Nightbooks by J.A. White (Middle Grade Fantasy Horror Book Review)

Nightbooks
by J.A. White
Published by Katherine Teagan
on July 24, 2018
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Horror
Length: 320 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
A boy is imprisoned by a witch and must tell her a new scary story each night to stay alive. This thrilling contemporary fantasy from J.A. White, the acclaimed author of the Thickety series, brings to life the magic and craft of storytelling. 

My Thoughts:

Young Alex Mosher is obsessed with everything spooky and scary. He loves scary movies and even writes his own scary stories that he calls his Nightbooks, but this has made him the 'weird kid' and in an attempt to feel normal he decides to head to his apartment buildings' basement to burn his Nightbooks. Along the way, he is waylaid by the sounds of his favorite movie, Night of the Living Dead, and enters an apartment that traps him within! It's owned by a witch and she will only let him live if he reads her a scary story every night!

Nightbooks is fairytale retellings gone spooky!
This fun middle grade has both hints of fantasy and horror and is perfect for budding young writers!

If you would rather read fairytales than ghost stories during Autumn but still want a little scare, this is the perfect choice!
It reminds me of both Hansel & Gretal and One Thousand and One Nights thanks to the witch that lures in children and a character who must tell stories in order to survive.  

I started reading the physical book (which I bought way back in an Owlcrate subscription) but my daughter was so intrigued and wanted to hear it too so we switched to audio to finish the story and then we watched the Netflix adaptation together.  There were a few small changes from book to movie but I suspect it was for the soundtrack and pop culture value but otherwise was quite enjoyable! 

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Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman (Adult Graphic Novel Review)

Snow, Glass, Apples
Written by Neil Gaiman
Adapted by Colleen Duran
Published by Dark Horse Comics
on August 20, 2019
Genre: Adult, Horror,
Fairytale Retelling, Graphic Novel
Length: 64 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
A chilling fantasy retelling of the Snow White fairy tale by New York Times bestselling creators Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran!

A not-so-evil queen is terrified of her monstrous stepdaughter and determined to repel this creature and save her kingdom from a world where happy endings aren't so happily ever after.


My Thoughts:

This is an absolutely fantastic graphic novel adaptation of Neil Gaiman's dark horror retelling of Snow White! 

The illustrations are stunning. I loved the unique layering of scenes and sequences and the sheer amount of detail on every single page. They all have a wonderfully dark, surreal quality that fits the macabre quality of the story.

The story is rather fascinating, despite that the tale of Snow White is well known. Gaiman turned this classic fairytale on its head, switching where our sympathies lie and turning this into a truly dark and horrific but unique tale that I've yet to see in any retelling. 

Content Warnings include nudity and somewhat pornographic images (breasts, bums, and some obviously sexual poses) and very dark and unpleasant themes such as necrophilia, gore, death, and dun-dun-dun... menstrual blood? 
This is for adults. 

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Book Review: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Genre:

Young-Adult Paranormal, Fairy Tale Retelling

My Rating:

☆☆☆

SYNOPSIS:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

MY THOUGHTS:

This is the story of two sisters whom are thrust into the harsh Fenris infested world. Their grandmother is eaten and the older sister, Scarlett, loses an eye fighting for her life and that of her sisters at the very young age of 11 or 12. Left to their own devices, they spend their teen years 'hunting' wolves.

I did enjoy the first half of this book. I liked that the female characters were so 'bad ass'. Scarlett just screams 'bad ass' with all her scars, weapons, and hunter demeanor. But it soon became very redundant and it seemed like every chapter was a hunting scene. I think that was my biggest problem with this book - the repetitive scenes. The romance was sweet but also seemed very rushed.

Another thing that makes it a little difficult for me to enjoy about this book is that it is considered a 'Fairy Tale Retelling'. It's kind of obvious which fairy tale this is supposed to shadow - 'Little Red Riding Hood' - but besides that it has wolves (werewolves instead of just real wolves), a grandmother that is killed by a wolf, and a male character that has family that are 'woodsmen', it doesn't seem like much of a retelling at all. I haven't read many retellings (besides 'Beastly' by Alex Flinn) but I just don't this one did a good job. I can see how it is considered a retelling but I just don't get the 'Little Red Riding Hood' vibe from this novel.

I wanted to continue on with 'Sweetly' but I just can't seem to find it anywhere. It's the companion novel to 'Sisters Red' but is a retelling of Hansel and Gretal. The synopsis sounds pretty interesting as well but I don't think I will go out of my way to read it. I was really hoping to like Jackson Pearce's novel because I love watching her youtube videos but I guess it just isn't for me. I won't give up on her but for now I think I will move on to other things.

Fairytale Retellings

#1 Sisters Red

(Little Red Riding Hood)

#2 Sweetly

(Hansel and Gretal)

#3 Fathomless

(The Little Mermaid)

#4 Cold Spell

(The Snow Queen)

[I'm actually hoping to find 'Cold Spell' someday because I'm a big fan of The Snow Queen.]


[Read from April 20th to April 24th]