Tag Archive for: Horror

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Dread Nation

Dread NationTitle: Dread Nation
Author: Justina Ireland
Series: Dread Nation #1
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Young Adult
Format: Kindle
Pages: 418
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

DREAD NATION is the first zombie novel I’ve ever read and I loved it. I loved how the “Shamblers” worked and how they changed the outcome of the Civil War and society in general. The Shamblers were so much fun to read about. I especially loved reading the fight scenes with all the different weaponry used against the dead.

I liked the time period and how Ireland used the setting to discuss the oppression of black people not only during Civil War era United States, but in general the most. Even though the themes are blunt, they’re not preachy. Ireland skillfully addresses issues of racism and inequality while delivering a complex, enthralling story. Reading this book was very eye-opening. I know I’ve lived a very sheltered and safe life (and I’m not talking about a life free of Shamblers). I felt like the story wonderfully illustrates the perseverance and strength black people have while enduring horrific abuse at the hands of those who see them as lesser.

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The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires

The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying VampiresTitle: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
Author: Grady Hendrix
Genre: Fantasy, Horror
Format: Kindle
Pages: 424
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I’m a sucker for vampires so THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB’S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES appealed to me, but you don’t even meet the vampire (if you can even call him that) until nearly a fourth of the way into the story. Fortunately, the ladies’ book club was entertaining and I really liked them so I didn’t mind. I thought the book had a lot going for it, besides the horror aspect. It was an interesting look at sexism, class, and race in the South during the 90s.

I liked how most of the story played out. (Why were none of the husbands killed off?! They were the worst humans ever. I would even go as far to say they were as bad as the “vampire.”) I wish the women were strong or cared enough to defy their husbands to help the black children instead of waiting until their own children were in danger. I’m disappointed in the ending. It felt anticlimactic. I’m disappointed the “vampire” didn’t die and that whatever he implanted / impregnated Slick with just fizzled and never came to life. Also, the attic is the worst scene I have ever read in my life! Way too many bugs! Talk about giving me the heebie-jeebies!

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The Hollow City

The Hollow CityTitle: The Hollow City
Author: Dan Wells
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction
Format: Kindle
Pages: 336
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

I liked the first two thirds of THE HOLLOW CITY a lot. I couldn’t put the book down. It was such an interesting premise and, just like Michael, I wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t. But I’m not sure I liked where the book went in the last third. It got a little too sci-fi-y for my taste. I like sci-fi normally but this seemed like it came out of nowhere.

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The Butterfly Garden

The Butterfly GardenTitle: The Butterfly Garden
Author: Dot Hutchison
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Format: Paperback
Pages: 391
Reason Read: Play Book Tag
Rating:

My Thoughts

THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN was very suspenseful and unique because it switches between first-person narration to third-person limited narration, which I haven’t really encountered before. It was a good way to tell the story and made me want to keep reading so I could find out what happened. I also really like the MC, Maya, and thought she was an interesting character.

Unlike other reviews suggested, I don’t think the story was very plausible. I think I could’ve liked it and even overlooked the implausibility IF the antagonist hadn’t seemed so “normal” instead of the psychopath he was. The story contained quite a few rapes, but the way the writer described them (not too descriptively, thankfully), they seemed more like normal sexual encounters than the assaults they were and that didn’t sit well with me.

The Walking Dead, Volumes 1-5

Title: The Walking Dead, Volumes 1-5
Author: Robert Kirkman
Series: Walking Dead #1-5
Genre: Horror
Format: Paperback
Pages: 688
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

Since I love The Walking Dead TV show so much, I decided to give the graphic novels a try even though I haven’t really enjoyed the other graphic novels I’ve read. Surprisingly, it was a lot of fun to read volume 1. It was just like watching the show with a few differences in the story.

I’m surprised at how quickly the group found the prison. That didn’t happen until Season 3 of the TV show and volume 2 only goes up to issue 12. They didn’t stay at Hershel’s farm very long in the novel and it felt interminable on the TV show. It also didn’t quite go down like it did on the show, which I was expecting, but now it’s got me really curious how certain things are going to happen. I really like that even though I know the story, I’m still being kept on my toes.

Volume 3 was the most different from the TV show. There are characters that I didn’t know existed. And, many of the same characters are different from their TV show counterparts. It’s interesting to see the differences. I’m still enjoying reading these and I look forward to the next volume. However, I’ve decided that I do like TV show Maggie and Glenn better than graphic novel Maggie and Glenn. Maybe, they’ll grow on me.

So much happened in volume 4 and so much of it was different from the TV show. It was so weird to see things that happened in the TV show happen to different characters. Even though the graphic novels came first, I like the characterization of the TV show better. It’s probably because I’m used to them. I also love the actors because they bring so much emotion to the story. I don’t really like graphic novel Carol or Michonne, but I love TV show Carol and Michonne. Graphic novel Maggie and Glenn are growing on me, so that’s something.

I was so looking forward to continuing with this series, but volume 5 did me in. It was too graphic, too vivid, and too disturbing. I knew going into the graphic novels that they would be violent and graphic, but there are some things I just don’t need to see in detail, like a someone being brutally raped and beaten over and over again. That imagery won’t be leaving my mind any time soon. It was so graphic and lasted several pages. I’m done.

I rated the first four volumes 3 stars and the fifth volume 1 star. The average rating is 2.6 stars so that’s why I’ve posted it as 2.5 stars.