of the full moon, he is scared that the jaws of fate are opening and about to swallow him whole.

He has cheated death, defeated demons, moved on with his life. But Grubbs is torn between the world of magic and his wolfen genes. Can he fight the beast inside or will he fall victim to his tainted blood?

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Review: Alienation by Jon S. Lewis (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Bec by Darren Shan (4/5 Stars)
• Review: Slawter by Darren Shan (4/5 Stars)

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads

In My Mailbox

It's time for In My Mailbox, a weekly meme by The Story Siren!

Got two books this week, one I had been anticipating for MONTHS. I'm trying to limit my book-buying so I can finally read all those books I have bought three years ago. I believe I have about 80 unread books lying around here. This was also the week I got accepted for an amazing ARC, I am very excited about!

Click on the covers to go to their Goodreads page.

Bought:

Well, technically this is a gift from my boyfriend. Imagine Upper East Side'rs with their expensive designer clothes stabbing at each other with butcher knives. That's what Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer is like. It sounds completely insane, so I hope it's fun!

Received for review:

Let's read that writer's name again. Anne Rice. I got accepted to read an ARC by Anne Rice!! That's like, the woman whose books were made into a movie featuring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Antonio Banderas. That Anne Rice. I'm so excited that I would be doing cartwheels. If I knew how to do that.
The Wolf Gift is about a reporter that is being turned into a werewolf. It sounds really interesting. To read the full blurb, just click on the cover (:

What is in your mailbox this week? Leave a comment!

PBB Review: Dead Man's Eye by Shaun Jeffrey

Dead Man's Eye by Shaun Jeffrey

Reviewer: Anna from Read it.. Blog it...
3 out of 5 stars

Published by Deshca Press
Review copy received from the author

Hearing the title Dead Man's Eye I was eager to get started expecting a really good horror.. but sadly I didn't receive one. In my years reading I've read some really gruesome horror books and expected this to be the same.

Definitely not saying it wasn't very captivating; it didn't take me long to read it, Dead Man's Eye is definitely a fast paced read and not just because it's a short novella.I was really intrigued as to what all the 'shadows' were about.

The descriptions are good and the characters are well developed. I guess what disappointed me was the ending, it didn't end as I expected. It was quite anticlimactic, also I feel there could have been a bit more suspense throughout the book.

Overall a good quick read that I would recommend. I've already suggested to my partner to borrow my Kindle for a whileas he loves this kind of genre.

Read this review on Anna's blog

Blurb

Blighted by an eye disease, Joanna Raines undergoes a corneal transplant operation to stop her going blind. The procedure is successful, but in the weeks that follow she begins to see dark coronas surrounding certain people. By turns fearful that something has gone wrong and worried that she's going crazy, Joanna searches for an answer to the phenomena.

What she finds will change her life forever. The transplant has opened a door in her mind, and the strange coronas are not legacies of the operation but proof that a legion of demons plans to invade the earth!

Now the only thing that stands between the demonic horde and their plot to take over the world is Joanna, a young woman with the power to see them for what they really are.

Seeing is believing.

The demons are real.

Joanna just has to convince everyone else before it's too late.

More links

• Author page
• Goodreads

Review: Bliss by Lauren Myracle

Bliss by Lauren Myracle

3 out of 5 stars

Published by Amulet Books

Yes my friends, the rumours are true. The ending of Bliss sucks.

The book begins when in 1969 Bliss Inthemorningdew is sent to her grandma to live with her, because her hippie parents are going to Canada. Bliss is not used to "normal" life, and she is sometimes completely oblivious to things that are normal to other teenagers. She is an outcast at school, and even more when she starts to hear voices near the school building. There is a story about a girl that committed suicide there. Could the two be connected?

After reading Shine, I wasn't surprised to see that this book has more going on than just a paranormal plot. On the background there is the ever-present racism that was normal in the South at that time. "Black people should know their place" and other similar statements. This was one of the things I really liked about the book; Bliss struggles against these prejudices, but can't defy them openly without being shunned by society herself. Her confusion was realistic and very well described.

Then we come to the paranormal part of the story. It is quite good. And it is quite creepy, if you're not used to general spookiness in books. It also helps that Mr Myracle has chosen for the trail of Charles Manson as a backdrop.

The thing is, when you keep building pressure like in this book, you're expecting some big kind of release. Imagine, you stand on the shore and see a tsunami rising, coming closer, almost washing you away. Then, all of a sudden, *blip* the wave disappears, but your neighbour has a car accident. It isn't that the car accident isn't tragic, but well, it does feel like an anti-climax.

The ending of this book is one of the biggest anti-climaxes I have ever seen. It isn't necessary a bad ending, but it sure as hell doesn't fit. It's not satisfying in any way, it doesn't tie up any plotlines. It's just plain odd.

I would almost recommend this book, so we can all scratch our heads in confusion together. If you have nothing better to do, you can give it a try.

Blurb

Lauren Myracle brings her keen understanding of teen dynamics to a hypnotic horror story of twisted friendship.

When Bliss’s hippie parents leave the commune and dump her at the home of her aloof grandmother in a tony Atlanta neighborhood, it’s like being set down on an alien planet. The only guide naïve Bliss has to her new environment is what she’s seen on The Andy Griffith Show. But Mayberry is poor preparation for Crestview Academy, an elite school where the tensions of the present and the dark secrets of the past threaten to simmer into violence. Openhearted, naïve Bliss is happy to be friends with anyone. That’s not the way it has ever worked at Crestview, and soon Bliss is at the center of a struggle for power between three girls—two living and one long dead.

More links

• Author page
• Press
• Goodreads

Review: Bec by Darren Shan

Bec by Darren Shan
(Demonata #4)

4 out of 5 stars

Published by HarperCollins Children's Books
This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the series

While this book is often shelved as children's book, it comes with a warning: this series is Seriously Scary. And it definitely deserves this label. Darren Shan is a master in writing true horrifying stories.

Set in times where Christianity is rising and destroying the Old Fait, Bec doesn't know who her parents are. She is the sixteen-years-old priestess of a small town. When their town is being attacked by demons over and over again, she joins a small group of warriors sent off on a mission that is destined to fail.

The Demonata books are gory. There is a lot of detailed demon-slaying, and in Bec, also quite some casualties on the human side. An example of this you can find here. This really isn't a fluffy tale to read to your child as bedtime story. Unless you want him to stay awake the whole night of course.

Even for a violent book as this, the overall tone is very dark. Bec is on a mission that no one thinks will ever succeed. You start to feel for these people, their despair. Their home is raided again and again by demons, without any hope that they will stop coming. The tale of Bec's ancestors is so sad. Poor Bec.You can't help but feel sorry for the girl.

Bec is not a book that will make you bounce happily through the house when you've finished it. But it's brilliantly written, and so, so gripping.

Blurb

The fourth novel in this bonechilling series by Darren Shan, author of the New York Times bestselling Cirque Du Freak series, will keep readers turning page after horrifying page.

As demonic Fomorii ravage their land, Bec and a band of warrior companions leave their devastated rath to answer a plea for help. An orphaned priestess-in-training, Bec hopes the journey will help her solve the mysteries of her birth. But fighting demons has a steep price...

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Lord Loss by Darren Shan (Demonata #1)
• Demon Thief by Darren Shan (Demonata #2)
• Slawter by Darren Shan (Demonata #3)

Teaser Tuesday #24: Bec

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• Make sure you do not include spoilers
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser Tuesday #24: Bec

"I touch the back of a leathery demon about twice my height. It looks down on my and laughs. I say a word and the nails of my fingers instantly lengthen, digging deep into the monster, piercing its skin, bones, inner organs. The hellish creature chokes, blood gurgling up its throat. My nails burst out the far side of its body. I say another word and jerk my hand away, snapping free of the nails, leaving them buried within. The demon collapses, shudders, then goes still."

Taken from Bec by Darren Shan, about halfway through the book. You can find this book on the Children's shelf in bookstores, yet there is nothing childish about this series at all. It comes with a deserved warning on the back: Seriously Scary. Review to come soon (:

Leave a comment with your teaser below!

Review: Slawter by Darren Shan

Slawter by Darren Shan

4 out of 5 stars

This is the 3rd book of the Demonata series. May contain spoilers for previous books in this series.

My literature teacher said to class once: a writer that writes countless books, writes the same story over and over again. And I think there is a core of truth in this.

Darren Shan writes an insane amount of books in such a short time period. He publishes two books every single year. And what most people forget is that he actually is still fairly young; according to his Goodreads page he isn't even forty yet. By the time he's too old to write he will have written enough for the library to dedicate a whole cabinet just to fit in his books.

That makes you wonder though. Are all these books still unique? Or is it the same story told over and over again, only slightly different every time?

I don't know what the future may hold for Darren, but I do know that he still has enough creativity to keep us entertained and on the edge of our chairs. Slawter is slightly different from the previous parts in this series regarding the pacing. Darren's other books contain a lot of fighting off horrible demons and keeping them from ripping you apart. There is a lot of action in those books and they're lighter on the plot side. Slawter on the contrary doesn't have that much action going on. Looking back on the book, there is only really one big fight at the end of the book. Instead of a constant stream of blood and intestines, we now have a book that is more subtle, with more intrigue and plot twists. I liked to see this other side of Darren's writing in the Demonata series.

As the books in this series don't all follow the same persons, you need some kind of connecting factor to keep this series together. I love the way the author has managed to do this so skilfully subtle. He makes sure his readers see and recognise details from the other books, but keeps his characters in the dark, like they should be. They never know things they shouldn't and I really appreciate he took an effort to stay true of his storyline, and not to take the easy way out.

It was great to see Grubbs from Lord Loss (see below) back. He is scared, yet responsible. I like that he is so human, yet still a hero. While he is noble and saving everyone's ass, he would rather run away. He doesn't seek out the danger, he tries to avoid it. But when time comes he has the guts to fight back.

I'm really enjoying this series. This book was like seeing old friends. I'm curious to see where Darren Shan is taking us with these books. Will the terrifying Lord Loss ever be defeated?

Blurb

Lights. Camera. Slawter! Grubbs Grady and his half-brother Bill-E are thrilled to join their uncle Dervish as onset consultants for the newest movie by cult horror producer David A Haym. Shot in a deserted town renamed Slawter, the demon-themed movie is to be Haym's masterpiece. But as strange incidents disrupt the set, Grubbs begins to wonder whether more than filming is afoot.

Other reviews you might be interested in

• Lord Loss by Darren Shan (Demonata #1)
• Demon Thief by Darren Shan (Demonata #2)

Short Review: House of Dark Shadows by Robert Liparulo

House of Dark Shadows by Robert Liparulo

3 out of 5 stars

This book was quite al right, exactly what you would expect from this kind of book, and in that maybe slightly predictable. The characters weren't as worked out as they could be, but it has enough potential for growth in later books, as this is part of a series. The fifteen year old protagonist acts a little bit below his age, I would expect a little bit more responsibility from him, especially concerning his younger brother, that gets into trouble quite a lot. The book mostly consists of a lot of action scenes, and that is the strenght of it. Other than those there wasn't that much of a strong story line going on. This book will probably appeal to younger boys quite a lot, there is enough adventure to keep 'em happy for a few hours. This book isn't suitable for a too young audience though, some scenes are quite gruesome.

Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
Pacing: 4/5
Action: 4/5

Blurb

When the Kings move from L.A. to a secluded small town, fifteen-year-old Xander is beyond disappointed. He and his friends loved to create amateur films . . . but the tiny town of Pinedale is the last place a movie buff and future filmmaker wants to land.
But he, David, and Toria are captivated by the many rooms in the old Victorian fixer-upper they moved into--as well as the heavy woods surrounding the house.
They soon discover there's something odd about the house. Sounds come from the wrong directions. Prints of giant, bare feet appear in the dust. And when David tries to hide in the linen closet, he winds up in locker 119 at his new school.
Then the really weird stuff kicks in: they find a hidden hallway with portals leading off to far-off places--in long-ago times. Xander is starting to wonder if this kind of travel is a teen's dream come true . . . or his worst nightmare.

Review: Insomnia by Stephen King

Insomnia by Stephen King

4 out of 5 stars

You can say a lot of things about Stephen King, but not that he cannot tell one hell of a story. After reading It (over 1000 pages) I had to take a break from his work, but when I saw this title, I was interested enough to pick up another of his large tomes.

It is hard to describe what Insomnia is about without giving away major plot points. Basically, this is the story of seventy-something Ralph Roberts, who through his insomnia enters a world that is hidden from the human eye most of the time.

When his wife Carolyn dies after a long struggle with illness Ralph is devastated. He starts to sleep badly. Every day he wakes up a few minutes earlier than the day before that. This goes on until the point where Ralph only sleeps a few hours every night. The lack of sleep that accumulates has a great impact on his day to day life. He can't remember the most simple things, he doesn't experience any happiness any more, he just wants to lie down and have a good night of sleep.

Then he starts to get these strange hallucinations. At first, he doesn't give them that much thought. But when they become more frequent and severe he can't escape them any more, and he enters the other plains of this world.

I was instantly interested in this book because I enjoy King's writing style, and insomnia is a topic that holds my interest. At both points I wasn't disappointed; there was enough scientific references for me to feel like I actually learned something about insomnia, but it is interwoven in the story that you don't feel like you're being lectured at all.

It's hard to decide whether this book should be classified as horror or not. Especially the first half of the book is quite scary. There is a lot going on and you have no idea where all these signs point to, giving it a spooky feel. When Ralph finally welcomes the "other world", as you could call it, this tension is gone, and the story isn't frightful at all.

It was great to have an elderly main character for a change. I actually don't think I have read from the point of view of an older man before. Even though our worlds are so far apart as can be, I did feel for Ralph. He is an ordinary guy bestowed with extraordinary gifts making him special and important for the future of human kind. He acts like a real human being, and I appreciated that. He isn't better than other people in any way, the situation makes him powerful.

Another small thing I really liked about this book were the subtle references to other books from Stephen. The setting for this book is once again the town of Derry (like in It) and it was nice to see how characters we haven't met in a while are doing now. Even though King's books are standalone novels, they do have a connection, and I felt pretty awesome discovering these little clues leading to his other work.

Overall this is a solid read. It is long, but even if you're not that into long books you can give this a try. Stephen King has a way of keeping your interest, making you want to keep reading.

Blurb

You'll lose a lot of sleep. Ralph does. At first he finds it hard to drop off. Then he starts waking up earlier. And earlier. But that isn't when he starts seeing things. Colors, shapes, strange auras around his friends. Not to mention the bald doctors who always turn up at the scene of a death. The evil looking one clutching a rusty scalpel. All that comes later.
After Susan Edwina Day's visit to the town of Derry, Maine, is announced - when the once placid town starts to divide over women's issues. And the hitherto mild-mannered Ed Deepneau gets out of control - dangerously so.
That's when Ralph begins to lose a lot more than sleep. When he begins to understand why Ed is obsessed with the notion that Derry is becoming the new Armageddon. And to realise that time is ticking away for the residents of his home town.
An evil of unimaginable proportions has found a way in. And Ralph has one chance to beat it. In a card game. The stakes are high. They always are when you are playing for human souls. With a Joker in the pack... a bald one with a rusty scalpel...

2011 Reading Challenge: Horror and Urban Fantasy

Book Chick City is hosting a new reading challenge combining her two favourite genres; and luckily, those are my favourite genres also! So I will take the challenge to read 24 urban fantasy or horror books in the year of 2011. I love she included horror books, now I have a great motivation to read some of my Stephen King's that have been sitting on my shelf for over a year.

 

Challenge Details

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

• Rules: To read TWENTY FOUR (24) horror & urban fantasy novels in 2011 (24 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

• You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

• You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

• At the beginning of Jan 2011, you will find a link to add your reviews.