Categories
Artemis
Month: September 2023
Categories
Becoming the Boogeyman
Title: Becoming the Boogeyman
Author: Richard Chizmar
Genre: Horror
Thank you, NetGalley, for this book
I loved Chasing the Boogeyman and recommended it as one of the best books I read that year. When I saw a sequel, I was a little leery because I had no desire to read a prequel, which is what I expected based on the title, but thankfully, the story picks up decades later. And, like the first, the plot is a mix of fact and fiction.
To avoid spoilers, I won’t discuss much plot here, but I will say that the story still follows a fictitious version of Richard Chizmar, much like how he lives now, wife, kids, big yard with a pond, etc. But the entire Boogeyman storyline is false. I was still enthralled with the true crime aspect of the writing, but the “put the author into the story” wasn’t unique anymore, so I ended up giving this one four stars.
I would absolutely recommend this one to anyone who read and loved the first. It was great to revisit the world and see just what all has happened since we left Chizmar and the Boogeyman.
Categories
The Spite House
Title: The Spite House
Author: Johnny Compton
Genre: horror
Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.
I love finding good horror books, but this one was just okay. Having every chapter be from a different narrator didn’t work. You ended up reading the same event but from another perspective, which was repetitive. However, if the book were third-person omniscient, that would be much less confusing. The story is also told in multiple timelines, adding to the jumble.
As for the plot, the story is fine. For some reason, Eric and his two daughters are on the run and need money. Eric finds a classified ad asking people to live in a haunted house and report what happens. Easy money. But, of course, it’s not as easy as you would think. The story isn’t just a basic haunted house story because it also involves events that occurred in the past and Eric’s family in the present.
I gave this one three starts because I did like the overall book but the multiple perspective narrators was so off-putting that I had a hard time getting past it.
Categories
Blaze
Categories
Bonfire
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Bye, Baby
Title: Bye, Baby
Author: Carola Lovering
Genre: thriller
Thank you, NetGalley, for this book
I HATED the characters in this book. The story is about two childhood friends, Billie and Cassie, and how their lives diverged. I guess I was supposed to be sympathetic to Billie because she’s not evil, but her neediness and desperation were so off-putting. And Cassie is an influencer, and I hated her from page one.
Billie is desperate for most of the book to get Cassie’s attention, but Cassie has a new friend group who understands her lifestyle, motherhood, her newfound fame, and her husband’s financial situation. Billie grew up with Cassie, and even though Cassie has always been a gold digger, she loved her anyway.
I did finish the book because I wanted to know what happened, but I can’t recommend this one to anyone. Both characters were so wretched that I don’t want to subject others to them.
Categories
Since We Fell
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The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
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And There He Kept Her
Title: And There He Kept Her
Author: Joshua Moehling
Genre: thriller
Thank you, NetGalley, for this book
I love discovering new authors, and I am happy to say Moehling is one I’ll read more from. I’ve already downloaded the next book in this series. This story follows Ben Packard, who returns to the town he and his family used to visit during the summer. Also, the town where his brother went missing twenty years ago. Packard is now the sheriff and is entangled in the disappearance of two teenagers.
The story is cat and mouse, and you know early on what happened to the teens, but following Packard is worth reading. He’s a great guy, and you root for him to find the truth and become the man he is in private. While this one didn’t keep me guessing because we know the fate of the teens from the start, but following the clues with Ben is a lot of fun.
Categories
Holly
Pleasant Nights 