Let the Right Book In

This second master edition is comprised of arcs 3 and 4, Crown of Shadows and Keys to the Kingdom. Following directly after the events covered in the first master edition, more keys are discovered within Keyhouse as the search for the elusive Omega Key is turned up a notch... "You were a cup with nothing in it until I came along to fill you up." These volumes just keep getting better and better!! Admittedly, I felt like the beginning of Crown of Shadows lagged a little bit, but then it picked up towards the end and carried that pace right through Keys to the Kingdom. I'm itching to start the final master edition right away and finish the series, but I also want to savour it.... so I'll wait a bit.... As per usual, the characters are incredible - the Locke children in particular. I love Tyler and Bode, and although Kinsey can be kinda irritating at times, she's pretty believable as a teen and also well-developed. I have such a hatred for Zack, whic

A school teacher, Jake Epping, travels back in time through a portal with the aim of preventing the assassination of JFK, often considered to be a huge watershed moment in American history. But first, he must create a life for himself in the years leading up to the assassination as he has some research to do. In doing so, he stumbles upon the town of Jodie and a beautiful librarian named Sadie Dunhill... "We did not ask for this room or this music. We were invited in. Therefore, because the dark surrounds us, let us turn our faces to the light. Let us endure hardship to be grateful for plenty. We have been given pain to be astounded by joy. We have been given life to deny death. We did not ask for this room or this music. But because we are here, let us dance." Let me preface this review by saying... prepare for a LOT of fangirling. When I first read this book it blew me away, and on my reread, it had the exact same effect. I would go so far as to say that this is

Naked and covered in blood, Claire Lambert emerges from a massacre that has claimed the lives of her friends. As the sole survivor, Claire wants revenge for the cannibalistic family responsible for the hell that she has endured. But she's not the only one, others have been affected by this nightmare and they too want this family of lunatics to pay... "It seemed he always had blood on his hands no matter how hard or how often he washed them." What did I just read?! As a forewarning (I feel like I'm forewarning a lot these days... I've been reading some sick shit it seems), this is not for the faint of heart. It's brutal and visceral and raw... yet oh so AMAZING. I blew through this book in a matter of days - it's pretty much the definition of unputdownable. I love reading books that just hook you from the very first page, or in this instance, the very first sentence. From the get-go, I felt like I was watching a great horror slasher movie

The prospect of getting a box without a theme is actually pretty exciting as you literally can't even predict what books or related items you might get. And this box was full of great items! I actually got a few messages beforehand from people telling me that I'd love this box and that it was basically made for me. Vince and Jessi verified that it was in fact designed for me... honestly! ;)  okay, maybe that's a lie, but I loved this box. So let's look at what was included... Firstly, the books. Two new releases this month and one of mine was signed - which is always a pleasant surprise! The first book was The Wilderness Within by John Claude Smith, synopsis is as follows: "While visiting fellow writer, Frank Harlan Marshall, Derek Gray senses a palpable dread within Frank's house and the forest that surrounds it; a subtle malignant sentience. What should be a joyous event, as they await the surprise arrival of a long-lost friend, comedian "

Following the tragic death of his infant daughter, Steve Brannigan is lost in grief, finding solace in alcohol and bad TV. His estranged wife can no longer be in the house where they lost their child, so Steve is left to himself in their family home. That is, until he hears a noise upstairs... "All these moments, even the less pleasant ones, are snapshots we can never replace once they're lost." I must admit, I get pretty nervous when it comes to reading the books of an author who is so present on instagram - particularly when it's someone I've conversed with a number of times and he's just SO NICE. But, in this instance, I really had nothing to worry about. Blanky is pretty awesome!! It's heartbreaking and terrifying in equal measures, reminding me of how I felt reading Pet Sematary by the King - and I think everyone knows how I feel about that book. Burke's writing is incredible, it's intricate and detailed, yet so readable.

Comprised of insane and downright horrifying tales from Clive Barker, Books of Blood is a strong debut release which led to King referring to him as "the future of horror". This edition contains Volumes 1-3, a grand total of fifteen stories (sixteen if you include the intro) - a large number of which have been subsequently adapted into movies.  "Everybody is a book of blood; wherever we're opened, we're red." Having already been blown away by The Hellhound Heart, I was excited to get into more Clive Barker - and oh boy, this did not disappoint. The sheer range of stories within these first three volumes of Books of Blood is staggering. And the quality remains consistently high throughout. Barker's imagination is unparalleled - I mean, King has a pretty awesome imagination too, but his skills are slightly different to Barker's. One minute you're reading about a serial killer who quite literally skins his victims and hangs them up like

Following a tragic home invasion and the death of their father, Rendell, the Locke children along with their mother, relocate to Keystone house in Lovecraft, Massachusetts. They begin to adjust to their new life with the aid of Rendell's brother, Duncan. The youngest child, Bode, soon discovers a number of magical keys that each have a different function and ultimately attract the attention of a strange "echo" that is hiding in a well. "Kids always think they're coming into a story at the beginning, when usually they're coming in at the end." Colour me IMPRESSED. I had been hearing for a while how absolutely incredible the Locke & Key series is and now I fully understand. This master edition is comprised of the first two story arcs; namely Welcome to Lovecraft and Head Games. These two arcs were an interesting introduction into the world and mythology of Keystone house. The first arc explores the different ways in which the children ar