shawna_reads's Reviews (471)

"There are times in life where unpleasant things are happening, and if you don't fight you might as well be meat."

Fantasticland is a popular theme park in Florida where fun is guaranteed. When a hurricane hits and the employees find themselves trapped, chaos ensues as everyone fights for survival. Five weeks later, they are finally rescued as authorities encounter scenes of horror.

This book is described as a modern take on Lord of the Flies. While I did not fully enjoy that book (I'm sure I would have thought differently if I read it in elementary school as I only read it a few years ago), I really enjoyed this one! It was compelling and gruesome, and held my attention all the way to the end.

The story was presented as an investigation and followed the aftermath of the chaotic events that occured at Fantasticland. I loved the format as each chapter was an interview with an employee recounting their personal experiences of being trapped at the theme park and the bloodshed they witnessed. I thought this approach was clever instead of actually following the events in present time as you could feel the different emotions each employee felt as a result, feelings of pride, disgust, or shame. There were quite the horrifying acts!

I was told the audio was fantastic so I decided to listen to it while reading along and I was not disappointed! The storytelling was amazing as the two narrators changed their voices to represent each employee being interviewed. I love books set in theme parks and this was a lot of bloody fun!

"People talk about being afraid of the dark, but most people don't know what real darkness is." 

Worst Laid Plans is a collection of 14 terrifying summer vacation stories. From aliens to cave tours to sea creatures to demons, each story held my attention. Also, the foreword by @mother.horror was great! 

I had a lot of fun reading these stories. They were creepy and unsettling, yet filled with sunshine. You never know what horrors you could find in broad daylight. I definitely recommend this one if you're looking for an anthology of twisted summer horror stories! 

My favourites included: 

🌴 You've Been Saved
🌴 Summers with Annie
🌴 Unkindly Girls
🌴 Deep in the Heart
🌴 The Cucuy of Cancun 

Be careful of what you do on your next summer vacation! 

"All fear the soul reaper!" 

The death of her aunt brings January Miller back to her childhood home, Stone Acres - the home that has taken so much from her, yet draws her back in. Soon she will face the truth of the house and the evil that lurks there. 

I had a lot of fun with this debut from Sam! I love me a haunted house story so this novella hit the right spot. A classic horror story that was engaging and filled with a tense atmosphere. It was a compelling read that had me racing through the pages to see what would happen next. 

I enjoyed the multiple timelines throughout the years to get a sense of how long the Soul Reaper was wreaking havoc and the flashbacks to other characters in the past. It really added to the story and fleshed out our reaper. 

The only thing I would have liked to see was more backstory on January and her personal experiences with the Soul Reaper when she was a child, as well as a little more backstory on the Soul Reaper. However, it is a novella so it was kept short and sweet. 

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

"There's only two places anyone can find peace - the woods and the grave."

Lori is obsessed with Edmund Cox, a prisoner who butchered more than 20 women. She has formed a relationship with him, writing letters and visiting him in jail. She would do anything for him, so she is eager when he asks her to complete a task. She must go to a cabin to retrieve a key and deliver it to the River Man. She has no idea of the horror that awaits her.

Wow. This was my first book by Triana and it did not disappoint. I had no idea what to expect, other than the synopsis, of course, but I was thoroughly shocked. I loved how dark and twisted this story was.

We have Lori, our main character that at first I pitied, but soon came to dislike not long after. She dragged her sister, Abby, into her adventure because she couldn't leave her behind. Included were flashbacks to Lori's and Abby's past, along with their brother Petey, who was long dead, where many deep secrets were revealed that had their effects in the present. I liked that the author added this because you could see how the choices Lori made as a kid turned her into the manipulative, self-centered person she became. And I can say that she made some very fucked up choices 👀

In such a short book, Triana created a disturbing, compelling tale. I won't say much about the River Man himself, but let's just say you never want to meet him.

"A life lived in fear is a life half-lived." 

Molly is at home with her two children when she hears footsteps and comes face to face with an intruder who seems to know everything about her and her family. As she attempts to protect her family, Molly is spiraling as she must confront the dualities of motherhood. 

This book was really weird, but I surprisingly enjoyed it. I had no idea what to expect going into it, but it turned out to be a compelling speculative sci-fi thriller that I couldn't put down. 

I liked how the characters felt real. As her husband was away on business trips, Molly had to juggle work life and home life as she was making discoveries as a paleobotanist as well as parenting two young children. Phillips really showcased the struggles of motherhood - the loving, fulfilling side of it, but also the dreadful stress of it all and the periods of wanting to be alone. I personally felt stressed for Molly just reading about the chaotic lifestyle of taking care of two children under the age of four. 

I want to say more, but then I'd be spoiling the twists and turns that occurred. The chapters were short, the prose was gorgeous, and the imagery was perfect. I think my only complaint was how the book ended, but I guess I'm not sure how else it could have ended and worked well at the same time. I am also going to point out that this book reaffirmed why I don't want kids. Not that I needed a reminder, but it did not fail 😂

"You could not explain fear; you could only feel it, roaring through the silence and striking your heart still." 

Elsie thought she was destined to a life of luxury when she married her husband, Rupert Bainbridge, however he died only weeks after their wedding. Pregnant and widowed, she only has her awkward cousin for company as the servents and villagers are hostile. Inside her new home behind a locked door she finds a wooden figure, a silent companion. The residents of The Bridge are terrified and Elsie tries to ignore it, until she notices the eyes are following her. 

I very much enjoyed this wonderful Victorian ghost story. It was mysterious and unsettling, and everything I like in a historical fiction. Purcell did a fantastic job at creating an eerie atmosphere with unreliable characters. 

The story was told through multiple timelines - Elsie as a patient recounting the events, Elsie as the events unfolded, and diary entries of Anna, a distant member of the Bainbridge family, centuries earlier. Each view provided insight into The Bridge and what occured with the creepy silent companions. I liked how they eventually tied together nicely as the story progressed. And that ending! Not what I was expecting, but I loved it. 

Overall, a great book. There were hints of witchcraft, supernatural occurrences, gothic vibes, and death. I loved every minute of it and I am looking forward to reading more books by this author! 

"I did my good deed. Go there if you want. It's your funeral." 

In the summer of 1989, there was a massacre at the local carnival, Cirque Berserk, where a group of teens killed dozens of people and then disappeared. Fast forward to 30 years where Sam and Rochelle are on their senior trip. To make it more adventurous, they and their friends decide to go to Cirque Berserk to see what they will find. Legend has it, the teens still roam the grounds of the carnival.. 

I'll say it again, I absolutely LOVE horror books about carnivals and this novella delivers! At under 200 pages, this story packs a punch and it is filled with dumb teenagers and bloodshed 💁🏾‍♀️ 

I really enjoyed the dual timelines between the 80s vs. 2019 and how it all came together. Also, the different POVs between the teenagers were great and distinguished well by the characters' names and what timeline we were in as to not confuse the reader. The chapters are also short so I found myself flying through the pages. 

My only gripe is that there could have been more depth into the demonology aspect of the story. The satanic ritual was kind of brushed upon quickly and that was it. Other than that, I had a lot of fun reading this and I look forward to reading more by this author, as well as checking out the other books in the Rewind or Die series!

"The only real escape from hell is to conquer it."
 
After their familes die, Carolyn and her neighbours are taken in by the man they call Father. They've been raised according to his customs, studied books in his Library, and learned some of his secrets. Sometimes they think he may be God himself. Now he is missing, and the Library that holds his secrets is unguarded, along with the control over creation. Carolyn must prepare for battle as powerful competitors fight to become the new God.
 
My thoughts are all over the place with this one, I don't even know where to begin! This was such a bizarre book that took a long time to understand and piece together, however it sucked me right in from the beginning. 
 
Several characters were introduced from the get go. They were referred to as "librarians" and Father deligated an area of study to each one of them as their specialty that they were not allowed to discuss with one another. One studied languages, another animals, war, the underworld/death, etc. Father would test/punish them in order to master their studies. When Father went missing, all hell broke loose as the world slowly deteriorated. It was interesting to read about the way everyone reacted to the world crumbling.
 
This book was action packed with one thing after another constantly happening. The way the librarians could manipulate people to do what they want was intriguing. Also, there was a lot of bloodshed which is always a bonus in my books 💁🏾‍♀️
 
I don't know what else to say as I'm still trying to wrap my head around it a few weeks later and there is so much more to it. It was a complicated, yet compelling story. A fantastical horror that will suck you right in from the first chapter!

"The devil you don't know is sometimes better than the one you do."

Charlie McGee is a special girl. As a result of a scientific experiment her parents participated in, she has the power of pyrokinesis. Her father also has telekinesis, which is why they're on the run from government agents from "The Shop" who want to study them and use them as weapons.

For how popular this book is, I was surprised that I didn't know much about it other than the synopsis. I personally don't care if I see spoilers in advance, but it was refreshing as I didn't know what to expect and really enjoyed this one!

I absolutely loved the relationship between Andy and Charlie. It was so sweet seeing how much Andy loved his daughter and would do anything to protect her despite not having a normal lifestyle and constantly on the run. Charlie was the cutest little girl with so much personality, creating all kinds of emotions in me because she didn't want her powers and wanted a normal childhood. Her character developed from a scared little girl to a fearless badass. Yes, children can be badass 😂 Also, special shoutout to Irv, a man who wanted to help Andy and Charlie despite the consequences. Oh, so sweet 😭

"The Shop" was very sinister, led by Captain. It's crazy how scary the government can be for their own personal gain, in this case, tracking down Andy and Charlie and stopping at nothing, bloodshed and all. Turning a blind eye to what was happening, yet later facing the consequences all because it was their "job". And don't get me started on Rainbird. He sounded intimidating as fuck and I never want to meet him 😬

Overall, I loved this book and you should read it if you haven't already. I've yet to see either movie, but I shall savour the book a little longer 😅

"Your lifetime is but a drop in the ocean to me."

Muriel McAuley has lived her whole life in a small Scottish village that is now being threatened by a property developer. One day, the haar - a mysterious fog - rolls in, bringing something sinister with it.

Muriel was a lovely, elderly woman who was also one badass! I absolutely loved her character and everything she did to fight off the developers who wanted to raze her home. These men stopped at nothing, but neither did she. And the romance aspect of the story was done well. Muriel and her late husband were just so damn cute!

Sweetness aside, this story was also filled with blood and gore in typical Sodergren fashion. There was a lot of death, some warranted and others not, but I loved every second of it. The creature was hella creepy yet possessed some earthly quality. At moments, I couldn't help but feel bad for it.

Anyway, I definitely recommend this book. I may be biased, but Sodergren has yet to disappoint! 😄