Sunday, March 25, 2018

Sidetracked Sunday #3 - A Long Overdue Horror Read


So up this month is a horror book I've wanted to read for years.  So a few weeks ago, I located it at my local library and took it home.  Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.  I've not heard a lot about it but know quite a few people who have mentioned they would like to read it.  All I can say is YES!  Do it!


TITLE: Snowblind
AUTHOR: Christopher Golden
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press
PUBLISHING DATE: January 21, 2014

FROM GOODREADS: The small New England town of Coventry had weathered a thousand blizzards...but never one like this. Icy figures danced in the wind and gazed through children's windows with soul-chilling eyes. People wandered into the whiteout and were never seen again. Families were torn apart, and the town would never be the same.

Now, as a new storm approaches twelve years later, the folks of Coventry are haunted by the memories of that dreadful blizzard and those who were lost in the snow. Photographer Jake Schapiro mourns his little brother, Isaac, even as-tonight-another little boy is missing. Mechanic and part-time thief Doug Manning's life has been forever scarred by the mysterious death of his wife, Cherie, and now he’s starting over with another woman and more ambitious crimes. Police detective Joe Keenan has never been the same since that night, when he failed to save the life of a young boy . . and the boy’s father vanished in the storm only feet away. And all the way on the other side of the country, Miri Ristani receives a phone call . . . from a man who died twelve years ago.


As old ghosts trickle back, this new storm will prove to be even more terrifying than the last.

MY THOUGHTS: So the book starts out with an incident that happened 12 years ago in Coventry where quite a few people died.  It occurred during a horrific snowstorm and the town never quite recovered.  Now every time there is a blizzard in the air everyone becomes tense.  When the story picks up 12 years later, the readers follows the lives of a few key characters.  Once again a blizzard is one its way, but this time strange things begin happening. A young boy is almost killed in an accident and wakes up very differently from before, a couple's preteen daughter suddenly starts acting much older than she is - like 50 years older, and an ex-girlfriend shows up wanting to rekindle a romance yet acts more like the man's dead wife than a past flame.

I need to say that Golden does a wonderful job creating a unique character - the snowstorm  itself.  If you love thrillers and horror novels with winter settings, look no further. The chilling weather made the chilling atmosphere much scarier and more unsettling.  I could almost hear the wind howling and the temperatures falling while curled up on my couch reading this.  I devoured this book quite quickly and had to learn more about the entities hiding within the storm.  I connected to many of the characters, even the thief, and rooted them on to safety.  I also felt the loss of those that weren't so lucky.

I'm glad I finally picked up "Snowblind" and it was just the horror read I needed this month.  It has gone to show me that I'm really glad I made the decision to pick up some older titles this year and maybe I can convince some of you to give this one a read too!

RATING:  5 Paws


28 comments:

  1. AH! Awesome! I definitely need to snag this one!!

    Erica | Erica Robyn Reads

    ReplyDelete
  2. So glad you enjoyed this one. The cover looks like my backyard right now. Got lots of snow yesterday.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love Christopher Golden and I really should get my act together and read this. Wow, 5 stars! That's enough to convince me😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a combo of a great book and reading it at the right time. So glad I snagged it from the library!

      Delete
  4. Going to go add this now! I love books where the weather is like a character itself. Especially snow! Thanks for bringing this one to my attention, Barb.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm glad you loved this one! I had trouble overcoming the time jump and change in tone, but I loved the horror of the snowstorm. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the snowstorm made the book much more scarier in my book. The time jump didn't bother me much once I figured out who every one was.

      Delete
  6. This sound good. I will add to my (very long) wishlist.
    Thanks
    Lynn :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love thrillers and horror, so this sounds like a great read to me! I specifically like the idea of the setting/storm becoming a character on its own.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It looks fabulous. Glad it was a good one.
    sherry @ fundinmental Sunday Memes

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh that's cool on the storm. Interesting. Yay for being such a great read after that much wait :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. This actually sounds quite interesting. I do like the winter setting idea of this book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You might like this one. It's not action-packed but it's not slow either.

      Delete
  11. This gave the shivers, but in a good way -- and I am soo curious about what is happening to the characters!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm glad you enjoyed this, Barb! I read it in the middle of the summer on audio which might've been a mistake because I think I gave it a 3.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't imagine reading this in the summer. I think it would lose something.

      Delete
  13. I think you told me about it and of course I'm reading it! I'm purposely not reading the review right now but... "All I can say is YES! Do it" who can resist this enthusiasm?? :)
    I got a gut feeling this is like Bird Box so I know I am going to love it. If you did I will for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I like the sound of the one and could definitely use a good horror read. Glad this one was worth the wait!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have started having an itch for older horror lately, too. I am re-reading The Exorcist right now. 👹

    ReplyDelete