so-soI'm not sure Christina Henry wanted to write a horror novel. The majority of the work, I appreciated how well constructed the main character was, how strongly you get a sense of someone keeping poverty at bay, having escaped an oppressive, borderline abusive/neglectful, religious upbringing, survived homelessness and constantly vigilant in supporting a kid as a single parent without a high school diploma in a gentrifying area. 1/?
I can see utility in possessing both options: resting bitch face and Active Murder Face. 😑😡
Not gonna lie, if Polonius was the apt analogy brought out for any pontificating I did, I would devastated. 😩😆
#HauntedShelf @PuddleJumper #HexesandCrows @Catsandbooks #BookRecommendations
1. The House that Horror Built- fast, spooky read with a different twist on the haunted house trope.
2. Assassination Classroom- another great manga series.
3. Edenville- this is a current read, but I'm enjoying it a lot.
4. A Sunny Place for Shady People- love this author! Great mix of horror, social commentary, and folklore.
so-soBook 69📚 2.9⭐️
A so-so rating because most of the “meat and potatoes” happened in the last 10 pages and felt super rushed… the reveal could have been a bit more drawn out and dramatic.
Perhaps if he had been preserved IN the suit?! 🤷🏼♀️
pickThis is a very different book. It shows inspiration from gothic and horror classics - Jane Eyre & Psycho in particular. More than a horror, this feels like a family drama/mystery. I particularly liked the mother/son relationship at the heart of the story. I can see many being very frustrated with the main character, and I definitely empathized with her but she still was crazy stubborn at times.⬇️
pickI enjoyed this horror novel even when there were times that the story felt repetitive. All in all a pick.
Book 29 of 2024
panThis was so disappointing. This is the 2nd Christina Henry book I‘ve read in about a month and I think her writing just isn‘t for me. The dialogue seems stilted and the characters one dimensional. There‘s so little horror and so much filler that I honestly started to skim so I could just figure out how it would end. And it ended just how I thought- so predictable! I did finish it, though, so there‘s that 🤷🏼♀️. 🌟🌟
so-soSadly this was an extremely predictable novel; there was very little within this novel that surprised me. The story itself is rather fast-paced–I flew through it relatively quickly–but it honestly lacked any real horror. I think the most twisted thing about the entire narrative was Javier himself. I also felt as though the ending was rather abrupt and left a lot of unanswered questions; it was almost like Henry didn‘t know how to end the novel.
Recent book hauls! I found the top book in a #LFL near me and went and got the bottom books while out celebrating Mother‘s Day. They all seem like perfect Summer reads 😍. Happy Mother‘s Day to all that are celebrating 🎉 🥂 📚
The House that Horror Built | 
When it comes to how things were resolved... it's a bit of a speed run. While I wish we knew more about the Bright Horses house's origins, I am glad the reporter never got to have his triumphant moment after the earlier pestering. 3w
And here we arrive at my frequent conclusion with straightforward horror: it's often more sad than scary. Javier Castillo didn't love anything or anyone more than filmmaking, he neglected his wife and never cared enough for his son, which destroyed both relationships long before he felt it necessary to murder them both. 3w
⚠️child abuse 3w