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Flesh and Blood

Simon Cheshire

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Oct 10, 2015 M.J. Mallon rated it liked it

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/201...

Rating: 3.75 stars.

#RedEyeReadAlong – 12/10/2015 – 18/10/2015

I've been reading several horror novels in the #redeyereadalong on Goodreads, this is the third book in the series from Stripes Publishing that I have read, enjoyed, (if that's the right word!) and reviewed. During this week's #RedEyeReadAlong – 12/10/2015 – 18/10/2015, I've been immersed in Flesh and Blood. Oops that doesn't sound right, let's hastily change that to I've been reading Flesh and https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/201...

Rating: 3.75 stars.

#RedEyeReadAlong – 12/10/2015 – 18/10/2015

I've been reading several horror novels in the #redeyereadalong on Goodreads, this is the third book in the series from Stripes Publishing that I have read, enjoyed, (if that's the right word!) and reviewed. During this week's #RedEyeReadAlong – 12/10/2015 – 18/10/2015, I've been immersed in Flesh and Blood. Oops that doesn't sound right, let's hastily change that to I've been reading Flesh and Blood!

Flesh and Blood kind of lives up to expectations in terms of its title - this is a pretty gruesome horror read. The central theme of Flesh and Blood is not ghosts, scary dolls, vampires, witches or demons, it focusses on warped people, doing some disgustingly deplorable actions. In my opinion this makes it a harder to take read, we can't blame it on a fantasy element, it's the human race that's well and truly screwed up! So this is a horror read for those who like their horror choc-a-bloc full of gore.

The beginning starts of fairly slow, fooling the reader into thinking that perhaps nothing too horrible can possibly happen in the apparent heavenly suburbia of Hadlington. But even then there are huge hints that horrendous things are about to happen. A dead guy is found in the park on Sam's first day at his new school and the state he is in isn't exactly picnic viewing. Put it this way a lot of the kids from school who see his dead body are offered counselling afterwards. Nearby in an area known as Elton Gardens there is gang activity, giving the snobby kids and their parents a ready scapegoat for the murdered guy. This is a fast paced read which explores class differences, snobbery, and reminding me of the cruelty perpetrated in the Second World War. It manages to do this all in a neatly packaged horror format. I have to admit to turning pages in a desperate need to find out what happened in the end, (the ending is no picnic either.) Somehow, the ending left me feeling rather depressed!! Though in its defence the ending rocked, it was undoubtedly the strongest conclusion but don't expect a cheerful read !! Hey this is horror!! Overall, I would say that Flesh and Blood is a well crafted story but I have a slight personal preference for Frozen Charlotte and Sleepless in the books I have read up to now in the #redeyereadalong.

The main reason why?

Due to Sam's interest in journalism, and his narrating the story, the reader can expect a fair amount of telling in this novel. At times this narrative device just annoyed and distanced me from the story. At a particularly pivotal point in Flesh and Blood Sam told the reader exactly what was going to happen next, and I was just staring at the page and wondering why, why, why? I found it difficult to identify with the main character Sam Hunter possibly due to this and some of his actions though understandable under the circumstances nevertheless came across as pretty heartless. So if Sam ended up in deep water I didn't really care as much as I should have done if he'd been more likeable. In fact I think I identified more strongly with his nerdy friends, Liam and Jo, who he leads into trouble, and I ended up feeling very sorry for them. Of all the characters Emma Greenhill, Sam's neighbour, and the Greenhill's in general captured the full focus of my attention with Emma's sweet perfection at the beginning evolving into something else entirely.

Apart from the above points Simon Cheshire wove a clever story, and kept me entertained all the way through, though it was pretty gruesome in parts, and definitely not for the younger reader or those who don't like gore!

There is a warning on the back of the book about Flesh and Blood not being suitable for younger readers which is undoubtedly justified.

A bit mixed feelings about this one, a highly compulsive read, with an ending that doesn't hold back, bringing Sam's narrating to a conclusion which leaves you with a sick feeling lodged in the pit of your stomach, so BEWARE it might not be for everyone.. Possibly I'm too much of a horror novice to cope!!! EEK!
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Aug 10, 2015 Heather Lawson rated it really liked it

Originally posted here: https://heatherreviews.wordpress.com/...
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This is the third book in the Red Eye series from Stripes publishing, but it’s only the second one that I’ve read. While the first one kept me up at night and made me want to check under my bed for monsters and sleep with the light on, this one was more subtle than that. It didn’t so much scare me as seriously creep me out!

Sam Hunter wants to be a journalist when he’s older. He’s just moved to a new Originally posted here: https://heatherreviews.wordpress.com/...
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This is the third book in the Red Eye series from Stripes publishing, but it’s only the second one that I’ve read. While the first one kept me up at night and made me want to check under my bed for monsters and sleep with the light on, this one was more subtle than that. It didn’t so much scare me as seriously creep me out!

Sam Hunter wants to be a journalist when he’s older. He’s just moved to a new town after his dad finally hit it big with one of his songs. They live in a quiet little cul-de-sac with cheerful neighbours… and a slightly creepy, old mansion. While Sam is making new friends at school, he’s told that the house belongs to the Greenhill’s, respectable doctors and pillars of the community. They sound like wonderful people, but something doesn’t add up and Sam becomes determined to find out what after he witnesses a dark shape in their garden one night.

This book is one of those ones that doesn’t openly scare you. It draws you in and very slowly reveals new and horrifying things that give you chills. The family that seem to be so friendly and wonderful people definitely have a lot of secrets. I loved how Sam just knows straight away that something is wrong, and then struggles to get people to believe him – even his new friends.

Then people from the rough estate, Elton Gardens, start to go missing or show up dead. Scary as this is, what follows is worse.

Emma Greenhill, the beautiful and popular daughter of the family that lives in Bierce Priory (the creepy mansion in the cul-de-sac) befriends Sam and lulls him into a false sense of security. Even if her family is somehow responsible for what’s going on in the town, she couldn’t be involved… right?

As things reach boiling point, Sam knows he’s right but he has to prove it. Taking his two friends, who are now firmly in his corner, they break into Bierce Priory to find the evidence they need to make sure the Greenhills don’t hurt anyone else. But what they find… well, it’s not pleasant.

The ending to this book was great. Really great. I was on the edge of my seat, desperate to see what they would find and how they would get out again. For me, the whole story was a great set up to this point. The murders, the disappearances, Sam’s determined hunting of facts… it had led to this moment and I was dying (excuse the pun) to find out what happened!

Cheshire certainly knows how to lull a reader into a false sense of security. Even I was doubting Sam at certain points of the story. The Greenhills are so nice, they couldn’t possibly be responsible for what was happening in their town… but wait, yes, that was definitely weird, go get them Sam! (genuine thought process while reading).

Though more subtle in the scares than the other books I’ve read in the Red Eye series, this one will definitely have you looking at your neighbours funny for days! A great, creepy, thrill ride. ...more

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Dec 19, 2014 Charlotte marked it as to-read

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