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The Foster Child
The Foster Child
Jenny Blackhurst | 2020 | Contemporary, Horror, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This story is told from multiple perspectives, but mainly, Imogen and Ellie are the ones sharing their feelings and thoughts. I liked Imogen as a character, but sometimes her actions and decisions were silly and not very thought through. Ellie was a mystery from the beginning till the end, and I kind of liked that the author left this mystical aura surrounding Ellie until the last sentence of the book. All the characters in this book were quite disturbed, carrying some baggage from their pasts.

The narrative of this novel was quite tense, there always were little incidents related to Ellie, that made this book very absorbing. I liked the topics this book discussed, such as pregnancy, parental love, bullying, fighting your fears, child’s behaviour problems, attachment, and many more. I enjoyed all the little twists and turns the author threw in this in this book, it made this book a true page-turner.

The writing style of this novel was easy to read, but quite confusing. Till the last page, I could not understand what was going on with Ellie. In some places, it seems that she was supernatural, and in other places, it was brushed off as fabrication, so this thing did leave me baffled. The chapters had a very decent length and they didn’t leave me bored. The ending of the book was quite surprising but it rounded the story very nicely and left me satisfied with the outcome.

So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this psychological thriller, it has very complex and disturbed characters, as well as the plot that is always trying to confuse the reader, and filled with turns, twists and very important topics.
  
Trick 'r Treat (2007)
Trick 'r Treat (2007)
2007 | Horror
Quite possibly the epitome of fun Halloween based horrors, Trick 'r Treat has a lot to offer.

There isn't one solid narrative, but rather several different stories with different characters, all taking place in the same town, on Halloween night. This format means we get treated to a multitude of genre staples - werewolves, zombies, serial killers, vampires - they're all tidyly woven together to give us a decent semi-anthology adventure. Well eventually anyway... It does feel a little messy to start with, erratically jumping from story to story, but a little perseverance is rewarded around the half way point where everything is put together in a satisfying manner.

The aesthetic of Trick 'r Treat is great. It has a distinct Halloween-y look, whilst managing to feel otherworldly in places. The swamp zombies look pretty creepy, and the werewolf transformations are visceral and inspired. The true star is the glue that holds this all together though - Sam. This little sack headed creepy fucker somehow manages to be adorable, and horrifying. I mean, he uses a bitten on candy-lolly to slash people up! Only people who don't respect the more traditional aspects of Halloween however. He's become something of an beloved character in the horror world - it would be great to see Sam return in a follow up some day.

Trick 'r Treat is a little cheesy at times, and takes a while to reveal it's clever side, but it's a perfectly enjoyable slice of Halloween horror, with a good cast (featuring Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, and Brian Cox), a memorable anti-hero (the adorable little shit), some great effects and make up work, and a great music score by Douglas Pipes.
Certianly worth a watch, even if it's a seasonal thing.
  
How to Chain Your Dragons
How to Chain Your Dragons
Ellie Horn | 2025 | Erotica, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
HOW TO CHAIN YOUR DRAGONS appears to be a standalone, but could so easily be the first in a new series. In fact, I hope it is as I really want to see more of these Raptor Drakes and their True Mate fated females.

Jaz has learned how to fly under the radar as far as the Drakes, who run her part of 'town', are concerned. Unfortunately, that doesn't work for her half-brother or Kurt, his best friend. Females are in short supply, and Kurt has decided Jaz is his, whether she likes it or not. Luckily for her, their finding out she hasn't been tagged properly (yes, you read that right) means that she also gets injected with something that has an unexpected effect. During this time, she has met two of the three Raptor brothers, who will change her life.

This was a page-turner for me, and I loved every moment. The three Raptors - Zyair, Xandros, and Rhodes - were completely separate characters and personalities, making it easy to distinguish between the three. Jaz and Yani also had a wonderful relationship that thrived. This is not a galaxy for the weak, though, as some nasty characters are about. Those Manticores? Shudder!

Anyway, their story takes time to tell, and that just made it better. There are hot and spicy times, but they fit with the story and aren't just there for gratuitous pleasure! Jaz is no pushover, and if she does roll over, it's on her terms.

A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed, and a world I hope to return to. Absolutely recommended by me.

** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 26, 2025