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    “Never have I ever seen such grimy children! Now, here's a job that must be done!” ­ M. Poppins...

Body of Christ
Body of Christ
Mark Matthews | 2018 | Horror
8
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
One of the things I love about horror is the potential for wildly imaginative happenings. Like fantasy, some crazy things can take place–only with horror, it’s more attuned to the things we fear. In Mark Matthews Body of Christ, we see the fantastic in strange, everyday behaviors.

Body of Christ tells the story of two children simultaneously, one a young boy whose mother is abusive and father kills himself, the other a girl whose mother has died and her father neglects her. Both children are peculiar in their own ways, and it is deliciously disturbing. Despite how messed up the story is, I can’t help but feel a bit of pity for the children and that’s a good thing, considering they’re the herald of bad things to come.

The story is quick-paced, with no time wasted. Considering my short attention span, this is a plus. Boredom often leads to me not finishing a story. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this work. I feel that the plot was unique and I love the way Matthews describes his horrific things.

I received a free copy of this book. This is my unbiased opinion.
  
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ClareR (6001 KP) rated The Herd in Books

Feb 27, 2022  
The Herd
The Herd
Emily Edwards | 2022 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This thought provoking book has come along at a time when everyone is talking about vaccines: should we have them, or shouldn’t we? Will they cause us and our children irreparable damage? Do we have a responsibility to tell other people if we or our children have not been vaccinated?

These are all the questions that are posed in The Herd. I started this with a very pro-vaccination stance, and whilst I’m still pro-vaccination, I can appreciate the other side of the story much more now.

The Herd is all about parents doing what they think is best for their children - as parents, it’s all we can do.

The characters of Bryony and Elizabeth represented these opinions really well. I kept putting myself in both women’s shoes, and to be honest, both sides were heart-breaking.

The Herd is a balanced, well-told story of friendship, deception, mental health and the toxic side of social media. It gave me and my fellow Pigeonhole readers lots to think about and discuss. It’s most definitely a book of our time, and perfect for book groups. I’d recommend it to anyone, to be honest!
  
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Mothergamer (1604 KP) rated NOS4A2 in TV

Jul 22, 2019  
NOS4A2
NOS4A2
2019 | Drama, Horror
Good cast, makeup is really good, story does have some exciting moments (0 more)
story is very clunky in some places, not as scary as it could be, uncomfortable scenes for certain plot points (0 more)
I have read the book and the book itself is pretty good and has some great moments in it. I was curious about the TV show so I checked it out. It's not bad, but it's not as strong as it could be. Zachary Quinto does an excellent job as the villain of the story Charlie Manx and Ashleigh Cummings does a great job as Vic Mcqueen. The rest of the cast is good as well. However, the TV show concept is very clunky in places and in some spots is kind of boring. There were opportunities for it to be scary because Charlie is supposed to be scary, but it falls flat and sometimes feels tedious and causes the story to drag out. The age makeup they did for Zachary Quinto is fantastic and the makeup for the children is well done as well. Honestly, the writing for the show is pretty weak which is unfortunate for a story that is about a macabre and surreal story. This is a case where the book is definitely better.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Cuckoo Song in Books

Dec 14, 2018  
CS
Cuckoo Song
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

Frances Hardinge’s <i>Cuckoo Song</i> is a historical, horror story for children. Six years have past since the end of the First World War, a war in which the Crescent family lost their eldest child. Eleven-year-old Theresa Crescent “Triss” lives with her parents and nine year old sister, Penelope “Pen” in the fictional town of Ellchester, England. Since losing Sebastian, Triss has become a very frail child and so it is no surprise to her parents that she develops an awful fever after falling into a millpond. The question, though, is how she came to be in the pond to begin with and why Pen is so scared of her?

Things become even more mystifying when Triss sees dolls start to move, finds leaves on her pillow, and is constantly ravenously hungry. Her parents begin to consider that Triss is suffering from some form of mental illness, however, Pen, the bad-tempered child, is adamant that that is not the case. She claims that Triss is a fake.

The horrible realization is that perhaps Triss is not Triss at all. This discovery leads the tale into paranormal territory with the introduction of unique new creatures: Besiders.

Cuckoo Song is not just an entertaining, fantastical story; it also deals with themes of family and personal emotion. Piers and Celeste Crescent are examples of parents whose behaviour and response to the death of a child impact on their remaining children. Triss becomes a child they want to protect and save leaving Pen to become an attention-seeking troublemaker.

As the story progresses, Triss and Pen’s relationship develops, or rather Pen and Not-Triss’, into something more recognizable and sisterly. Through their strength and newfound love for each other, they fight to get the happy ending they deserve. And through it all Triss discovers that just because someone calls you a monster, it does not mean that you are a monster.

The 1920’s setting did not feel quite accurate. At times it felt as though the story could have been set today. This, however, was not a major issue as, apart from Sebastian’s death during WW1, the time period was not a key aspect of the plot.

Initially the children, particularly Pen, were written in a way that made them seem older than Hardinge intended them to be, although by the end it is clear that they are fairly young. This is shown in the way that Pen begins to become attached to, and slightly more dependent, on Triss.

It is difficult to say who the target audience of <i>Cuckoo Song</i> is. The protagonist is eleven but the writing may be a little difficult for some children, on the other hand it cannot exactly be classed as Young Adult fiction since the characters are not even in their teens.

Overall, <i>Cuckoo Song</i> is an exciting, fast paced, fairy tale-like story with original characters. It is not scary and is fun to read; there is nothing to stop older readers from enjoying it too!
  
Ronaldo: The Vixen Pederson Workshop
Ronaldo: The Vixen Pederson Workshop
Maxine Sylvester | 2019 | Children
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved how Ronaldo not only befriends Cupid and tires to help her but also stands up for her, even when she is not around. (0 more)
In previous Ronaldo books I have mentioned that I don’t like the fart jokes (0 more)
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Ronaldo: The Vixen Peterson Workshop is another amazing book by Maxine Sylvester. It is short, fun, and carries some wonderful messages to its readers. Read it as a stand-alone book or part of the series, either way, this is one book you don’t want to miss.

 Ronaldo and Rudi take readers to the North Pole as they take part in The Vixen Peterson Workshop, focusing on teamwork. The young reindeer are all put into teams and as it happens Ronaldo’s team gets the one cadet that no one wants, Cupid. Poor Cupid is a sweet reindeer with a wonderful attitude, but a terrible flyer. All the members of Ronaldo’s team look to him for guidance with hopes that they may still win the race at the end of the workshop.

 Ronaldo befriends Cupid and tries his best to help her. Finally, he discovers why Cupid has so many problems with flying and can help her correct the issue. As luck would have it Ronaldo has a score throat the day of the big race and is unable to lead his team. He gives up his position to Cupid which builds her confidence even more.

 I loved how Ronaldo not only befriends Cupid and tires to help her but also stands up for her, even when she is not around. There are very few people who will do something like that anymore and it is a lesson that everyone needs to learn, especially children. It is a rare occurrence that I can truly say there is nothing that I did not like about this book. In previous Ronaldo books I have mentioned that I don’t like the fart jokes and while I could still do without them, they have become a common occurance in this series that I have come to expect.

 Just like the rest of the series, this book is great for elementary students. There may be a couple of words that they need help with but overall it shouldn’t be a problem. Alternatively, it would be great for parents to read to their children. I rate this book with a perfect 4 out of 4 once again. This book is wonderful. The story is fun, yet packed full of strong messages. It offers many learning opportunities for children and discussion points for parents.

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