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The Devil's Only Friend (John Cleaver, #4)
Dan Wells | 2015
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This series just keeps getting better and better with each book. Dan Wells is another awesome author and writes this genre and series really well.
I remember after reading the first book in this series, I couldn't handle it and didn't want to read anymore because of how creepy it was thinking about your next-door neighbor that could be the crazy psycho on the loose. Then because I couldn't stop thinking about the book, I had to know what happened next so here I am almost done with this series and I don't want it to end.
He is good at writing this psychological suspense and such that can mess with your head, scare you and suck you in and not let you go until you know what happens and all the answers.
The thing that I come back to a lot with this series is how well he writes this so it creeps me out and yet uses little to no violence, gore, swearing, and such because clean reads are always a bonus and clean reads that creep me out like this are rare.
If you haven't checked out books by Dan Wells, you really should cause you're missing out.
  
Raven (Raven Series #1) [Audiobook]
Raven (Raven Series #1) [Audiobook]
Heather Atkinson | 2022 | Crime
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
As soon as I started to listen to this book, I was hooked. I am a sucker for an assassin story and even more so when that assassin is a female and this didn't disappoint.

Raven is a strong woman who can more than hold her own against the male of the species but she is tested to the limit when someone is stealing her jobs and ruining her reputation. Raven finds herself struggling to trust anyone and when her rival is revealed, the situation becomes increasingly personal and more complicated.

This is a long 'listen' and I had to take an enforced break for a couple of weeks when I was half way through but I was able to get back into the story seamlessly and I was soon engrossed again.

The narrator did an excellent job and despite there being a lot of characters, she was able to use her voice to distinguish between them all.

With strong characters, a great story, loads of action and violence but with some humorous moments, this is a series that I am looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into and I must thank W.F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to Raven and share my thoughts.
  
Zombie (The Cursed Manuscripts)
Zombie (The Cursed Manuscripts)
Iain Rob Wright | 2022 | Horror, Thriller
7
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have loved reading horror books since I was a wee teenager and whilst I don't read as many nowadays, I do enjoy a Zombie-fest every now and again and here we have yet another cracker from Iain Rob Wright, who is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors to satisfy my horror fix.

What I like about Iain's books is that it's not just about the blood and gore, there is a good story behind it and interesting and believable characters and although they may not always react logically, it does make things interesting.

Zombie is a quick read but there's a lot packed into it. It's full of tension and heart-in-the-mouth moments as you would expect in this genre and if you don't like violence, I would give this a miss but for me, I am looking forward to more instalments in this story to see where it goes.

Well written and a great pace, this is a book that will appeal to lovers of the Zombie stories and horror books in general.

My thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for providing me with an advance copy in return for comments and an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
1986 | Comedy, Horror
6
6.5 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I have a huge amount of respect for TTCM2, mainly for how different it is to its predecessor, which of course happens to be one of the most respected horrors of all time. Tobe Hoopers return is a welcome one, and his desire to not repeat his original masterpiece is a smart move. It results in a slice of 80s horror that is flamboyantly ridiculous, which still manages to keep its identity intact underneath it all. There's a lot less subtlety this time around - the brooding and implied violence we have seen before is replaced with more gore and Dennis Hopper dual wielding chainsaws with a third strapped to his back. It's weirdly great. The gore is significantly upped, and Leatherface is a little more cartoony. We're also introduced to Bill Moseley as Chop-Top, a fan favourite character who is a little too slapstick for my taste, but I can't fault Moseley for 100% commiting to the bit. Caroline Williams is a delight as this entries badass final girl as well.

TTCM2 is flawed for sure, but it doesn't fall into the rinse and repeat trap that so many sequels do, and it's easy to see why it has a strong following.
  
A Bird’s Eye View of Murder
A Bird’s Eye View of Murder
Jacqueline Vick | 2014 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Frankie Finds that Murder Isn’t Flighty
Frankie Chandler’s hardly recovered from the murder she got involved in the month before when her aunt comes for a visit. The aunt has scored some tickets to the taping of a live baking show, and Frankie joins her. That’s how Frankie stumbles on the dead body of the contestant winner. With the police looking at her aunt, her aunt hiding secrets, and animals starting to talk to Frankie again, can she figure out what is really going on?

Yes, this book falls into the paranormal cozy subgenre, which I tend to avoid. I appreciated how Frankie wrestles with her gift and what it means since those are the same things I struggle with myself. And it’s a minor part of the book anyway. In fact, this is more comedic, at least to me. I enjoyed laughing at the antics of the characters as the book progressed. The story started a bit slowly, but it grew stronger as it went along, and I was surprised by the ending. Do keep in mind that there is some violence to animals, but they are treated no worse than the human characters in the story. I really enjoyed the characters. I’m hoping I can get to the next in the series soon.