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Elizabeth Sharrod (5 KP) rated The Woman in the Window in Books
Jul 9, 2019
This debut thriller by AJ Finn is an easy read with some great character development especially in regards to the main protagonist, an agrophobe ex psychiatrist who enjoys watching her neighbours through her window while drinking her favourite alcoholic beverage. Soon she finds herself the only witness to a murder where she questions her sanity (did this murder really take place and if so who did it and can she make anyone believe her?)
Finn really creates a character that anyone can relate to or feel for. A thriller of its genre which is already being made into a movie. The story has some twists (a tad predictable if you have an eye for detail.) However, it was an easy and enjoyable read.
Finn really creates a character that anyone can relate to or feel for. A thriller of its genre which is already being made into a movie. The story has some twists (a tad predictable if you have an eye for detail.) However, it was an easy and enjoyable read.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Cunning Folk in Books
Oct 19, 2021
174 of 250
Book
Cunning Folk
By Adam Nevill
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
A compelling folk horror story of deadly rivalry and the oldest magic from the four times winner of The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel.
No home is heaven with hell next door.
Money's tight and their new home is a fixer-upper. Deep in rural South West England, with an ancient wood at the foot of the garden, Tom and his family are miles from anywhere and anyone familiar. His wife, Fiona, was never convinced that buying the money-pit at auction was a good idea. Not least because the previous owner committed suicide. Though no one can explain why.
Within days of crossing the threshold, when hostilities break out with the elderly couple next door, Tom's dreams of future contentment are threatened by an escalating tit-for-tat campaign of petty damage and disruption.
Increasingly isolated and tormented, Tom risks losing his home, everyone dear to him and his mind. Because, surely, only the mad would suspect that the oddballs across the hedgerow command unearthly powers. A malicious magic even older than the eerie wood and the strange barrow therein. A hallowed realm from where, he suspects, his neighbours draw a hideous power.
Brilliant!!!! You certainly don’t know who lives next door and who you’re pissing off with a chainsaw! Just brilliant then again I didn’t expect anything less from Adam his books are just the highlight of the year. He’s taken annoying neighbours to a whole new level. I tried so many times to slow myself down but it just wasn’t happening I needed to keep reading. I know I’m going to have a book depression waiting to see what he comes up with next.
Book
Cunning Folk
By Adam Nevill
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
A compelling folk horror story of deadly rivalry and the oldest magic from the four times winner of The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel.
No home is heaven with hell next door.
Money's tight and their new home is a fixer-upper. Deep in rural South West England, with an ancient wood at the foot of the garden, Tom and his family are miles from anywhere and anyone familiar. His wife, Fiona, was never convinced that buying the money-pit at auction was a good idea. Not least because the previous owner committed suicide. Though no one can explain why.
Within days of crossing the threshold, when hostilities break out with the elderly couple next door, Tom's dreams of future contentment are threatened by an escalating tit-for-tat campaign of petty damage and disruption.
Increasingly isolated and tormented, Tom risks losing his home, everyone dear to him and his mind. Because, surely, only the mad would suspect that the oddballs across the hedgerow command unearthly powers. A malicious magic even older than the eerie wood and the strange barrow therein. A hallowed realm from where, he suspects, his neighbours draw a hideous power.
Brilliant!!!! You certainly don’t know who lives next door and who you’re pissing off with a chainsaw! Just brilliant then again I didn’t expect anything less from Adam his books are just the highlight of the year. He’s taken annoying neighbours to a whole new level. I tried so many times to slow myself down but it just wasn’t happening I needed to keep reading. I know I’m going to have a book depression waiting to see what he comes up with next.
Wittsend (43 KP) rated Can you Hear Me? in Books
Jul 28, 2017
Can you Hear Me
A very emotionally intense coming of age story of a teenage boy and his relationship with his family, neighbours and especially his paranoid and inconsolable and father. I thought extraordinarily beautiful coming of age tale that There is a crime element that leaves you with a feeling of uncomfortable tensions that create a chilling account of an abduction and a teenage boy desperately trying to come to terms with his dangerously unhinged father.
ClareR (5603 KP) rated There But for the in Books
Dec 21, 2018
There but for the.....
I don't know what it is about Ali Smith's books, but whatever it is, it keeps me coming back for more. Is it the wit? Because there's plenty of that in here. Perhaps it's the way that she looks at people's lives? Because she writes from a female child's perspective as well as a 59 year old gay man's and an elderly woman's with equal believability.
And let's face it - who hasn't wanted to walk upstairs and shut the door on the world from time to time? That's what Miles does in this book. His actions affect not just the homeowners, but also those in the wider world: neighbours, friends and complete strangers who feel that they understand his motivations (or they don't understand them, but they feel they should support him).
I loved this book.
And let's face it - who hasn't wanted to walk upstairs and shut the door on the world from time to time? That's what Miles does in this book. His actions affect not just the homeowners, but also those in the wider world: neighbours, friends and complete strangers who feel that they understand his motivations (or they don't understand them, but they feel they should support him).
I loved this book.
Ross (3282 KP) rated Get Out (2017) in Movies
Feb 12, 2018
Like "Black Mirror" does "Cocoon"
This film sees Chris visiting his girlfriend's parents for the first time, on what turns out to be their annual get-together with friends and neighbours. Chris is somewhat taken aback by everyone's positive, curious reaction to his African-American heritage and becomes increasingly unnerved by the odd behaviour of the family's black servants.
I have to admit, I saw the twist coming from very early on but this didn't ruin the journey for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the creepy atmosphere building throughout the film and Chris' increasingly awkward interactions with his few fellow people of colour at the party.
This is not a normal horror film, except for the final half hour, instead it is an intense psychological thriller with the added social awkwardness around people's inherent racism and need to talk/not talk about it.
An excellent film with a brilliant cast.
I have to admit, I saw the twist coming from very early on but this didn't ruin the journey for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the creepy atmosphere building throughout the film and Chris' increasingly awkward interactions with his few fellow people of colour at the party.
This is not a normal horror film, except for the final half hour, instead it is an intense psychological thriller with the added social awkwardness around people's inherent racism and need to talk/not talk about it.
An excellent film with a brilliant cast.
BTPBookclub (18 KP) rated The Woman in the Window in Books
May 14, 2019
Messes with your head
This is a story that will mess with your head over and over… One revelation after another. I loved it. The Woman in the Window is set out in days and short chapters making it an easy to read story which can be devoured easily.
At first I thought hmm this woman (Anna) is a bit strange maybe she is just one of those nosy neighbours we all hate, boy was I wrong. Readers are in for a treat with this story. I must admit I thought with the story being based in just one specific location that it was going to be dull and dragged out, yet again I was wrong.
I awarded four stars for this story as I found it took a while to get to the good bits but it still turned out to be a brilliant brain twister of a story to dive into. Highly recommend!
At first I thought hmm this woman (Anna) is a bit strange maybe she is just one of those nosy neighbours we all hate, boy was I wrong. Readers are in for a treat with this story. I must admit I thought with the story being based in just one specific location that it was going to be dull and dragged out, yet again I was wrong.
I awarded four stars for this story as I found it took a while to get to the good bits but it still turned out to be a brilliant brain twister of a story to dive into. Highly recommend!
This is a novella, which I think threw a lot of people who were expecting a full length book. What surprised me, is how rounded the characters were in only 132 pages.
The main character, Scott, realises he is losing weight at an alarming weight, and the strange thing is, is that he looks exactly the same. He seeks the advice of a friend - a retired doctor who is as clueless as he is.
Meanwhile, he has an encounter with some new neighbours, a married lesbian couple whose dogs have been using his lawn as their toilet. DeeDee, one of the women, is very defensive, blows it out of proportion and wants nothing to do with him. But after a local 12K race, this all changes.
What happens though, to a man who continues to lose weight? What will happen when he hits zero?
I really enjoyed this. I really liked the characters, and the ending was quite something!!
The main character, Scott, realises he is losing weight at an alarming weight, and the strange thing is, is that he looks exactly the same. He seeks the advice of a friend - a retired doctor who is as clueless as he is.
Meanwhile, he has an encounter with some new neighbours, a married lesbian couple whose dogs have been using his lawn as their toilet. DeeDee, one of the women, is very defensive, blows it out of proportion and wants nothing to do with him. But after a local 12K race, this all changes.
What happens though, to a man who continues to lose weight? What will happen when he hits zero?
I really enjoyed this. I really liked the characters, and the ending was quite something!!
Stuart Braithwaite recommended Fun House by The Stooges in Music (curated)
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Rosemary's Baby (Rosemary's Baby, #1) in Books
Jun 13, 2022
106 of 230
Book
Rosemary’s Baby ( Rosemary book 1)
By Ira Levin
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rosemary Woodhouse and her struggling actor-husband, Guy, move into the Bramford, an old New York City apartment building with an ominous reputation and only elderly residents. Neighbours Roman and Minnie Castavet soon come nosing around to welcome them; despite Rosemary's reservations about their eccentricity and the weird noises that she keeps hearing, her husband starts spending time with them. Shortly after Guy lands a plum Broadway role, Rosemary becomes pregnant, and the Castavets start taking a special interest in her welfare. As the sickened Rosemary becomes increasingly isolated, she begins to suspect that the Castavets' circle is not what it seems.
This is a book I’ve been wanting to read for so long and I finally got round to it! I think I was expecting more while I did enjoy the read it didn’t live up to expectations. It was chilling in places but fell a bit flat for me!
Book
Rosemary’s Baby ( Rosemary book 1)
By Ira Levin
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rosemary Woodhouse and her struggling actor-husband, Guy, move into the Bramford, an old New York City apartment building with an ominous reputation and only elderly residents. Neighbours Roman and Minnie Castavet soon come nosing around to welcome them; despite Rosemary's reservations about their eccentricity and the weird noises that she keeps hearing, her husband starts spending time with them. Shortly after Guy lands a plum Broadway role, Rosemary becomes pregnant, and the Castavets start taking a special interest in her welfare. As the sickened Rosemary becomes increasingly isolated, she begins to suspect that the Castavets' circle is not what it seems.
This is a book I’ve been wanting to read for so long and I finally got round to it! I think I was expecting more while I did enjoy the read it didn’t live up to expectations. It was chilling in places but fell a bit flat for me!
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Woman in the Window in Books
Jun 13, 2019 (Updated Jun 13, 2019)
Gripping unreliable narrator thriller
Housebound Anna Fox loves watching old movies and drinking a lot of wine, that is when she isn’t spying on her neighbours from out of the window. Not long after a new family move in Anna sees someone murdered but no one is willing to believe the drunk and that includes even Anna doubting what she saw.
There are a lot of unreliable narrator books around at the moment in the thriller genre and I think this is a solid addition, it’s a well written fast paced read. The plot doesn't seem to be anything groundbreaking and lacks in any real surprises in the plot but it’s very engagingly narrated. Maybe my love for staying in at home and drinking wine made this book speak to me but I found it engrossing and enjoyable. If your into old films you'll probably get a kick out of all the references to those as well.
Oh and net curtains when you are in a home that is overlooked why isn't that a thing....
There are a lot of unreliable narrator books around at the moment in the thriller genre and I think this is a solid addition, it’s a well written fast paced read. The plot doesn't seem to be anything groundbreaking and lacks in any real surprises in the plot but it’s very engagingly narrated. Maybe my love for staying in at home and drinking wine made this book speak to me but I found it engrossing and enjoyable. If your into old films you'll probably get a kick out of all the references to those as well.
Oh and net curtains when you are in a home that is overlooked why isn't that a thing....