SWERVE

Author:  Vicki Pettersson

Genre:  Horror, Standalone

Published:  2015

Personal Rating:  1/5 (don't bother)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  46

From NetGalley:

It’s high summer in the Mojave Desert, and Kristine Rush and her fiancé, Daniel, are en route from Las Vegas to Lake Arrowhead, California, for the July Fourth holiday weekend. But when Daniel is abducted from a desolate rest stop, Kristine is forced to choose: return home unharmed, but never to see her fiancé again, or plunge forward into the searing desert to find him…where a killer lies in wait.

One road. One woman. One killer.

Sprinting against the clock, and uncertain if danger lies ahead or behind, Kristine must blaze an epic path through the gaudy flash of roadside casinos, abandoned highway stops, and a landscape rife with horrors never before imagined. Desperate to save her doomed husband-to-be, Kristine must summon long forgotten resources if she’s to go head-to-head against this unpredictable killer. And she’d better hurry. Because she only has twenty-four hours…to make one hell of a trip.

This book is billed as a psychological thriller.  HA!  It is a terrible horror novel.  Had I known, I would not have even picked it up.  I should have shut it down right from the start, but kept hoping for the best.  The amount of ambiguous violence against man and beast was despicable.  The writing was sophomoric and hit me the wrong way at every turn.  The whole plot was ridiculous and filled with crudeness.  This one was definitely not for me.  :(

Thoughts of Joy

  

My thanks go to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing me with this eGalley.

THROUGH THE WOODS

Author:  Emily Carroll

Genre:  YA Graphic Novel, Standalone

Published:  2014

Personal Rating:  2/5 (not enjoyable)

Format:  Book

Yearly Count:  39

This is a collection of 5 short horror stories based on fairy tales.

This was a random pick during a hunt at the library for some graphic novels.  I didn't know what it was about -- had I known, I would not have chosen it.  I am not a fan of horror in any medium.  Also, I did not know these stories were based on fairy tales.  I've never liked fairy tales, so I was unable to identify the inspiration.  On a positive note, they do convey creepiness, so the theme prevails, and I did continue to turn the pages.

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BIRD BOX

Author:  Josh Malerman

Genre:  Horror?!?/Apocalypic, Standalone

Published:  2014

Personal Rating:  3/5 (just okay)

Format/Narrator:  Audiobook/Cassandra Campbell

Yearly Count:  4

People going berserk has made it to the news.  Many times.  All over the country.  People need to protect themselves from the unknown.  Malorie is one of them.

This reminded me of Heart-Shaped Box (Hill) (Ahhhh!  Just realized they both have Box in the title), and I didn't like that one at all.  So, at least this one had something to keep me interested enough to finish.  However, there were times when I almost gave up.  It was so slow and boring.  The last 1/4 saved the book, and I have thought about it since putting it down.  That deserves a "just okay" for bringing it out of the dumps.  

I did not know what this book was about before diving in.  Had I known, I would had never picked it up.  I think this genre is ridiculous and not for me.

Thoughts of Joy