Review: The Dangers of Smoking in Bed

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An intriguing collection, but not as satisfying as I hoped.

There are some really great, horrifying ideas here - undead children, haunted cities, creepy obsessions ... a lot of brilliant, unique ideas absolutely perfect for a collection of horror stories.

But almost every single one of them ends in such a way that the story seems unfinished, and it's incredibly frustrating. In many cases it's an unsatisfying ending, where the reader can infer many things. I don't mind this kind of thing every now and then, but when it's every single story it's kind of brutal.

I did, however, get sucked into every single story - I think that's why the abrupt endings hurt so much. This stuff is GOOOOOD.

So I really love the ideas she's produced for this collection, but I wanted more.

I'd still recommend it for horror fans, because the ideas in it are crazy. And I feel like maybe these are the kinds of stories that would hit harder on a second read or even just further contemplation. So horror fans, absolutely give it a shot.

For those who need clear cut resolutions with their short stories, though, prepare to be frustrated.

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Review: Everyone Has Secrets

Everyone Has Secrets by A.J. McDine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by Tamsin Kennard
Presented by Bookouture Audio

Not quite the scandalous read I was expecting - more like a mother's trials and tribulations.

Eve has a 'perfect life', which changes when her best friend's daughter winds up in a coma after attending a birthday party for Eve's son, Joe.

I was expecting the classic trope of terrible rich people suddenly discovering their perfect lives aren't actually perfect, and while that is kind of the case, it was lacking drama and a little too predictable.

I didn't love or loathe any of the characters, really, which meant I wasn't fully committed to the story, and I thought some parts just seemed a bit too unbelievable - like it was trying to wring drama out of plot points that didn't really have any.

A lot of the story focuses on Eve's trials as a mother - how she has to stick up for her family, and look after her son in the process.

I do think mothers may find this resonates and so will enjoy it more thoroughly for that.

The narration was pretty decent, and distinguished each voice well. They played the part of Eve really well.

Wasn't quite enough for me to really lose myself to it, but I can see how this would be a thrilling read for others.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick

The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick by Megan Mary
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Narrated by Pearl Hewitt
Presented by Inner Realms Publishing

A cosy fantasy perfect for Halloween season.

This was a Listen Now on NetGalley and I needed something to listen to, so this ticked the box.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't cosy fantasy! The story follows Hannah, who heads to Maple Hollow after the mysterious disappearance of her Aunt Jewelia (and I'm glad I was listening, because the spelling of that name alone would have done me in - yikes!)

The atmosphere is perfectly Halloween-y, with dark and stormy nights, pumpkins and cats. Hannah is a likeable enough protagonist - very wholesome and sweet. She introduces herself to everyone in the town as she meets them, and quickly becomes a friend to several. Meanwhile, she sets about trying to learn more about the town's history, in order to solve the mystery of her Aunt's disappearance.

I liked the narrator, and her voice enhanced the vibe of the story. On paper, this would likely have disappointed through lack of excitement, but with this narrator it was like I got exactly what I was supposed to out of it. Low stakes and easy clues leading to a simple resolution.

Admittedly, the easy nature of the story meant I wasn't 100% tuned in, 100% of the time. I also had to listen at 2x speed so that I didn't doze off. Still, it was easy enough to follow and I didn't seem to miss much.

Overall, it was an easy listen that was a pleasant way to kill some time. I'd recommend it for fans of cosy mysteries - particularly those who like a sprinkling of fantasy and a dash of Halloween.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: Chain of Feathers: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure

Chain of Feathers: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure by Seth Ring
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was definitely more middle-grade than I expected; like Yu-Gi-Oh meets Ranger's Apprentice.

The story follows 14-year-old Mateo as he's betrayed by his master and sent to a military training camp. Here, he'll learn how to survive, and hopefully how to become a Duelist.

So, essentially the story is a training montage only lengthy and drawn out. Mateo meets a couple of other misfits that he bands together with immediately - him telling them what to do because he's a know-it-all whereas the other two are incompetent idiots. Obviously.

Mateo is definitely the kind of character that always rubs me the wrong way. He's a brown-noser who always figures things out first and is the pet of whoever is in charge, and he tells everyone else what to do and they generally obey without question. He's such a bland character.

I did like the other two, though - nothing particularly new, but I did like that they had their own things going for them. The characters on the whole are nothing particularly fresh, and as such a lot of the interactions are familiar scenes. I didn't care too much for any of the characters, but young ones who don't read a lot should find themselves relating to at least one of them.

The card/duelling system was a little too much for my fantasy tastes. Cards slot into a person somehow which I didn't totally understand, but then I was never a big Yu-Gi-Oh kid. I think collectors of 'duelling' cards like Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic the Gathering will understand this a little better and appreciate it on a whole other level. For me, it seemed like a bit of a gimmick that just wasn't enough to save a rather bland story from being completely unoriginal.

After reading, I can conclude that I'm very much NOT the target audience for this one. It wasn't for me at all, but I think there's plenty here that younger readers will enjoy. It's an adventure story which keeps things relatively simple while setting up for a grander adventure to come.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: A Cure for Sorrow

A Cure for Sorrow by Jen Wheeler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky
Presented by Brilliance Audio

Really enjoyed the first 20% or so, but it was all downhill from there.

Firstly, this book sold itself to me with the promise of supernatural happenings, and I was sadly disappointed on that front. Also 'haunted secrets' - where were the secrets?? I was bored, bored bored.

My favourite part of this entire novel was the building of the relationship between Nora and Euan, and how it spoke about the loss after. This evoked some really strong feelings in me and I was sucked in completely.

However, once Nora starts to move forward it all just became a tangled mess of love affairs and damaged people and relationships and also FARMWORK which was so incredibly dull. Nora went from a character I adored to a character I loathed, and nothing interesting justified how long this story dragged on for. When the 'supernatural' finally turned up, I rolled my eyes and that was me emotionally done. From then on it was listening just to be done.

On the plus side, the narration was well done. She did a great job of defining characters with different voices, and added a lot of feeling to the story. I'd happily listen to this narrator again.

If this hadn't been an audiobook I think I would have straight up quit halfway. As it was, it really became a chore to listen to, and I was happy when it finally ended.

Perhaps fans of historical fiction will enjoy this more than I did, but there wasn't much beyond the narrator that could redeem it for me.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

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Review: Withered Hill

Withered Hill by David Barnett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was SO GOOD. Very eerie!

The plot follows Sophie, who finds herself naked and scratched up, with no memory of who she is, nor how she came to be in the unusual town she finds herself in.

From the get-go, I had no clue what was going on and loved every second of it. The people of Withered Hill are completely nuts, but at the same time there's a sad logic to the way they behave and the choices they make. Even their bizarre rituals make their own kind of sense.

The grey morality of this book was my favourite aspect - questionable things are done that have a clear logic, making the reader question who is really in the wrong. At the same time, there is a real menace over the town, creating an atmosphere that will make your skin crawl.

The book alternates between 'Inside' and 'Outside', so we witness the days leading up to Sophie's entry to Withered Hill, which are equally menacing. I really enjoyed the contrast, and followed events in each section with rapt attention.

I did enjoy the ending, but it felt a little heavy-handed on the exposition. Honestly, the way it wrapped up was mostly perfect but I still want MORE.

This was easy to devour, and is the perfect book to snag for Halloween season. It's an extraordinary blend of horror, thriller and mystery, with a fast pace and some clever considerations.

Highly recommend for horror fans!

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

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Review: The Wonder of Lost Causes

The Wonder of Lost Causes by Nick Trout
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A sweet, heartwarming story but a little too cheesy for me by the end. Still solid, though.

The story revolves around Jasper, a young boy with Cystic Fibrosis, and his mother, Kate. Kate's a vet and as a consequence Jasper meets Whistler - a beat up senior mutt that he forms an instant connection with.

Personally?
Dogs -> yes
Kids -> no

I particularly dislike when a story (or part of) is narrated by a child, who misunderstands things and generally talks like a child. I get it, I get why people like it, but it's really not for me.

That said, Jasper was sweet enough. He's a bit of a unicorn, here- he's the kid who has a rotten life but is always beaming sunshine and rainbows. Nothing can get this kid down, and he's the one that's going to teach us (and his severely over-protective mother) how to appreciate the little things in life etc etc.

I'm not against the message, and I think it was told well through this specific trio of characters, but I feel it was a little long as by the end I was quite tired of hearing this child drop all these big quotes about life. He's twelve, for crying out loud. It really grated on me by the end. For most of the book, though, it's very wholesome. Jasper and Whistler are very sweet together and I think dog-lovers will really fall for the pair.

Kate has no character development until all of a sudden she does and that's equally unbearable. I needed subtle progression instead of 0-1oo. Harried mothers may see themselves in her a little and grant her a little more patience, but for me she was too much.

It was a great story, but a little too long to stay believable for me. I enjoyed reading it, but it didn't pull me in quite as much as I hoped for.

Still, a great read for the dog lovers.

With thanks to A&U for an ARC

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