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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Beth in Books
Feb 20, 2024
32 of 220
Kindle
Book sirens review
There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Beth
By Mark Towse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There's Something Wrong with Aunty Beth' is a collection of my favourite horror journeys, the best of the best I've taken to date. Twenty terrifying tales with something to suit all horror fans, from straight-up dread to signature Towsey weird. You'll never be the same again, and that's a Towsey guarantee. Within these haunted pages, you'll also find my new novella, 'Mother Dearest.'
Mother: A word that should summon trust, loyalty, love, and protection. But what if something begins eating away at such security, slowly transforming said Mother into something else entirely?
This is a compilation of short stories and everyone of them is dark, haunting, frightening and fun to read if you love horror. I always manage to find stories in these kind of books that I don’t like and end up skipping through but NOT this one! I recently discovered this author and I’m so glad I did his work is just brilliant. Do as Aunt Beth tells you!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kindle
Book sirens review
There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Beth
By Mark Towse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There's Something Wrong with Aunty Beth' is a collection of my favourite horror journeys, the best of the best I've taken to date. Twenty terrifying tales with something to suit all horror fans, from straight-up dread to signature Towsey weird. You'll never be the same again, and that's a Towsey guarantee. Within these haunted pages, you'll also find my new novella, 'Mother Dearest.'
Mother: A word that should summon trust, loyalty, love, and protection. But what if something begins eating away at such security, slowly transforming said Mother into something else entirely?
This is a compilation of short stories and everyone of them is dark, haunting, frightening and fun to read if you love horror. I always manage to find stories in these kind of books that I don’t like and end up skipping through but NOT this one! I recently discovered this author and I’m so glad I did his work is just brilliant. Do as Aunt Beth tells you!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated I'll Be Home for Christmas in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Christmas can be a very difficult time for many people, especially if they are homeless. A selection of well known YA authors including Holly Bourne, Melvin Burgess and Marcus Sedgwick, have come together to produce an anthology of short stories that explore the idea of “home” during this festive period. Only a couple of the tales are about people living on the streets, however that does not mean those with a roof over their head necessarily have a home.
Once published, £1 of every copy of<i> I’ll Be Home for Christmas </i>sold will be donated to the British charity Crisis, an organization that offer their services to individual homeless citizens. They work all year round but advertise more heavily at Christmas. It is their hope that this book will increase awareness of homelessness and result in an increase of generosities this winter.
The fourteen short stories in this anthology all provide a different meaning of the word “home.” For some it is about having somewhere to live, for others it is about family, love and safety. The key connection between each author’s interpretations is the main character is unhappy or worried and does not feel a sense of home. A few tales result in a happy ending; unfortunately others are not fully resolved. Apart from a couple that take a sci-fi/fantasy direction, the authors have tried to keep their narratives as true to life in order to emphasise the problems many people in the UK, if not the world, face at Christmas and the year in general.
Being targeted at a young adult audience, most of the characters are in their late teens, dealing with issues that sadly many teenagers and children are faced with today. The same themes crop up in many of the stories, such as homosexuality, divorce, family or lack of, and the feeling of loneliness.
As stories go, the individual tales are nothing special. They are not exciting or gripping, as you would expect a novel to be, however some of the scenarios will stick with you long after turning the final page. Although set at Christmas time, these stories are not overly festive, largely due to the negativity the characters are facing. Even if you do not particularly enjoy the tales, it will not be a waste of time reading them. They will leave you with a greater awareness to the struggles of others during a time when “home” plays a vital part in people’s lives. Crisis hopes that the general public will become more mindful and willing to help out in the near future.
Christmas can be a very difficult time for many people, especially if they are homeless. A selection of well known YA authors including Holly Bourne, Melvin Burgess and Marcus Sedgwick, have come together to produce an anthology of short stories that explore the idea of “home” during this festive period. Only a couple of the tales are about people living on the streets, however that does not mean those with a roof over their head necessarily have a home.
Once published, £1 of every copy of<i> I’ll Be Home for Christmas </i>sold will be donated to the British charity Crisis, an organization that offer their services to individual homeless citizens. They work all year round but advertise more heavily at Christmas. It is their hope that this book will increase awareness of homelessness and result in an increase of generosities this winter.
The fourteen short stories in this anthology all provide a different meaning of the word “home.” For some it is about having somewhere to live, for others it is about family, love and safety. The key connection between each author’s interpretations is the main character is unhappy or worried and does not feel a sense of home. A few tales result in a happy ending; unfortunately others are not fully resolved. Apart from a couple that take a sci-fi/fantasy direction, the authors have tried to keep their narratives as true to life in order to emphasise the problems many people in the UK, if not the world, face at Christmas and the year in general.
Being targeted at a young adult audience, most of the characters are in their late teens, dealing with issues that sadly many teenagers and children are faced with today. The same themes crop up in many of the stories, such as homosexuality, divorce, family or lack of, and the feeling of loneliness.
As stories go, the individual tales are nothing special. They are not exciting or gripping, as you would expect a novel to be, however some of the scenarios will stick with you long after turning the final page. Although set at Christmas time, these stories are not overly festive, largely due to the negativity the characters are facing. Even if you do not particularly enjoy the tales, it will not be a waste of time reading them. They will leave you with a greater awareness to the struggles of others during a time when “home” plays a vital part in people’s lives. Crisis hopes that the general public will become more mindful and willing to help out in the near future.
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Edgar Allan Poe Complete Tales and Poems in Books
May 15, 2017
A genius of the horror and macabre genre (2 more)
A true inspiration (personal opinion)
Tense and horrifying writing
Quoth the Raven, Nevermore
If you have read my reviews on the film 'The Raven' and the TV series 'The Following' the you have already read about how I adore Edgar Allan Poe and how he is my biggest inspiration in writing, especially of my Gothic Horror poems.
The poems he has written are chilling, enjoyable and indeed are works of a genius, that some at the time, maybe even still to this day, would call the writings of a mad man. The life of Poe is one filled with tragedy and bewilderment, and he has inspired so many writers across all mediums over the years, and is one of the most famous writers known to man. Almost everyone I have ever met knows, at the very least, the line of 'Quote the Raven, Nevermore' and this is just one of the staples that this man has left throughout history.
His short stories aren't all horror, same as his poems, but it has to be said that his Horror fiction is certainly his best. Though I have not yet read all of his short stories, or even half, the one's that I have read have given me a clear idea that whilst his work remains interesting to read, his horror is by far the most entertaining and thrilling.
Edgar Allan Poe will always remain my biggest inspiration for my writing, and I hope to one day have a collection of writings, that are just as loved as his.
The poems he has written are chilling, enjoyable and indeed are works of a genius, that some at the time, maybe even still to this day, would call the writings of a mad man. The life of Poe is one filled with tragedy and bewilderment, and he has inspired so many writers across all mediums over the years, and is one of the most famous writers known to man. Almost everyone I have ever met knows, at the very least, the line of 'Quote the Raven, Nevermore' and this is just one of the staples that this man has left throughout history.
His short stories aren't all horror, same as his poems, but it has to be said that his Horror fiction is certainly his best. Though I have not yet read all of his short stories, or even half, the one's that I have read have given me a clear idea that whilst his work remains interesting to read, his horror is by far the most entertaining and thrilling.
Edgar Allan Poe will always remain my biggest inspiration for my writing, and I hope to one day have a collection of writings, that are just as loved as his.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated 20th Century Ghosts in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This turned out to be an ideal read for the Halloween season. While many of the short stories here have a pretty "literary" feel, and some don't necessarily qualify as horror, they each have a haunting quality about them. The characters are always engaging, and I found myself caring for most of them, which is quite a feat given how few pages some were given in which to develop. And don't mistake my earlier comments to mean there is nothing scary in this book. There are quite a few tales here that left me creeped out enough that I will likely remember them for some time to come. This collection isn't perfect, but it really shows the promise of just how great a storyteller Mr. Hill would ultimately evolve into.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated The Book Thief in Books
Jul 10, 2018
This novel was recommended to me by an old high school friend. This is definitely not my typical book. I like the fast paced suspense/romance and I tend to stick with those novels. I'm glad that I picked up this novel.
This novel was very interesting. It's a collection of short stories narrated by death. It follow the life of a young German girl during the time of world war 2. It's told in a different way by having "Death" as the narrator.
This was a pretty quick read. It makes you think too. It's one of those novels that will make you think about the depravity of human beings and give you some hope along side of it.
All in all, it was a good novel that deals with World War II.
This novel was very interesting. It's a collection of short stories narrated by death. It follow the life of a young German girl during the time of world war 2. It's told in a different way by having "Death" as the narrator.
This was a pretty quick read. It makes you think too. It's one of those novels that will make you think about the depravity of human beings and give you some hope along side of it.
All in all, it was a good novel that deals with World War II.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Batman the Killing Joke in Books
Nov 9, 2018
Fantastically written self-contained story with superb artwork
This short graphic novel sees Batman trying to peacefully put an end to his conflict with the Joker (safely behind bars - or is he?) before one of them ends up dead. Needless to say Joker escapes and puts in place his plan to show the beauty of madness. He wants to show that everyone would be happier if they just let their brain snap under extreme strain, and then you'll always see the funny side.
Some superb artwork throughout the book, both in the current story and flashbacks of Mr J's life.
I think fans of the Arkham video games will get a real buzz out of this, it is totally in line with the stories and settings used in the games.
Some superb artwork throughout the book, both in the current story and flashbacks of Mr J's life.
I think fans of the Arkham video games will get a real buzz out of this, it is totally in line with the stories and settings used in the games.
David McK (3369 KP) rated Star Wars, Vol. 3: Rebel Jail in Books
Jan 28, 2019
Vol 3 in Marvel's new 'main' Star Wars stories (as opposed to those headlined by a single character), which starts with an James Bond style story set on Coruscant before heading back to the main characters of Han, Luke and Leia, who are off on separate missions - Han and Luke to get supplies for the Rebellion (capital 'R'), while Leia (and Sana) transport a high-value prisoner to the maximum security Rebel Jail of the title.
As this is set between Ep IV and V, we know that nothing major is going to happen to any of the main characters (Luke, Leia, Han), although this does - fianlly - provide a reason why Leia calls Hans a 'Scruffy Nerf-herder' in The Empire Strikes Back
In short: not bad, but not brilliant either.
As this is set between Ep IV and V, we know that nothing major is going to happen to any of the main characters (Luke, Leia, Han), although this does - fianlly - provide a reason why Leia calls Hans a 'Scruffy Nerf-herder' in The Empire Strikes Back
In short: not bad, but not brilliant either.
GinaGee (448 KP) rated The Bunker Diary in Books
Oct 26, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
This is the diary of a young man who finds himself kidnapped and held captive in a bunker with a few others.
I think this is a massively underrated book and one that I always tell my friends about when they want book recommendations. It's a short book but it is a memorable one, which is why I rate it so highly.
The ending was brilliant, it leaves you asking a dozen other questions that won't be answered. I can see why some people may not like that, as a lot of stories don't leave you to imagine the ending, but I thought it was brilliant. I was left asking "But why were they abandoned?" Did the kidnapper get bored? Were the police getting too close to finding them?
I think this is a massively underrated book and one that I always tell my friends about when they want book recommendations. It's a short book but it is a memorable one, which is why I rate it so highly.
The ending was brilliant, it leaves you asking a dozen other questions that won't be answered. I can see why some people may not like that, as a lot of stories don't leave you to imagine the ending, but I thought it was brilliant. I was left asking "But why were they abandoned?" Did the kidnapper get bored? Were the police getting too close to finding them?
AJaneClark (3975 KP) rated Dead Lake in Books
Dec 29, 2019
Suspenseful
Sam is suffering from a creative block, after the death of her mother. Her uncle offers her a week in his cabin so she can get back to painting and prepare for her upcoming gallery display. Little did Sam know she was not alone...
Coates builds suspense beautifully and it certainly begins to get the pulse racing at some point. The book is descriptive and detailed, and pulls you in making you feel as though you are there.
The different characters that make an appearance help to weave the tale together, adding further details and helping to add towards the final scenes.
As with most short stories the ending is slightly rushed to tie up all the loose ends, but it doesn’t have a massive impact on the overall story line.
Coates builds suspense beautifully and it certainly begins to get the pulse racing at some point. The book is descriptive and detailed, and pulls you in making you feel as though you are there.
The different characters that make an appearance help to weave the tale together, adding further details and helping to add towards the final scenes.
As with most short stories the ending is slightly rushed to tie up all the loose ends, but it doesn’t have a massive impact on the overall story line.
Ladybug Magazine: Fun stories and songs for kids
Education and Magazines & Newspapers
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Ladybug for kids 3 to 6 will delight your child with short articles, poems, comics, activities and...