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Macadamian Pliers
Cherry’s heart crammed into her throat. She was alone with Mr. Pliers. Nobody to hide behind. She turned to see him filling the threshold of the room. He resembled a grotesque ill-fitting door carved into the shape of a black-suited golem. ‘The room,’ he clarified. ‘It’s the one I would have chosen. You have taste similar to mine. Lucky you.’ He turned and tilted so he could get into the room, an obsidian monolith with the power of movement. The top of his head brushed the ceiling. Suddenly the bedroom didn’t seem anywhere near big enough. ‘It’s the view, isn’t it?’ He chuckled then, a sound which made the ends of Cherry’s bones grind together. Phlegm and rust and sparks: these are the things she thought of when she heard that laugh. ‘I would gaze out of the window for hours, imagined I could pick up the little people as they went about their days and place them anywhere else if I wanted to. Drop them from a great height if it pleased me.’ He mimed the action with nimble pinching fingers, plucking a distant imaginary figure from a sidewalk and flinging them off towards the horizon. In Cherry’s mind there was a tiny scream. ‘I think you’re going to have quite a time in this house, Cherry. Don’t you?’
Macadamian Pliers is an unpleasant man with a hideous plan. He’s just sold a house to Emmet’s Peak’s newest family, and they’re about to find out it’s haunted. He made it that way.
In the first volume of a trilogy, Cherry and Frank Raine find themselves in a battle of wits and nerves against both the ghosts in their new home and the man who put them there. Cherry, physically and emotionally scarred by a car crash, must draw from within herself the strength to confront her fears and save her family. Frank must choose between taking responsibility for once or being led astray by firebug Jack, a local boy with a dark sense of fun. As the haunting escalates, Cherry discovers that other homes have been affected by the strange-shaped and evil-hearted Pliers, but what chance do a couple of kids have against such a man?
Macadamian Pliers is an unpleasant man with a hideous plan. He’s just sold a house to Emmet’s Peak’s newest family, and they’re about to find out it’s haunted. He made it that way.
In the first volume of a trilogy, Cherry and Frank Raine find themselves in a battle of wits and nerves against both the ghosts in their new home and the man who put them there. Cherry, physically and emotionally scarred by a car crash, must draw from within herself the strength to confront her fears and save her family. Frank must choose between taking responsibility for once or being led astray by firebug Jack, a local boy with a dark sense of fun. As the haunting escalates, Cherry discovers that other homes have been affected by the strange-shaped and evil-hearted Pliers, but what chance do a couple of kids have against such a man?
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2013
12 people want to read
About the author
Steve Conoboy
14 books26 followersBiography
Prologue : My parents met. (Prologues are never much use.)
Chapter One: I am born. The world blinks.
Chapter Two: I toddle. I am introduced to the works of Richard Scarry. The illustrations burn themselves into my tiny mind. This is followed by an intense interest in Winnie the Pooh and the Radio Times.
Chapter Three: Beanos and Dandys and tape recorders enter my life. I read the comic strips aloud, record these performances. Leads to writing my own stories, which are mostly about spaceships or murderous snakes.
Chapter Four: Santa brings a Commodore 64. Writing is forgotten.
Chapter Five: Teenage nerdism strikes. Dragonlance Chronicles are read. An attempt is made to copy them. Results are dreadful.
Chapter Six: Off to university to study ancient history and archaeology. Hat and whip not received. Compaints about this are ignored. University mostly a waste of time, apart from hours spent writing apocalyptic horror-comedy on 386 PC. It's great.
Chapter Seven: Apocalyptic horror-comedy sent out to literary agents. None are interested. Novel not great. Mostly a waste of time.
Chapter Eight: A long period filled with much writing and many submissions and plenty of rejection letters. Decide I can't stand prologues as they're never much use.
Chapter Nine: Short stories accepted by Polluto, Voluted Tales and Kzine. Prompts a vigorous interest in Kindle Direct Publishing. First release is Macadamian Pliers, YA horror with an emphasis on creepy, spooky and other ooky things.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Prologue : My parents met. (Prologues are never much use.)
Chapter One: I am born. The world blinks.
Chapter Two: I toddle. I am introduced to the works of Richard Scarry. The illustrations burn themselves into my tiny mind. This is followed by an intense interest in Winnie the Pooh and the Radio Times.
Chapter Three: Beanos and Dandys and tape recorders enter my life. I read the comic strips aloud, record these performances. Leads to writing my own stories, which are mostly about spaceships or murderous snakes.
Chapter Four: Santa brings a Commodore 64. Writing is forgotten.
Chapter Five: Teenage nerdism strikes. Dragonlance Chronicles are read. An attempt is made to copy them. Results are dreadful.
Chapter Six: Off to university to study ancient history and archaeology. Hat and whip not received. Compaints about this are ignored. University mostly a waste of time, apart from hours spent writing apocalyptic horror-comedy on 386 PC. It's great.
Chapter Seven: Apocalyptic horror-comedy sent out to literary agents. None are interested. Novel not great. Mostly a waste of time.
Chapter Eight: A long period filled with much writing and many submissions and plenty of rejection letters. Decide I can't stand prologues as they're never much use.
Chapter Nine: Short stories accepted by Polluto, Voluted Tales and Kzine. Prompts a vigorous interest in Kindle Direct Publishing. First release is Macadamian Pliers, YA horror with an emphasis on creepy, spooky and other ooky things.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 30, 2013
I had Macadamian Pliers free on kindle during a Halloween promotion that I spotted on Twitter. I don't usually read YA fiction but I was intrigued by the book's title - it's the name of the sinister estate agent in the story.
It took me a while to get into the story,(30%), most likely because it is actually aimed at a YA audience, but I liked the author's style from the beginning. Most of the chapters are short, some are very short, and are told mainly from the heroine, Cherry Raine's point of view, and Macadamian Plier's point of view.
You can read a sysnopsis of the story on Amazon so I won't go into detail here, suffice to say, I thought it was an original premise and a good read. It was also quite funny in places, particularly towards the end when Pliers is losing the plot.
Macadamian Pliers, love the name.
It took me a while to get into the story,(30%), most likely because it is actually aimed at a YA audience, but I liked the author's style from the beginning. Most of the chapters are short, some are very short, and are told mainly from the heroine, Cherry Raine's point of view, and Macadamian Plier's point of view.
You can read a sysnopsis of the story on Amazon so I won't go into detail here, suffice to say, I thought it was an original premise and a good read. It was also quite funny in places, particularly towards the end when Pliers is losing the plot.
Macadamian Pliers, love the name.
October 24, 2017
Macadamian Pliers by Steve Conoboy
A young girl scarred by tragedy finds herself in a battle for both her and her family's survival against a ruthless enemy in the YA Paranormal
novel Macadamian Pliers by Steve Conoboy. Full of YA humor and drama and a chilling villain named Macadamian Pliers, this novel was a thrill to
read. Here is the synopsis:
Cherry’s heart crammed into her throat. She was alone with Mr. Pliers. Nobody to hide behind. She turned to see him filling the threshold of the room. He resembled a grotesque ill-fitting door carved into the shape of a black-suited golem. ‘The room,’ he clarified. ‘It’s the one I would have chosen. You have taste similar to mine. Lucky you.’ He turned and tilted so he could get into the room, an obsidian monolith with the power of movement. The top of his head brushed the ceiling. Suddenly the bedroom didn’t seem anywhere near big enough. ‘It’s the view, isn’t it?’ He chuckled then, a sound which made the ends of Cherry’s bones grind together. Phlegm and rust and sparks: these are the things she thought of when she heard that laugh. ‘I would gaze out of the window for hours, imagined I could pick up the little people as they went about their days and place them anywhere else if I wanted to. Drop them from a great height if it pleased me.’ He mimed the action with nimble pinching fingers, plucking a distant imaginary figure from a sidewalk and flinging them off towards the horizon. In Cherry’s mind there was a tiny scream. ‘I think you’re going to have quite a time in this house, Cherry. Don’t you?’
Macadamian Pliers is an unpleasant man with a hideous plan. He’s just sold a house to Emmet’s Peak’s newest family, and they’re about to find out it’s haunted. He made it that way.
In the first volume of a trilogy, Cherry and Frank Raine find themselves in a battle of wits and nerves against both the ghosts in their new home and the man who put them there. Cherry, physically and emotionally scarred by a car crash, must draw from within herself the strength to confront her fears and save her family. Frank must choose between taking responsibility for once or being led astray by firebug Jack, a local boy with a dark sense of fun. As the haunting escalates, Cherry discovers that other homes have been affected by the strange-shaped and evil-hearted Pliers, but what chance do a couple of kids have against such a man?
The story was so intriguing. From the first pages you know that Macadamian Pliers is going to be a force to be reckoned with. He kind of reminded
me of Leland Gaunt from Stephen King's Needful Things, promising a vulnerable family the promise for great changes only to hide a much more
sinister plot from their purview. A macabre man with an unusual trade business, he slinks through the shadows and appears to most as the kindly
salesman with the promise of hope, but Cherry sees past his disguise and recognizes an unsettling presence has invaded her life.
The characters are the biggest stand out for me in this novel. Not only is Macadamian Pliers a bone-chilling character to read, but the struggle
to be heard and to be believed is something most of us can identify with at one point or another in our lives, and Cherry's struggle to fit in
and not bullied is a story that tugs on the heartstrings. When you delve into her past and learn the tragedy that led her to this new home, you'll
heart will crumble and you'll find yourself rooting for her more and more as the pages go on. The imagery was vivid and the setting made me feel
as if I was reading the novelization of a teen horror film.
Overall this was a wonderful read. Full of suspense, drama and bone-headed humor one would expect to find from a much younger sibling, Macadamian
Pliers by Steve Conoboy is a hit YA novel that all YA fans should read. If you guys haven't yet be sure to get your copy today!
Rating: 8/10
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/161...
A young girl scarred by tragedy finds herself in a battle for both her and her family's survival against a ruthless enemy in the YA Paranormal
novel Macadamian Pliers by Steve Conoboy. Full of YA humor and drama and a chilling villain named Macadamian Pliers, this novel was a thrill to
read. Here is the synopsis:
Cherry’s heart crammed into her throat. She was alone with Mr. Pliers. Nobody to hide behind. She turned to see him filling the threshold of the room. He resembled a grotesque ill-fitting door carved into the shape of a black-suited golem. ‘The room,’ he clarified. ‘It’s the one I would have chosen. You have taste similar to mine. Lucky you.’ He turned and tilted so he could get into the room, an obsidian monolith with the power of movement. The top of his head brushed the ceiling. Suddenly the bedroom didn’t seem anywhere near big enough. ‘It’s the view, isn’t it?’ He chuckled then, a sound which made the ends of Cherry’s bones grind together. Phlegm and rust and sparks: these are the things she thought of when she heard that laugh. ‘I would gaze out of the window for hours, imagined I could pick up the little people as they went about their days and place them anywhere else if I wanted to. Drop them from a great height if it pleased me.’ He mimed the action with nimble pinching fingers, plucking a distant imaginary figure from a sidewalk and flinging them off towards the horizon. In Cherry’s mind there was a tiny scream. ‘I think you’re going to have quite a time in this house, Cherry. Don’t you?’
Macadamian Pliers is an unpleasant man with a hideous plan. He’s just sold a house to Emmet’s Peak’s newest family, and they’re about to find out it’s haunted. He made it that way.
In the first volume of a trilogy, Cherry and Frank Raine find themselves in a battle of wits and nerves against both the ghosts in their new home and the man who put them there. Cherry, physically and emotionally scarred by a car crash, must draw from within herself the strength to confront her fears and save her family. Frank must choose between taking responsibility for once or being led astray by firebug Jack, a local boy with a dark sense of fun. As the haunting escalates, Cherry discovers that other homes have been affected by the strange-shaped and evil-hearted Pliers, but what chance do a couple of kids have against such a man?
The story was so intriguing. From the first pages you know that Macadamian Pliers is going to be a force to be reckoned with. He kind of reminded
me of Leland Gaunt from Stephen King's Needful Things, promising a vulnerable family the promise for great changes only to hide a much more
sinister plot from their purview. A macabre man with an unusual trade business, he slinks through the shadows and appears to most as the kindly
salesman with the promise of hope, but Cherry sees past his disguise and recognizes an unsettling presence has invaded her life.
The characters are the biggest stand out for me in this novel. Not only is Macadamian Pliers a bone-chilling character to read, but the struggle
to be heard and to be believed is something most of us can identify with at one point or another in our lives, and Cherry's struggle to fit in
and not bullied is a story that tugs on the heartstrings. When you delve into her past and learn the tragedy that led her to this new home, you'll
heart will crumble and you'll find yourself rooting for her more and more as the pages go on. The imagery was vivid and the setting made me feel
as if I was reading the novelization of a teen horror film.
Overall this was a wonderful read. Full of suspense, drama and bone-headed humor one would expect to find from a much younger sibling, Macadamian
Pliers by Steve Conoboy is a hit YA novel that all YA fans should read. If you guys haven't yet be sure to get your copy today!
Rating: 8/10
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/161...
March 16, 2017
This book has a strange and awesome title and an equally awesome story. There is no way for you not to be caught up in this freaky mystery. Cherry Rains and her family are moving into a new house half a state away. She plans on never calling it home, as moving was never her idea. Her goofy brother, Frank, has already tried to claim the attic as his bedroom. Thankfully, she won’t have to listen to him stomping overhead every night, since Mom vetoed that plan.
Not only is Cherry upset about the move, but the realtor is a real creep, too. He has a strange body shape, seems to walk around on silent, kitty feet, appearing near her when she is most vulnerable and alone, has a wicked missing eye, and the other eye stares mercilessly at her. Don’t forget the long, knobby fingers that are never still. Cherry is truly frightened when she notices him standing outside their house at night, his fingers moving rapidly or appearing to wave a stick. What could possibly be going on?
Frank, on the other hand, has found a new friend, Jack, and a haunted house! On the way to school they walk by and Cherry decides right then and there that she will never, ever go in. However, Jack and Frank are already plotting when they will take a peek. Adding more excitement to their lives, packing boxes begin to hop up and down, doors slam, and even a bathrobe assumes the shape of a human and floats towards them. When Mom receives a nasty bite on her arm, Cherry decides she has had enough. There must be some way to rid themselves of these nasty spirits. She enlists Frank and Jack to help her research ghosts and other scary things. She’s stunned to find that there seems to be an overabundance of these in town.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. The characters are so engrossing that I enjoyed pursuing the story of each one. They are all interestingly intertwined to give us an engrossing tale. This is not your usual woo-oooo story; at no time was I creeped out, bored, or wishing it would just end. This has a cliffhanger ending, but a sequel is not mentioned. I was fine with the end, since it all came together nicely, but you do have to wonder…*a little Twilight Zone music here, please*
Now for the rating:
Genre and general reading age – Paranormal mystery for older teens and adults.
Level of sexuality – None.
Is there graphic language – Very low.
Did I cry? No.
Did I laugh? No.
Is this part of a series? This was published in January 2017 and there is no mention of a sequel.
Level of character development – Nicely done. The kids are a bit quirky, but it’s entertaining and aren’t kids always that way?
I gladly give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.
Not only is Cherry upset about the move, but the realtor is a real creep, too. He has a strange body shape, seems to walk around on silent, kitty feet, appearing near her when she is most vulnerable and alone, has a wicked missing eye, and the other eye stares mercilessly at her. Don’t forget the long, knobby fingers that are never still. Cherry is truly frightened when she notices him standing outside their house at night, his fingers moving rapidly or appearing to wave a stick. What could possibly be going on?
Frank, on the other hand, has found a new friend, Jack, and a haunted house! On the way to school they walk by and Cherry decides right then and there that she will never, ever go in. However, Jack and Frank are already plotting when they will take a peek. Adding more excitement to their lives, packing boxes begin to hop up and down, doors slam, and even a bathrobe assumes the shape of a human and floats towards them. When Mom receives a nasty bite on her arm, Cherry decides she has had enough. There must be some way to rid themselves of these nasty spirits. She enlists Frank and Jack to help her research ghosts and other scary things. She’s stunned to find that there seems to be an overabundance of these in town.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. The characters are so engrossing that I enjoyed pursuing the story of each one. They are all interestingly intertwined to give us an engrossing tale. This is not your usual woo-oooo story; at no time was I creeped out, bored, or wishing it would just end. This has a cliffhanger ending, but a sequel is not mentioned. I was fine with the end, since it all came together nicely, but you do have to wonder…*a little Twilight Zone music here, please*
Now for the rating:
Genre and general reading age – Paranormal mystery for older teens and adults.
Level of sexuality – None.
Is there graphic language – Very low.
Did I cry? No.
Did I laugh? No.
Is this part of a series? This was published in January 2017 and there is no mention of a sequel.
Level of character development – Nicely done. The kids are a bit quirky, but it’s entertaining and aren’t kids always that way?
I gladly give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.
October 21, 2017
Rather, it was his strange size and peculiar shape, and the unpleasant tilt to his smirking smile, and the unwavering intensity of his remaining eye, and the grinding gears texture of his voice, and the angled face that looked as if it was not born of humankind but hammered out instead in a metalwork class, and the deep crease of his thin eyebrows, and a wealth of other wrongnesses that Cherry couldn’t name that turned her insides to water.
Macadamian Pliers is a YA fiction, thriller I think? Not gonna put my head on the line about that though.
Anyway. We follow the life of this young girl, Cherry Raines, and her family. They’ve bought a house from Macadamian Pliers. Everyone else seems to be thrilled to move in except Cherry. She doesn’t want to move to this new town or even to this new house and Macadamian ain’t helping. He’s one terrifying looking man with that grinding voice and one eye of his. And maybe Cherry is right with the fact that they shouldn’t move. What’s going to happen in that new house of theirs? What’s going to happen to the lives of Cherry and her family?
So i received this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book as well as the not so usual name of the book. But to be honest, it wasn’t that intriguing for me. It left me with meh and without any notes, I might not even remember anything I’ve read. Well, some of that can be blamed to the fact that it took me forever to get through this book.
It’s told in multiple POVs, actually we can see the sides of almost everyone in this book. I’m still not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. It would have been enough with only Macadamian and Cherry’s POVs and some of the chapters felt a little pointless, more like stuffing for the book to make it longer.
The first maybe half of the book kept my interest and I wanted to just read and know what’s the thing with Macadamian and what’s going on everywhere. But after that it kept dragging along what felt like forever. For me I think it could have been way shorter book and it could have ended a lot before than it did.
There were some things that felt super pointless for the story. I still don’t understand the reason those had to be in the book. For example there’s this girl with her minions that keeps bullying Cherry couple of times, even at the end of the book. And why? I really have absolutely no idea what is the point of that being in the story.
All in all, it was pretty meh of a book for me. Even with more time to read, I don’t think I could have dragged myself through it any quicker. But this would be good book for someone to read during fall time. Someone who wants to read some thriller but it’s scared easily. This will fit for fall read but it’s not going to be scary one.
Macadamian Pliers is a YA fiction, thriller I think? Not gonna put my head on the line about that though.
Anyway. We follow the life of this young girl, Cherry Raines, and her family. They’ve bought a house from Macadamian Pliers. Everyone else seems to be thrilled to move in except Cherry. She doesn’t want to move to this new town or even to this new house and Macadamian ain’t helping. He’s one terrifying looking man with that grinding voice and one eye of his. And maybe Cherry is right with the fact that they shouldn’t move. What’s going to happen in that new house of theirs? What’s going to happen to the lives of Cherry and her family?
So i received this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book as well as the not so usual name of the book. But to be honest, it wasn’t that intriguing for me. It left me with meh and without any notes, I might not even remember anything I’ve read. Well, some of that can be blamed to the fact that it took me forever to get through this book.
It’s told in multiple POVs, actually we can see the sides of almost everyone in this book. I’m still not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. It would have been enough with only Macadamian and Cherry’s POVs and some of the chapters felt a little pointless, more like stuffing for the book to make it longer.
The first maybe half of the book kept my interest and I wanted to just read and know what’s the thing with Macadamian and what’s going on everywhere. But after that it kept dragging along what felt like forever. For me I think it could have been way shorter book and it could have ended a lot before than it did.
There were some things that felt super pointless for the story. I still don’t understand the reason those had to be in the book. For example there’s this girl with her minions that keeps bullying Cherry couple of times, even at the end of the book. And why? I really have absolutely no idea what is the point of that being in the story.
All in all, it was pretty meh of a book for me. Even with more time to read, I don’t think I could have dragged myself through it any quicker. But this would be good book for someone to read during fall time. Someone who wants to read some thriller but it’s scared easily. This will fit for fall read but it’s not going to be scary one.
July 15, 2015
Superb! Full review here http://selfpublishersshowcase.com/rev...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews