Dark, imaginative, and creepily relatable
586197
Dark stories with outlandish premises that never outweigh the fleshed out characters and universal predicaments that lurk within.
2770111
A fantastic protagonist, a spooky story, and rock solid writing make this one a must read.
2527060
Alexis might not be perfectly well-adjusted to high school life, but she finds her niche as an outspoken pink-haired smart-aleck quite satisfying, thank you very much.

Her four-person family is far from perfect, but they have always managed to get by, in their spooky architectural jumble of a house. Alexis' mother spends more time at work than at home, but so do millions of other moms across America. Kasey, her doll-obsessed little sister, is sometimes too passive for her own good, but hopefully the doll-collecting is something she will grow out of. As for her father, they aren't exactly close, but he could be worse.

One night, after a family argument leaves Kasey in tears, Alexis comes to the rescue in the role of comforting big sister. Kasey requests a story, so Alexis soothes her with a made-up story off the top of her head. Since it is for her baby sister, the story revolves around a little girl and her doll, Kasey's favorite topic. Naturally, Alexis doesn't think much of the story, though come to think of it, it is a bit strange at how smoothly the spontaneous story rolls off her tongue.

However, shortly after Alexis' tale, Kasey starts behaving weirdly. More strangely than normal anyhow. It starts small, with her eyes sometimes changing color from blue to green and using old-fashioned language, like "oughtn't." At first, Alexis tries to brush away her foreboding feelings, deeming the odd vibes she is getting from Kasey as a figment of her imagination, nothing serious.

When mysterious lights appear in the middle of the night, doors close themselves, and the air conditioner goes haywire to the point where Alexis can see her breath in the house, she knows it is no overactive imagination. She has no idea what exactly is going on, but something weird is happening in their house, and much as she hates to admit it, Kasey has something to do with it.

Events spiral rapidly out of control, as midnight wanderings progress to thievery and even attempted murder. Alexis has no idea who to turn to - does anyone even believe in the supernatural anymore? People might just lock Kasey up as schizophrenic, but Alexis knows better. Her little sister is not crazy. Kasey is possessed.

Katie Alender's BAD GIRLS DON'T DIE is a haunting tale of one town's murderous history and a ghost that wants revenge.

Reviewed by:  Amber Gibson
1639757
This is a rocket of a ride into dark and fascinating horror, with strong, believable characters and an evil that is satisfyingly foul and unremitting. Vivid and punchy chapters keep pulling you forward through a scary and swift-paced tale. I particularly enjoyed the way it dealt with belief and the lack thereof, and how that disbelief broke down in the presence of the reality-fracturing awfulness of the evil. This is the first instalment of the tale, and I'm very much looking forward to the next book, due in 2017. Dark, twisted, and recommended.
4559921
There aren't many books which I've found so hard to put down, but this one went to bed with me, bathed with me and I even managed to cook and eat dinner while still reading it.
The story is creepy and horrifying at times, but set in a modern day normal lifestyle making it real and uncomfortable, loving and heartbreaking.
The characterisation of the mother is brilliantly done. Such a complicated, mood swinging woman is often hard to pull off genuinely, but this author has not only nailed this realistically, she has also created perfect interaction with how the other characters respond it this woman. In particular her son, Adam, who the story is primarily about.
Without spoiling the plot, Adam is understandably messed up by his family life and strange tales and myths of his elders and ancestors. His world is full of secrets and dark places. He suffers much loss and mental strain not helped by visions and a very creepy talking doll!
I'd love to tell you more, but then you wouldn't need to read what the future has waiting for Adam to deal with.
2623556
I like good fantasy, but it's hard to find, so it's nice to give something a positive review.  What intrigued me about this book was the weirdness/creepiness of the dragons, not to mention their very alien minds.  Kind of like getting into the head of a T-rex (or a sociopath?) and seeing the world from that perspective. Bizarre stuff. The twist is that we also get to experience what happens when dragonish sensibilities are transposed into human bodies and minds.  The result is nicely original and a little mind-bending. And without giving anything away, I think it is always moving when a character knowingly or unknowingly burns bridges, when irrevocable changes shift reality and make it impossible to go back.  At those times, the book feels bigger than just a light fantasy read - though there's plenty of action if that's all you're looking for. I get the sense that the author is just getting started, and I'll be curious to see what happens in any sequels.
2771619
Christopher Golden's STRAIGHT ON TIL MORNING is a great blend of fantasy, horror, suspense while also being a coming-of-age tale. Here, you have a group of kids with big dreams and high hopes who, during one very strange summer, will be faced with the oddest and most terrifying things.
Kevin has been in love with the very same girl forever. But just as he's about to confess his love to her, she meets a guy named Peter. Pete is five years older than she is and, from the get-go, Kevin doesn't like the guy. Strange things happen everytime Pete and his friends are around. Things none of them can explain. Things so strange and fantastic that they cannot be real.
But real they are. And soon enough, Pete and his friends kidnap Nikky. It is up to Kevin, his brother Jesse and two of their friends to go save her in a world very far from this one.
The novel starts as a very straight forward coming-of-age tale. But halfway through the book, the story becomes horror/fantasy, when Kevin and his group have to enter a Neverland-like world in order to save Nikky.
Golden takes the Peter Pan story and toys with it to fit his needs. And the result is quite impressive. This is one of the most imaginative novel I've read in years. Unfortunately, the book does get a little out of hand in its last fifty pages, where the climax becomes a little too cahotic to really makes sense. But that aside, STRAIGHT ON TIL MORNING is a wonderful mix of fantasy and horror and should please fans of both genres. Golden is one of the most original voice in horror fiction, and this book should not be missed.
3392534
I have a thing for experimental forms. From Mark Danielewski's House of Leaves to Salvador Plascencia's The People of Paper, nothing gets me more excited about a book than when I see strangely placed columns, random font changes and blacked out sections that contribute to the overall thematic power and weirdness of a literary work. I like to think my love of meta-fiction and the trappings thereof were fostered in my youth with the Choose Your Own Adventure Series. Those books allowed the reader to choose directions and actions at certain points of action within the narrative, which led the protagonist (ostensibly, the reader) toward either victory, or (much more frequently) their untimely demise.

In her debut novel Haunt, author Laura Lee Bahr explores the form of Choose Your Own Adventures but like Samuel Beckett cutting sound or lighting or actors from his plays, Bahr subverts the form by removing the element of choice. What do you do, as the hero of the story, when those vital choices are wrenched away from you and you're forced to live each of the possibilities in a schizophrenic pastiche of probability?

There are three characters of note in Haunt, all of whom are given plenty of time to shine. Simon is the dashing (sometimes) insane (sometimes) journalist who may or may not be involved in the mysterious death of me (Sarah) the ghost haunting your (Richard's) apartment. There's also a couch (which is yours, but did you bring it inside? Or did you leave out in the cold? Or did you do both? Or neither?) What's under the cushions? Who is that singing? And what happened to Sarah to make her dead? This is a rare novel that brings up far more questions than it answers, but Bahr uses tricky plotting and exciting prose style to pull you along through the mystery without question. Haunt is not a book you're allowed to read at your own speed. It controls the action, it controls the urgency, and it controls your mind. I loved the experience of paranoia creeping in as I read this late at night (culminating in a chapter that consists of only one single line, which I will not do you the disservice of ruining here. Suffice it to say, you'll know it when you come to it).

Haunt is sexy and playful while still fitting nicely into the land of the supernatural campfire tale. It's evident that Bahr has a strong background in film and theatre from reading her prose, as the dialogue is tight and the character studies are extremely well drawn. The best part about that is that once these characters have been established, Bahr pulls the rug out from under the reader and traps us inside a puzzle without a solution. I believe that everyone who reads this will come away with slightly different ideas about what really happened in that apartment, and whether they did the right thing (even though they may or may not have been able to change anything at all). A strong debut and a great, fun, eerie read by a fantastic young author. Highly recommended!
2036902
Confession - I'm a paranormal investigator and I met Chris at a conference. He's an unassuming, kind, thoughtful and intelligent guy.

I was going to say I don't read much horror fiction, but when I started to think about it, I realized I actually kind of do. But, I'm particular about my sub-genres.

I bought this book from Chris last October. And I just read it. Frankly, I'm not much on kids in books. Or movies. Or TV. So, I was reluctant to read it, but ended up taking it with me to read during my commute.

This book is relentless! From the first page I was riveted and repulsed at the same time. Graphic, dark, and dangerous.

Chris has a really good ear for dialogue. The story is imaginative and plausible (within the genre). It has an air of magical realism that I really like (I'm a big Charels de Lint fan). While the protagonist is a sympathetic character, she is not without flaws. The bad guys are unequivocally evil, because, really, they have to be. It's horror-noir.

I loved it from beginning to end.
2043458
This book is haunting, dark, and deliciously disturbing. It is not for the faint of heart. There are elements of vigilante justice and a group of very smart, broken, but redeemable teenagers.
2289996
I really enjoyed this book - Filetti creates a dark atmosphere with some beautifully creepy moments, and the suspense isn't cheap, unlike a lot of fantasy/thriller books. I didn't get the feeling that the plot was manufactured to produce that tense feeling; it flows naturally from the narrative.  The characters' actions make sense, even when they act in ways no one would act in real life, because it fits with the (scary weird!) universe that she created. The characters, especially Wren, are easy to care about (or easy to hate). I was sad when it ended, which says it all - I can't wait for the next one!
355054
What does it take to be human? This book explores that question in an eerie, imaginative, and original way. The author's skill in creating compelling characters will engage and drive you to the very unexpected end. I really can't peg this into any one genre , and that's one of the things I liked about it . Recommended .
3249090
I loved this odd book and found it very difficult to put down. It's a character driven coming of age story about three young boys growing up in apparent normalcy. But underneath the veneer of normalcy simmers unexpected moments of darkness and danger. As the boy's deal with life's many pitfalls -- growing up too smart, too dumb, too mediocre -- lurking in the shadows is a vicious tooth fairy which only one of the boy's (Sam) can see.
This tooth fairy is not the sweet version of childhood dreams but a nightmarish razor toothed, potty mouthed, mischievous apparition and it's not at all pleased that Sam can see it. As Sam grows, the tooth fairy continues to show up unexpectedly and begins to change its form, becoming a chilling sexual thing that teases and taunts and awakens odd feelings in Sam. Despite Sam's fear of the tooth fairy the two have a weird sort of connection.
This was most definitely a book that was anything but the "same-old, same-old" and I never could figure out quite where it was going next which is what I enjoyed so much about the book. The blend of the ordinary and the "weird" was seamless. Sam was a well developed, realistic character and watching him mature and grow was fascinating and I'm still pondering over the question "was it all in his imagination?" I'd like to think
it wasn't.
Overall a very creepy, touching, and perfectly bizarre book.
4933447
I've always been a huge fan of demented, humorous gothic, and this

book is now at the top of my list when I have to recommend books to my

demented friends.  Incredibly funny, and deeply creepy, Milrose Munce

reminds me of the greatly missed Charles Addams cartoons in the New

Yorker.  This is certainly not just a "children's book" - the writer

is a stylist, and while kids will probably adore the novel, they're

not likely to appreciate just how well it's written.
2156792
This book is not really creepy, as its more about Kaitys family, and the spirit of Christmas. Sure, the creepier parts are slightly unsettling, but not something in the way of real horror. If you're not into horror, don't worry. Im a total chicken when it comes to horror and I liked this book. Admans humour shines through her writing, and this book is a fun quick read. I wouldnt really classify it as for children as there are some things that are meant for an older audience, so don't think of it as just another childrens book.

The plot revolves around Kaity, a young girl dealing with her parents separation and the entrance of her mums new boyfriend. Seriously, I had to facepalm at Kaitys mother sometimes for her decisions. She hasn't known this man for a very long time and she was already allowing him to stay in her home with her two young daughters. Its a bit Honestly, I could see why Kaitys dad was so angry. Her parents relationship is something I wish could have been expanded on more, like the reason behind their separation.

But anyway, the characters are a lot of fun to read. Kaity is a pretty mature ten-year-old, and there were moments when I thought she was older than she actually was. I might have placed her age at about thirteen or fourteen, given her narration. Her relationship with her younger sister, Pippa, is just so sweet. They look out for each other, and shes so caring and responsible for Pippa. Love it! Her relationship with her father was also really cute because he doesnt treat her like a naive little girl (at least for the most part). As for her mother, I wish their relationship had been more fleshed out. But it was a short book, so I understand.

The fantastical elements of the plot were pretty fun. Like I said, nothing super creepy, just more like unsettling. If this were a full-fledged YA book, I could definitely see this book getting darker and scarier. As it is though, it was an interesting fantasy adventure. Admans has a great grasp of character-writing, pacing, and humour, so I really enjoyed reading this book.

Overall: This book gets four stars, because it has great characters, a fun plot thats suspenseful but not over-the-top, and good pacing. Pick this up if you're looking for something quick to read this Christmas season!
4215004
(SPOILER FREE)

While I didn't find it quite as satisfying as some others did, I did enjoy this book quite a bit (enough to buy Tremblay's new book, FWIW).

The characters are well drawn and the atmosphere is great. Tremblay really excels at the creepy and suspenseful scenes- I found those parts intense and compelling.

My only critique is that I felt the ending tried to shoehorn some twists in that felt a little unfair to a character that had theretofore been allowed to be a very complex and unsettlingly ambiguous antagonist.

Regardless, this book was a great mix of interesting characters, memorable settings, and creepy imagery that is definitely worth a read. The blend of classic horror tropes and the horrors of what real people can do to each other is memorable and unique.
2112357
A surprisingly dark and well-crafted novel that packs a punch.