When I talk about scary books or movies, I might be a little tame for you hard core slasher freaks. I swear on one of my dead cat's graves that I will never watch a Saw movie (while sober).
I remember a time when I lived with my older sister during the summer before I turned 14. We loved scary movies, so we spent almost every night watching one. Now don't get ahead of me, you need to remember I'm an incredible wuss. I just recently got enough courage to watch Carrie...the old one...and will never watch Silence of the Lambs, and hit my husband very hard after he made me watch Seven. So the movies my sister and I watched were pretty tame to today's standards. They might even have been old Hitchcock stuff...like The Birds, and Psycho. However, after that week my beloved brother-in-law was kicked out of bed and I slept with big sis. For a more current example, after a recent viewing of Paranormal Activity I slept with the lights on. I know what you are thinking, that lady is really brave and I would totally want her with me in times of danger. Here's my number 1-800-HELLNAH.
In books I have a few hairs-on-the-back-of-the-head-sticking-up favorites...Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan freaked the crap out of me. I remember it being twisted and dark and intense. I just heard that they are making a movie out of it which could be very cool. Another horribly scary read was The Ruins by Scott Smith (also a movie). O...M...G I remember finishing it late at night (so smart), jumping from the couch to the stairs, running into bed and grabbing hubby so hard. It sounds so simple...vacation turned missing brother turned expedition into the jungle turned EVERYONE DIES. I couldn't bring myself to go to the movie. No one needs to see a grown librarian sobbing.
So for this edition of my book reviews we will look at two recent books I read that try to surprise the reader with gruesome death scenes and plot twists, but are both pretty tame.
First is Ten by Gretchen McNeil
What I love about this book is its easy read format, good main character, and plot twist that I really didn't see coming. This story is about Meg and Minnie, best friends about to be parted by college. They get an interesting invite from the most popular girl in school...
"Shhhh!
Don't spread the word! Three-day weekend. House party.
White Rock House on Henry Island. You do not want to miss it."
And they don't, but what happens is not the last "best time they ever had in high school," but a deadly encounter with someone out for revenge. The death scenes are awesome and sometimes brutal, the characters, typical high school stereotypes, are still enjoyable to follow as they meet their untimely deaths.
Next is The Farm by Emily McKay
I wanted this to be so much better...the idea of a disease that attacks and turns humans into a zombie/ vampire hybrid...a disease that devastates the US and forces people into apocalyptic scenarios...a disease that focuses on teenagers so they round them all up and imprison them onto old university campuses. All the pieces were there, and it is a good read. But it could have been a great read if the author hadn't focused on how much the main character Lily was in love (but of course wouldn't admit it because she was too strong and had to take care of her sister, and why would someone so handsome like her). Just hold the guy's damn hand and kiss him, then move on and save the world together. I understand tension is important to the story, but I believe the constant chase from the Ticks and battle scenes provided that story element. It's good, but be warned there is an inevitable sequel. However, I will say the ending had a twist I didn't see coming which redeemed its many sappy parts.
So try some of these to get your blood pumping...or there are many others I could recommend...Project 17, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Enemy, Odd Thomas...
What's your favorite scary book?
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