Say Her Name by James Dawson

Series: N/A

Author: James Dawson
Page Count: 287
Published: June 5th, 2014

Publisher: Hot Key Books

  4 Stars ★★★★

It's Halloween night, and Bobbie, along with her friend Naya and hot boy Caine, decide to try the 'Bloody Mary' ritual. They laugh it all off when nothing happens....until they start experiencing strange and disturbing happenings.

Bobbie finds the words 'five days' written in the steam on the bathroom mirror the next day, and she comes to realize that 'Bloody Mary' isn't just some lame urban legend after all; it is very real and very dangerous, and if she, Naya, and Caine don't solve the mystery surrounding this legend, they may not make it through the next five days alive.

This was a YA thriller-horror novel, sprinkled with the slightest bit of romance and a whole lot of mystery. I found it played with my mind a lot and had me wondering if the characters might be hallucinating, or if they really were experiencing what the narrator said they were experiencing. At some points, I wondered if the culprit was a living person instead of a supernatural force. I was constantly guessing what the outcome would be, and I love books that do that to me!

Bobbie was a very likeable protagonist. I found her very down-to-earth, and I admired her determination. Whenever something unfortunate happened to her, I worried over what would come of the situation. I rooted for her from the start and throughout the entire book; I never really got tired of her or thought she was being stupid or over dramatic, as I feel about many other characters in YA novels.

This paragraph may contain what some consider to be spoilers, however I find mentioning these things necessary for potential readers. A few warnings; there is a student-teacher relationship, teen pregnancy, and violence against a pregnant teen. There is also a scene in a psychiatric hospital, and one character finds herself covered in cuts, which while not from self harm, are described very similarly to the way self harm cuts appear.

This book was a nice change from the usual paranormal romances that I read. It was refreshing, unique, and very creepy. The ending took me by surprise and I recommend it to YA readers who enjoy the thriller and horror genres, and who may be interested in reading a unique spin on the Bloody Mary legend.

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Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid by Jan Harold Brunvand

Series: N/A

Author: Jan Harold Brunvand

Page Count: 256
Published: October 15th, 2004

Publisher:W.W Norton & Company

5 Stars ★★★★★

This book is a compilation of urban legends both new and old. It contains multiple versions of many urban legends and compares older stories with their modern incarnations. 

From the classic scary story 'Bloody Mary' to chain emails warning of the newest dangers, this book is sure to have something for everyone. 

I found myself revisiting many of the scary stories I had shared with my friends as a child as I read this book, and I appreciated that the author included the sources of the stories and that he compared and contrasted different retellings. 

Amongst these older and more familiar urban legends were newer ones, stories that I hadn't heard before. I was disturbed by many of them; rats disguised as dogs, venomous snakes hiding inside bed sheets and children's clothing. I enjoy being unnerved and as a result this book was perfect for me.

Deliciously disturbing and perfectly eerie, this compilation of urban legends is not for the faint of heart or the easily upset. I'd like to mention that it contains stories which include emotional deaths and child neglect. As these are themes which some may be sensitive to I feel it is an important courtesy to give potential readers a heads up

I recommend this book to those who love creepy stories and urban legends, and to those interested in learning about different versions of popular and sinister stories. If you love horror-esque tales, this is definitely for you.

Find Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid on Goodreads