Review: The White Forest, by Adam McOmber

Hey guys, remember me? No? Well, not very surprising since I haven’t posted in ages. I apologize for that. However, I think there’s been a serious lack of book reviews here lately, and since I got into book blogging over the summer and I thought I’d share my thoughts on a novel I came across that might interest you too.

THE WHITE FOREST, BY ADAM MCOMBER

Publishing date: September 11, 2012  Publisher: Touchstone                                          Format: Hardcover, 320 pages

Description from Goodreads: In the bestselling tradition of The Night Circus and Sarah Waters’s The Little Stranger, Adam McOmber’s hauntingly original debut novel follows a young woman in Victorian England whose peculiar abilities help her infiltrate a mysterious secret society.

Street Photography project: The New York Underground Library

Ann Rice - Blood and Gold

Hey guys, it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything here. I sometimes find it hard to find a topic I think people will actually care to hear about. But I thought I’d share this blog with those of you who don’t already know it. I stumbled across it on tumblr a couple months ago, and I think the work this person does is amazing!

The New York Underground library consists of photographs of people reading while riding on the trains or waiting on the platforms of the New York subway.

R.I.P. Halloween – Some more Spooky Stuff

Sigh. As soon as I finally got in the right spirit, the spookiest day of the year was already over again. However, the leaves are still tumbling down, darkness falls earlier, and snow is yet to be sighted here in Zurich – so let’s preserve the spooky autumn spirit for a while longer until Christmas comes around. Therefore, since I missed my Halloween post last week, I’ll suggest a book of short stories, some spooky records, and a movie for you to check out.

Book review: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

The blurb:
Some nightmares can follow you into reality. Even when they’re not your own.

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her, either. But soon Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.
As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Can she save Varen from the madness taking hold of him? Or will they both be consumed by the shadows of his nightmares?

Short story: Casting Bones

Hi everyone!
As you may or may not know, there is a creative writing course on offer for MA students. I have written the following story for an assignment and decided I would share it here. The task was to come up with a story title (and then, of course, an actual story) to your initials. Mine being C.B., I eventually settled for Casting Bones. Comments, interpretations, and constructive criticism are much encouraged and appreciated! I hope you enjoy reading it.

Casting Bones
I fiddled around with my necklace, turning the whitish piece of bone round and round, following every nook and cranny with my fingers. It was my nervous habit. I had been trying to get rid of it for a while, but to no avail; so eventually, I figured: whatever, it’s better than biting your nails. The bone was smooth, polished first by years of rain, then by years of hanging on a leather cord around my neck and functioning as my talisman. Touching the piece of skeleton makes me feel grounded, firmly rooted within myself.