Review - The Cage by Megan Shepherd

The Cage by Megan Shepherd
Published: May 2015 by Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 Stars

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments - tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures - all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer - a handsome young guard called Cassian - appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo - where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer - though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so... what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

I fell in love with this book just reading the summary, so you can imagine how thrilled I was when the book followed through. Cora was constantly on the go - both mentally and physically. She never let her guard down, even when everyone else pressured her to just give in. When your entire life has been altered drastically and everything you know is gone, wouldn't you feel the need to fit in with those around you who are in the exact same situation? Cora will not be told what to do or what to think, even by a powerful, slightly intimidating alien named Cassian. 

Cassian may be another species who does as he's told and follows orders, but he still has some underlying human traits. I found him to be quite the mystery in the beginning. I clung to the hope of the author diving deeper into his personality and was definitely rewarded. This is a must have novel for anyone who enjoys science fiction with a few drops of mystery.

Review - The Winter Girl by Matt Marinovich

The Winter Girl by Matt Marinovich 
Published: January 2016 by Doubleday
Source: eARC
Rating: 4 Stars

A scathing and exhilarating thriller that begins with a husband’s obsession with the seemingly vacant house next door.

It’s wintertime in the Hamptons, where Scott and his wife, Elise, have come to be with her terminally ill father, Victor, to await the inevitable. As weeks turn to months, their daily routine - Elise at the hospital with her father, Scott pretending to work and drinking Victor’s booze - only highlights their growing resentment and dissatisfaction with the usual litany of unhappy marriages: work, love, passion, each other. But then Scott notices something simple, even innocuous. Every night at precisely eleven, the lights in the neighbor’s bedroom turn off. It’s clearly a timer…but in the dead of winter with no one else around, there’s something about that light he can’t let go of. So one day while Elise is at the hospital, he breaks in. And he feels a jolt of excitement he hasn’t felt in a long time. Soon, it’s not hard to enlist his wife as a partner in crime and see if they can’t restart the passion.

Their one simple transgression quickly sends husband and wife down a deliriously wicked spiral of bad decisions, infidelities, escalating violence, and absolutely shocking revelations.
This was an amazingly mind-blowing slap to the face that left you wondering where you even where. You've read the summary... you think, "Ahh, another thriller with a little mystery." HA! Not a chance! This book has so many twists and turns that your head will spin - in a good way. 

So the bedroom light comes on every night at the same time in the house next door - who cares, right? Scott was bored enough to care and it's amazing how one little light can change so many lives. This may be one of my most vague book reviews yet, but I don't care. I'm not spoiling one single detail. I'm not even really into the mystery/thriller genre, but I tore through this book like a bull in a china shop. And yes... there are still broken pieces that need to be picked up.

Review - These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly
Published: October 2015 by Random House Delacorte
Source: eARC
Rating: 4 Stars

Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soon - like all the girls in her class - she’ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thing she wants. Jo secretly dreams of becoming a writer - a newspaper reporter like the trailblazing Nellie Bly.

Wild aspirations aside, Jo’s life seems perfect until tragedy strikes: her father is found dead. Charles Montfort accidentally shot himself while cleaning his revolver. One of New York City’s wealthiest men, he owned a newspaper and was partner in a massive shipping firm, and Jo knows he was far too smart to clean a loaded gun.

The more Jo uncovers about her father’s death, the more her suspicions grow. There are too many secrets. And they all seem to be buried in plain sight. Then she meets Eddie - a young, brash, infuriatingly handsome reporter at her father’s newspaper - and it becomes all too clear how much she stands to lose if she keeps searching for the truth. Only now it might be too late to stop.

The past never stays buried forever. Life is dirtier than Jo Montfort could ever have imagined, and the truth is the dirtiest part of all.

Another historical fiction book that furthered my love for the genre. Jo Montfort is a young lady in waiting when her father dies. She immediately doubts her father's death was a suicide and starts to lead a double life. One where she walks the streets at night investigating the possible murder of her father and another where she acknowledges her social status and acts accordingly - like a young lady who looks pretty, has a delicate mind, and is well-mannered. 

Eddie, a man she meets at the newspaper her father used to own, becomes her partner in the investigation of her father and her father's company secrets. Jo ends up doing and seeing things that rich young ladies of that time period would be shunned and cast out for if her actions were exposed. Jo throws caution to the wind, deciding the truth is worth any consequence. 

I loved following Jo's journey and her perseverance throughout was incredible. She could have her entire future ruined every single time she snuck out at night and yet she still risked it. She was a true journalist during a time when woman were thought of as small-minded and weak. 

If you're looking for a good historical fiction with a large dose of mystery, this one is for you. 

Review - Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Published: January 2016 by Disney-Hyperion
Source: eARC
Rating: 4 Stars

passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods - a powerful family in the colonies - and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them - whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home... forever.

The plot of this book was made of gold and the author spun a web of treasure with it. Etta Spencer is thrown into a new way of life that she never could even imagine was possible. She is strong-willed and determined, but she still has the same emotions and reactions that any of us would have.

After literally being pushed into a different time period, Etta meets the handsome and smart Nicholas Carter. Nicholas has been saving up to buy his own ship and has done everything in his power to stay away from the family who used to own him as a slave.

These two characters take us on an amazing journey through different time periods and different countries. Each unique place was described perfectly for me to imagine without going overboard with details and information about the time period. I followed their journey right along with them. 

There is so much to tel, but such a journey needs to be walked by an individual and not just be told. There were many times I just had to put the book down to sleep. I truly believe everyone will love this book, not just young adults or science fiction readers. 

Review - Harrowgate by Kate Murayama

Harrowgate by Kate Murayama 
Published: September 2013 by 47North
Source: Gift from Author
Rating: 4 Stars

Michael should be overjoyed by the birth of his son, but his wife, Sarah, won't let him touch the baby or allow anyone to visit. Greta, an intrusive, sinister doula has wormed her way into their lives, driving a wedge between Michael and his family. Every time he leaves the Harrowgate, he returns to find his beloved wife and baby altered. He feels his family slipping away, and as a malevolent force begins to creep in, Michael does what any new father would do?he fights to keep his family together. Kate Maruyama's debut novel, Harrowgate, is a chilling, richly detailed story of love, loss, and the haunted place that lies between.




Holy shit. This was one creepy book. There were several times I thought I had everything figured out, and I was wrong. And then it just gets creepier... 

Michael often travels for work. He gets a message that his wife, Sarah, has gone into labor while he is out of town. He immediately packs and goes home as quickly as possible. He finally reaches the Harrowgate, his apartment complex, and Sarah is there... with his newborn, Tim. In the very beginning, Sarah acted weird... paranoid. Sarah wouldn't even let Michael hold Tim at first. Then Sarah wouldn't allow anyone in the apartment or let Michael leave. Every time he would leave, when he came back, Sarah and Tim were older, different. 

Then here comes Greta... the sinister/hippie/loving mother looking type. Michael immediately dislikes her (as do I), but Sarah is enamored with her. Greta even gives Sarah a special tea to drink that makes Sarah feel a little better, but then Greta gives some to Sarah to secretly give to Michael. What's up with that?! Greta always says, "Everything I do and help you with is so that you can be with your baby and Michael." It's awfully rhetorical... Michael and the baby, Michael and the baby... I was to the point of thinking bad thoughts about Greta by the middle of this book. 

As the story progresses, Sarah's physical condition worsens, Tim just keeps growing, and Michael realizes there is evil in his home. Something that he has to fight. He wants to keep his beautiful family and NOTHING will change that. 

It was particularly hard to review this book without unintentionally including spoilers. Its one of those books like The Exorcist... you want to experience every moment as if it was the first time you're reading it. I recommend this book to anyone who likes creepy mystery/thrillers. I'd have a giveaway for my copy, but my goober wiener dog knocked a glass of water on it so... go buy it for your nook or kindle. 

Review - Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Published: May 2015 by Viking Juvenile
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 Stars

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and - lately - concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.
Sydney is a normal teenager with a normal life until one day her brother, Peyton, makes a tragic mistake. He drives drunk and hits a young boy who was riding his bicycle home after staying up late playing video games at a friend's house. Peyton goes to jail and the family starts to crumble. Sydney's mom tries to hold everything together with a thread so thin you can't even see, all the while Sydney can't stop thinking about David, the young boy who will now be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. 

With all the court costs and attorney fees, Sydney notices when the second car is sold and when other household luxuries are cut down. At her school (a private/very costly one), she is now known as the girl whose brother almost killed a boy drunk driving. In an attempt to escape her surroundings as well as help with finances, Sydney transfers to the local public school. Of course its awkward at first, but that's a given. After school one day, she spontaneously walks into a pizzeria that she assumed would be the local teen hangout spot, only to find it empty. Cue cute boy entrance.... Mac Chatham, the pizzeria owner's son, walks in, puts an apron on, and asks Sydney for her order. 

Sydney quickly befriends Mac's sister, Layla, whom she can tell everything to. They hang out and study at her dad's pizzeria almost every weekday while Mac takes orders and makes deliveries. While we're talking about Mac... he's in a band, is very smart, and well... he's what every teenage girl wants in a boy. Sydney starts hanging out with the whole gang... the band, Layla, Mac, and even their friends. She starts to feel vaguely normal again. Then her brother's calls from jail dislodge her new life. Her parents either ignore her or treat her like she's been bad in the past like her brother, even though she never has. 

Sydney finds herself at a standstill several times with the Chathams. She has to keep secrets from Mac, she has to keep secrets for Layla... but there is a special sort of connection between Sydney and Mrs. Chatham. She has MS and is totally awesome and down to Earth. And yes... I just said totally awesome. But Sydney's thoughts are never far from Peyton or the boy he accidentally hurt, David. These thoughts cause extreme turmoil within Sydney and throughout the book, we struggle right along with her. 

This was my first Dessen novel and it won't be my last. I loved the detailed personalities each character had, which just brought the book to life for me. I also enjoyed the subject matter. I was worried it would just be another YA romance, but it was much more. I am an adamant Jodi Picoult fan and this book was very much like a YA version of a Picoult book... which is a definite compliment. 

Review - In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
Published: August 2015 by Scout Press
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 Stars

Nora hasn’t seen Clare for ten years. Not since Nora walked out of school one day and never went back.
In a dark, dark wood there was a dark, dark house
Until, out of the blue, an invitation to Clare’s hen do arrives. Is this a chance for Nora to finally put her past behind her?
And in the dark, dark house there was a dark, dark room
But something goes wrong. Very wrong.
And in the dark, dark room…
Some things can’t stay secret for ever.




This was a decent mystery/thriller for me. I honestly bought it thinking it was a horror novel, but it turned out to be a good mistake. The main character is Nora, a writer who enjoys her independent lifestyle, including her precious alone time. She once dated a boy named James when she was a teenager. They broke it off and kept the secret of why... well, a secret for over ten years. Nora denies it even to herself, but she's still not over James. 

Out of the blue, a woman named Flo emails Nora inviting her to a hen party weekend at a secluded house in the woods for one of Nora's old high school friends, Claire. Claire was an amazing best friend ten years ago. Nora and Claire did everything together, but Claire was always the one of the two who shined brightest. Nora was confused when she read the invitation... Nora and Claire had drifted apart years ago. Claire spends a few days thinking on whether or not to accept the invite. She eventually decides to go and rides up to the secluded house with another one of her old friends, Nina. There are a few other characters who come along for the weekend getaway as well such as Mel and Tom. It can't be a party without people, right? 

As soon as Claire arrives at the house, she drops a bomb on Nora. Claire is marrying Nora's old flame, James. Nora finally understands why she was invited to a party for someone she hasn't even heard from in ten years. This was Claire's way of making sure that Nora knew, but by breaking the news as easily as possible. Of course, Nora is upset, but she reminds herself that her and James' relationship ended ten years ago. Nora and the rest of the group try to enjoy the weekend as much as possible. 

Let me talk about Flo... she is quite the character. Flo, the overprotective friend of Claire, now starts to act strangle. She makes everyone uncomfortable, including me. She's very snippy and reminds everyone how they should be eternally grateful to even be considered one of Claire's friends. Flo even dresses like Claire, which unfortunately looks unflattering because of the body type difference between Claire and Flo. Everyone just assumes Flo is obsessed with Claire and they try to ignore her strangeness and get on with the weekend, or more truthfully... get to the end of the weekend. 

So many deceptions, secrets, lies, truths... all unfold during this weekend getaway. It seemed never-ending. I thought I had it figured out several times, but I was fooled. If you're looking for a mystery/thriller with a great well-rounded group of characters, then this one is for you. 

Review - Two Years Eight Months & Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie

Two Years Eight Months & Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie
Published: September 2015 by Random House
Source: eARC
Rating: 4 Stars

From one of the greatest writers of our time: the most spellbinding, entertaining, wildly imaginative novel of his great career, which blends history and myth with tremendous philosophical depth. A masterful, mesmerizing modern tale about worlds dangerously colliding, the monsters that are unleashed when reason recedes, and a beautiful testament to the power of love and humanity in chaotic times.

Inspired by 2,000 years of storytelling yet rooted in the concerns of our present moment, this is a spectacular achievement -- enchanting, both very funny and terrifying. It is narrated by our descendants 1000 years hence, looking back on "The War of the Worlds" that began with "the time of the strangenesses": a simple gardener begins to levitate; a baby is born with the unnerving ability to detect corruption in people; the ghosts of two long-dead philosophers begin arguing once more; and storms pummel New York so hard that a crack appears in the universe, letting in the destructive jinns of myth (as well as some graphic superheroes). Nothing less than the survival of our world is at stake. Only one, a djinn princess who centuries before had learned to love humankind, resolves to help us: in the face of dynastic intrigue, she raises an army composed of her semi-magical great-great--etc.--grandchildren--a motley crew of endearing characters who come together to save the world in a battle waged for 1,001 nights -- or, to be precise, two years, eight months and twenty-eight nights.

I honestly don't even know where to start, but here goes nothing. There are two worlds - ours and the magical world the jinn live in. One day a crack forms between the two worlds and the jinn, both good and bad, slip through to our world. The jinn can do many, many things... influence people to do just about anything, curse them for eternity, give them a magical gift... they're magical creatures so... yeah. 

We follow a few humans and get to witness the weird things that start happening to them, to people around them, and to the world around them. This is when "the time of the strangenesses" begin, which last for the amount of time the title of this novel suggests. 

Before the crack was opened, a good jinn princess slipped into the human world and lived for many years. Almost all jinn are incapable of human emotions such as love, jealously, gratefulness, shame... and the princess wanted to experience those. She married a philosopher and had many children. Her children all had one thing in common - they had no earlobes. Weird, but not too weird, right? Eventually the philosopher chooses work over his wife and moves away, leaving her and their children. With this, the jinn princess goes back to her world. 

Now years later, this crack between the two worlds is causing chaos and fear. Remember the jinn's children? Think about how they had children, then more children, and so on until there are now countless half human/half jinn people in the world. When that crack was opened, many things start to plague these earlobe-less people and you can't help but be sucked into their lives. 

Rushdie presents yet another stunning literary novel full of fantasy, stories I have no how how he came up with, and a writing style that always keep me interested.

Review - Sweet by Emmy Laybourne

Sweet by Emmy Laybourne
Published: June 2015 by Macmillan
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 Stars

People would kill to be thin. Solu’s luxurious celebrity-filled “Cruise to Lose” is billed as “the biggest cruise since the Titanic,” and if the new diet sweetener works as promised - dropping five percent of a person’s body weight in just days - it really could be the answer to the world’s obesity problem. But Laurel is starting to regret accepting her friend Viv’s invitation. She’s already completely embarrassed herself in front of celebrity host, Tom Forelli (otherwise known as the hottest guy ever!) and she’s too seasick to even try the sweetener. And that’s before Viv and all the other passengers start acting really strange.

But will they die for it, too? Tom Forelli knows that he should be grateful for this job and the opportunity to shed his childhood “Baby Tom-Tom” image. His publicists have even set up a ‘romance’ with a sexy reality star. But as things on the ship start to get a bit wild, he finds himself drawn to a different girl. And when his celebrity hosting gig turns into an expose on the shocking side effects of Solu, it’s Laurel that he’s determined to save.

I honestly didn't think I'd like this book when I picked it up. I thought I was getting into a story about rich kids on a cruise boat trying the latest fad diet (a sweetener in this case), and just acting like idiots. 

But... I was pleasantly surprised. Not everyone was a kid, or an idiot. Laurel is a normal young adult just trailing along with her friend, Viv, on the cruise ship for Solu's launch of it's sweetener that makes you drop the pounds. Fortunately, Laurel gets seasick immediately and doesn't eat anything with the sweetener. Now let's throw in Tom, an adult that is still seen as a child actor. He's on the cruise ship to turn his professional image around and get back in the acting game. Tom is a fitness fanatic and watches what he eats so of course, he doesn't try the sweetener either.

Everyone on the cruise ship starts dropping weight. They're happy and stuffing their faces with pastries, desserts... anything that Solu puts the sweetener in. A few days later, and the shit hits the fan. People are losing too much weight, are showing clear signs of addiction, and are starting to become violent. Solu ends up giving a set amount of sweetener packets to each passenger. One passenger during an act of defiance, grabs a few sweetener packets and pops them in her mouth.. eating the paper container and all. 

Eventually Laurel and Tom realize something weird is going on and they try to get help while all hell breaks loose on the cruise ship. Passengers aren't just acting like strung-out addicts, they are extremely violent and completely insane. Laurel and Tom have nothing less than an impossible task of getting help while staying alive. 

I won't spoil anything for you, but the ending was what really made me enjoy the book. Many authors sugar-coat (pun intended) their endings, and this author did not. It was refreshing and honestly... I felt trapped and a little claustrophobic while reading this book. Which only upped the creep factor, which is exactly what I need from a horror book. 

Review - An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir 
Published: April 2015 by Razorbill
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 Stars

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

I did a buddy read on this book with some fantastic ladies I met on Instagram. We all had the book and had kept putting it off and so we banded together to tackle this one. I really enjoyed this book. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars from me is because of Laia. She has done everything so she can save her brother, but at the same time she kind of half-asses it. If you're going to spy, then spy. Don't tip toe around it. 

Other than that, the world building aspect of the novel was on par, as were the characters' personalities. I could easily understand and feel the emotions that each character portrayed, which is something I think every book needs. I do wish I could've known more about Helene. She isn't mentioned in the summary of the book or even in most reviews that I've read. She is not one of the two main characters, but I believe she had a HUGE role in this book and overall... she was just badass. She's like the female equivalent to Braveheart's William Wallace. 

This was a wonderful debut and everyone is excited that this will not be a stand-alone novel. I admit.. I'm excited too. I just know I'll forgot everything and have to re-read this before the sequel comes out. This gets taxing, but more often than not.. it's worth it. 

Review - The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco

The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco
Published: August 2014 by Sourcebooks Fire
Source: eARC
Rating: 4 Stars

You may think me biased, being murdered myself. But my state of being has nothing to do with the curiosity toward my own species, if we can be called such. We do not go gentle, as your poet encourages, into that good night.  A dead girl walks the streets. She hunts murderers. Child killers, much like the man who threw her body down a well three hundred years ago. And when a strange boy bearing stranger tattoos moves into the neighborhood so, she discovers, does something else. And soon both will be drawn into the world of eerie doll rituals and dark Shinto exorcisms that will take them from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Aomori, Japan. Because the boy has a terrifying secret - one that would just kill to get out.  The Girl from the Well is A YA Horror novel pitched as "Dexter" meets "The Grudge", based on a well-loved Japanese ghost story. 

A scary ghost wearing a white dress with long, black stringy hair will haunt you and kill you. If you deserve it. Her name is Okiku, and yes, she is the fabled Japanese ghost girl that crawls up from the well that the movie, The Ring, is loosely based from.

Okiku kills child killers, much like the man who killed her 300 years ago. She is a specific type of ghost from Japanese folklore that can actually harm the living. Though she only kills those who she believes deserve death, she first tortures them with scare tactics that drive them insane and then her victims die from drowning. They aren't ever by water and the victims' faces appear as if they have been underwater for days, even if it has only been hours.

Okiku moves from place to place, revenging dead children when she stumbles upon Tark, a young man with otherworldly tattoos. She follows him out of pure curiosity and then finds that a very dark and powerful ghost has possessed him. Tark's cousin, Callie, is soon drawn into the fray when both her and Tark can see Okiku. 

The author gave just the right amount of details for me to understand Okiku's particular ghost story and enough to follow the rituals that were completed in the novel. I found out there are so many different spirits and how some traditions will forever go on. The violence in this book was tame for me, but I love a good horror book. It was a little too much like watching the move The Ring, but other than that draw back, it was a decent thriller/horror novel. I will definitely be reading the sequel.