shawna_reads's Reviews (471)

"May sudden death come to anyone who dare sit in my chair." 

Cursed Objects is a collection of information centering on infamous, creepy objects from around the world believed to be cursed. From chairs to haunted graves to creepy dolls to expensive jewels, there are many cursed objects depicted in this book. 

This was my first non-fiction book (other than a few autobiographies) and it did not disappoint. Of course, I am attracted to all things macabre so what better way to start my non-fiction journey than with eerie objects supposedly cursed! 

I found this to be very informative. It was interesting and fun learning about cursed objects around the world from different countries, how or why things became cursed and by who. The layout of the book was great as it was divided into sections focusing on specific objects like "Cursed in Glass", "Cursed in Stone", "Cursed in the Graveyard", etc. You could tell the author did a lot of research and actually traveled to gather this information. There were also illustrations throughout depicting some of the objects which I thought was cool. 

Overall, it was a very interesting book! 

"Because he wouldn't understand the way we choose to live. He is too frivolous and lives a life without meaning."

Libby Jones receives a letter after her 25th birthday disclosing the identity of her birth parents and that she inherited an abandoned mansion. Her life is about to change, but there are others who have also been waiting for this day. Soon she will find out what happened in that mansion 25 years ago.

I was expecting a typical thriller, but my expectations were exceeded! The book was told through multiple point of views that all held its mysteries. One of the POVs was more compelling as it primarily focused on the Lamb family in the past and how the family upstairs came to live at the mansion, drastically affecting the Lambs and causing serious family dysfunction. However, each POV all bridged together nicely in the end.

There were a lot of characters spanned across each POV, but it didn't take long for me to follow along. I felt like the present day POVs could have been labeled properly to better differentiate between two of them as that became a little confusing. Other than that, it had culty vibes and it was full of twists. I surprisingly enjoyed this mysterious thriller!

"For two will create warmer memories than one." 

17 year old Tyler Barton was born in the Rocky Mountains where his mother disappeared on the same day. On the 17th anniversary of her death, his dad disappears in a plane flying over the same area his mother went missing. Tyler decides to hike into the woods to look for him, but soon realizes why this part of the wilderness is prohibited. 

This was a great creature feature! The pacing was a little slow for the first half, but I didn't mind as it gave a backstory of what happened in the woods in the past and what was going on present day. Eventually the reader finds out why the specific area of the forest was prohibited. The atmosphere of the woods was chilling, and the descriptions of the monsters were terrifying. 

I really liked Tyler's character. He was grieving, yet he persevered as he was determined to find his dad. He met an RCMP officer who was also in the same boat as him. It was nice to see a relationship form between Tyler and the officer, and how their survival instincts kicked in as they navigated the woods and discovered things beyond their imaginations. 

I actually wish it was longer to expand on what they discovered (I don't want to spoil anything) as it was gross and fascinating, but that's just me. With a mix of horror and sci-fi, this was creepy and immersive!

"If you had to live for just one moment like this, you'd not have the heart to go on living." 

Let Me Out I've Had Enough is a collection of 8 stories centered around grief, depression, loneliness, and suicide. From a psychiatrist haunted by spirits to an alien contracting a virus to save the world to a hanging gone wrong, all of the stories range from horror to cosmic. 

I generally enjoy short story collections, but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. I was very intrigued with the subject matter being psychological horror centred around grief/depression, however, I couldn't find myself resonating with any of the stories. Sadly, it didn't evoke as much of an emotional response as I was hoping to get. 

Out of the 8 stories, only 2 of them stood out to me the most - Masectomy Scars and Mask of Sanity. I think I just had high expectations going into this, but don't let it deter you if you're interested in reading it. The stories were still raw and emotional, and addressed important issues we face in society.

"Because to live is to decay. To be alive is to rot slowly, to barely notice it, only to be surprised by the inevitable result of the signs that had been there the entire time. Decades of deterioration from delivery 'til death." 

Connor Michaels was once a respected man - a former college quarterback, loving father and husband, and loved by his community. Now he is a broken man with a ruined family and no future after the death of his son. He is hanging on by a thread when he comes across a miracle med that will help him relive the good memories and block out the bad. 

This story is simple, yet powerful. Whether you feel bad or not for Connor, you can feel his emotions poured across the pages and you can't help but grieve with him, even if everything that happened was a result of his own actions. He is a flawed character with a lot of built up anger and sadness, and the only person keeping him going is his brother. 

I love the unique concept of a med that could help you relive all of your good memories. It all sounds wonderful and fun as you remember all the happy moments of life, but soon it becomes an addiction for Connor as he constantly wants to escape his broken life, continuing on an inevitable downward spiral. And that ending? Loved it! 

This novella is written very well and filled with such raw emotion. I loved everything about it and I highly recommend it! 

"Don't think of loneliness as absence. If you pay attention, it has a presence you can feel in your body, like hunger. Let it keep you company." 

Mona works as a cleaning lady, but volunteers her time handing out clean needles to drug addicts where she falls in love with Mr. Disgusting. He breaks her heart, which leads her to a journey of self healing where she moves to New Mexico for a fresh start. 

I loved this book so much! It was bleak and funny, yet reflective as we followed Mona through her journey of self-discovery. I absolutely loved Mona's character - the no bullshit attitude, the dark, crude humour, her foul mouth, the fearlessness. All I wanted was the best for her! 

I also liked the raw, emotional aspect of it. The relationship between her and Mr. Disgusting and the depiction of being an addict all felt real. Mona then met several characters along her journey with very different personalities. Each friendship was strange, yet wonderful as they all had some kind of experience/advice to add to her healing journey. The dialogue between her and each character she met felt very authentic.

"We are who we are, just as anyone else is. How we got that way isn't anyone's business, least of all our own." 

A young hospital security guard has an interesting taste in women, while a young maternity doctor has an unusual appetite. When the two cross paths, they go on a journey of self-discovery as they engage in destructive behaviours against societal norms. 

This book is shocking and extremely disgusting, yet fascinating. We have two psychologically disturbed people with vile fetishes who have come together. An unexpected relationship blooms as they realize they finally have someone to talk to about their abnormal behaviours. 

Extreme taboo content aside, this book provides an interesting insight into non-conformity and self-acceptance. People might say this book is for shock value only. While it is extremely disturbing and definitely appalling, there is a deep meaning behind all the vileness. Discovering who you are, trying to get past the self-hatred, realizing that your interests go against societal norms, how to feel accepted, etc. The dialogue provides a different perception and creates strong character development between the two protagonists. 

This is definitely the most fucked up book I have ever read and it is not for the faint of heart. Please check all content warnings before laying your hands on it!

"If she couldn't find the determination to fight for her survival, then she was already gone." 

It was supposed to be a relaxing weekend with her friends. Instead, Megan is being chased through the mountain woodland by a psychopath. No matter what she does, he continues to pursue her deep in the woods. When she crosses paths with a trio of sadistic hillbillies, she thinks her chances at survival are dwindling. 

This is a fun horror that reels you right in from the get-go. There is blood, gore, crazy killers, woods that seem to go on and on, and cheesy humour. Everything you'd want in a slasher! Megan is down on her luck and, just when she thinks she can be saved, it only gets worse and worse. There is also a wild twist to the story that makes it more interesting, but I won't go into details with the book being short. 

An homage to horror icons like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees, this psychopath is ruthless and does not stop until he gets what he wants. And the hillbillies are a whole other story 😂 

"How do you talk to someone who's been inside you? Who's seen more of you than you've seen of yourself?"

Ada and her father live on the edge of a village where sick locals, or "Cures", go to see them. They have the power to heal illnesses by opening their damaged bodies or temporarily burying them in the Ground. Ada is uninterested until one day she meets Samson, who leaves her torn between her way of life and new possibilities with her lover.

This book was very unique. The way Rainsford used magical realism surrounding medicine and healing, but in such a different way was fascinating. At first, I was confused, but when I eventually realized what was happening and how Ada and her father worked, it was hard to put the book down. Humming people to sleep and casually reaching inside them to physically remove whatever ails them... wild! 🤯

In between chapters, there were mini points of views from the townspeople and their thoughts on Ada and her father and their way of healing, which I really liked. Then Ada met Samson and everything is turned upside down when Ada realized she wanted a normal life/relationship against her father's wishes, causing her to be torn between the two men in her life.

There is so much to this book, but I don't want to give anything else away as it's just over 200 pages. This is a weird story of love and betrayal with a unique twist. I'm surprised to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it!

"If our bodies are something to be ashamed of, why are they created so? If pleasure was not to be ours, why are we built to feel it?"

One night 5 friends hold a séance. It's all fun and games until one of them, Fernanda, begins chanting in the language of their Aztec ancestors. Over the next few weeks, Fernanda starts acting strangely and they find out that she is possessed by something powerful. Her best friend, Lourdes, then tries to understand what is happening to her.

This is a different take on a possession story and I am here for it! There is so much to unpack in this novella - themes of femininity, sexuality, and empowerment. 

The character development is wonderful and I enjoyed the backstory of the ancient goddess and her mission in possessing Fernanda. I also love a story with heavy cultural influence. It had me googling Aztec culture and more information about ancient folklore in relation to the goddess.

This is a lovely coming of age horror at its finest!