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archaicrobin's reviews
624 reviews
The Bone Fields by Mitchell Lüthi
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An amazing audiobook that was a perfect atmospheric read.
The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters, Witches, and Ghosts by Jeff Belanger
funny
informative
fast-paced
3.0
A concise nonfiction book on the history of different Yuletide monsters and their lore. This book gives a short little snippet of each monster and its lore, but not an exhaustive source. This is perfect if you want to know general stories and lore in regard to these creatures with beautiful illustrations. I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re looking for an in depth analysis but it’s great for those looking to dip their toes into the complex history of Yule.
I Found the Boogeyman Under My Brother's Crib by Ben Farthing
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Abusive parents deny their daughter sleep to the point she can’t tell if the monster under her brother’s bed is real or a sleep deprived illusion. I’ve almost read all of Farthing’s short stories at this point and out of them all this one I’ve enjoyed the most.
His Black Tongue by Mitchell Lüthi
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Firstly, the audiobook for this novella is phenomenal!! There are sound effects, music, different talented voice actors, and you can tell this audiobook was a production with a lot of care put in. I honestly don’t think I would have rated this as highly if I hadn’t listened to the audiobook, it was that good! I also love that the audiobook has other short stories after His Black Tongue.
A priest and his disciple travel to a small medieval town in hopes of finding the root to the evil plaguing it. A short, epic demon novella with amazing acting! Highly recommend the audiobook!
A priest and his disciple travel to a small medieval town in hopes of finding the root to the evil plaguing it. A short, epic demon novella with amazing acting! Highly recommend the audiobook!
Candy Cain Kills by Brian McAuley
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I saw this all over Christmas horror recommendation lists and was so excited to finally read it. I’ve read campy slasher horror before and it’s always pretty surface level but this one was just way too bland to me.
The characters do not feel like real people and the writing is too simple for my tastes. Glad I was able to know this Christmas slasher off my list even though it was a big disappointment.
The characters do not feel like real people and the writing is too simple for my tastes. Glad I was able to know this Christmas slasher off my list even though it was a big disappointment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
The Terror by Dan Simmons
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
First thing, this is a long one! I’ve had this on my shelf for years and when they made a tv adaptation I had to read it. I finally picked it up this winter and while I enjoyed it, this book was a commitment.
I honestly feel, this was a little too long but understand why it was and appreciate the historical accuracy. This is an excellent read for those looking for historical fiction but with a touch of horror and the supernatural.
A fictional twist on the arctic expedition of the Terror and Erebus!
I honestly feel, this was a little too long but understand why it was and appreciate the historical accuracy. This is an excellent read for those looking for historical fiction but with a touch of horror and the supernatural.
A fictional twist on the arctic expedition of the Terror and Erebus!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Never Lie by Freida McFadden
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
A fast paced thriller that’s a little cliche and everyone is a bad person in some way. I knocked this audiobook out during a day of paperwork and it was easy enough to follow without having to put forth any mental effort. The twist was out there, a little too out there for me honestly. The characters were not likeable and the plot was interesting enough but nothing spectacular. If I wasn’t stuck in an office sorting through student portfolios all day I honestly don’t think this would have held my interest enough to finish it.
#middletonmanor by Sandra J. Paul
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Way too short with no real plot or characters developed. This was basically a short story but it never really started and went nowhere. This felt like something I’d read in a creative writing workshop. I honestly don’t know what else to say, I’m confused as to why this was published at all.
I Found Christmas Lights Slithering Up My Street by Ben Farthing
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Very weird holiday horror novella about dangerously invasive Christmas lights. Farthing has very creative ideas and that’s what is keeping me reading these novellas, despite the issues I have with his writing. The characters in this series so far are always very bland to
me which often makes the stories a little dull since I can’t connect to anyone in the story. If you’re looking for a Christmas horror story this one could be enjoyable.
me which often makes the stories a little dull since I can’t connect to anyone in the story. If you’re looking for a Christmas horror story this one could be enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Child death
I Found Puppets Living In My Apartment Walls by Ben Farthing
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I Found Puppets Living in My Apartment walls was recommended to me alot. I was so excited for my library to get this novella I started it right away and was very disappointed.
I loved how weird and out there this book was, and the concept was creepy but the execution was poor in my opinion. The characters, especially Brittany, were underdeveloped and didn’t feel like real people. The characters were uninteresting and I did not feel connected or worried for any of them, which is always a let down for me.
Along with the boring and lifeless characters the plot really didn’t make any sense to me. I could see where the author tried to explain what was happening, and how the puppets came to life but it fell very short. Black magic, ok that’s how so get over it was the explanation and the ending left so much unexplained I honestly would have trouble explaining this to anyone.
While I found the book mediocre I still enjoyed the weirdness of it, which is why I gave it 2 stars and not 1. I will also read another novella by Farthing to give his writing another chance. Would I recommend this? If you’re looking for a short read that’s pretty weird and don’t mind the faults I’d say give it a try.
I loved how weird and out there this book was, and the concept was creepy but the execution was poor in my opinion. The characters, especially Brittany, were underdeveloped and didn’t feel like real people. The characters were uninteresting and I did not feel connected or worried for any of them, which is always a let down for me.
Along with the boring and lifeless characters the plot really didn’t make any sense to me. I could see where the author tried to explain what was happening, and how the puppets came to life but it fell very short. Black magic, ok that’s how so get over it was the explanation and the ending left so much unexplained I honestly would have trouble explaining this to anyone.
While I found the book mediocre I still enjoyed the weirdness of it, which is why I gave it 2 stars and not 1. I will also read another novella by Farthing to give his writing another chance. Would I recommend this? If you’re looking for a short read that’s pretty weird and don’t mind the faults I’d say give it a try.