Mx3 Review: Asylum by Madeleine Roux

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Jenn

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins (August 20, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 0062220969
  • Source: Personal Copy

Sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford is looking forward to starting the summer program at New Hampshire College Prep.  He’s not really part of the “in-crowd” at his high school and he’s looking forward to making some friends before he starts college the following year.  Upon his arrival, Dan learns that his dorm used to be an asylum for the criminally insane.

Dan is quick to make friends, surrounded by other like-minded individuals. Two of his closest friends are Abby and Jordan.  One night, they decide to go investigating the closed off portion of the dorm, formerly the administrative offices of the asylum. There they uncover brutal pictures depicting patients and some of the procedures performed on them.  Dan uncovers files on some of the former patients, including a serial killer known as the Sculptor who went missing after the asylum closed. The Sculptor posed his victims, over 12 in number, like statues.

Soon after, strange things begin happening. Dan begins receiving strange and cryptic messages.  Students are found dead, their bodies posed like statues.  Dan and Abby do a bit of investigating on their own and uncover pretty horrifying news about their families’ past tying them to the former asylum. It seems, though, as they get closer to uncovering the truth, the more their lives are in danger. Have the ghosts of the asylum come back to haunt them, or is something more deadly amiss?

I picked up a copy of Asylum shortly after it was released early this fall, instantly drawn to the haunting cover. As I paged through the book, I knew this would be a perfect title to feature as part of Murders, Monsters & Mayhem.  While the plot itself is pretty predictable, the photographs and overall tone of the book gave me goosebumps. It’s been nearly a week since I read this and I cannot get over the photographs.  Knowing that these pictures are from actual asylums added a completely new chill factor!

PicMonkey CollageLooking for a book that will send chills down your spine? Pick up a copy of this book. I guarantee you will not regret (or forget) it! Highly recommended!

2013MX3

Posted in Harper Teen, Horror, Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem, Review, YA | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Mx3 Guest Post: The First Book That Terrified You (Salem’s Lot by Stephen King)

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Jenn

2013MX3I’m pleased to welcome Julie from Whimpulsive (aka SuziQOregon) for today’s First Book That Terrified You guest post!  Julie is ” an avid reader who lives outside of Portland, Oregon with The Hubster and two incredibly spoiled cats.  I am (alphabetically) a beersnob, blogger, booklover, duck football fan, evil genius trainee, oregonian, photographer-wannabe, wine-enjoyer, & zucchini-hater.” Welcome, Julie!

Salem’s Lot: Still scary after all these years

 I first read Carrie when I was in High School and then devoured everything Stephen King wrote for many years. My early Literary Guild book purchases were all Stephen King. I’ve read many of them multiple times but ‘Salem’s Lot is one that I haven’t re-read for the simple reason that it scared the crap out of me.

When Jenn asked about which book first terrified us it was an easy choice for me. I decided that since it’s been over 30 years I should re-read it. My library has this Illustrated edition that includes an introduction by the author plus some previously unpublished material (deleted scenes and two related short stories).

Yes, it’s still creepy. It didn’t scare me as much as I’d remembered but it’s also many years and many other vampire books later. I’m glad I read it before the fall time change because after finishing it I’m quite happy it’s still light when I get home from work and I’m really glad that we don’t have a basement.

I think one of the reasons that this book creeped me out so much and stuck in my memory as a scary one was because it was my first real exposure to vampire lore. I later went on to read Anne Rice’s Interview With a Vampire and a couple of the sequels and in recent years I finally read Bram Stokers Dracula and the Sookie Stackhouse series. I’ve successfully avoided those sparkly vampires from Washington. ‘Salem’s Lot has always remained the scariest of the vampire stories in my mind.

The thing about ‘Salem’s Lot that’s different from those other stories is that in the others the vampire story is peripheral to the setting. The majority of society goes on and lives their lives and the vampires do their thing while only directly impacting a small portion of the general population. In ‘Salem’s Lot the whole town is destroyed in a matter of days after the arrival of Barlow. Only a handful of people get away successfully. The evil is able to devour the town because everyone knows everyone. The friend and family connections make the town that much more vulnerable and allow the evil to take over. That’s the part that is still so darn scary to me. The stronger the personal connection the more vulnerable the potential victim.

I’m just glad we don’t have any trees that would make a knocking sound on my second floor bedroom window.

Thank you, Julie! Come back on Thursday for another “First Book that Terrified You” guest post!

Posted in Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem | 5 Comments

#Mx3 Review: The Red Queen Dies by Frankie Y. Bailey

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Jenn

9780312641757

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Minotaur Books (September 10, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 0312641753
  • Source: Publisher

The year is 2019.  Police detective Hannah McCabe is charged with investigating the deaths of two women, both killed when the drug phenol was  injected into their hearts.  When a third victim is found, a Broadway actress Vivian Jessup, all stakes are raised. Is a serial killer loose on the streets of Albany?  McCabe must find a connection between the three victims before the killer strikes again. Adding to stress is a reporter, Clarence Redfield, who always seems to have information he shouldn’t. Redfield, dead set on defaming the police investigating these crimes, printing information about  McCabe’s past and an incident that left her brother  paralyzed.

The first in a new trilogy, The Red Queen Dies creates a unique futuristic world in which many things have changed, yet many remain the same.  A drug, “Lullaby,”  created to help soldiers forget the pain and memories of war and “heal” post-traumatic stress disorder runs rampant on the streets. Global warming is still in full force and government over-spending continues.  Cell phones have been replaced with devices called ORBs, highly advanced versions of modern smartphones.

I appreciated the ties to lesser known details about Alice and Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz that wound their way into the investigation. Police procedural are pretty common, but adding these elements, and the futuristic setting, make this one stand out.

Another feature of this book I appreciated is the main character, Hannah McCabe. Because of a traumatizing experience in her childhood, McCabe is a secretive, self-protecting young woman. Instead of allowing this experience to be her downfall, she uses it in her role as police officer. She’s determined, compassionate, and dead set on justice. I am thrilled that strong, female protagonists in crime fiction is on the up-rise.

Being that this is the first in a trilogy, there is a lot of information that is revealed but not expanded upon.  While many other reviewers complained about this, I think this is a common trait in the first book of a series. So much information has to presented in that first book in order for it to be picked up in subsequent volumes.  The tidbits of information Bailey gives her readers has me clamoring for more!

Bottom line: if you are looking for an intense police procedural with a unique spin, this is the one for you! I am highly anticipating the next book in this trilogy! Highly recommended!
2013MX3

Posted in Crime Fiction, Minotaur Books, Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem, Review | Tagged , | 4 Comments

TSS: 2013 Murder Monsters & Mayhem: Week 2 Wrap-Up

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Jenn

2013MX3LinkUp

I certainly hope you’ve enjoyed week two of Murder, Monsters & Mayhem!  Here’s a quick wrap-up:

If you’ve reviewed a horror/thriller/mystery  book or movie, or done a Halloween post of any sort, be sure to include your your link on the Mx3 Link Up Page!  Or, if you don’t have a blog, you can comment on any of the Mx3 posts to be eligible to win as well! Each week I will pick a winner, who gets to select a prize from the Mx3 Prize Page! I will pick & announce a winner later today!

Posted in Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem | Leave a comment

Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon: October 2013

Posted on October 12, 2013 by Jenn

dewey

Today I’m participating in Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon!  So to not inundate my followers with numerous update posts, I will instead, as with past read-a-thons, utilize Tumblr to update you all on my progress.  I will post each of these updates below! So, while the look of this post may not drastically change, know that there is some serious reading going on 🙂

Here’s my proposed reading stack. No, I’m not going to read all of these books (I wish) but I hope to at least read 5-6 to keep up with my average.

 

BWU68GGIYAA1aT_.jpg-large

Good luck to all who are participating! Check back every few hours or so for updates (click on the links below) or follow my progress on Twitter (@jennbookshelves).

Read-a-thon Kick-off!
Update #1: 2 Hours In
Update #2: 4.5 Hours In
Update #3: 6 Hours In
Update #4: 7 Hours In
Update #5: 10 Hours In
Update #6: 12 Hours In
Update # 7: 14 Hours In
Update # 8: Finish LIne

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon | 5 Comments

#Mx3 Review: A Cold Season by Alison Littlewood

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Jenn

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books (September 24, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 1623650224
  • Source: Wunderkind PR

After Cass’ husband, a soldier,  is declared missing while serving in the Middle East, she packs up her son, Ben, and returns to Darnshaw, a village she herself lived in as a child.  The village has a dark past of missing children and witchcraft, but despite this, Cass is certain this new life is the best for her and her son. Their new home is an apartment in a revitalized old mill.  Since Cass’ job is a website designer, she can literally work from anywhere. Internet access allows her to work and keep in touch with the outside would while Ben is at school. Yet when a blizzard knocks out the phone lines (and Cass’ access to the internet) she soon learns just how remote they are.

Cass’ hope that the locals would be welcoming is quickly shattered.   Her only “friend” in town is the principal at Ben’s school, Theodore Remick, a “substitute” of sorts taking over for sitting principal who is on leave due to a family emergency. Cass can’t deny her attraction to Remick; an attractive man, attentive to her son, providing her with essentials when the stores run out. To the reader, Remick is odd from the beginning, a strange connection to the children, whom he refers to as his “troop.” Unfortunately, it takes Cass a bit too long to see Remick’s true colors.

In A Cold Season, Littlewood creates a dark and foreboding feeling from the moment the book begins. Cass & Ben pick up a stranger alongside the road, one that Ben claims “smells bad” and seems…off. The blizzard that storms through immediately adds a sense of foreboding, isolating Cass and the others from the outside world. Cass’ flashbacks to her childhood in Darnshaw have the readers on edge of their seats, dying to know more about what drew her back to the village. All together, the perfect ingredients to a great horror novel.

Despite this, there are some faults. Cass’ character seemed quite naive, not picking up on subtleties that, all connected, would allow her to realize the danger she and her son are in. From Ben’s rapid behavior changes to the strange wound that shows up on his hand, as a mother I would think that these events would somehow be related.  Understandably, Cass is under a tremendous amount of pressure and strain. Her husband is assumed dead. She has no other connections or family due to her denouncement of her father due to his religious obsession (who has a connection to Darnshaw). Her business, her way of life, is threatened when they lose their phone connection. Making matters worse, the blizzard starts a panic among the villagers and soon the market shelves are empty and Cass is struggling to find food.  I get that all these things would build up in a person, perhaps making them unable to think properly.

Given the chilling and terrifying world that Littlewood creates in this novel, I can overlook the character issues. After all, how many of us have found ourselves shouting words of warning to characters in horror movies (Don’t go upstairs! Don’t go to the basement! Look behind you!) and can, without reservation, recommend this to fans of horror fiction, especially that with rich, atmospheric setting. The ending leaves the reader wondering, with terrifying anticipation, if there will be more to Cass and Ben’s story.  Recommended!

2013MX3

Posted in Horror, Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem, Quercus, Review | 7 Comments

Mx3 Guest Post: The Book That First Terrified You (The Books of Blood by Clive Barker)

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Jenn

2013MX3

 Continuing with this special feature, today I am pleased to welcome Kai from Fiction State of Mind to share about the book that first terrified her!

The Books of Blood by Clive Barker

I still can remember the first time I heard Clive Barkers name. I was sitting in the kitchen, a cereal bowl on my right hand side and my left hand clutching a copy of Stephen King’s Pet Semetary. My cereal was growing soggy as I lost my self in the narrative. Then from the living room I herd the familiar Good Morning America theme music and the announcer’s words “Next up, Stephen King and debut Author Clive Barker…”

I dropped my book and raced into the living room where my Mother was reading the paper and half watching the TV. I looked at the clock. If the segment aired soon I could catch it before school. A few seconds later the screen showed a grinning King and a young dark haired man sitting nervously, yet excitedly next to him.

The pair were on the show discussing the USA release of Clive’s writing debut, a short story anthology: The Books of Blood. The reason the pair were drawing the interest on such a national level was because of King’s famous quote, the one he wrote after reading an advanced copy of the first volume of Clive’s  debut collection: “I have seen the future of the horror genre and his name is Clive Barker”

Strong words from the Master of Horror, the author who made me a horror fan. King was so excited to be on the show and spent the entire segment singing Clive’s praises. I had never seen anything like it! As I went through my school day I counted the hours until I was free and could speed to my local book store. When I saw the lurid cover of the book I was certain I knew what to expect . The cover spoke of familiarity. I had this horror thing down. I was reading King, watching zombie and werewolf flicks; I was immersed in Poe and had just been introduced to the fringe authors that would soon make up the Splatterpunk generation. I had no idea. No idea that horror could slip into your heart, stir up deep primal fears and splash them across the page bright and ripe.

761023From the opening prologue I knew this book was different. The world slowed down, snapped into a sharp prickling focus as I read page after page. There is nothing better in a horror fans life than to be guided by a masterful writer. And guide you Clive does, from the opening lines: “The dead have highways”.  Our guide on this journey is McNeal, a liar and a fake. McNeal has lured a team of paranormal investigators to study him and his “gifts” The dead are tired of his farce and give him what he claims to possess: A gift. The dead inscribe their tales on McNeal’s body. Every inch of flesh and the reader is invited to explore it:

“So Read. Read and Learn”

And I did, A lot. I learned to wonder in the depths night what my body might be thinking after I read The Body Politic: “Charlie’s hands creep out of the warmth of the bed and into the open air”

I wondered if I would ever ride a subway late at night again “The truth was hanging in the next car. It was smiling contentedly …This was The Midnight Meat Train”

It is impossible to express in one post how wonderful these stories were to me. They opened me to a whole new world of writing style and fear. These stories travel the world: From the bowels of New York to small English villages. Their characters are cowards and lovers, sadists and pleasure seekers.  And the women! No fainting damsels here. Clive’s women are strong and capable. They are not perfect and they often make horrible choices but they stand by them and fight to the end.

I devoured all three volumes of the American release of Books of Blood and a few years later when I had the opportunity to meet Clive at a convention I picked up the original six volume set with Clive’s original illustrations gracing each cover. These books are the pride of my book collection. They are the format I think all great Horror should be read in:  A paperback warm in your hand, a cover splashed with red and black,  a presence that cannot be ignored a warning to those who love to ask “what are you reading?”, and pages, thick and thin, crisp or faded, they slide across the fingers as we make the decision, court the thrill. Turn The Page.

I hope you invite these books into your life and your dreams! They are wonder and madness! Enjoy!

Thank you, Kai! Tune in next week for more of The First Book That Terrified You!

Posted in Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem | 4 Comments

Mx3 Review: This House Is Haunted by John Boyne

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Jenn

  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Other Press (October 8, 2013)
  • ISBN-10: 1590516796
  • Source: Publisher

Twenty-one year old Eliza Cain lives alone with her father. The two share a fondness for the writing of Charles Dickens and, despite her father’s ailing health, the two attend a reading by Dickens himself. The cold, wet weather takes a toll on her father’s heath and he succumbs to the flu shortly thereafter.  Now an orphan and, learning they didn’t own their home outright, Eliza must find employment in order to sustain herself.

She responds to an advertisement for a governess in Norfolk. While the advertisement is vague, not mentioning how many children or their ages, Eliza is certain this is the first step toward a new life.   During her journey to Gaudlin Hall, Eliza has a nearly deadly experience that leaves her anxious and apprehensive about her decision.  That feeling increases upon her arrival at the old home, which seems to be without an adult presence watching over the two children.  The two children, a young boy and his sister, offer no explanation of their parents absence. Eliza’s sense of foreboding intensifies when yet another experience has her questioning the history (and occupancy, both living and dead) of Gaudlin Hall.  The townspeople change the subject when questioned about the Hall’s history and, only after much persistence, Eliza learns the truth about the deadly history behind Gaudlin Hall and what really happened to the young children’s parents. Unwilling to abandon the children, who have obviously experienced a great deal of loss already, Eliza alone faces Gaudlin Hall’s long-buried secrets, facing an evil obsessed with protecting the young children under her care.

I’m a huge fan of classic, Gothic ghost stories. Upon reading the summary of this novel and, already a fan of the author’s previous work, I knew I was in for a treat when reading This House Is Haunted. The premise of this novel (a young girl accepts a role of governess in a dark, remote mansion) is not unique, Boyne still manages to create a work guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.  Boyne’s fondness and appreciation of Dickens’ work is largely apparent in both the overall tone of the novel and in the characters names he uses (i.e. Cratchett).  Boyne also draws on the work of other literary greats and I found myself trying to determine the correlations as I read.

I am particularly fond of Eliza’s character. Forced into orphan-hood, she faces countless adversities. While she really never had to care for anyone but herself and, in the end, her father, Eliza quickly picks up the nurturing role in order to watch over the children in her care. Perhaps its her own experience with loss that urges her to go on despite the horrific accidents that transpired at Gaudlin Hall or, understanding the evil that roams the cold, dark halls only wants best for the children, although the execution of this maternal bond is deadly.

All together, Boyne has created in this novel all of the characteristics present in an outstanding Victorian ghost story, making this one of the “must-read” books of this Halloween season. Highly, highly recommended.

2013MX3

Posted in Horror, Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem, Other Press, Review | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Mx3 Review: Allison Hewitt Is Trapped: A Zombie Novel by Madeleine Roux

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Jenn

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin; First Edition edition (January 18, 2011)
  • ISBN-10: 0312658907
  • Source: Library

Allison Hewitt and her coworkers at Brooks and Peabody Bookstore are trapped together when the zombie outbreak hits.  Allison is able to keep in touch with the outside world through her blog and the military’s wireless network.  Eventually, supplies begin to run low and the overall morale of the group diminishes. Realizing that they cannot remain there forever, they leave the bookstore in hopes of finding help and, in Allison’s case, her mother. Throughout the perilous journey, Allison keeps her followers updated through blog posts. In their journey to safety, Allison and her ever-changing group face horrible adversaries, both human and zombie alike.

I was introduced to Roux’s work when I picked up a copy of her newest book, Asylum, from my favorite independent bookstore. I wasn’t aware of her foray into zombie fiction, but once I did I decided to give them a try myself. While Allison Hewitt Is Trapped isn’t your typical zombie fiction, I did find myself intrigued by it. It doesn’t have the typical violence and gore of other fiction of its type, instead it focuses more on Allison (and her blog followers) and how they fare in the midst of a zombie apocalypse.  I appreciated the blog format of the chapters, and the title of each blog post is a book title (Heart of Darkness, Hatchet, etc.)  Regular “commenters” to her blog posts give the reader a glimpse of rest of the country, and the world, as deal with the repercussions of the attack.

While the plot isn’t the strongest, the development and growth of the characters make up for it. Allison starts out as your typical young woman, working at a bookstore. In time, she evolves into a no-nonsense, hatchet-wielding, zombie killer.  Having such a strong female protagonist in a zombie novel is rare and for that, I thank Roux.  I was a bit worried when a love triangle/story evolved, certain that if the novel was going to go on that tangent I would end up throwing it against the wall. Instead,  Roux blends it naturally, not making it a major aspect of the plot.

To summarize, if you are looking for a gory, intense zombie novel, this is probably not going to satisfy you. However, if you are looking for a character driven examination of the human condition in the midst of turmoil, or if you are dipping your toes in the zombie fiction “water,” this is the book for you. Recommended.

2013MX3

Posted in Horror, Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem, Review, St. Martin's Griffin | 3 Comments

2013 Murder Monsters & Mayhem: Week 1 Wrap-Up

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Jenn

2013MX3LinkUp

I certainly hope you’ve enjoyed week one of Murder, Monsters & Mayhem!  Here’s a quick wrap-up:

If you’ve reviewed a horror/thriller/mystery  book or movie, or done a Halloween post of any sort, be sure to include your your link on the Mx3 Link Up Page!  Or, if you don’t have a blog, you can comment on any of the Mx3 posts to be eligible to win as well! Each week I will pick a winner, who gets to select a prize from the Mx3 Prize Page!

This week’s winner is…Bob from The Guilded Earlobe! No surprise here, Bob won like ALL the giveaways last year due to his frequent participation! Bob, pick your prize & send me an email with your selection and mailing address!

Stay tuned to another great week of Murder, Monsters, Mayhem, including another The First Book That Terrified You guest post!

 

Posted in Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem | 2 Comments