The Monstrumologist, by Rick Yancey

The Monstrumologist
by Rick Yancey
Simon & Schuster, NY 2009

monstrumology (n)
1. the study of life forms general malevolent to humans and not recognized by science as actual organisms, specifically those considered products of myth and folklore
2. the act of hunting such creatures (p. v)

Apprentice to the renowned Monstrumologist Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, orphan Will Henry is accustomed to the macabre studies of his master. But when a grave digger delivers the body of a young woman to the doctor, the boy must push aside his horror and disgust in order to assist the monster hunter as he dissects the Anthropophagus (headless monster) who chocked to death eating the dead girl. And, as all monstrumologists know, where there's one Anthropophagi, there's 35. Unfortunately for Will Henry, the malodorous creatures are quite hungry. 

I've been watching horror movies since I was eight (Nightmare on Elm Street) and reading horror novels (Chain Letter) since I was about the same age. Basically, it takes a lot to freak me out. Not only did this book give me nightmares and a general sense of unease, it grossed me out completely. Well done Rick Yancey. Well done.

Bottom Line:

Fantastically gory and scary; Step to, readers!

The Cell, by Stephen King

The Cell  

by Stephen King

Scribner, NY 2006

Throughout his career, Mr. King has explored the idea of dangerous technology. Christine was a clunker with an evil mission. The Mangler was a demon-possessed laundry press, and Ur told the tale of Amazon Kindle that held unpublished works by dead authors and could predict the future. The Cell is about that indispensable little computer we all carry around in our pocket. It would never turn on us, would it?  

I actually saw Stephen King in Boston walking along the Public Garden across the street from the Four Seasons hotel. Ironically, he was steps from the setting of the opening scene of this book, near the ice cream truck where Pixie Light and Pixie Dark battle it out. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well for a week.

Bottom Line:

King's ability to plant terrifyingly possible what if's in our minds is what ultimately makes his stories so haunting, and The Cell gives off its own nightmare-producing pulse.

Project 17, by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Project 17

by Lauri Faria Stolarz

Hyperion Books, NY 2007

Project 17 is totally like The Breakfast Club, if it had been set in a decrepit, haunted, abandoned mental institution. Derik (a hot jocky ladies man) hatches an escape-my-future-behind-the-counter-of-my-parent's-diner scheme. The plan is to film a stellar reality show in the old Danvers State Mental Hospital, hoping it will lead to an internship with a local news crew.  He casts several classmates to star in the reality fare; Liza, the gorgeous, miss goody-two-shoes, valedictorian; Chet, the class clown with issues at home; Mimi, the goth chick with a hidden agenda; Greta, the needy attention-seeking theater girl; and Tony, her leading man, whose nicknames for her (babycakes and sweetcheeks) are gag-worthy.

Each chapter is written from a different character's point of view, which is pretty cool, though aside from having different agendas and such, they sort of all "sounded" the same to me. However, supernatural twists and turns kept the pace moving but never went to far into "yeah, right," territory, which I appreciated. Overall, this was an entertaining story, made even more so by its local setting.

Bottom Line:

The scene with the creepy talking doll got to me; I just can't even imagine how hellish this place had to have been when it was a (dis)functioning hospital.

The Unspoken

The Unspoken
by Thomas Fahy
Simon Pulse, NY 2008


Allison spent several years of her life in a cult with her father. There she formed a bond with six kids her age as they resisted the sadistic cult leader, Jacob Crawley. After Jacob tortured the pre-teens for months with their own worst fears and poisoned their families, the kids burned him to death. Or did they? Five years later, when Allison, now living with a foster family, receives an anonymous email message containing a newspaper article about the suspicious death of one of her old friends she must return to her hometown and confront the ghosts of her past – both literally and figuratively.
     I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The premise – people getting called back to the scene of a horrific event from their past so they can no longer try to block out their past – is one of my favorite plot lines. Flashbacks to the teen’s childhood in the cult slowly reveal Jacob Crawley’s mania and the chain of events that lead up to the teen’s present situation. Allison’s crush on David and cliffhanger chapter endings push the reader through the story, making him thirst for what will happen next. A horrific event in Allison’s past involving her sister and mother is hinted at throughout the book and the reader only learns how horrific it really was at the very end of the novel. Additionally, I loved the teen stock characters; Allison (the protagonist with a crush, a terrible past, and a survivor’s spirit), Jade (the sexy one), David (the All-American boy love interest), Ike (the funny one), and, my personal favorite, Emma (the quiet nerdy one, a library volunteer with mousy brown hair and shapeless clothes). This is a fantastic ghost story with plenty of supernatural twists and realistic horror. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.


Bottom Line:
Classic scary movie style story; spooky quick read; loved it.