The Moth Diaries, by Rachel Klein

Spotlight on Suspense

Tis the season for monsters, ghosts, witches, and things that go bump in the night. And if there's a better creature of the night than vampires, I don't know what it is. I'm not talking those NOT-pires that sparkle like so many unicorns in the sunshine and grace the pages of certain paranormal romances. i'm talking real old school vampires. The sort that should terrify us (if we know what's good for us).

While Rachel Kline's The Moth Diaries isn't terrifying in the obvious way, there's a subtle building sense of suspense and dread here that makes the story's creepiness factor almost worse than if there had been blood splattered over every scene. This gives the story a similar feel to that of Charlotte Perkins' classic, The Yellow Wallpaper in that, by story's end, you, the reader, don't really know what's real and what's in the narrator's head almost feel slightly mad yourself. In my opinion, this is exactly what a good horror story should do.

We meet the unnamed narrator when she is beginning her year at boarding school. She is glad to be away from home and excited to see her best friend, Lucy, with whom she is sharing a suite. Typical feelings. But then Lucy makes friends with new girl, Ernessa. At first it seems like nothing more than jealousy, but things begin to turn dark as the narrator develops an increasingly unhealthy obsession with Lucy and Ernessa. She begins to suspect Ernessa is a vampire who is slowly sucking the life force from Lucy. As the semester wears on, strange occurrences begin to plague the school, and Lucy becomes mysteriously ill. This should be proof enough that the narrator is correct about Ernessa. But why can no one else see it? In the end the reader is left wondering: Is Ernessa really a vampire? Or has everything that happened been filtered through a disturbed imagination?

I admit it: The Moth Diaries completely creeped me out when I read it. And that feeling lingered long after I finished. I suppose it's because it's not about real actual monsters, but rather about how the mind (anyone's mind) can create them given the right combination of circumstances.

Recommended for anyone looking to get that "hairs on the back of your neck" feeling. --AJB

Throwback Thursday: Beetlejuice (dvd)

When October arrives, my first go-to movie is, of course, Hocus Pocus (because nothing says Spooky like the Sanderson Sisters and their insatiable hunger for the souls of little children of Salem...MWA-hahahaha!). But although there are no words for how much I love this movie, I'm not reviewing it for today's Throwback, because it would be a bit too obvious. Even for (and especially for) me. 

Instead, I've elected to review my Number 2 Halloween Movie, which is Beetlejuice. This film about two recently deceased souls trying to rid their beloved home of the living is classic Halloween and director Tim Burton at his best. And despite its mid-80s special effects and over-the-top campy-ness, this film holds up amazingly well. And that's not just the nostalgia talking. 

Beetlejuice opens as small-town newlyweds leave their quaint farmhouse for an innocent drive through the countryside...and meet with tragic demise when their car plunges off the bridge into the raging waters below!! They return home wet and shaken, but otherwise all right. Or so they think. It takes them a while to realize they are dead. But if blood-thirsty sandworms and an ominously-titled book aren't clues enough, their BIG wake-up call comes when a quirky family from the Big City move into their former house and proceed to do some very bizarre remodeling. The ghostly couple decide they must get rid of these people at all costs. But when their "haunting" efforts don't amount to anything, they go against better judgement and hire a bio-exorcist, whose name I will not say a third time (because you know what happens when you do!), to get rid of these pesky mortals. But his methods aren't exactly conventional...or safe. And there are hints things will end badly for everyone unless he-who-shall-not-be-named-a-third-time is banished back to the nether-realms. 

So if you're looking for a Halloween classic movie that's not extreme in its scariness, try Beet...OOPS! (I almost said it) This film whose title I shall not speak a third time. Because whether you're re-experiencing this movie's awesomeness or are watching it for the first time, you're craving for a near-perfect Halloween film is sure to be satisfied.

--AJB

The Second Life of Ava Rivers, by Faith Gardner

See...the cover is so pretty!

I originally picked up The Second Life of Ava Rivers, a novel by Faith Gardner, because I thought the cover was pretty. I know, I know... That whole "don't judge a book" thing. And me, a supposed professional in the world of literature too. But I still occasionally base my book selections entirely on attractive packaging. More than I should probably admit. You do it too, so don't judge.

The story is a missing-person mystery told from the point of view of Vera Rivers, a soon-to-be college student, whose twin sister Ava disappeared without a trace the Halloween they were six. Since then, Vera's once idyllic family life has been turned upside-down: Her father now refuses to leave the house, instead spending his days hiding out in the basement playing a Sims-like role-playing game and searching the Internet for any clues that may lead to the whereabouts of Ava. Her mom has filled her calendar to overflowing with volunteer activities, charity events, and anything that will help keep her mind off the tragedy that happened almost 12 years ago. And her brother, who was supposed to be watching the girls that night (but wasn't) has been drowning in drugs, alcohol, and guilt. As for Vera, she can't wait to get the heck out of Dodge. She is counting the days she can leave her small California town for college in Portland, Oregon, a place where, hopefully, no one will know her tragic back story. A place where she can start over.

Then the impossible happens. Just days before Vera is scheduled to leave, her parents receive a call that Ava was found. And everything seems to match. Not only does the young woman look eerily like the age-progressed computer photo of Ava, but she knows things only Ava would have known. And she was even wearing a mood ring--just like the one Ava had been wearing when she disappeared. 

Inevitably, cracks begin to form in this picture perfect scenario. And something deep down in Vera begins to suspect this girl may not be telling the whole story. But that can't be right, because if this girl isn't Ava, who is she?

The Second Life of Ava Rivers was a bit predictable as far as mysteries go, but it kept me reading just the same. Short chapters kept the action going. And characters were so well-developed you felt you knew them intimately. And the feels! OMG, the feels! I did guess the twist long before it was revealed, but I enjoyed the story just the same and would recommend it. --AJB

They Lost Their Heads, by Carlyn Beccia

Perhaps it IS a bit early for the macabre, but it's also a bit too early for so much pumpkin spice*. So I'm just going to go with it.

You know what they say about life being stranger than fiction? Well the decidedly morbid content of They Lost Their Heads: What Happened to Washington's Teeth, Einstein's Brain and Other Famous Body Parts is truly better than anything the Horror Movie industry could cook up. Here, author Carlyn Beccia has collected dozens of twisted and true tales of Black Market body parts**, consumption of vital organs, and other freakish bits and pieces*** from throughout history. Seriously, it's so fascinating you can't look away. There's even a particularly gruesome story about a man who had a 4-foot metal rod driven through his skull...and lived to tell about it****. Although it's true that he was never quite "right" in the head after that little ordeal. You'll find all this here and more. It's actually pretty awesome. Not for those with weak stomachs*****, but awesome nevertheless.

I picked up They Lost Their Heads because my curiosity finally got the better of me, and was SO glad I did. It was entertaining from cover to cover, and I actually learned quite a bit of odd factual info to add to my "Did you know..." arsenal. Such as what happens to peoples' tonsils when they have them removed (eww!), what's really in that seemingly-empty test tube residing Henry Ford Museum's Edison display (hmmm), and just how far an Elvis fangirl went to make sure her collection paying tribute to the King was the best (seriously-EWW!). 

I 100% recommend this one! --AJB

* Which, by the way, has already reached epidemic proportions...and Autumn doesn't even officially begin until next Saturday.

** Stolen, of course.

*** Literally and figuratively.

**** For more about Phineas Gage and his brain, check out Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science, by John Fleischman. 

***** And perhaps not the best thing to read (or speak about) during mealtime.

Jem and the Holograms: Dimensions, by Sophie Campbell

I've been a major fan of the Jem and the Holograms graphic novel series since Day 1. I loved the story arc, loved the new spin on familiar characters, loved how bright and colorful everything was... I loved how it made me view the so-called villains in an entirely new way and made me more sympathetic toward them. Like them, even. Maybe even better than the heroines of the story. I loved how the writers delved deeper into the storyline than the old 80s TV show ever did. I loved everything about this series. Everything! So you can imagine how sad I was when, as all good things do, it came to an end.

Or so I thought.

When I saw Jem and the Holograms: Dimensions sitting on the to-be-processed shelf, I thought I was imagining things. It was too good to be true! I borrowed it to read during break, and... 

Well...I was actually kind of disappointed.

Dimensions doesn't continue the original cannon storyline or even add much to it. Rather it is a collection of short unrelated stories, some decent while others could have been skipped over altogether. The whole thing had an almost fan fiction feel to it. What's more, several artists with drastically varying styles contributed, giving the collection an even more choppy feel. 

I'm glad I read it if for no other reason than to satisfy my curiosity, but there was really nothing memorable about it. But in hindsight I could have skipped it too. If you're a hardcore fan of the series, you may enjoy it, but I wouldn't rush out to recommend it. 

If you're still looking to fill the hole left by the end of the original Jem series, instead check out The Lumberjanes or Giant Days. Both are awesome! --AJB 

I Hate Fairyland (series), by Skottie Young

I hate fairyland #4

I'm not even certain how exactly I stumbled across the utter and complete madness that is Skottie Young's I Hate Fairyland series, but I'm ever so glad I did! The graphic novel series, which has just released its fourth and final volume, follows the misadventures of Gert as she does anything and everything she can do to escape the technicolor, candy-coated madness that is Fairyland.

Once upon a time, some 30-odd years ago, Gert was a carefree and innocent little girl, skipping happily among the daisies, when she accidentally stumbled into Fairyland. Like all children who happen upon these circumstances, the kindly Queen Cloudia gave Gert a quest to complete in exchange for safe return to her life back on Earth. But unlike most children, Gert failed rather spectacularly at said quest and therefore has been trapped in Fairyland. For some 30-odd years. And her body hasn't aged a day. Her mind, though...that's another story. To explain much more would spoil a whole lot of the plot, so I'll leave it at this: Gert is now stark-raving bonkers.

The first three volumes of I Hate Fairyland are gratuitously colorful, darkly grotesque, and absolutely hilarious, and leaves readers with a constant "OMG I can't believe that just happened" sort of feeling. Throughout are all sorts of nods to well-known fairy tale characters and popular culture references. I Hate Fairyland may not be for the faint of heart, but it's absolutely and 100% awesome!

Coming soon to a library near you (OK, this library): The fourth and final volume details what happens to the cast of characters after Gert is unceremoniously taken out by a rogue lollipop...just as she is finally on the verge of a VERY long-awaited victory. And reader, you will be shocked to learn that Fairyland now faces worse threats than anything Gert could ever dish out. Will there be a happily ever after after all? I'm as excited as the rest of you to find out! --AJB

The Truth Lies Here, by Lindsey Klingele

The weather is cooling off (well...sort of), the leaves are beginning to change color, and Pumpkin Spice is reaching epidemic proportions. It is around this time of year when I stop wanting to read fun, beachy stories and begin to reach for those that are more dark and suspenseful. Witches, Aliens, and Ghosts...oh, my! Bring it on!

The Truth Lies Here, the third book by Lindsey Klingele sounded perfect. Who can argue with unexplained phenomenon, missing persons, and, BONUS!, set in Michigan (so a local twist)? The story opens when Penny, a hard-nosed skeptic, returns to the small town of Bone Lake for the summer and discovers her father has forgotten to pick her up from the airport. It isn't unusual for her dad, who makes a living writing about Bigfoot and Alien Abduction for a local tabloid, to get caught up in a story. So this wouldn't be the first time he flaked out on a commitment. At first Penny is angry, but when her dad fails to show after several days, she begins to worry. Turns out Dad isn't the first to go missing. Two teenagers recently vanished without a trace. And then there was that hiker's body discovered in the woods, burned beyond recognition. Plus strange lights have been sighted in the area. And those ominous-looking men in black suits patrolling the area. And the locals won't talk about any of it (and act zombified if any of it gets brought up). Something strange is definitely afoot in the town of Bone Lake... And it's up to Penny to unravel the mystery.

The Truth Lies Here had the feel of a scary Teen movie from the 1990's (think I Know What You Did Last Summer or even X-Files), and it was incredibly fun to read. A bit predictable, but fun. I'd absolutely recommend it! --AJB