Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk

Haunted is quite possibly the only book I will ever say that I both adored it but would never recommend it to another reader. This is because I cannot assume someone can tolerate the level of disgusting gore that I put up with, especially through that first stomach churning chapter. This is a story that has us stumbling and gagging until the very last page. I know this doesn't make you want to go out and read it and I urge you not to bearing me in mind. The magic of this book is threefold. Chuck gives us a story, mangled back stories and poetry. Almost each chapter is prefaced by a poem about one of the characters who's names are as whimsical and telling as Comrade Snarky, Miss Sneezy and Saint Gut-Free. Some chapters follow the entire story while others are short stories written by one of the 17 characters. The story takes place at a writer's retreat where all these characters come together. My favorite parts in Haunted were the short stories of the nightmare box and the bowling balls....of all things. I will admit the story was choppy, too edgy and followed a rather weak storyline. I was okay with this because the character development and short stories were pages and pages of Turkish delight, I couldn't get enough of it. So, don't read it unless you were already planning to. Forgive the first chapter...and be warned of language...but if you can look past that, the story is amazing! ~Cassie~

The Ruins by Scott Smith

Let me preface this review by noting that I am not a horror novel fan. This could have an impact on my general disliking for this book.The Ruins was a good idea that was over embellished. Good character development for the first 70 pages, though there were 5 characters that needed proper introduction. The story takes these 5 characters on a hike to find one of the character's brother. Entering into the ruins they find themselves unable to leave the site by force of the Mayan villagers nearby. Perhaps too quickly, they find that there is something rather unusual about the vegetation therein. Like I said, the story was a good idea but as we discover who/what the adversary is, its hard not to laugh. But even suppressing the urge to laugh and giving it a shot, Smith destroys our tolerance. The author had a few clumsy sexual parts that hardly had pertinence to character development or the story. I am one who can stand a sexual part in a book now and then, but it must build the story. I can accept a lot of things, but this book was nothing short of a serious Little Shop of Horrors...and nobody wants to see that. I would only recommend this book to pure lovers of cheesy horror stories. To each their own. ~Cassie~