At the Mountains of Madness and Other Tales of Terror by H.P. Lovecraft

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Title: At the Mountains of Madness and Other Tales of Terror

Author: H.P. Lovecraft

Genre: Horror, Short Stories

Length: 196 pages

Published: 1991

Publisher: Del Rey

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) A complete short novel, AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS is a tale of terror unilke any other. The Barren, windswept interior of the Antarctic plateau was lifeless--or so the expedition from Miskatonic University thought. Then they found the strange fossils of unheard-of creatures...and the carved stones tens of millions of years old...and, finally, the mind-blasting terror of the City of the Old Ones. Three additional strange tales, written as only H.P. Lovecraft can write, are also included in this macabre collection of the strange and the weird. 

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5.

This collection holds only four stories, one of which (The Dreams in the Witch-House) can also be found in The Best of H.P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre. My favorite story out of this collection was probably a tie between The Shunned House and The Statement of Randolph Carter. Both were equally horrifying, and the final one literally sent chills down my spine. 

The title story in the collection, At the Mountains of Madness, was good, but it was very long-winded which led me to skim some of the more boring parts. Otherwise, all in all, this is a good collection to read. Just don't read it right before bed. 

You can purchase At the Mountains of Madness and Other Tales of Terror through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read At the Mountains of Madness and Other Tales of Terror? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Best of H.P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre by H.P. Lovecraft

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Title: The Best of H.P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre

Author: H.P. Lovecraft 

Genre: Horror, Short Stories

Length: 406 pages

Published: 2002

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) This is the collection that true fans of horror fiction have been waiting for: sixteen of H.P. Lovecraft's most horrifying visions, including Lovecraft's masterpiece, THE SHADOW OUT OF TIME--the shocking revelation of the mysterious forces that hold all mankind in their fearsome grip.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This was a spine-tingling, nightmare inducing collection of short stories. The reason I give this four stars instead of five is that the stories were a little long-winded in some aspects and I could only read a story or two at a time. They were all intense, except for the last story or two in which I found my attention waning a bit. Possibly because I was trying to finish the book quickly. Definitely a must read for fans of the horror genre. Lovecraft is truly a master.

You can purchase The Best of H.P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Best of H.P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Dead Years Volumes 1-8 by Jeff Olah

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Title: The Dead Years Volumes 1-8

Author: Jeff Olah

Genre: Horror

Length: 596 pages

Published: 2014

Publisher: Independent

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Volume 1 - Mason wasn't prepared when the devastation began that afternoon. No one was. He now needed to get to his family before the infection did.

Volume 2 picks up with Mason has he ventures out in hopes of obtaining the supplies needed for his family's journey out into the unknown. He soon finds out that this decision may well lead to his own demise.

Volume 3 follows Mason and the others just as Volume 2 concludes with the battle in the park. What will become of the injured members?

Volume 4 begins two weeks into the group's "Vacation" at the stadium. Feeders are no longer a worry... or are they?

Volume 5 starts with the group leaving the Stadium, Beaten and Battered heading for the beach house. Will they find their way and what awaits them?

Volume 6 picks up as the group touches down at the Blackmore Research Facility! Mason and the others fight to reunite April and her family only to find out what their fighting for has turned against them.

Volume 7 of The Dead Years picks up with the men attempting to put together the pieces of their failed rescue mission and the women trying to make sense of Justin's current condition! Mason's captures aren't leaving anything to the imagination. They are intent on inflicting massive destruction on all who oppose their directive.

Volume 8 of The Dead Years starts with a revelation. We get a glimpse of the disturbing images of those left behind and things they will do to survive, through the eyes of someone we may already know. The facilities of Blackmore walk the line between being a safe harbor for the group and a portal straight into hell.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

So I'm a zombie lover. (Not like that - get your mind out of the gutter!) I love all books pertaining to zombies, and movies, too. Some of them are cheesy and a lot of them are graphic. Most are formulaic in the sense that you follow a certain number of characters, lose some, gain some new ones, fight zombies, fight other humans, lose some more characters, learn about the eveil government or corporation who started the virus causing the dead to rise, etc. 

So, while this was a fairly formulaic zombie book, I really enjoyed it. There was a lot of loss. In fact I was surprised that people were not lost sooner than Volume 3. (Sorry for the spoiler!) I'm looking forward to reading Volumes 9 and 10, but it's probably going to be awhile before I get that far. Volume 8 left off in a good place, I feel. There was a lot of closure on the events of the book, though not everything was completely wrapped up (there has to be something more to write about, after all!). There were a bunch of random typos and grammatical mistakes that I noticed but I was able to look past that to enjoy the story. Definitely worth the read for all the zombie lovers out there.

You can purchase The Dead Years Volumes 1-8 through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. (I have linked the author's Amazon page, as I can not find the direct link to the entire collection of Volumes 1-8 anymore. My guess is they removed the collection of all 8 volumes since I borrowed it last month.)

Have you read The Dead Years Volumes 1-8? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead

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Title: Hood

Author: Stephen R. Lawhead
Series: The King Raven Trilogy Book #1

Genre: Fantasy

Length: 490 pages

Published: 2006

Publisher: WestBow Press

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now the familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting.

Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Stephen R. Lawhead's latest work conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare yourself for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Lawhead takes the classic tale of Robin Hood and makes it his own. Probably the best part of this re-imagining is that he takes Robin Hood out of Sherwood Forest and plops him down in Wales. This is probably the hardest part, as well - there are a lot of Welsh & Celtic names and at first it's hard to follow the story because of this. 

Early on, as you follow Bran, you both love and hate him. Through most of the book you wonder when he's going to decide to become Robin Hood and take on the task of rescuing his kingdom and his people from the Ffreinc. Definitely the start of an epic trilogy and an excellent re-telling of Robin Hood.  

You can purchase Hood through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Hood? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

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Title: Speak

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Genre: Young Adult

Length: 208

Published: 1999

Publisher: Puffin

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

All of the awkwardness of high school came rushing back to me as I read this. I always felt like an outcast during high school (sometimes I do still feel like I'm always on the outside looking in), and that's exactly what Melinda is. Her friends hate her, even random people at school hate her because of her actions the night of a end of summer party.

The entire story is from Melinda's point of view. Instead of putting the book in chapters, the author wrote short scenes, following Melinda through her first year of high school. Many times she alludes to the unspeakable thing that happened which caused her to call the cops on her classmates.

All in all an excellent story of a young girl trying to cope with something unspeakable in a hostile environment. Definitely worth the read!

You can purchase Speak through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Speak? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

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Title: The Distant Hours

Author: Kate Morton

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 562 pages

Published: 2010

Publisher: Atria

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941. 

Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it. 

Morton once again enthralls readers with an atmospheric story featuring unforgettable characters beset by love and circumstance and haunted by memory, that reminds us of the rich power of storytelling.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This was rather slow going for me. I was fascinated by the story from the beginning, so I believe the slowness was more because I have been distracted with other things and just was momentarily not interested in reading. Once I got over halfway through, I was unable to put it down. 

The story is separated into five parts, each part revealing the cast of the characters, their voices, and another piece of the puzzle. Each part includes what is happening in the present (1992) and what is happening in the past, in 1941 and even earlier than that, as well. While the main character, Edie, is left to come up with her own theory of events, the author gives the reader the chance in Part Five to learn what truly happened on that fateful October night in 1941. Edie's suppositions are not completely wrong, but you'll just have to read for yourself to find out the truth. 

You can purchase The Distant Hours through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Distant Hours? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

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Title: The Forgotten Garden

Author: Kate Morton

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 648 pages

Published: 2008

Publisher: Pan Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, an aristocratic family, a love denied, and a mystery. The Forgotten Garden is a captivating, atmospheric and compulsively readable story of the past, secrets, family and memory from the international best-selling author Kate Morton. 

Cassandra is lost, alone and grieving. Her much loved grandmother, Nell, has just died and Cassandra, her life already shaken by a tragic accident ten years ago, feels like she has lost everything dear to her. But an unexpected and mysterious bequest from Nell turns Cassandra's life upside down and ends up challenging everything she thought she knew about herself and her family. 

Inheriting a book of dark and intriguing fairy tales written by Eliza Makepeace - the Victorian authoress who disappeared mysteriously in the early twentieth century - Cassandra takes her courage in both hands to follow in the footsteps of Nell on a quest to find out the truth about their history, their family and their past; little knowing that in the process, she will also discover a new life for herself.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Wow. I feel like I say this all the time, but this was a book that captured my attention and piqued my interest right from the start. I really loathed those moments when I had to put it down. The story kept jumping in time, which was a bit confusing at first, but each chapter was labeled with where and when it takes place. It was incredible to get the story, not just from Cassandra in present day, but also from her grandmother, Nell, and even further back in time to Eliza Makepeace and both Adeline and Rose Mountrachet as well. 

Bit by bit, Morton draws you further into the story and reveals bits and pieces of the mystery. There were several times where I was like "Oh my gosh, X is what happened!" and I was wrong, so I love that it threw me off a couple of times as I formed theories. Definitely a must read for fans of Kate Morton, or for anyone that enjoys a good family mystery.

You can purchase The Forgotten Garden through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Forgotten Garden? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

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Title: Les Misérables

Author: Victor Hugo

Genre: Classic Literature

Length: 959 pages

Published: Original: 1862; Version I read: 2010

Publisher: Public Domain Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Introducing one of the most famous characters in literature, Jean Valjean - the noble peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread - Les Misérables (1862) ranks among the greatest novels of all time. In it Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil, and carries them onto the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a breathtaking realism that is unsurpassed in modern prose. 

Within his dramatic story are themes that capture the intellect and the emotions: crime and punishment, the relentless persecution of Valjean by Inspector Javert, the desperation of the prostitute Fantine, the amorality of the rogue Thénardier and the universal desire to escape the prisons of our own minds. Les Misérables gave Victor Hugo a canvas upon which he portrayed his criticism of the French political and judicial systems, but the portrait which resulted is larger than life, epic in scope - an extravagant spectacle that dazzles the senses even as it touches the heart.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

My favorite character in this 900+ page epic was Javert. He was definitely the most fascinating character and he underwent a huge change by the end of the book. Jean ValJean also underwent a huge change in his character throughout the book. He comes in close second to Javert as my favorite. 

The overall story was great. What starts as a simple tale about an old bishop turns into an epic tale of love, crime, punishment, forgiveness, and hatred - all during the French Revolution. I fully admit I skimmed some parts of this book because I couldn't handle some of the long-winded prose which I felt took away from the core story - but I see now why it was included. There's a lot of good history added to the story in those parts I skimmed, I just wasn't interested in it. 

You can purchase Les Misérables through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Les Misérables? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Monthly Update - July 2014

Not much to report this month, so here's the list of upcoming reviews. 

Currently Reading: 

• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
• Hood (Book #1) by Stephen R. Lawhead

Coming Up:

• The Forgotten Gardens by Kate Morton
• The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
• Scarlet (Book #2) by Stephen R. Lawhead
• Tuck (Book #3) by Stephen R. Lawhead
• At the Mountains of Madness and Other Tales of Terror by H.P. Lovecraft
• The Best of H.P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre by H.P. Lovecraft
• The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H.P. Lovecraft
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson