Slight Frights to Daring Scares: 2018 "Spooky" Children's Books

I'm saving all the creepiest books for later this month, but I did read quite a few not-so-scary scares earlier this fall. They are presented here as I would place them on my own personal Scare Spectrum™ (okay, Stephen King has one too) - from Slight Frights, all the way up to Daring Scares - though since these are all written for 8-12 year olds, hopefully none of them will keep anyone up too far past bedtime (except to finish a marvelous book!).


Wizardmatch by Lauren Magaziner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When the Prime Wizard de Pomporromp decides it’s time to retire, all of his grandchildren are invited to compete for his title in Wizardmatch. Lennie Mercado wants nothing more than to be Prime Wizard, and to hold the unlimited magical powers that come with the job, but finds out the deck may just be stacked against her. Written for a younger crowd, Wizardmatch leans into its silliness and takes a more irreverent approach to magic and spells, though it’s not without a deeper message of acceptance and equality.


Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nia Winters likes vampires. AJ likes Nia, but since he isn’t a vampire, he can’t seem to catch her attention – until he decides to become a vampire himself. Then he realizes it’s not that Nia likes vampires – she slays them. Suddenly his great idea could be the death of him, if he can’t convince Nia it was all a ploy, and that a real vampire of Spoons Middle School is still out there. This graphic novel is more silly than scary, with all of its parodying of other well-known vampire tales. The illustrations add a level of fun, and the relationships between AJ and his sister and AJ and his friends are sweet with plenty of goodnatured needling. For readers who would rather laugh at monsters than be terrified by them, Fake Blood will satisfy.


Winterhouse by Ben  Guterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fun fantasy romp of a puzzle! This one reminds me of Greenglass House - it has the same cozy-yet-adventurous feeling, a precocious protagonist, and just enough magic to add to the charm. I was fully invested in the mystery, loved all the colorful characters and friendships, and was so super jealous of the massive library. Written for middle grades, but heartily enjoyed by this 30 year old!

The Cryptid Catcher by Lija Fisher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Clivo Wren is only taking up the family business when he becomes a cryptid hunter at age 13, after his father’s death, but he may have taken on more than he knows how to handle. After all, he just found out cryptids really do exist – is he really ready to track and catalog them? Humanity as we know it may be on the line if Clivo isn’t up for the task of finding the rumored “immortal” cryptid, so with the help of several trustworthy friends, and a few more less-than-trustworthy colleagues, he sets out to catch whatever cryptids he can. Teenagers with plenty of dry humor and monster-hunting lore make this a delightful read that’s less scare and more dare.

The Girl in the Locked Room: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The cover and title of this story make it seem far scarier than it is in reality. Narration shifts between Jules, whose family has just moved into an abandoned house, and the “Girl,” Lily, whose family lived in the house decades ago. Both girls are curious about each other, and of their respective time periods, and their friendship might be just what Lily needs to find her final resting place. This is gentle ghost story, for readers want to ease into the season.


The Spirit of Cattail County by Victoria Piontek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This Southern Gothic novel for a young audience hits just the right notes. It's chilling on a summer day, but still has heart. Sparrow Dalton is a protagonist to remember, and the Florida Everglades become a character all on their own. Sparrow's haunting friend has more substance than his ghostly form reveals, while the living citizens of Cattail County made my blood boil with their cruel dismissal of Sparrow. Not a ghost story, but a story with a ghost in it - and one with a nice twist at the end.

The Turnkey of Highgate Cemetery by Allison Rushby

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Less a ghost story, and more historical fiction featuring supernatural characters, The Turnkey of Highgate Cemetery’s scariest features are the German soldiers and the threat of a bombing looming over the action of the tale. In London during World War II, young ghost Flossie Birdwhistle is in charge of keeping the cemetery’s buried souls at rest, but a mysterious soldier – also a ghost – draws Flossie into England’s war efforts. Readers who prefer their ghosts to act with integrity and honor will find it easy to support Flossie and her ghostly friends.


Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Part Sherlock Holmes-ian detective, part Lara Croft action-adventure hero, and all quippy one-liners, Scarlett Hart doesn’t shy away from danger as she follows in her late parents’ footsteps. With the help of Napoleon, Mrs. White, and plenty of hunting gadgets, she tracks down and hunts various monsters – from gargoyles springing to life to zombies terrorizing the theatre – hoping to catch them before the conniving Count Stankovic catches her. Hand drawn illustrations bring the monsters and Scarlett to life and help to build intensity as she escapes each dangerous situation.

Begone the Raggedy Witches by Celine Kiernan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This first book in an forthcoming trilogy creates a world where witches live across an invisible border and live by a set of ancient rules. Mup, her mam, and her brother cross this border to save her her dad after he is kidnapped by the creator of these rules – her grandmother. Reminiscent of other fantastical journeys taken by young women to rescue those they love and get back home, Begone the Raggedy Witches gives its readers characters to care for and a magical world to explore. The villains are just cruel enough to resent, but good witches abound as well, and Mup’s fight becomes more than just a rescue mission – she must save Witches Borough itself from her grandmother’s control.

The House in Poplar Wood by K.E. Ormsbee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lee and Felix Vickery are twins, but the only thing they do together is travel to town on Halloween, the one night that Death allows. For the rest of the year, they go about their lives in Poplar Wood, on opposite sides of their house, as the Agreement states. Felix helps his father, who is an apprentice to Death, and Lee does the same for his mother, who is Memory’s apprentice. It’s not the best life, but they make it work – until the daughter of Passion’s apprentice is killed, and Gretchen Whipple, the mayor’s daughter, and sworn enemy of the Vickerys, decides to get to the bottom of a feud that has controlled the lives – and deaths – of everyone in their small town for years. Lee, Felix, and Gretchen form a friendship as strange as their living arrangements to set things right. Poetic descriptions give this book a contemplative feel, though the action ensures it’s never bogged down in too much detail.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this first novel of a new supernatural fantasy series, Schwab creates a world similar to ours: a reality TV show featuring two “ghost hunters” travels to Scotland to film their pilot episode. They are faking it: though the “Inspectres,” as they call themselves, truly believe in and want to see ghosts, they just don’t. Their daughter, Cass, does – and has even befriended the ghost who saved her from a near-death experience several years ago. The ghosts of Scotland aren’t nearly as friendly, and it will take another young “In-betweener” to help Cass realize her full powers as someone who can cross the Veil. There’s plenty of good versus evil in this ghost-hunting adventure, with humor and heart to balance out the action.

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For having a rather tame cover (though it gets creepier the closer you look), this story is shockingly scary. A field trip to a local farm turns terrifying as the bus breaks down on the way back to school and the bus driver smilingly says, “Best get moving. At nightfall they’ll come for the rest of you.” Eleven-year old Ollie and two of her classmates are the only ones who take the driver’s advice, choosing to try their luck in the surrounding forest. They aren’t sure if they’ve made the right choice, or who (or what) exactly is coming for them, but they’ll soon find out. Excellent pacing and well-timed cliffhangers, along with a smart and courageous heroine make this a treat for brave readers.

Extras: not-so-scary 2017, 2016 Scares, or view all my reviews.

Summer Chillers

Heat wave got you trapped indoors? Pick up a thriller chiller to cool yourself down this weekend.

Audiobooks: (previously reviewed for Audiobook Month)

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A child psychopath + teen angst, all read by an Australian narrator? Yep, I was into this YA thriller. It felt like Che was speaking directly to me, confessional style, and I loved all the drama he was spilling about his sister and her messed up friendships. Because of Che's personality, the narration came off as caring and empathetic as opposed to whiny or too gossipy - I really felt as though Che was working through how to best take care of his sister (or conversely, how to care for those around her). Sid is a great love interest, and one of my favorite secondary characters, and Rosa herself was written so well I'm grateful she's fictional.

Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one kept me guessing. I was shocked and surprised, and the reverse-chapter format kept me on my toes. We start on one of the final scenes of the book, only to count down from there, going further back in time with each chapter. Comparisons to The Talented Mr. Ripley are apt, but as a YA novel read mostly by teens, Genuine Fraud has a slightly different audience. The audio was well done - I appreciated the use of accents!

Short Stories

Slasher Girls & Monster Boys by April Genevieve Tucholke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This collection is wonderfully diverse, yet consistently creepy. Each story managed to thrill and chill me in a matter of pages, and I loved guessing each story's literary/pop culture inspirations. The authors represented here are some of the best!

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think horror works well in short story form - we get just enough to care about a protagonist and then to be terrified without having to invest in a whole novel. It turns out horror also works well as graphic shorts. Graphic as in the visual arts, but also as in explicitly illustrated. Don't worry - there's nothing NSFW here, but I was delightfully creeped out by several of the folktale-esque stories included in this collection.

Novels

Erebos by Ursula Poznanski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For fans of Ready Player One and Warcross, Erebos shows readers a world where a computer game influences the real lives of teenagers in one city. This mystery-thriller was a slow burn with plenty of world-building (both on- and offline) and a few red herrings along the way. It was interesting to put myself in the places of the characters, and I also appreciated the thoughtfulness of the details of secondary characters and subplots.

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I heard this book described as Orange is the New Black meets Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and honestly, that fits so well I don't even want to try to describe it another way. The story had me from its opening line and did not let go until the end. I was horrified, entertained, and ultimately satisfied by the gory conclusion. This one is not for the faint of heart.

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is uniquely disturbing. I was super down for the paranormal elements, and loved the sense of lurking doom and tension throughout. Black Swan and Orange is the New Black comparisons aside, The Walls Around Us is smartly written and executed, with no lull in the action or weak link in the narration (which is shared by two of the protagonists).

ANIMUS by Antoine Revoy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A haunted playground in Kyoto, Japan seems to hold the key to the mystery of missing schoolchildren. Sayuri and Hisao, themselves children, follow the clues they discover to find their missing classmates and to hopefully return "Toothless," the boy haunting the playground, back to where he belongs. Echoing the atmosphere of the story, Revoy’s illustrations are haunting and fantastical, and I was stunned by the ending. (This is one I am forcing my husband to read just so we can talk about it!)


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Listen Up! Favorite Audiobooks for Audiobook Month

Audiobooks are a wonderful way to read, when done right. What I mean by "done right" is both the publisher/producer AND the reader/listener have responsibilities. There are plenty of not great audiobooks out there (like there are plenty of not great print books, depending on your preferences), but the best have committed narrators, or an entire cast of readers with voices that will neither put you to sleep or make you want to strangle someone. Still, that's not enough - the reader (listener) has to be an active participant. Listening to a book is not some sort of osmosis activity where you can have it play in the background and "absorb" the content - you actually have to listen!

Luckily, there are certain genres that lend themselves well to listening, and I'm here to break a few of them down for you, with my personal recommendations for each. These are the books that I've listened to during commutes, on planes, in the shower, and when my eyes are tired but my brain isn't. If you're not sure if audiobook reading is for you, I suggest switching it up and testing out more than one author/narrator/genre. And don't forget, your library most likely has LOTS of audiobooks to choose from, whether as Playaways, books on CD, or as digital downloads through a Kindle or straight to your smartphone via the Overdrive, Libby, or Hoopla app (I'm sure there are more!). Ask your librarian what options are available for you!


Autobiography/Memoir/Personal Essay
I generally don't enjoy memoirs unless they are super specifically about a topic I'm interested in, BUT when they are read by the author, I find myself pleasantly entertained.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I LOVE Poehler reading her own book and bringing in other performers (Seth Meyers, her parents) to read various chapters. It really gives credibility to each individual voice. Poehler's audiobook asides are great extra bits that play out through the entire book.

I'm so glad I chose to listen to Yes Please. Poehler is a performer through and through. Her last chapter is a recording of a live reading in a theater, audience laughter and all.

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I listened to these essays by Roxane Gay over the course of a week, during my walk to and from work. I think that had I been reading a printed copy, I might have skimmed/skipped a few essays that didn't resonate as much with my personal story, but I enjoyed listening to them.

Roxane Gay is so smart. It's intimidating at times, but also refreshing. I'm glad she doesn't dumb things down, but instead makes her reader/listener get on her level. In the same way she's also unapologetically honest, and I had to get on her level to hear her truths.

As I mentioned, some essays were more relatable (to me) than others. I've read The Hunger Games, I'm familiar with various pop culture references, and I too am usually the quiet studious one in school. In others, while I didn't always connect with the content (I haven't read 50 Shades of Grey), I still found her commentary interesting.

Poetry

Poetry is meant to be heard, not read (like songs!), so it only makes sense to search out audio versions of your favorite poetry collections, novels in verse, and other poetic works. Kwame Alexander currently has the corner on this market where YA is concerned (especially with his new imprint, Versify), and for good reason. His narration of his own works is wonderful.

Solo by Kwame Alexander

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The story of Blade Morrison, newly graduated son of a rock star who wants to know where he fits both in his family and in life, told in poetic verse.

I both read the print version of Solo along with listening to the audiobook - and I highly recommended listening. This is a musical story - the playful language deserves to be heard. Novels told in poetic verse are always going to be some of my favorites.

Bonus!: The audiobook version comes with recordings of the original songs Blade writes, performed by Randy Preston. I loved the originality of this detail, and how it really cracks open what a "book" can be. Why wouldn't a story about a young musician growing up in Hollywood include his songs as well?

Booked by Kwame Alexander

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For those who enjoyed The Crossover, or prefer soccer over basketball, Booked is where it's at. Alexander sits comfortably in his sports poetry wheelhouse here, giving readers plot and developed characters with a few words intentionally positioned on the page. I had the audio along with the print text, and it's always a treat to listen to Alexander read. 

For Everyone by Jason Reynolds

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you have half an hour, give this slim volume a read/listen. Reynolds speaks from the heart - to teens, recent grads, new parents, retirees, students, thinkers, dreamers, doers...as the title states, this one's "For Everyone" - you won't be let down.

Short Stories

May just ended, but we'll keep the short story love going through audiobooks. Sometimes it's difficult to jump into an entire novel in audio form - they can run 7, 8, 9 hours or longer, and even with chapter breaks, that's a lengthy amount of time to wrap your brain around. Short story collections allow a listener to commit to shorter lengths of time with the payoff of an entire story in 10 to 20 minutes.

Children of the New World by Alexander Weinstein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've heard this collection compared to Black Mirror, and even though I've only seen one episode, I can see the similarities. Each strange story in this collection has enough imagined tech and science fiction aspects to be set "in the future," while still maintaining an eerie feel of familiarity and currency. Each story's characters and setting are given just enough detail to make them real, but the action is never bogged down with too much description. Weinstein trusts his readers to understand the technological advancements he introduces, along with their unanticipated effects, and it was a treat to observe humanity from a minimalist dystopian lens.

Horror/Thriller/Mystery

This is probably my favorite genre(s) to listen to. For fans of true crime podcasts, scary stories, whodunits, and overall creepiness - the horror/thriller genre is your friend. I've listened to thrilling fiction and nonfiction alike, and both do a great job of keeping me cool during a hot commute.

Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one kept me guessing. I was shocked and surprised, and the reverse-chapter format kept me on my toes. We start on one of the final scenes of the book, only to count down from there, going further back in time with each chapter. Comparisons to The Talented Mr. Ripley are apt, but as a YA novel read mostly by teens, Genuine Fraud has a slightly different audience. The audio was well done - I appreciated the use of accents!

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, I now MUST see this movie. What a gripping story, with plenty of red herrings and false leads to keep me on my toes throughout. Several times I had to forego listening to this one during my evening commute because I was a bit too freaked out to listen in my car by myself at night, but I was so into the story I made up for lost time with extra listening sessions while cleaning the house or when I should have been doing homework. I loved that the audio used different narrators for the different characters.

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A classic murder mystery that introduces two new detectives into the world - veteran Cormoran Strike and intrepid rookie Robin Ellacott. While the mystery (and the unraveling of the mystery) is very well done, with expert pacing and plenty of entertaining side characters (both innocent and more unsavory), what makes this introduction to a new series work is Strike and Robin's relationship. They fight, they joke, they will-they-won't-they as they interview suspects, follow leads, and make deductions as to who killed Luna Landry. The audio narration is just the right mix of grave and in-on-the-jokes, making this a pleasant listening experience.

[I couldn't find the audio to the second book in the Strike series, but I was able to find it for the third. Reading the print was still enjoyable, but I'm crossing my fingers I can find audio for the upcoming fourth book!]

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A child psychopath + teen angst, all read by an Australian narrator? Yep, I was into this YA thriller. It felt like Che was speaking directly to me, confessional style, and I loved all the drama he was spilling about his sister and her messed up friendships. Because of Che's personality, the narration came off as caring and empathetic as opposed to whiny or too gossipy - I really felt as though Che was working through how to best take care of his sister (or conversely, how to care for those around her). Sid is a great love interest, and one of my favorite secondary characters, and Rosa herself was written so well I'm grateful she's fictional.

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The audio, the content, the subject, the backstory - so much contributes to the strength of this book. I'm not sure how I would've reacted to it pre-arrest, but listening to it post-arrest was very satisfying. Obviously DNA is what got the GSK eventually, but to hear all the connections and guesses McNamara and others made without it was stunning.

I'm in awe of people with such a passion, and McNamara's fastidious determination and grit came through on every page (or in every recorded minute, as it were).

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The Running Man

The Running Man by Richard Bachman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was terrifying to read in December of 2016, and it's even more horrifying to review in early 2017. In the dystopian future of The Running Man, "the poor are seen more by the government as worrisome rodents than actual human beings." ...Hmmm...sound familiar? This book, written by Stephen King under a pseudonym, isn't your typical Stephen King thriller, but its premise is chilling and more relevant today than ever before.

First thoughts: The Hunger Games meets Blade Runner meets Fahrenheit 451 meets 1984. I was surprised at how familiar Ben Richards' world is. I didn't think a book written in the early 1980s would resonate so well/so eerily today.

Favorite quote: "Protest did not work. Violence did not work."

Reality thoughts: The more I read, the more breaks I needed to take. Things got too real: asthma and cancer on the rise because of pollution, the government hiding information, denying environmental hazards, treating the poor and underemployed like criminals, profiting off violence and fear....it got to be too much.

Recommended for: Americans. Specifically ones who thought a racist clown would make their country "great again," those who are starting to see the cracks in the facade, and others who still believe the circus act.

Final thoughts: What was a scary book pre-inauguration is now our reality. The last few chapters had me gasping in shock, not unlike how I read the news these days.


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Scary Movies 2016

We're deep in spooky season and it shows in my Netflix queue and Redbox rental history. Here are a few of my favorite scares from this season (some new releases, some just new to me!):

Jaws

Spielberg's classic shark tale is a movie everyone should watch at some point in their lives. The understated humor, the subtle glances, and the modest effects allow the story and the suspense to take the lead. It's hard not to be amazed at 1975 movie magic. And this trailer - perfect!

Don't Look Under the Bed

This 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie is way ahead of its time, dealing with themes like childhood cancer, different ways of grieving, the use of logic versus emotions, and teen angst. Frances has to convince not only her parents, but also herself that not everything can be explained using reason - and that imaginary friends are lost to growing up too soon.

The Conjuring 2

There's nothing like banking on a successful horror franchise! Thanks to director/producer James Wan (director - Saw, Dead Silence, Death Sentence, Insidious, The Conjuring, Insidious: Chapter 2, Furious 7 (and upcoming Aquaman) and producer - the rest of the Saw franchise, Annabelle, Insidious: Chapter 3, Lights Out (and upcoming Annabelle 2 and Insidious: Chapter 4)), we now know what maybe happened with the case of the Enfield Poltergeist in 1977. Spoiler: it wasn't sunshine and rainbows.

The X-Files: Season 5 and Fight the Future

Jesus and I finally made it through Season 5 of The X-Files - a long one with strange dips into conspiracy and a lot of backstory, much of it leading up to the movie released between seasons 5 and 6 - The X-Files: Fight the Future. The movie was a treat, and felt like classic episodes from earlier seasons. It was part mystery/whodunit and part paranormal investigation. We're quite ready for Season 6 now.

American Horror Story: Seasons 1 & 2

We're pretty late to the party with this one, but since so many people seem to love AHS and it features new story lines each season (which means we can treat the show like 6 mini-shows), we're finally on board. We have noticed in these first two seasons a lot of build-up (episodes 1-5ish) and then a roller coaster ride to the finale. It seems as thought in each season there has been one episode that holds the key to all the mysteries laid out in previous episodes; if we can stay hooked until then, we're golden.

Extras: Scary Movies 2015, 2014, and 2013 plus our Halloween activities so far this month.

Scary Books 2016

It's halfway through Spooky Month - how are you doing on haunts? If you need to catch up on your scares, here are a few books that can do the job.


The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A group of four lives in and investigates Hill House, looking for signs of the paranormal.

First thoughts: Creepy. A slow burn creep; each page feels ominous, like something is waiting and watching over the inhabitants of Hill House.

Favorite quote: "We never know where our courage is coming from." -Theodora, p50

Recommended for: horror fans, those who can handle suspense.

Final thoughts: Shirley Jackson is one of the most efficient writers I've read.

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rosemary is pregnant and her neighbors are all too eager to help her out, until it becomes clear they have ulterior motives.

First thoughts: Another slow burn, but a fast read. This book starts out a little creepy, then lulls you into a false sense of normal. I'm curious to see how the movie interprets certain scenes.

Recommended for: not mothers-to-be.

Final thoughts: Casual racist stereotypes aside, Rosemary's Baby features a strong cast of characters - some to cheer for, others to be leery of right off the bat.

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A teenager possessed by a demon, a mother turning to the church for help, a priest trying to keep the past behind him, and a police investigator trying to make sense of a senseless death.

First thoughts: I love that the book fleshes out the main characters so well - we get to see the inner thoughts of the major players, especially Father Karras. A lot of the book was about his internal struggle and the mind games Regan plays with him. His backstory (along with details about Fr. Merrin, Dennings, Kinderman, Karl, and Willie) makes the whole book richer. It's less scare your pants off, more philosophical. Some parts read like a mystery novel.

Recommended for: anyone who has seen the classic movie and enjoyed it, but wants to fill in a few gaps, horror fans, churchgoers and atheists, those with a love for the macabre.

Final thoughts: I wonder what has been said/written about all the emphasis on names and personalities. Knowing someone's name gives characters power. There's Regan and her demon, the demon's different personalities, and other characters have their moments of clarifying their names, changing their names, or discussing their names. Important themes seem to be centered around what we call ourselves and what we let others call us.

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Circus Thrills, Haunted House Chills

What do circuses and haunted houses have in common? They're both theatrical, adrenaline-inducing, and interactive. Also, clowns. This weekend Jesus and I went to a circus (tradition!) and a haunted house (new tradition!). Both had me holding my breath with anticipation, though they went about it different ways.

Midnight Circus
This was our third Midnight Circus, and we're still amazed by all the feats. Well, Jesus is less amazed and more "Ah yes, I know how that is done and it requires great skill," but we're both impressed. We love the comedy throughout, and how even though the performers are all highly talented, they don't take themselves seriously. In its tenth year, Midnight Circus continues to show us the good in our city. Plus, proceeds go to our parks! #keepitlocal

Statesville Haunted Prison
For our second haunted house of spooky season, we went with a group to Statesville. The prison theme, while not exactly original, does give the walk through a cohesive narrative. Instead of random scares or unconnected scenes of gore, we're told a twisted sort of story. Most importantly, the sets, props, effects, and actors are all top notch. Very little (if anything) took me out of the moment, leaving me the freedom to jump, scream, and laugh my way through.

In a month of gray skies, ridiculous political shenanigans, and few holidays, make sure to find something that'll take you out of your typical routine. If it makes your heart beat faster, all the better.

Choose Your Own Movie Adventure

Three movies = three adventures to choose from, but depending on your mood and the experience you want, only one is the movie you really want to see (at least for today). Let's look at these new(ish) releases and decide which one is right for right now.

If you're totally over election year & just want to go back to a happier, more innocent time, try:
Southside With You
Is this really what Barack and Michelle's first date looked like? Not exactly, but we'll forgive Richard Tanne for the rose-colored glasses with which he views this budding relationship. Nods are made to familiar Obama tropes (the ears, the smoking) and, because we know how things end up, when Michelle's character asks about a future in politics and lauds Barack's character's speech-giving abilities, we all swoon for our 44th President. Watch to feel inspired and grateful.


If you love stop-motion almost as much as you love the traditional hero's journey, try:
Kubo and the Two Strings
Storytelling and magical realism combine forces in this powerful tale of a boy and his guitar. Kubo embarks on a journey to protect himself from his grandfather, the Moon King, and along the way discovers who he is, with the help of Monkey and Beetle. We in the audience learn that endings are really beginnings, and when we decide to tell our own stories, we choose our own destinies. Watch if you need a reminder of the power of storytelling.


If you've ever wondered how a blind man might defend his home from intruders, try:
Don't Breathe
This is a home invasion thriller with a twist - we're cheering for the invaders. Or are we? As a viewer, I wasn't sure who to root for a lot of the time: the three burglars who are looking for a way out of Detroit? Or the blind vet trying to grieve his daughter in peace? The simple yet chilling moments of suspense had me pulled to the edge of my seat, then pushed all the way back as I tried to stay safe from the horrors on screen. Don't watch alone!


A sweet date movie, a family-friendly adventure with universal appeal, or something to keep you awake all night...which adventure will you choose?

Lights Out

I led with the trailer to this summer thriller, because I think it's scarier than the movie itself - not that I wasn't on the edge of my seat (or tucked into the back of it, clenching Jesus's hand) while watching, but I didn't leave the theater checking around corners for creepy silhouettes. Based on this YouTube short (which I haven't watched yet), Lights Out sets up a story, gives the "rules" of its world, and resolves the conflict in a neat 81 minutes, leaving little lingering fears afterwards.

The basic premise is a presence has attached itself to Sophie, the mother of Rebecca, now grown, and Martin, still young. This presence was a part of Sophie's childhood, messed with Rebecca's, and has now returned to disrupt Martin's. Rebecca, still dealing with the issues that came out of her experience, tries to rescue Martin from having to deal with the same things, but the presence seems to follow them and is inexplicably tied to their mother's mental health.

Lights Out shows its viewers the toll depression can take on a family, the redemption of family ties and motherly sacrifices, and the effects of friendships both strong and unhealthy. When I researched it after watching, I found that there was originally a different ending that wasn't shown in theaters. I personally would have appreciated that ending more, and I think it would have upped the scare factor a bit. I also read that there is a sequel planned, which might delve deeper into the issues raised around depression.

Stories: All-New Tales

Stories: All-New Tales by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A collection of short stories filled with magic realism, edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio.

First thoughts: Whew! I finally committed to finishing this collection instead of dipping into it whenever I was between books. It's hard reading books you own when the library keeps sending others your way. This is definitely a collection I'll be keeping on my bookshelf for rereads and future bedtime stories.

Favorite quotes:

"We wanted to read stories that used a lightning flash of magic as a way of showing us something we have already seen a thousand times as if we have never seen it before." -Gaiman, p1

"The joy of fiction, for some of us, is the joy of the imagination, set free from the world..." -Gaiman, p3

Favorite stories: "Catch and Release" is just the right amount of creepy. "Weights and Measures" is sad and tender. "Unwell" is both silly and strange. "A Life in Fictions" reminds me of Ruby Sparks. "The Therapist" gave me more creeps. "Human Intelligences" gives us a different telling of Santa Claus.

Recommended for: If you're into short stories with strange and mind-stretching plots, this collection is for you. It's perfect for group read alouds and solo reading.

Final thoughts: I mean, Neil Gaiman folks.


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Sharp Objects & Dark Places

Before Gone Girl, there were two pretty creepy thrillers to make readers leery of small towns and their secrets. Sharp Objects tells the story of a reporter who travels back to her hometown to get the story on the recent murders of two young girls. Dark Places takes readers both back to the events leading up to the murder of Libby Day's mother and sisters, ostensibly at the hand of her brother, and to the present day, where Libby searches for the truth of that bloody night.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First thoughts: Holy Sh*t. So messed up.

Recommended for: fans of mystery, thrill, and creepy family members.

Final thoughts: The story as a whole is dark, but several characters, conversations, and scenes weren't believable (or were too predictable), which took me out of the story.


Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First thoughts: Love the Now/Then concept to get differing points of view on the same story.

Recommended for: fans of mystery, thrill, creepy family members, and conspiracy theorists.

Final thoughts: This one kept me guessing and reading late into the night, and the story as a whole was more fleshed out and developed than Sharp Objects.


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Visions V Hush

Jesus and I recently watched two new horror movies on Netflix, Visions and Hush. They're fundamentally different (spirits/hauntings versus stalkers/killers), yet strikingly similar (women as lead characters, emphasis on certain senses). Let's break them down even further.

Leading Ladies: Isla Fischer takes the helm in Visions, playing the pregnant co-owner of a rundown vineyard who starts seeing things on her property. Are her unnerving visions Mommy Senses, or PTSD from a car accident a year earlier? In Hush, Kate Seigel plays Maddie, a deaf-mute author who lives in relative isolation as she works on her second novel. When a killer shows up at her door, it's her quick thinking versus the killer's natural upper hand. Seigel herself also co-wrote the screenplay, making Hush winner of this round.

Star Power: Visions has the clear upper hand and sweeps this category. With Isla Fischer, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Parsons, Joanna Cassidy, and brief appearances by Eva Longoria, Visions is stocked with household names and familiar faces. Hush has only five on-screen characters, one of whom we literally only see on a computer screen, and they're relative newcomers compared to the cast of Visions.

Plot: It's paranormal sightings versus masked killer - this one is a draw, and really comes down to personal preference. I've seen paranormal done very well, though masked killer gets right to it with the fear factor.

Soundtrack/Sound Effects: This one goes to Hush, with it's emphasis on sound effects - and who can hear them. The viewer's experience of sound changes based on each character's perspective in a way that only adds to the drama and suspense.

Jump Scare Factor: Speaking of drama and suspense, both movies give viewers several jump scares, a few more agonizing moments of wondering what's about to happen, and plenty of reasons to hold onto someone's hand (or entire body) while watching. In the end, Hush ekes past Visions with its "this could happen in real life" scenarios and silent tension building.

Reception: Hush has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, to Visions's 15%. That is all.

It's obvious that in a battle between these two recent movies, Hush comes out the victor. Visions tries - and an interesting twist at the end redeems some of the lackluster acting, but in the end it's the minimalist slasher film over the eerie apparitions.

Scary Movies 2015

How is tomorrow Halloween already? October flew by in a whirlwind of spooky activities, lesson planning, and weekend guests. Here's this year's round up of scary movies and TV shows - just enough spook to get us to next October.

Sleepy Hollow

After going to a live re-enactment of the Sleepy Hollow story, Jesus and I decided to watch Tim Burton's retelling. The movie follows the original short story to a point, then it rides off on its own crazy tale. Still fun to watch!


Corpse Bride

Staying with the Tim Burton theme, and because it was featured on Netflix, we watched Corpse Bride. In this animated musical, Victor and Victoria are one night away from their wedding when Victor finds himself in the land of the dead, being wooed by the late Emily. He must find a way back to his living bride before it's too late.


Insidious Chapter 3
Due to the scare factor and intrigue of the first two installments of the Insidious series, we couldn't not watch Insidious Chapter 3. While this one keeps up with the jump scares, the story isn't as compelling as that of the first two movies. A solid Spooky Month watch, but not a "good" movie in itself.

Paranormal Activity 1-5
We started marathoning the Paranormal Activity series a bit before October, as a pre-spook to get ready for the month (and because I had never seen any of the movies). To anyone who wants to watch, but hasn't yet I recommend doing it all in one go. That way you remember more of what just happened. The continuity of the films is surprisingly good, even in cases where the story isn't about the first main characters.


The X-Files, Season 4
Finally, we're continuing our way through The X-Files (and excited for the new continuation!). This fall we got through most of Season 4, learning more about Cancer Man's past, Scully's future, and Mulder's weird neuroses.

Scary Movies 2014

This October's collection of scary movies includes a classic, a new release, and a few recent randoms. While I truly enjoy a good scare, I'm excited to get back to watching "normal" things in November (up first, Obvious Child)! I'm sure I'll share a costume picture eventually...everyone have fun/be safe tonight!

Apartment 143

The trailer makes this movie seem both scarier and better quality that what it is in real life. A family starts experiencing disturbing things in their home after the death of the wife/mother. They move and all seems okay until things start happening again: doors close on their own, lights go out, things move around--so the family has a team of paranormal investigators come and check things out. The movie is made up of the collected footage from this investigation, so we get a lot of plot through interviews rather than through action. Yes, it has some good scares/freak outs, but the story just isn't there.

Oculus

Here's a movie with a story. And a clearly haunted mirror. Kaylie is ready to put her past behind her, and invites her younger brother, Tim, to help her "destroy" the mirror that destroyed their family. With creepy visuals and unsettling flashbacks, Oculus weaves a tale of past and present that left me thinking about it days later.

Dead Silence

What I learned from Dead Silence is dolls are creepy and pregnant women aren't safe. This movie brought the gore along with plenty of suspenseful scenes. I like how it all tied up at the end, and while it did make me jump more than once, it wasn't so scary once the credits rolled and I turned my lights back on.

Annabelle

What I learned from Annabelle is dolls are creepy and pregnant women...wait a second. Yep, another haunted doll movie. This one does it better--scarier--with better acting and a more cohesive story.

The Shining

This one's been on my scary movie bucket list for a while (especially after reading the book last year), so I'm glad I finally saw it. It's definitely as suspenseful as everyone says it is! The Shining is a classic for good reason--it had Jesus and me researching background info and theories and googling facts about the making of the film.

Extras: last year's scary movie list and a scary sequel.

Insidious: Chapter 2

There are few movie genres that Jesus and I both enjoy. The only movies we watch in theater are either animated (Wreck-It Ralph, Epic) or screen versions of YA books we've both read (Catching Fire, Ender's Game). When we watch movies casually at home, we like to revisit old favorites or check out musicals. On more special "date" nights, we go for horror. Horror = cuddles, so it makes perfect sense.

For Valentine's Day, we decided to watch the sequel to Insidious, aptly titled Insidious: Chapter 2. Insidious set things up for a sequel that would resolve its unanswered questions and bring a conclusion to its cliffhanger ending, and I:C2 follows through on both parts. Picking up shortly where the first left off, this sequel explains the back story of the Lambert family, especially Josh's childhood.

[A quick recap of Insidious: Josh and Renai Lambert and their children move to a new home. While exploring the attic, their son Dalton gets hurt. He later goes into a coma and travels to a realm called "The Further," where spirits of the dead roam. To get him back, Josh too must travel there--and he has to make sure none of the spirits follow them back to our world. It doesn't sound that scary, but it has its moments. The acting, script, and music all added to this scary thinker.]

What Jesus and I most appreciated about the sequel was its adherence to the "rules" that the original created. We learn that Josh has traveled to "The Further" while he sleeps since his childhood--an ability he passed on to his son, Dalton. Some of this is recapped from the first movie, but this time we see Josh as a young boy, and we see why grown up Josh didn't remember his otherworldly trips right away. The sequel also explains more about the spirits who inhabit "The Further"--why they are there instead of in a more permanent resting place, why they want to follow the living back into real life, and what happens when they succeed.

While I:C2 has some good scares, it was more story-driven than most horror flicks. It kept us thinking, making guesses as to how it would end, and re-evaluating our theories as the plot developed. The repeat performances were great, especially Lin Shaye as Elise Rainier, the ghost hunter/spiritual world guide who helps Josh and Dalton in their voyages through "The Further." If you haven't, check out Insidious. Then enlighten yourself with I:C2. Stay out of the cold and snow--find someone to snuggle you while you get scared from the comfort of your own couch.

Scary Movie Round Up

I'm not a big Halloween person. I've come to appreciate it more as an adult, but as a kid, Halloween was one of the less special holidays we "celebrated." I could play dress up anytime I wanted, so costumes weren't a unique treat, and if I really wanted candy I'm sure we had some somewhere in the house. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate putting on a costume and getting loads of candy from family and neighbors, I just much preferred other holidays to the one relegated to a few short hours at the end of October.

Now, as an adult, I've allowed myself to expand my Halloween festivities to most of the month (largely in part because Jesus refuses to watch anything but scary movies in October). I indulge in illogical fears, blood and gore, and hauntings just for these four weeks. Some of our movie choices are great--they leave us terrified, requiring us to turn on all the lights and watch something non-threatening before we move--other choices makes us laugh with their ridiculous plots, outdated special effects, or over-the-top acting.

Here are a few of my recently watched top choices for scares, in no particular order:

The Awakening (2011)

Florence Cathcart is a hoax exposer in 1920s England. She does not believe in ghosts, just in the every day trickery of con artists. Then Robert Mallory, a boarding school teacher, asks her to come to his school to investigate the recent death of a student, Walter Portman, said to have been frightened to death by the ghost of another child. She goes, intent on revealing the true nature of Walter's death and the true identity of the ghost. While some mysteries are solved easily, others take time to tease themselves out of the woodwork of the ancient school, formerly a private estate. By the end of the movie, Florence's beliefs--about the supernatural, about her own identity--are shaken to the core.

ParaNorman (2012)

Norman Babcock is just a regular kid...who sees and speaks with ghosts on a daily basis. His parents worry for him, his sister thinks he's a freak, and the other kids at school keep their distance, except Neil, the chubby kid who could use a friend as well. When a centuries-old curse threatens his town, Norman is the only one with the power to protect everyone, he just has to get them to believe in his power first. (As an animated film, this one is more cute than scary, but still a fun Halloween watch.)

The Conjuring (2013)

When the Perrons (Roger, Carolyn, and their five daughters) move in to an old farmhouse, they have mixed feelings about its weak plumbing, odd storage places, and creaks and moans. Then stranger stuff begins happening--one daughter takes up banging her head on a bureau while she sleep walks, another finds an imaginary friend who has quite the sordid history, and all of their clocks stop at 3:07 AM. They ask Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators, to examine the house and its quirks. The Warrens find more ghosts than any one house should have, and while this is based on true events, all the curses, haunts, and evil spectres made it a difficult story to follow. Regardless, the movie was full of scares and "oh shit" moments.

Silent Hill (2006)

This movie filled my blood/gore quota for the month and then some. Based on a video game by the same name, and named after a mining town closed down because of fires still burning in the mines, Silent Hill is your classic Haunted Child/Impulsive Parent movie. When the sleepwalking Sharon won't stop screaming "Silent Hill!" in her unconscious state, her mother decides to take her there and get to the root of her condition. It's not long before Sharon gets lost in the abandoned town and her mother has to search for her--finding out that it's not totally abandoned. This movie has some pretty creepy creatures and plenty of gruesome deaths, but it's also a tale of what happens when things get way out of hand and innocence turns to bitterness.

We Need to Talk About Kevin

I'm reading We Need to Talk About Kevin (by Lionel Shriver) and the first comment I have is SO MANY FUN WORDS! Already I've learned/refreshed my memory on the meanings and uses of:

anodyne
bagatelle
wanton
dolorous
marginalia
fiat
argot
pique
pugnacious
malfeasance
hale
inimical

and that was just in the first hundred pages.

My second, and actual, comment is: This book is crunchy with detail, and heart-crunchy at that. It's not an easy read, emotionally. I sometimes have to stop to take a breather. Kevin is a teenager who kills seven of his classmates, a cafeteria worker, and a teacher at his school. The narrator, Eva, a middle-aged mother of Kevin, is not at all like me, I think...until I start reading and realize a lot of her flashback thoughts (before Kevin is born, when he is a baby, etc) are ones I've thought, even for small moments. Then I see similarities in our philosophies, relationships, and life fears.

I started this book to take a break from The Shining (I could never read after about 9 PM, and definitely not on nights when I was home alone), but it's turning out to be a deep, thought-provoking, haunting story--not a book you read when you are on "break" from a thriller. Doesn't matter, I'm hooked on the language, the characters, even the format of the story, told in letters from Eva to her absent husband, Franklin.

I've already got the movie version on hold at the library (though I'm still waiting on a movie I requested in September to get sent to my library, so who knows when I'll get this one). Put this book on your list, especially now, when our country is deep in gun control and mental health debates. It's a different angle to the issue of school shootings and violent youth--a closer look at the mother, the father, the childhood, and the life forever altered because of the son's actions.

Insidious

When I ask the guys
what they want to do
on a Friday night,
I always know the answer.

An entire city at their fingertips,
possibilities numerous as the
stairs of the John Hancock Center,
but location means nothing to a teenager.

I've seen more horror movies
in the past seven months
than I ever hoped to
see in my entire life.