This week’s mini review round-up includes the following:
- adult horror short story collection
- NA contemporary novel
- adult classic horror short story
- YA contemporary novel
TITLE: Seven Slightly Sadistic Stories
AUTHOR: Jeremiah Cress
GENRE: Horror
AGE RANGE: AdultSYNOPSIS:
This book focuses on real-world threats like serial killers, psychotic madmen, online predators and more. With a mixture of dark humor and creepy storytelling, this collection of bloody and disturbing tales is both entertaining and downright chilling. Each story, with its creepy tone and terrifying set of events, exposes a real and terrifying fact; that no one is ever safe.
From the reviews I read on Amazon claiming that this book was so terribly messed up and disgustingly brutal, I expected a lot more than I got, frankly, which isn’t the author’s fault — after all, the title is Seven SLIGHTLY Sadistic Stories, and “slightly sadistic” sums it up pretty well. It made it hard to appreciate things as much when they were simply so much milder than I expected them to be. I went into this hoping for a roaring, bloody slasher mess, and that’s not what this is. Then again, if you’re more sensitive to violence in horror than I am, this might definitely be more stomach-turning for you!
Altogether, I was a little bored by many of the stories and found them a little bit predictable, but I have to give the author major credit for the final story, “Zen”. It took me a moment to realize what was happening there, and once I caught on, I thought it was an awesome writing choice to bring things full-circle!
TITLE: The Foxhole Court
AUTHOR: Nora Sakavic
GENRE: Contemporary
AGE RANGE: NASYNOPSIS:
Neil Josten is the newest addition to the Palmetto State University Exy team. He’s short, he’s fast, he’s got a ton of potential—and he’s the runaway son of the murderous crime lord known as The Butcher. Signing a contract with the PSU Foxes is the last thing a guy like Neil should do. The team is high profile and he doesn’t need sports crews broadcasting pictures of his face around the nation. His lies will hold up only so long under this kind of scrutiny and the truth will get him killed. But Neil’s not the only one with secrets on the team.
DNF @ 40%
I know a lot of my friends are going to be really disappointed to see this update, and I’m sorry for that, but I honestly cannot force myself through another page of this book. I hate the writing and characters so much. Everyone told me the first book was a chore but the rest of the series was worthwhile, but I’m finding myself skim-reading because every time I try to focus on the story, I get miserably bored or downright annoyed at how much I dislike every single character in it.
I’m sorry, y’all. I honestly tried to like the box with the horrible corndogs-in-sauce cover, but… I can’t do it. ?♀️
TITLE: The Yellow Wallpaper
AUTHOR: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
GENRE: Horror/Classic
AGE RANGE: AdultSYNOPSIS:
Based on the author’s own experiences, ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ is the chilling tale of a woman driven to the brink of insanity by the ‘rest cure’ prescribed after the birth of her child. Isolated in a crumbling colonial mansion, in a room with bars on the windows, the tortuous pattern of the yellow wallpaper winds its way into the recesses of her mind.
WOW. What a read! I can’t believe I’ve been a horror fan my entire life and have never picked up this little short story until today, but it’s definitely an instant favorite. It’s mostly tragic and sad, sure, but there were moments that gave me absolute chills, and that ending stopped me right in my tracks. Amazing. No wonder this is such a widely beloved classic!
TITLE: Tell Me How You Really Feel
AUTHOR: Aminah Mae Safi
GENRE: Contemporary
AGE RANGE: YASYNOPSIS:
Sana Khan is a cheerleader and a straight A student. She’s the classic (somewhat obnoxious) overachiever determined to win. Rachel Recht is a wannabe director who’s obsessed with movies and ready to make her own masterpiece. As she’s casting her senior film project, she knows she’s found the perfect lead – Sana. There’s only one problem. Rachel hates Sana. Rachel was the first girl Sana ever asked out, but Rachel thought it was a cruel prank and has detested Sana ever since.
DNF
I wanted SO BADLY to adore this, but these characters are… whew. I hated them both from their respective introductions and there’s no reprieve in sight. They’re both so arrogant and Rachel is legitimately a cruel-hearted bully from the first page we meet her on, and while I know a lot of readers will have fun watching the character development that I’m sure probably occurs later on in this story, I couldn’t make it through well enough to find out firsthand. 🙁
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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Davida Chazan
June 1, 2019Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES to “The Yellow Wallpaper”! It is Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s masterpiece. I bought a print copy that came with this together with her novella “Herland” and some other short stories. All totally worth reading. Sorry about the disappointments here.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 3, 2019Awesome, I was wondering if I should pick up more of her stories, so thank you for mentioning the other novella and stories! I’ll definitely be trying more of her work in the future.
Sarah J.
June 1, 2019The Yellow Wallpaper is such an interesting little read. I finally got to it a couple of months ago and I’m so happy I took a morning to read this little short story. It’s such an interesting tale. I’ve never wanted to pick up Foxhole Court but I think it’s kind of silly that you have to slug through a novel to get to the “meat” of the series. That seems like an inadequate first novel that may benefit for another round of editing and a rerelease.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 3, 2019The Yellow Wallpaper really was incredible! I’m glad you liked it, too. And yeah, that’s actually a very valid point about the Foxhole Court series — I have some series that I didn’t love the first book in, but loved the other books, but like you said, those first books could benefit from a re-release. All of the series that immediately come to mind for me (like the Throne of Glass series, for example) would, IMO, be vastly improved by one more round of edits on those first books!
CJR The Brit
June 1, 2019Well…..I started The Foxhole Court and I’m only 20% in but I feel the same as you! I’m going to give it a bit more and then decide what to do! I’m so glad I read this as I was wondering what was wrong with me as I know so many people love this series!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 3, 2019I’m sorry you weren’t enjoying it much, either! Did you end up DNFing it or did it improve any for you?
CJR The Brit
June 4, 2019No I DNF’d…….I just couldn’t do it. And I do hate to dnf a book!
evelynreads1
June 1, 2019I also didn’t like foxhole court.. I actually started the sequel, but DNF’ed that one after 10 pages ?
(Www.evelynreads.com)
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 3, 2019I’m so glad I’m not alone! It was AWFUL. 🙁 I really hated it so much lmao. Kudos to you for even attempting TWO books in the series!
evelynreads1
June 4, 2019I felt like I had to love it hahah.. But soon realized I didn’t care if I don’t like a popular book :p
eLPy
June 1, 2019Just have to comment that I like your integrity. I do recall reading your anticipation for The Foxhole Court. I also appreciate your ability to DNF, I’m still learning. 😉
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 3, 2019Aw, thank you! 🙂 What an awesome compliment.
Let's Get Galactic
June 2, 2019I love THE YELLOW WALL-PAPER so much! It’s one of my favorite short stories of all time; I read it when I was in middle school and was obsessed! I also love THE LOTTERY by Shirley Jackson!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
June 3, 2019It was SO AMAZING. I honestly was completely blown away by the ending! I definitely need to read The Lottery soon, too. 😀 Thank you for reminding me that I have that on my TBR, gorgeous!
Malka @ Paper Procrastinators
June 3, 2019I’m sorry you had such disappointing reads! I read the first two books of the Foxhole Court series, and I have no intention of reading the third. It was a struggle to finish the second book.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
August 25, 2019I missed this somehow but thank you! Kudos to you for even making it through the first two, and your comment made me feel better about DNFing since it sounds like it doesn’t get much better lol!