beau_reads_books's reviews
203 reviews

Monumental change in genre from “Perks of Being a Wallflower” to this and at times some horror themes did feel forced from the author; not necessarily trope-y but a little heavy handed. I agree with other reviewers that the book is a bit repetitive, past using that as a plot device. I think the build up of an overtly religious apex and closure of the piece may put some readers off, but it’s not an entirely perplexing of an end.

However, I really liked the ways the author physically created sentence using different font and wordage types, I didn’t find this to be too leading. There were so many heartbreaking instances of the reader/audience knowing something that the character doesn’t yet, and I think that’s an integral way of shaping horror. Chekov’s gun really came to bat in this novel.

I don’t think you needed to be a fan of “Perks” to get into “Imaginary”, I view them as fundamentally separate pieces. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would read another horror piece from Chbosky.

I really wanted to be able to rate this higher but as I progressed through the book I nearly DNF’ed it several times. For the most part, the plot seems really interesting on a macro level and if the book had been more scrutinized by an editor, I think the story would have shown through clearer. The multi-perspective chapter device can be really helpful, especially in horror writing, but in “A God”, it turned into a game of telephone where confusing information kept being regurgitated, and the reader was left at the end of the circle with a narrow grasp of what was happening. Unrealistic and dull character growth and dialogue, accumulated into a choppy and hurried ending sealed the deal on the 2-star. I wasn’t aware when reading that this was the first novel in a two parter or series, and I’m not sure I’ll read the next.

A refreshing take on a somewhat common horror trope. I really enjoyed the flow of this book. I never once found myself putting it down and staying away from it and I also didn’t think it was rushed: Ward takes us on an unsettling walk, hand in hand. So much distinct imagery: I could smell and taste this book. Using several distrustful narrators, confident pacing, and, in all reality, a really lighthearted tone within the darker subject matter, Ward wraps this up with a pretty little bow.

Took me longer to finish it than I’d expected: ended up putting it down a few times and forgetting about it. Story was interesting enough but the pace slowed me down. A few other reviewers thought you could hack off 100 or so pages and I wouldn’t be too hard pressed to agree.

It’s a heavy metal ghost story full of old hairy dude narratives of fucking goth girls. Hill wrote some pretty two dimensional women here: they’re sex objects or mothers, bad or good at either of those roles.

Besides that, there’s some fun turn of phrases and Hill creates some inside jokes that make the reader feel included. A lot of ups and downs of interest but when it picks back up, after I picked it back up, I was glad to finish it. Middle ground 3.5 from me.

Tremblay spins a web and while we patiently walk line from line, we’re reminded we may not like what’s caught in it. Of the two books I’ve read from this author, this is now the second time I’ve had to sit in a kind of welcome displeasure: I thoroughly enjoy diving into his works but I do so with the knowledge that his writing brings about sadness as well as horror. “Disappearance” relies on its grim, atmospheric and weaving pace to keep reader’s eyes plowing onwards; I wasn’t necessarily kept on the edge of my seat, as I was with “Cabin at the End of the World”, but I could not put this book down.

Intriguing hook, fast-paced body, disappointing ending. This is my second recent read of Koontz’ 130+ novels, and while I did thoroughly enjoy it, I desperately wanted more in the end. The dialogue and settings reads like a 50s crime noir but tweaked for the modern era; some scenes play out as quite Lynchian.

“The Good Guy” is a cat and mouse thriller where I found myself quietly wanting the cat to win, just to see what would happen. Regardless of the soft corniness that sometimes exudes from certain Koontz books, I had a hell of a time with this one.

I do agree with a few other reviewers critiquing the rather unbelievable dialogue and character dynamics. These aspects took away from the tension and action of the book, but I think Koontz returned us to that with careful and creative prose.

In the language of cinema, you have films, flicks, and
movies. “The Good Guy” was definitely a flick, but I’d grab a bucket of popcorn and put my feet up for a good time anyways.

Aside from hitting me with a car, there is nothing Paul Tremblay could do to lose his position in my top 10 favorite authors list. “A Head Full of Ghosts” is yet another reminder on how he got there in the first place.

Tremblay expertly creates a knife sharp tension between the groups of characters, family and tv crew alike, and that’s not even mentioning the role the possession plays in that dynamic. A whole other beast, it is apparent that the author draws from past examples to paint the possession imagery, but sources are essentially cited within the text itself. A quirky way of paying homage where homage is due. It did throw me off at first, and I reluctantly admit I found that specific part of the book to be cheesy, but in the end I believe it added more character development than not.

As usual, Tremblay’s masterful grasp of character creation and relationship webs are the clear foundation in this book. The complexity of a weird, little girl’s brain is such a Petri dish for horror. Add a couple dysfunctional family members and boom: perfect framework for a gripping, realistic possession novel.

Saying less, this was a fine, quick read.

Saying more would address the mixed bag of emotions I had about “Nothing But Blackened Teeth.” Horror novellas require a certain stamina and wallop; I think the author worked really hard to get her readers there, but I left the book feeling rather flat about it. I didn’t care so much about the characters or their redemption, which I feel is really tough to flesh out in 124 pages. The text was hyperbolic and jagged, but I did stay involved.

A saving grace was the beautiful, articulate, horrifying imagery. The descriptions of scent, gore, and mania were enthralling and full. Also, while the characters felt a bit two dimensional, there was still enough dialogue and description to keep me entertained and connected to the story.

You can read this book in an afternoon and feel good about finishing it. It’s a good window to open for beginner curiosity about Japanese horror lore. It’ll stay in my collection and I’ll think of it again.