Happy Pub Day

Happy Pub Day to...

Happy Pub Day to... a lot of good ones.

Here are the ones I reviewed.

#obstetrix - horror cult kidnapping

4 stars

In many ways this is a infuriating theme and scary too, to see how cults and misogynistic leaders treat their pregnant women basing their actions of fanatic religion. It made me sad. A doctor is kidnapped and she wants to run away but these women need help.

#blackriver - a take on YA angst, addiction used as a vampirism metaphor

3.5 "What is it like to be you?" Sounds like a simple question but if you sit in silence with yourself and try to answer that honestly, you'll speak for hours, at least I would, and without conclusions. Then I think, what was it like to be me as a teenager dealing with mental health and other changes?

The way I felt this book: to me the paranormal elements were a good makeup/metaphor to showcase what it's like to be a teen dealing with so much, hiding it from peers, lacking communication, thinking they can solve things by ignoring them or taking control. Some teens let the fake sense of power and addiction control them. But who can say what they would do in a situation unless they face it for real?

It also satisfies those readers who usually read a vampire book where the new turned has no choice and is against it. In this case, they embrace it, with naivety and ignorance. They explore it on their own.

I wish the author had leaned more into magic realism by keeping the metaphor instead of truly diving into the paranormal action, but I understand the choices are more towards a target audience.

#headlights - horror creepy mystery wearing the victims skins

3.5 The book that will ruin the country roads song for you. Will never think of it the same way. Ahah.

Very creepy paranormal mystery. Two lines on the run who don't trust each other. Naked people waking up wearing the skin of a victim, severed parts of bodies stuck in their mouths. Flesh-eating. Some scenes are overwritten and the repetition delays resolutions and raises the tension. My fav of these scenes was the summoning at the hotel room in Stephen King's room which leads to a very extended, detailed sex scene but the author creates these intentionally high stakes climax scenes, like visiting the father, as dead ends. The shadow/evil explores these characters' fear and grief. The author has some ideas and scenes that border on the silly, the way the chataxter says he's afraid I'd country line dancing... and I see dinosaur ghosts ...  Still, I still needed to know how this ended. I think King/Hill's fans will love it.

If you read this let me know how it went for you?

#thethingsaboutgiants - a giant hunter and a hunter journey together and learn the trues and lies about both worlds

4.5 Sometimes things are not what it seems and history is written with wrong facts. A human hunter meets a young giant and they both learn about each other's world. Change for a better, peaceful outcome. Loved the main characters, how we could feel the young giant's fear, how brave the young human is. Working together. Satisfying rescue mission.

#thebreakupretreat - wellness retreat gone wrong with thriller plotting

3 stars Wellness retreat gone wrong trope in this thrilling mystery. A journalist goes as undercover to unveil the possible abuse and bad conduct of this clinic, not only she gets wrapped in the treatment (because she has issues too) the plot twists take us to an unexpected end. The main theme of the book is abuse and abusive relationships. I think it works best as an audiobook.