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Monster
At sixteen Nash thought that the fight to become Head Girl of prestigious boarding school Bathory would be the biggest battle she’d face. Until her brother’s disappearance leads to Nash being trapped at the school over Christmas with Bathory’s assorted misfits. As a blizzard rages outside, strange things are afoot in the school’s hallways, and legends of the mysterious Beast of Bathory – a big cat rumoured to room the moors outside the school – run wild. Yet when the girls’ Matron goes missing it’s clear that something altogether darker is to blame – and that they’ll have to stick together if they hope to survive.
‘It’s so good, I’d recommend it to people I don’t like’ – Kevin Brooks on Pretty Bad Things
‘It’s so good, I’d recommend it to people I don’t like’ – Kevin Brooks on Pretty Bad Things
320 pages, Unknown Binding
First published September 24, 2015
25 people are currently reading
1428 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Skuse
17 books846 followersC.J. SKUSE is the author of the Young Adult novels PRETTY BAD THINGS, ROCKOHOLIC and DEAD ROMANTIC (Chicken House), MONSTER and THE DEVIANTS (Mira Ink). She was born in 1980 in Weston-super-Mare, England. She has First Class degrees in Creative Writing and Writing for Children and, aside from writing novels lectures in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. C.J. is currently working on adult novel SWEETPEA for HQ/HarperCollins (out April 2017).
C.J. loves Masterchef, Gummy Bears and murder sites. She hates carnivals, hard-boiled eggs and coughing. The movies Titanic, My Best Friend's Wedding and Ruby Sparks were all probably based on her ideas; she just didn't get to write them down in time. Before she dies, she would like to go to Japan, try clay-pigeon shooting and have Ryan Gosling present her with the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
You can find C.J. Skuse on Facebook or on Twitter www.twitter.com/CeejaytheAuthor.
C.J. loves Masterchef, Gummy Bears and murder sites. She hates carnivals, hard-boiled eggs and coughing. The movies Titanic, My Best Friend's Wedding and Ruby Sparks were all probably based on her ideas; she just didn't get to write them down in time. Before she dies, she would like to go to Japan, try clay-pigeon shooting and have Ryan Gosling present her with the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
You can find C.J. Skuse on Facebook or on Twitter www.twitter.com/CeejaytheAuthor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
September 24, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Harlequin (UK) Limited and NetGalley.)
“Just stop with the Beast stuff. It’s getting really boring, okay?”
This was a YA horror/thriller story about a group of girls at a boarding school, and a monster!
Poor Nash had a lot to deal with in this book, with her brother missing, her classmates picking on her, the fight to be head-girl, and then a monster turning up, she really had way too much going on!
The storyline in this was pretty good, but the pace was a little too slow for me. I thought that this was going to turn into a paranormal story with the arrival of the ‘Beast’, but then it seemed to turn back into a regular thriller, so that was a little confusing.
There was a bit of romance in this, can’t say it ended well though.
The ending to this was okay, and the death count was higher than I expected! I also didn’t guess who the killer was!
6.5 out of 10
“Just stop with the Beast stuff. It’s getting really boring, okay?”
This was a YA horror/thriller story about a group of girls at a boarding school, and a monster!
Poor Nash had a lot to deal with in this book, with her brother missing, her classmates picking on her, the fight to be head-girl, and then a monster turning up, she really had way too much going on!
The storyline in this was pretty good, but the pace was a little too slow for me. I thought that this was going to turn into a paranormal story with the arrival of the ‘Beast’, but then it seemed to turn back into a regular thriller, so that was a little confusing.
There was a bit of romance in this, can’t say it ended well though.
The ending to this was okay, and the death count was higher than I expected! I also didn’t guess who the killer was!
6.5 out of 10
October 3, 2016
5 Words: boarding-school, monsters, family, friends, Christmas.
I absolutely loved this. I loved the tension and the fear and the humour. I loved the twists in the story. I also loved how parts were slightly predictable, but that those parts were so few and far between that I was always on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next.
When I was a teen, I loved reading about Big Cats. Specifically those that had been set free in the UK by their owners and were now stalking sheep and cattle. This book brought all of that back to me.
This book made me freezing cold, I read it all while wrapped up in a quilt. The setting, the atmosphere, it was all so vivid.
I loved how freaky it was, how funny it was, and how it really explored the whole concept of monsters. Overall it was a really good read.
03/10/2016 - It's definitely time for a reread!
I absolutely loved this. I loved the tension and the fear and the humour. I loved the twists in the story. I also loved how parts were slightly predictable, but that those parts were so few and far between that I was always on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next.
When I was a teen, I loved reading about Big Cats. Specifically those that had been set free in the UK by their owners and were now stalking sheep and cattle. This book brought all of that back to me.
This book made me freezing cold, I read it all while wrapped up in a quilt. The setting, the atmosphere, it was all so vivid.
I loved how freaky it was, how funny it was, and how it really explored the whole concept of monsters. Overall it was a really good read.
03/10/2016 - It's definitely time for a reread!
October 17, 2016
I love a thriller that keeps me guessing and Monster did exactly that.
Yes, I did guess the eventual outcome pretty early but despite that, there wasn't a moment where I didn't have a question about something or another and that's so much fun to read. I thought the characters in this were great and the setting was perfect for the story. It has some really chilling moments and definitely kept me turning the pages! There were a few points which I wasn't a fan of, a sixteen/seventeen year old sleeping with a twenty two year old convicted murderer being one of them?! But overall Monster was thrilling, dark, atmospheric and a great read.
Yes, I did guess the eventual outcome pretty early but despite that, there wasn't a moment where I didn't have a question about something or another and that's so much fun to read. I thought the characters in this were great and the setting was perfect for the story. It has some really chilling moments and definitely kept me turning the pages! There were a few points which I wasn't a fan of, a sixteen/seventeen year old sleeping with a twenty two year old convicted murderer being one of them?! But overall Monster was thrilling, dark, atmospheric and a great read.
September 2, 2020
Trường nữ sinh Bathory không chỉ nổi tiếng vì chất lượng giáo dục thuộc top đầu cả nước, vì khuôn viên trường rộng rãi hàng dặm vuông với kiến trúc tuyệt đẹp cùng lịch sử lâu đời, vì sự sắp xếp các học viên có nhiều nét tương đồng với Học viện phù thủy và pháp sư Hogwarts, vì cuộc đua giành chức Khối trưởng khốc liệt. Bathory còn được nhắc tới nhiều bởi sự hiện diện của một sinh vật khát máu đã tồn tại suốt hàng trăm năm ròng. Quái thú của Bathory. Hàm răng sắc nhọn, đôi mắt vàng rực; di chuyển lặng lẽ trong đêm, lẩn khuất trong những vòm cây và chỉ săn mồi vào những ngày đông buốt giá. Mùa đông năm nay, Quái thú đã trở lại, sẵn sàng cho những cuộc săn.
Nhân vật chính của Quái thú là Natasha, hay Nash – một nữ sinh kiểu mẫu, người đang phải hết mình guồng chân chạy trong cuộc đua giành chức Khối trưởng, hay chiếc vương miện nữ hoàng của riêng các nữ sinh trường Bathory. Bi kịch ập tới khi người anh trai mà cô hết mực yêu quý bất ngờ mất tích trong một chuyến thám hiểm tại Colombia, ngay trong những ngày Giáng sinh kề cận. Buộc phải lặn lội tìm kiếm ở tận Nam Mỹ xa xôi, bố mẹ Nash đành phải để cô ở lại trường trong suốt kỳ nghỉ dài đằng đẵng. Cùng chung hoàn cảnh như cô, Maggie, Dianna, Clarice, Regan và Tabby – những nữ sinh còn lại, cũng không thể trở về nhà. Và tất cả họ sắp sửa phải đối mặt với một cơn ác mộng.
Mắc kẹt trong bão tuyết, điện thoại và internet ngừng hoạt động, phía bên ngoài, Quái thú luôn gầm gừ đe dọa và quẩn quanh là một tên sát nhân đang lẩn trốn. Liệu Nash và nhóm bạn có thể vượt qua mọi sự, an toàn trở về với gia đình. Hay tất cả sẽ sớm trở thành miếng mồi béo bở cho giống loài máu lạnh, biến Giáng sinh trở ngày một ngày hội của máu tanh và chết chóc?
Những chương đầu của Quái thú chủ yếu xoay quanh đời sống học đường và cuộc đua giành chức Khối trưởng của Nash và nhóm bạn, với những ganh ghét, toan tính hay đời sống tình cảm của các nữ sinh – thứ mà mình không thực sự thích thú lắm nên cũng mất kha khá thời gian để đọc. Song ở những chương sau, với những vụ mất tích đầy bí ẩn, những dấu hiệu ngày một rõ ràng của con Quái thú, sự xuất hiện bất ngờ của tên sát nhân, nỗi sợ hãi tột cùng cũng như những nghi kỵ và hồ nghi dồn nén, câu chuyện đủ sức để níu chân và làm thỏa mãn mình.
Hơn bốn trăm trang truyện là một chuỗi hành trình ngập tràn trong nghi hoặc và kinh hoảng, cũng giống như lời giới thiệu ở bìa sau cuốn sách, Quái thú thực sự khiến mình “không thể ngừng phán đoán”. Quái thú có phải là thật hay chỉ là một huyền thoại? Anh trai Nash mất tích như thế nào? Ai là kẻ đứng sau những thi thể trên tuyết trắng? Hay, ai là kẻ nói dối? Phần đầu truyện, như mình đã nhận xét ở trên, tương đối chậm và chán, song những chương sau lại đặc biệt cuốn hút và thót tim, đặc biệt là ở những chương cuối truyện.
Mình rất thích cách tác giả lấy Giáng sinh – một kỳ nghỉ lễ dài ấm áp để làm nền cho câu chuyện. Sự đối lập giữa không khí Giáng sinh sum vầy thương yêu và nỗi cô độc của nhóm bạn Nash giữa ngôi trường trống vắng, càng khiến những bất hạnh mà Nash và bạn buộc phải đối mặt càng trở nên bi kịch. Những bộ phim kinh dị, những câu chuyện giật gân lấy bối cảnh Giáng sinh không phải là hiếm, song chắc có lẽ là lần đầu tiên tiếp xúc với một câu chuyện như vậy, nên bản thân mình cảm thấy khá là ấn tượng.
Tuy đánh giá cao phần bối cảnh và tạo dựng không khí, song xây dựng tình tiết truyện dường như không phải là một điểm sáng của Quái thú. Kết truyện dễ đoán, khó gây được những bất ngờ. Nhiều tình tiết theo mình là tương đối vô lý, chẳng hạn như việc chỉ có sáu nữ sinh, một trẻ em và một giáo viên ở lại trường giữa chốn đồng không mông quạnh, không có lấy một chút đảm bảo an ninh, càng vô lý hơn khi mà toàn bộ điện thoại thì bị tịch thu còn internet thì bị cắt, ngay trong cảnh bão tuyết trắng trời và trước đó đã xuất hiện hàng loạt những cảnh báo nguy hiểm về cái chết bí ẩn của những cư dân trong khu vực. Đây quả thực là một điểm trừ cực kỳ đáng tiếc.
Đặt nhan đề là Quái thú, diễn biến truyện chủ yếu cũng đều xoay quanh con Quái thú vùng Bathory bí ẩn, song mình không nghĩ câu chuyện lại quá mức đơn giản tới vậy. Quái thú dường như là một sự ẩn dụ tinh tế cho phần đen tối sâu thẳm nhất trong trái tim của mỗi con người, luôn chực chờ cơ hội để được phá lồng đào thoát. Và chính bởi lẽ đó, mình đồ rằng trong chúng ta tất thảy đều đang nấp náu một con quái thú. Việc nó sẽ bảo vệ, hay hủy hoại, hoàn toàn là do chính bản thân ta. Đánh giá: 3.75/5 sao.
Nhân vật chính của Quái thú là Natasha, hay Nash – một nữ sinh kiểu mẫu, người đang phải hết mình guồng chân chạy trong cuộc đua giành chức Khối trưởng, hay chiếc vương miện nữ hoàng của riêng các nữ sinh trường Bathory. Bi kịch ập tới khi người anh trai mà cô hết mực yêu quý bất ngờ mất tích trong một chuyến thám hiểm tại Colombia, ngay trong những ngày Giáng sinh kề cận. Buộc phải lặn lội tìm kiếm ở tận Nam Mỹ xa xôi, bố mẹ Nash đành phải để cô ở lại trường trong suốt kỳ nghỉ dài đằng đẵng. Cùng chung hoàn cảnh như cô, Maggie, Dianna, Clarice, Regan và Tabby – những nữ sinh còn lại, cũng không thể trở về nhà. Và tất cả họ sắp sửa phải đối mặt với một cơn ác mộng.
Mắc kẹt trong bão tuyết, điện thoại và internet ngừng hoạt động, phía bên ngoài, Quái thú luôn gầm gừ đe dọa và quẩn quanh là một tên sát nhân đang lẩn trốn. Liệu Nash và nhóm bạn có thể vượt qua mọi sự, an toàn trở về với gia đình. Hay tất cả sẽ sớm trở thành miếng mồi béo bở cho giống loài máu lạnh, biến Giáng sinh trở ngày một ngày hội của máu tanh và chết chóc?
Những chương đầu của Quái thú chủ yếu xoay quanh đời sống học đường và cuộc đua giành chức Khối trưởng của Nash và nhóm bạn, với những ganh ghét, toan tính hay đời sống tình cảm của các nữ sinh – thứ mà mình không thực sự thích thú lắm nên cũng mất kha khá thời gian để đọc. Song ở những chương sau, với những vụ mất tích đầy bí ẩn, những dấu hiệu ngày một rõ ràng của con Quái thú, sự xuất hiện bất ngờ của tên sát nhân, nỗi sợ hãi tột cùng cũng như những nghi kỵ và hồ nghi dồn nén, câu chuyện đủ sức để níu chân và làm thỏa mãn mình.
Hơn bốn trăm trang truyện là một chuỗi hành trình ngập tràn trong nghi hoặc và kinh hoảng, cũng giống như lời giới thiệu ở bìa sau cuốn sách, Quái thú thực sự khiến mình “không thể ngừng phán đoán”. Quái thú có phải là thật hay chỉ là một huyền thoại? Anh trai Nash mất tích như thế nào? Ai là kẻ đứng sau những thi thể trên tuyết trắng? Hay, ai là kẻ nói dối? Phần đầu truyện, như mình đã nhận xét ở trên, tương đối chậm và chán, song những chương sau lại đặc biệt cuốn hút và thót tim, đặc biệt là ở những chương cuối truyện.
Mình rất thích cách tác giả lấy Giáng sinh – một kỳ nghỉ lễ dài ấm áp để làm nền cho câu chuyện. Sự đối lập giữa không khí Giáng sinh sum vầy thương yêu và nỗi cô độc của nhóm bạn Nash giữa ngôi trường trống vắng, càng khiến những bất hạnh mà Nash và bạn buộc phải đối mặt càng trở nên bi kịch. Những bộ phim kinh dị, những câu chuyện giật gân lấy bối cảnh Giáng sinh không phải là hiếm, song chắc có lẽ là lần đầu tiên tiếp xúc với một câu chuyện như vậy, nên bản thân mình cảm thấy khá là ấn tượng.
Tuy đánh giá cao phần bối cảnh và tạo dựng không khí, song xây dựng tình tiết truyện dường như không phải là một điểm sáng của Quái thú. Kết truyện dễ đoán, khó gây được những bất ngờ. Nhiều tình tiết theo mình là tương đối vô lý, chẳng hạn như việc chỉ có sáu nữ sinh, một trẻ em và một giáo viên ở lại trường giữa chốn đồng không mông quạnh, không có lấy một chút đảm bảo an ninh, càng vô lý hơn khi mà toàn bộ điện thoại thì bị tịch thu còn internet thì bị cắt, ngay trong cảnh bão tuyết trắng trời và trước đó đã xuất hiện hàng loạt những cảnh báo nguy hiểm về cái chết bí ẩn của những cư dân trong khu vực. Đây quả thực là một điểm trừ cực kỳ đáng tiếc.
Đặt nhan đề là Quái thú, diễn biến truyện chủ yếu cũng đều xoay quanh con Quái thú vùng Bathory bí ẩn, song mình không nghĩ câu chuyện lại quá mức đơn giản tới vậy. Quái thú dường như là một sự ẩn dụ tinh tế cho phần đen tối sâu thẳm nhất trong trái tim của mỗi con người, luôn chực chờ cơ hội để được phá lồng đào thoát. Và chính bởi lẽ đó, mình đồ rằng trong chúng ta tất thảy đều đang nấp náu một con quái thú. Việc nó sẽ bảo vệ, hay hủy hoại, hoàn toàn là do chính bản thân ta. Đánh giá: 3.75/5 sao.
October 14, 2015
Rating: 4.5/5
This review can also be found on my blog, Dana and the Books.
Nash wants nothing more than to be appointed Head Girl at Bathory. However, when her brother goes missing Nash's parents go looking him, causing Nash to stay at the boarding school over Christmas holiday along with several other of the school's misfits. The myth of the violent Bathory Beast is in everyone's thoughts as a man in the village is brutally murdered and their matron disappears during the raging blizzard. Tensions run high and terror runs wild!
From the first page, an underlying eerie feeling was present. You could tell it wasn't going to be your ordinary boarding school story with squabbles over boys; you knew it was going to get dark.
About halfway through it got REALLY CREEPY. Seriously, really really creepy. Maybe it's just me and my inability to watch horror movies (I blame the 1999 movie The Haunting, which I was stupid enough to go see in theatres and that messed me up for years), but I found the plot hide-under-a-blanket scary.
While reading, I had a few theories, all of which were wrong. I'm quite glad I didn't guess the outcome. It would have anti-climactic if it ended and I was like: "Oh, well I could have told you that."
I loved Nash. She was level headed, but still acted exactly how you'd expect a teenager to react in this situation.
Monster is the first novel I've read from C.J. Skuse and I am so excited to check out the rest of her work!
I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
This review can also be found on my blog, Dana and the Books.
Nash wants nothing more than to be appointed Head Girl at Bathory. However, when her brother goes missing Nash's parents go looking him, causing Nash to stay at the boarding school over Christmas holiday along with several other of the school's misfits. The myth of the violent Bathory Beast is in everyone's thoughts as a man in the village is brutally murdered and their matron disappears during the raging blizzard. Tensions run high and terror runs wild!
From the first page, an underlying eerie feeling was present. You could tell it wasn't going to be your ordinary boarding school story with squabbles over boys; you knew it was going to get dark.
About halfway through it got REALLY CREEPY. Seriously, really really creepy. Maybe it's just me and my inability to watch horror movies (I blame the 1999 movie The Haunting, which I was stupid enough to go see in theatres and that messed me up for years), but I found the plot hide-under-a-blanket scary.
While reading, I had a few theories, all of which were wrong. I'm quite glad I didn't guess the outcome. It would have anti-climactic if it ended and I was like: "Oh, well I could have told you that."
I loved Nash. She was level headed, but still acted exactly how you'd expect a teenager to react in this situation.
Monster is the first novel I've read from C.J. Skuse and I am so excited to check out the rest of her work!
I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
August 6, 2021
Được phết đấy chứ!!! 3,5/5; trên này thì rate luôn 4 cho phấn khởi. Không quá dề dà hay hường phấn hay ảo ma canada, trái lại khá dễ thương, thực tế và cú chốt hạ khá ổn. Được!
Mình rất thích kiểu đọc mấy quyển chìm chìm mà lại thấy khá thú vị như zầy :3 không đến nỗi quá xuất sắc, nhưng ít nhất cũng phải hay ho gấp 10 lần Tơ Đồng Rỏ Máu.
Mình rất thích kiểu đọc mấy quyển chìm chìm mà lại thấy khá thú vị như zầy :3 không đến nỗi quá xuất sắc, nhưng ít nhất cũng phải hay ho gấp 10 lần Tơ Đồng Rỏ Máu.
October 21, 2019
Uiii hay thật là hay anh em ơi, kiểu hồi hộp dồn dập luôn ấy, có mấy đoạn tim đập thình thịch phải ngồi hẳn dậy đọc mới chịu được 😂 Không hiểu sao đọc cuốn này tớ cứ cảm giác như đang xem phim, trong đầu cứ chạy mấy cảnh phim với mấy cô tóc vàng xinh đẹp ấy 😂
Vâng, và lần này Chi linh cảm được nhân vật kinh hoàng là ai ngay từ đầu sách, nhưng kết ok phết.
Đọc Halloween đỉnh ạ.
Vâng, và lần này Chi linh cảm được nhân vật kinh hoàng là ai ngay từ đầu sách, nhưng kết ok phết.
Đọc Halloween đỉnh ạ.
October 5, 2015
Monster is a gripping mystery driven YA thriller that builds in ferocity with the turn of each page. The book starts off with a slower pace as C.J. Skuse sets the scene with a contemporary Hogwarts- esque type boarding school, an isolated snowy landscape and legend of a killer beast prowling in the school’s grounds.
There is so much intrigue and mystery surrounding the Beast of Bathory that as a reader I was never sure what to believe. I mainly read this at night before bed which was a poor life choice on my part! This book properly freaked me out and played on my mind at times. It’s perfect for fans of James Dawson or anyone looking for a good Halloween read.
The book follows Nash and a group of other girls, some who she’s friendly with and others who she’s not, as they stay behind at boarding school over the Christmas break and things start to go very, very wrong. Once again C.J has created a group of characters who read like real teenagers which is one of the many things that I love about her as a writer. In true C.J fashion there is buckets of hilarious banter between the group – even when things are looking ominous. My personal favourite of the girls was Maggie, an absolute cracker of a character who delivers the best one-liners at the most inappropriate times.
Monster is on point with its plotting - all too often with thrillers I find myself left with loose ends and questions but everything has a place here that is revealed throughout the book rather than with a rushed explanation at the end which I really liked.
Overall Monster was a wickedly scary read with a dash of C.J’s trademark humour that takes a look at the different types of monsters in the world and shows that sometimes a monster isn’t born, sometimes a monster is made.
There is so much intrigue and mystery surrounding the Beast of Bathory that as a reader I was never sure what to believe. I mainly read this at night before bed which was a poor life choice on my part! This book properly freaked me out and played on my mind at times. It’s perfect for fans of James Dawson or anyone looking for a good Halloween read.
The book follows Nash and a group of other girls, some who she’s friendly with and others who she’s not, as they stay behind at boarding school over the Christmas break and things start to go very, very wrong. Once again C.J has created a group of characters who read like real teenagers which is one of the many things that I love about her as a writer. In true C.J fashion there is buckets of hilarious banter between the group – even when things are looking ominous. My personal favourite of the girls was Maggie, an absolute cracker of a character who delivers the best one-liners at the most inappropriate times.
Monster is on point with its plotting - all too often with thrillers I find myself left with loose ends and questions but everything has a place here that is revealed throughout the book rather than with a rushed explanation at the end which I really liked.
Overall Monster was a wickedly scary read with a dash of C.J’s trademark humour that takes a look at the different types of monsters in the world and shows that sometimes a monster isn’t born, sometimes a monster is made.
January 7, 2016
I received this book for free by the book's publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love books which keep me guessing until the very end and this was one of those rare few! Filled with twist and turns it kept me intrigued throughout. A real thrill with an exciting story, possible monster and artfully created characters. Definitely recommended!
I love books which keep me guessing until the very end and this was one of those rare few! Filled with twist and turns it kept me intrigued throughout. A real thrill with an exciting story, possible monster and artfully created characters. Definitely recommended!
August 20, 2015
Monster was a highly entertaining if slightly odd read in a lot of ways - the author I would think read a lot of boarding school stories (as did I) growing up and perhaps decided it was time to add some additional blood and guts and terror to the process...and it worked as well. Who would have thought it?
Monster is a genuinely engaging hybrid of jolly hocky sticks and ginger beer type shenanigans a la Enid Blyton and stalker/monster horror movie a la John Carpenter - a really quite heady mix as well it fairly rocks along. If Enid Blyton had decided to write a scary tale I imagine it might have looked something like "Monster" - that's a thought that will linger.
Anyway, so we are with Tash, who's brother is missing and on top of that has to stay behind at school over the Christmas holidays along with a rag tag bunch of other pupils and one adult. Meanwhile the area is being stalked by a strange beast that nobody can quite describe and she is all starry eyed over the boy from the local shop. Well kind of. She likes him anyway...
Then the snow starts, strange things occur and there they all are. Stuck. I mean what could possibly go wrong?
I love how the author has incorporated all the horror movie tropes in a very ironically clever way - yes really you DON'T need to be wandering the grounds late at night looking for Matron when it's perfectly obvious that this will only lead to disaster - and I do like that Tash actually has a modicum of sense. This allows for some truly edge of the seat moments rather than the reader shaking their head going "Really? You would REALLY do that?" and being taken out of the moment. Luckily the extended cast have quite enough stupidity between them that you don't miss it and the group ensemble works really well within the narrative as they all struggle to survive whilst bitching at each other.
There is a nice little analogy in the title too. There is the possibility of an actual monster of course, but C J Skuse plays with that idea mixing it up with the idea of the Monster inside - the one you don't recognise as such until it's too late. The resolution not being immediately obvious makes this all the more fun to read.
Overall I really enjoyed this - clever and a whole lot of fun. Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
Monster is a genuinely engaging hybrid of jolly hocky sticks and ginger beer type shenanigans a la Enid Blyton and stalker/monster horror movie a la John Carpenter - a really quite heady mix as well it fairly rocks along. If Enid Blyton had decided to write a scary tale I imagine it might have looked something like "Monster" - that's a thought that will linger.
Anyway, so we are with Tash, who's brother is missing and on top of that has to stay behind at school over the Christmas holidays along with a rag tag bunch of other pupils and one adult. Meanwhile the area is being stalked by a strange beast that nobody can quite describe and she is all starry eyed over the boy from the local shop. Well kind of. She likes him anyway...
Then the snow starts, strange things occur and there they all are. Stuck. I mean what could possibly go wrong?
I love how the author has incorporated all the horror movie tropes in a very ironically clever way - yes really you DON'T need to be wandering the grounds late at night looking for Matron when it's perfectly obvious that this will only lead to disaster - and I do like that Tash actually has a modicum of sense. This allows for some truly edge of the seat moments rather than the reader shaking their head going "Really? You would REALLY do that?" and being taken out of the moment. Luckily the extended cast have quite enough stupidity between them that you don't miss it and the group ensemble works really well within the narrative as they all struggle to survive whilst bitching at each other.
There is a nice little analogy in the title too. There is the possibility of an actual monster of course, but C J Skuse plays with that idea mixing it up with the idea of the Monster inside - the one you don't recognise as such until it's too late. The resolution not being immediately obvious makes this all the more fun to read.
Overall I really enjoyed this - clever and a whole lot of fun. Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
November 20, 2020
This was a fun YA thriller but it was also pretty average and forgettable.
I love C.J Skuse but her unique writing and humor from the sweet pea series does not come across in this book.
The plot was fun and story was engaging but there was quite a few parts which were a little silly and far fetched.
There were also a comment of sentences in this book that really haven't aged that well.
I did like Nash, the main character but I didn't really like many of the other characters. I struggled to feel any connection to them.
This is a YA thriller and it would definitely be enjoyable for younger readers although it is still quite violence in places.
Overall, I don't think this book was particularly rememberable but it was a fun and quick read.
TW: murder and violence
I love C.J Skuse but her unique writing and humor from the sweet pea series does not come across in this book.
The plot was fun and story was engaging but there was quite a few parts which were a little silly and far fetched.
There were also a comment of sentences in this book that really haven't aged that well.
I did like Nash, the main character but I didn't really like many of the other characters. I struggled to feel any connection to them.
This is a YA thriller and it would definitely be enjoyable for younger readers although it is still quite violence in places.
Overall, I don't think this book was particularly rememberable but it was a fun and quick read.
TW: murder and violence
December 31, 2019
Mallory Towers meets Hogwarts with a little more blood and terror thrown in.
I'm not a massive fan of YA, but to be honest, I did quite enjoy this book.
It's quite a slow burner, but the last quarter was gripping and really made me want to get to the end. I was kept guessing throughout, and I could not have predicted
I'm not a massive fan of YA, but to be honest, I did quite enjoy this book.
It's quite a slow burner, but the last quarter was gripping and really made me want to get to the end. I was kept guessing throughout, and I could not have predicted
September 18, 2015
I can't decide to give this 2 stars or 3.
EDIT: Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf & Bookish Brits
Nash thinks fighting to become Head Girl at boarding school Bathory would be the biggest battle of her life. But that was before her brother vanishes. That's before she's left trapped in the school with some other students - a mix of misfits. That's before the snow storms hit, leaving them trapped. That was before the only adult looking after them vanishes without a trace. That's before fear of The Beast of Bathory begins to grip them...
Something dark is outside the school, wanting to come in. Or is the thing the girls fear already within the walls of the school...
Ok, am going to be honest with you. I am very torn over it. I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped, but there are good points to this book.
Let's deal with the good points first. When we were first told about this book, it was sold using the tapeline "Malory Towers meets I Know What You Did Last Summer". And this does work. If you are a fan of Lois Duncan's I Know What You Did Last Summer or James Dawson's Cruel Summer, this would work for you. It has a gentle hints of boarding school drama and mythology but as the story moves forward, it slowly turns darker and tense. And I really liked the writing style. The writing is one of the weird reasons I read this story.
However, I have problems that I am wondering if am about to fall into a reading slump and wondering if I am being harsh with this. But... ok... here's the thing... it never grabbed me. I liked the writing, yes, but there are other factions to making a story work. I don't know why, but I thought this was very slow - if you're going to say the Marton goes missing on the back, it should happen quite quickly, right? Nope. It happens around the halfway point. And when there were plot twists, it felt like there was no clues to lead us to this point. Or, if there was, it was so subtle, you missed it (and if this is the case, CJ works this brilliantly).
I think my main problem is that I never cared. I never cared that this characters were in danger, nor did I feel that these characters were in mortal peril. I never cared for any of the characters so I never worried about them. I need to care for characters in whatever situation they find themselves in, whether it's a love situation, a family situation or a life-or-death situation.
While I think some of you guys will like it and find it the perfect Winter chiller, it just wasn't for me, I'm afraid.
EDIT: Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf & Bookish Brits
Nash thinks fighting to become Head Girl at boarding school Bathory would be the biggest battle of her life. But that was before her brother vanishes. That's before she's left trapped in the school with some other students - a mix of misfits. That's before the snow storms hit, leaving them trapped. That was before the only adult looking after them vanishes without a trace. That's before fear of The Beast of Bathory begins to grip them...
Something dark is outside the school, wanting to come in. Or is the thing the girls fear already within the walls of the school...
Ok, am going to be honest with you. I am very torn over it. I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped, but there are good points to this book.
Let's deal with the good points first. When we were first told about this book, it was sold using the tapeline "Malory Towers meets I Know What You Did Last Summer". And this does work. If you are a fan of Lois Duncan's I Know What You Did Last Summer or James Dawson's Cruel Summer, this would work for you. It has a gentle hints of boarding school drama and mythology but as the story moves forward, it slowly turns darker and tense. And I really liked the writing style. The writing is one of the weird reasons I read this story.
However, I have problems that I am wondering if am about to fall into a reading slump and wondering if I am being harsh with this. But... ok... here's the thing... it never grabbed me. I liked the writing, yes, but there are other factions to making a story work. I don't know why, but I thought this was very slow - if you're going to say the Marton goes missing on the back, it should happen quite quickly, right? Nope. It happens around the halfway point. And when there were plot twists, it felt like there was no clues to lead us to this point. Or, if there was, it was so subtle, you missed it (and if this is the case, CJ works this brilliantly).
I think my main problem is that I never cared. I never cared that this characters were in danger, nor did I feel that these characters were in mortal peril. I never cared for any of the characters so I never worried about them. I need to care for characters in whatever situation they find themselves in, whether it's a love situation, a family situation or a life-or-death situation.
While I think some of you guys will like it and find it the perfect Winter chiller, it just wasn't for me, I'm afraid.
November 20, 2015
Originally published on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk.
I'm taking a extremely wild guess here and presuming that the author got the story idea from the Beast of Bodmin legend, the story of the phantom wild cat, that is supposed to live in Cornwall. I loved the whole concept of this book and it made me curious to find out more about the Bodmin beast.
The story is set in a boarding school, which I was worried might feel old fashioned. However, the author really pushed the boarding school setting into the 21st century.
C.J. Skuse is the Queen of Dialogue. I really do love her writing style. The conversations held in the book had me constantly swaying from giggles to shivers.
Maggie was by far my most favourite character in the book. In fact, she may be my most favourite character all year! She is hilarious, dramatic, troublesome and full of satirical comebacks.
The story really heats up in the second half of the book and it starts to become very uncomfortable reading at bed time. I didn't have a clue where the story was leading and I was completely surprised by some of the incidents that happened. I honestly did not see the ending coming, so kudos to the author for excellent plotting and pacing.
CJ Skuse is a fantastic UKYA author, who really knows her teens! If you haven't got it yet, make sure you have it ready for next Halloween.
I'm taking a extremely wild guess here and presuming that the author got the story idea from the Beast of Bodmin legend, the story of the phantom wild cat, that is supposed to live in Cornwall. I loved the whole concept of this book and it made me curious to find out more about the Bodmin beast.
The story is set in a boarding school, which I was worried might feel old fashioned. However, the author really pushed the boarding school setting into the 21st century.
C.J. Skuse is the Queen of Dialogue. I really do love her writing style. The conversations held in the book had me constantly swaying from giggles to shivers.
Maggie was by far my most favourite character in the book. In fact, she may be my most favourite character all year! She is hilarious, dramatic, troublesome and full of satirical comebacks.
The story really heats up in the second half of the book and it starts to become very uncomfortable reading at bed time. I didn't have a clue where the story was leading and I was completely surprised by some of the incidents that happened. I honestly did not see the ending coming, so kudos to the author for excellent plotting and pacing.
CJ Skuse is a fantastic UKYA author, who really knows her teens! If you haven't got it yet, make sure you have it ready for next Halloween.
October 16, 2015
Set in a prestige all girl boarding school over the Christmas holidays, Monster has the perfect ingredients for a horror story. The school is remote, most of the staff and students are gone for the Christmas holidays. Thanks to rebellious Maggie’s pranks Matron has locked away their mobile phones. Add the long standing legend of The Beast of Bathory and it the thrills are ready to start.
Monster takes its time to lay the groundwork; much of the first half of the book is about getting to know the characters. Our narrator is Nash, she’s been ‘perfect’ in the bid for head girl but with her brother missing the cracks are showing. The other girls are a mix of mean girls, outsiders and the innocent little first year student.
I enjoyed the legend of the beast and how C J Skuse used this in the book. Having so completely fallen in love with her previous narrators (both in Dead Romantic and Rockoholic) my lack of emotional connection to Nash was a bit of struggle.
Is the Beast of Bathory responsible for the dead and disappearing? You’ll have to read Monster to find out.
Monster takes its time to lay the groundwork; much of the first half of the book is about getting to know the characters. Our narrator is Nash, she’s been ‘perfect’ in the bid for head girl but with her brother missing the cracks are showing. The other girls are a mix of mean girls, outsiders and the innocent little first year student.
I enjoyed the legend of the beast and how C J Skuse used this in the book. Having so completely fallen in love with her previous narrators (both in Dead Romantic and Rockoholic) my lack of emotional connection to Nash was a bit of struggle.
Is the Beast of Bathory responsible for the dead and disappearing? You’ll have to read Monster to find out.
June 14, 2015
I am a sucker for boarding school stories and always have been so when I found out this book was coming out from one of my favouite UKYA authors I was very excited indeed
It is so so so good. The thriller storyline is brilliant and kept me guessing throughout. I loved the laugh out loud dialogue which was funny, witty and clever. The entires story was fast paced and exciting from the first to last page meaning I was incredibly reluctant to put it down at all as I needed to find out what was going to happen next. I'm deliberately not going to tell you anything at all about the storyline because I don't want to spoil the book for you.
Ppreorder this brilliant read now ready for september. A perfect example of why I adore UKYA just don't read at bedtime if you want to get any sleep at all
It is so so so good. The thriller storyline is brilliant and kept me guessing throughout. I loved the laugh out loud dialogue which was funny, witty and clever. The entires story was fast paced and exciting from the first to last page meaning I was incredibly reluctant to put it down at all as I needed to find out what was going to happen next. I'm deliberately not going to tell you anything at all about the storyline because I don't want to spoil the book for you.
Ppreorder this brilliant read now ready for september. A perfect example of why I adore UKYA just don't read at bedtime if you want to get any sleep at all
dnf
September 2, 2015I just couldn't get in to this story, I made it to 16% before deciding to stop reading. I loved the idea of it, i just didn't love the execution.
The writing and the way that the characters spoke reminded me of reading Mallory Towers when I was much, much younger. The dialogue was often too formal and the description and words used in the main character's internal monologue made her seem much older than she was meant to be.
The writing and the way that the characters spoke reminded me of reading Mallory Towers when I was much, much younger. The dialogue was often too formal and the description and words used in the main character's internal monologue made her seem much older than she was meant to be.
October 16, 2015
I devoured this book. Scary, twisty and beastly, it will quickly have you gripped. The creepy boarding school setting is wonderful - and right up my street, of course!
I would definitely recommend Monster as a Halloween read. If you enjoyed Point Horror when you were younger, you will most likely be a fan of this.
Spoiler comment:
I would definitely recommend Monster as a Halloween read. If you enjoyed Point Horror when you were younger, you will most likely be a fan of this.
Spoiler comment:
January 25, 2021
Monster is a thriller set in a boarding school during the Christmas holidays. For many years the local area has been plagued by a 'beast' who has murdered and slaughtered many farm animals. As time goes by at the school more unusual things start to happen. People go missing, strange occurrences happen in the grounds and weird sounds are heard outside. In the end the 'beast' gets into the school bringing the story to its final section.
Monster is not a badly written book and there were aspects that I enjoyed. However, the whole time all I could think about was that if the girls had rung the police right at the beginning when things began to happen, they wouldn't have gotten into the mess that they did. But obviously they didn't!!! Also, I guessed what/who the 'beast' was really early on which ruined it a bit. I did really enjoy the last few chapters but this didn't really make up for the rest sadly.
Monster is not a badly written book and there were aspects that I enjoyed. However, the whole time all I could think about was that if the girls had rung the police right at the beginning when things began to happen, they wouldn't have gotten into the mess that they did. But obviously they didn't!!! Also, I guessed what/who the 'beast' was really early on which ruined it a bit. I did really enjoy the last few chapters but this didn't really make up for the rest sadly.
June 15, 2018
This is a pleasant enough, girl YA read. Sixteen year old Nash is in some private girls school in England (Bathory), she is totally focused on becoming Head Girl for reasons that are entirely mysterious to me throughout. Sounds like a horrid thing to do to yourself, but, it seems, she is kind of achievement focused and she thinks this would be an achievement... maybe?
Anyway, since Nash has spent her whole time at school completely focused on this task (serving as unpaid serf in the process) she knows the school, it's ruling bodies and it's students through and through.
This comes in handy when one Christmas she and a couple of other students have to stay back in school and the fabled Beast of Bathory seems to be roaming around outside.
While this was a pleasant enough read, well enough written and with engaging characters and scenery, it was not stellar because, well, girl's schools are not terribly my thing I suppose. Also it presented kind of like a horror book, which it totally was not! Barely even a thriller and exceptionally, exceptionally predictable.
Didn't hate it, didn't love it. Will probably forget it before too long. If it is at all memorable it is for the characters, which are nicely written.
Anyway, since Nash has spent her whole time at school completely focused on this task (serving as unpaid serf in the process) she knows the school, it's ruling bodies and it's students through and through.
This comes in handy when one Christmas she and a couple of other students have to stay back in school and the fabled Beast of Bathory seems to be roaming around outside.
While this was a pleasant enough read, well enough written and with engaging characters and scenery, it was not stellar because, well, girl's schools are not terribly my thing I suppose. Also it presented kind of like a horror book, which it totally was not! Barely even a thriller and exceptionally, exceptionally predictable.
Didn't hate it, didn't love it. Will probably forget it before too long. If it is at all memorable it is for the characters, which are nicely written.
December 21, 2020
Mình rất thích quyển sách này! Vô cùng hồi hộp, đáng sợ và kịch tính!!! Ngoại trừ phần đầu hơi dài dòng trước khi có sự việc xảy ra thì câu chuyện thật sự rất hay và thú vị. Mình thích bối cảnh boarding school và isolated area, nó tạo cảm giác rất đáng sợ và bầu không khí thì rất sống động và chân thực. Mình luôn rất rất rất sợ tình huống một nhóm người bị mắc kẹt và phải đối phó với sinh vật nguy hiểm/kẻ sát nhân hàng loạt (nhưng lại thích đọc về nó vì nó thú vị :D) nên khi đọc quyển này, mình sợ hãi thật sự, cảm giác rất thật như mình là người trải nghiệm sự việc vậy. Diễn biến câu chuyện vô cùng gây cấn và căng thẳng và mình rất thích cảm giác suspenseful, on-the-edge-of-my-seat như vậy. Tóm lại, đây là một solid thriller !!!
August 20, 2018
it reminds me of white christmas on a lot of fronts, which is why i picked it up. but it's still different and surprising. i liked it a lot!
April 6, 2024
Hmmmm
Không hay cũng chả chán
Không hay cũng chả chán
September 24, 2015
MONSTER sounded right up my alley hence the reason I requested it on NetGalley. Now don't get me wrong, I liked the story and ended up not being able to put it down but I think this book would have done much better if it were being released in October, closer to Halloween when reading creepy horrors and scaring ourselves silly is, as a bookworm, a huge desire.
This book had a lot going for it; the mythical Beast of Bathory legend, a small group of girls with completely parallel personalities all trapped in a huge, almost empty boarding school in the middle of nowhere, and suspicious characters left, right and center. Unfortunately the whole thing fell a little flat for me and I can't put my finger on where it didn't do it for me. I got to the end and just didn't feel wowed or like I needed to shout from the rooftops telling everyone to pick up a copy. The creep factor was high, especially towards the end but I wasn't scared enough. I mean for a horror it just wasn't absolutely-do-not-read-in-the-dark scary which I love!
The characters were well developed over time and I liked the unity that formed between all of the girls (and guy) but the only thing that bothered me here was the fact that we never get to see if these relationships played out well in the 'real world'.
Nash was a good main character, strong and sure and willing to take the lead when all heads turned her way for answers but her priorities, along with all of the other girls, were way off. Even in the midst of their situation some way through the book, the focus was on cute guys, nasty slut shaming between two characters in particular and the fact that there was no internet or mobile phone use. Their priorities first and foremost should maybe have been the massive black 'Bathory Beast' that prowled the area allegedly killing off randoms in the winter time, the same beast that had been spotted too close to home, not whether they could update their Facebook statuses. Sigh.
MONSTER had all of the typical horror movie gimmicks; the complete loss of communication, the total lack of help being in the middle of Nowheresville and lots of little secrets that tied together throughout but it really lacked in the moments when it should have hit the horror factor the strongest.
That all being said I found myself compelled to keep reading. I was hooked and I needed to get to the end so I could see how it all turned out. When I got past the first quarter of the book the pace really picked up and I found myself flipping the pages like a crazy woman.
The major twist was good! Predictable for someone who's read a ton of mystery/thriller books but good nonetheless.
The end left a lot of room for speculation about Nash's future and quite a bit to be desired. I wont say much lest I ruin something but I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. Books like this really need a fully closed ending, books with no sequel or epilogue. The first part of the last chapter was great though - emotional and definitely brought a tear to my eye! I just wish we had had more of an epilogue to see how everyone was doing after everything they'd been through. I wanted to see the implications of the girls' actions and how relationships formed throughout the story held up without the need for unity. All in all I just wanted more.
Read more reviews on my blog!
This book had a lot going for it; the mythical Beast of Bathory legend, a small group of girls with completely parallel personalities all trapped in a huge, almost empty boarding school in the middle of nowhere, and suspicious characters left, right and center. Unfortunately the whole thing fell a little flat for me and I can't put my finger on where it didn't do it for me. I got to the end and just didn't feel wowed or like I needed to shout from the rooftops telling everyone to pick up a copy. The creep factor was high, especially towards the end but I wasn't scared enough. I mean for a horror it just wasn't absolutely-do-not-read-in-the-dark scary which I love!
The characters were well developed over time and I liked the unity that formed between all of the girls (and guy) but the only thing that bothered me here was the fact that we never get to see if these relationships played out well in the 'real world'.
Nash was a good main character, strong and sure and willing to take the lead when all heads turned her way for answers but her priorities, along with all of the other girls, were way off. Even in the midst of their situation some way through the book, the focus was on cute guys, nasty slut shaming between two characters in particular and the fact that there was no internet or mobile phone use. Their priorities first and foremost should maybe have been the massive black 'Bathory Beast' that prowled the area allegedly killing off randoms in the winter time, the same beast that had been spotted too close to home, not whether they could update their Facebook statuses. Sigh.
MONSTER had all of the typical horror movie gimmicks; the complete loss of communication, the total lack of help being in the middle of Nowheresville and lots of little secrets that tied together throughout but it really lacked in the moments when it should have hit the horror factor the strongest.
That all being said I found myself compelled to keep reading. I was hooked and I needed to get to the end so I could see how it all turned out. When I got past the first quarter of the book the pace really picked up and I found myself flipping the pages like a crazy woman.
The major twist was good! Predictable for someone who's read a ton of mystery/thriller books but good nonetheless.
The end left a lot of room for speculation about Nash's future and quite a bit to be desired. I wont say much lest I ruin something but I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. Books like this really need a fully closed ending, books with no sequel or epilogue. The first part of the last chapter was great though - emotional and definitely brought a tear to my eye! I just wish we had had more of an epilogue to see how everyone was doing after everything they'd been through. I wanted to see the implications of the girls' actions and how relationships formed throughout the story held up without the need for unity. All in all I just wanted more.
Read more reviews on my blog!
October 3, 2015
How do you write a review for one of the best books you have ever read?
I can't put into words how much I enjoyed this story.
In this book we meet Tash, she is currently at a boarding school which has a story about the Beast of Bathory who only comes out round winter and kills. Tash is looking forward to going home for Christmas until her brother goes missing and her parents have to fly out to where he went missing to help with the search and she has to stay at the school for the holiday with some other students and the Matron.
Tash was a fantastic character, she was always trying to do her best, to do everything she could to become head girl with the thoughts of her missing brother always on her mind and the cute boy who works in town she sometimes sees.
She thinks Christmas at the school will be boring as she is stuck with Maggie, her friend (who I thought was the funniest person ever in this book, she was my favourite) Regan, a quite girl who believed in the monster, Dianna a girl who was also trying to get Head Girl, Clarice, a prefect who was also a very horrible bully and Tabby, she was a pup, that's what they call the new students at the school. The girls don't really get on but when Matron suddenly goes missing they have to work together to stay alive.
I really enjoyed each of the characters as they where all different and clashed sometimes but it made the story more interesting.
I won't go into too much about the beast or the killings that was happening around the area as I don't want to give it away but I suggest you give this book a read as it will blow your mind.
I was near the end when this big twist just came out and surprised me! I was so not expecting it and I was gobsmacked. I love when a story takes a turn you don't expect so I really enjoyed that.
Maggie was my favourite character. She had me laughing a lot throughout the book, even when times where tough she tried and make a joke, one of my favourite quotes from her was, 'Wake up and smell the erection.' I couldn't stop laughing at that.
This story was so brilliant. This was the first book I have read from C.J but it will not be the last. She is a fantastic author who knows how to draw the reader in with her writing and enjoy every second of it.
I can't put into words how much I enjoyed this story.
In this book we meet Tash, she is currently at a boarding school which has a story about the Beast of Bathory who only comes out round winter and kills. Tash is looking forward to going home for Christmas until her brother goes missing and her parents have to fly out to where he went missing to help with the search and she has to stay at the school for the holiday with some other students and the Matron.
Tash was a fantastic character, she was always trying to do her best, to do everything she could to become head girl with the thoughts of her missing brother always on her mind and the cute boy who works in town she sometimes sees.
She thinks Christmas at the school will be boring as she is stuck with Maggie, her friend (who I thought was the funniest person ever in this book, she was my favourite) Regan, a quite girl who believed in the monster, Dianna a girl who was also trying to get Head Girl, Clarice, a prefect who was also a very horrible bully and Tabby, she was a pup, that's what they call the new students at the school. The girls don't really get on but when Matron suddenly goes missing they have to work together to stay alive.
I really enjoyed each of the characters as they where all different and clashed sometimes but it made the story more interesting.
I won't go into too much about the beast or the killings that was happening around the area as I don't want to give it away but I suggest you give this book a read as it will blow your mind.
I was near the end when this big twist just came out and surprised me! I was so not expecting it and I was gobsmacked. I love when a story takes a turn you don't expect so I really enjoyed that.
Maggie was my favourite character. She had me laughing a lot throughout the book, even when times where tough she tried and make a joke, one of my favourite quotes from her was, 'Wake up and smell the erection.' I couldn't stop laughing at that.
This story was so brilliant. This was the first book I have read from C.J but it will not be the last. She is a fantastic author who knows how to draw the reader in with her writing and enjoy every second of it.
September 22, 2015
WOW!!! What a great read! I’m not sure quite what I was expecting but this book exceeded everything I’d thought! Initially the premise that it is about a sixteen year old who wants to be Head Girl at the isolated boarding school she attends makes it sound rather a dreary read - and it is anything but dreary! Nash’s much loved older brother, Seb, has disappeared whilst abroad and she’s devastated, so much so that she loses her focus - and her temper. Not only that but it means she’s going to have to spend Christmas at school but, unlike Harry Potter spending Christmas at Hogwarts, Nash really doesn’t want to stay, especially when a blizzard traps them inside and there are rumours about a weird big cat running wild on the moors near the school, killing cattle - and people? The cat is nicknamed the Beast of Bathory and it is blamed when things start to go wrong, very wrong for the odd mix of students and staff remaining at school over the festive season….
Teen relationships, finding who really is trustworthy, discovering hidden motives and deadly dangers are just some of the ingredients which make this a superb, enthralling story. Add in mystery, murders, suspense and disappearances and you’re starting to understand why this is such a great read. As the girls realise their danger, they know that only by working together can they stand any chance of overcoming threats and surviving the danger. There’s also Charlie, a really creepy boy from the nearby village, and Leon, an escaped prisoner who had been convicted of murder and is hiding out.
This is a tense thriller - right to the end - a riveting tale of the monsters of legend, wild animals and those from within us desperate to escape. It keeps you on the edge of your seat for much of the story - and if you aren’t there, the chances are you’re laughing at some of the teens antics! This just has to have a sequel - that ending demands one and I look forward to having an opportunity to read it! It is a totally engaging and entertaining read - I can’t wait to read more in this series!
Thanks to the publishers for kindly sending me a paperback ARC of this fantastic book in exchange for an honest review.
Teen relationships, finding who really is trustworthy, discovering hidden motives and deadly dangers are just some of the ingredients which make this a superb, enthralling story. Add in mystery, murders, suspense and disappearances and you’re starting to understand why this is such a great read. As the girls realise their danger, they know that only by working together can they stand any chance of overcoming threats and surviving the danger. There’s also Charlie, a really creepy boy from the nearby village, and Leon, an escaped prisoner who had been convicted of murder and is hiding out.
This is a tense thriller - right to the end - a riveting tale of the monsters of legend, wild animals and those from within us desperate to escape. It keeps you on the edge of your seat for much of the story - and if you aren’t there, the chances are you’re laughing at some of the teens antics! This just has to have a sequel - that ending demands one and I look forward to having an opportunity to read it! It is a totally engaging and entertaining read - I can’t wait to read more in this series!
Thanks to the publishers for kindly sending me a paperback ARC of this fantastic book in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2015
Received a copy of this via MaximumPop.co.uk Books for a fair and honest review
If Mallory Towers and Harry Potter ever had a dark and twisted book baby then this would be it!!
16 year old Natasha is on a mission to become Head Girl at the Bathory boarding school she attends, and as the perfect student this seems to be within her grasp. That is until her big brother goes missing while abroad and her parents fly to join the search for him leaving Nash at the school for the christmas holidays with Matron and a few other girls whose families seem only too happy to leave them behind.
The town of Bathory had always had the myth of the Bathory Beast in its' history whether it was livestock being killed or tourists going missing and most believed it just to be an urban myth but those who'd seen it knew better. Nash is one to have seen it while she was playing netball one day, and when there is another murder in the town the stories gather momentum again and everyone is on high alert.
Really enjoyed how the tension is built up with various goings on but there's also lots of humour injected into the story which really helps the flow and helps you identify more with the girls. It's also beautifully described and has the perfect setting - an old boarding school in the middle of nowhere close to woods! - but it is not full on scary so when something does happen it comes out of nowhere and that adds to the shock factor. And there are plenty of shocks to be had! There's a subtle tension that runs through the whole story and this works so well to build up towards the dramatic ending.
highly recommended for readers of all ages!!
If Mallory Towers and Harry Potter ever had a dark and twisted book baby then this would be it!!
16 year old Natasha is on a mission to become Head Girl at the Bathory boarding school she attends, and as the perfect student this seems to be within her grasp. That is until her big brother goes missing while abroad and her parents fly to join the search for him leaving Nash at the school for the christmas holidays with Matron and a few other girls whose families seem only too happy to leave them behind.
The town of Bathory had always had the myth of the Bathory Beast in its' history whether it was livestock being killed or tourists going missing and most believed it just to be an urban myth but those who'd seen it knew better. Nash is one to have seen it while she was playing netball one day, and when there is another murder in the town the stories gather momentum again and everyone is on high alert.
Really enjoyed how the tension is built up with various goings on but there's also lots of humour injected into the story which really helps the flow and helps you identify more with the girls. It's also beautifully described and has the perfect setting - an old boarding school in the middle of nowhere close to woods! - but it is not full on scary so when something does happen it comes out of nowhere and that adds to the shock factor. And there are plenty of shocks to be had! There's a subtle tension that runs through the whole story and this works so well to build up towards the dramatic ending.
highly recommended for readers of all ages!!
October 13, 2015
I love a good boarding school setting and the addition of a Beast of Dartmoor style myth made Monster sound right up my street. Out of all of Britain’s myths, the one I’m mostly likely to believe is that there’s big cats living wild on some of our moors. I found it an easy and perfectly enjoyable read but it just didn’t excel at anything.
It was a little lacking in tension and wasn’t particularly scary. It takes a long time to get going, setting up the reason for Nash being left at school over Christmas and introducing the cast. Yet this time isn’t really spent building up suspicion. I felt her brother’s disappearance should have had more relevance. It was quite built up to be just used as the reason for her being there.
Throughout the text different characters are described as being monsters, showing there are different ways to be one. People can be worse than any beast lurking in the darkness. However this wasn’t really expanded upon. Nash has these moments where her rage overtakes her but there’s just no follow-up. I’m not sure if the ending was leading up to a sequel but I very much wanted it to be a standalone, with all the threads considered, if not tied up.
I liked the Devon setting. Bathory is a fictional place but it is clearly modelled on the type of small tourist town on the edges of Dartmoor. There’s not a lot to do out of season and they thrive on the legends of the area. I’m not entirely sure Nash’s date was required for the plot but I actually really enjoyed reading about the town.
Review copy provided by publisher.
It was a little lacking in tension and wasn’t particularly scary. It takes a long time to get going, setting up the reason for Nash being left at school over Christmas and introducing the cast. Yet this time isn’t really spent building up suspicion. I felt her brother’s disappearance should have had more relevance. It was quite built up to be just used as the reason for her being there.
Throughout the text different characters are described as being monsters, showing there are different ways to be one. People can be worse than any beast lurking in the darkness. However this wasn’t really expanded upon. Nash has these moments where her rage overtakes her but there’s just no follow-up. I’m not sure if the ending was leading up to a sequel but I very much wanted it to be a standalone, with all the threads considered, if not tied up.
I liked the Devon setting. Bathory is a fictional place but it is clearly modelled on the type of small tourist town on the edges of Dartmoor. There’s not a lot to do out of season and they thrive on the legends of the area. I’m not entirely sure Nash’s date was required for the plot but I actually really enjoyed reading about the town.
Review copy provided by publisher.
September 7, 2015
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I really was not too sure about this book at first. I found it difficult to empathise with any of the characters, and found the first half quite hard work – even though I usually love the boarding school genre and love murder/mysteries with a bit of suspected supernatural thrown in. Then just after the half way point, the pace suddenly changed dramatically. I couldn’t put the book down and got very little sleep last night until it was finished. A rather humdrum teenage girl angst novel turned into “The Shining” and all bets were off. The second half twisted and turned like Blackadder’s proverbial twisty-turny thing.
I still don’t particularly like the characters, though they did start to redeem themselves as the going got ever tougher. The tiny Tabby came out the best of all. The headmistress deserves to lose her job for a) leaving a sole adult in charge of 6 young girls 24/7, b) for not sending someone to check on the school when the blizzard cut them off and c) for the exploitation of Nash as her personal slave and involving her in some rather dubious activities.
However, all that said, it really is worth persevering with the book so you get to the really exciting story in there.
I really was not too sure about this book at first. I found it difficult to empathise with any of the characters, and found the first half quite hard work – even though I usually love the boarding school genre and love murder/mysteries with a bit of suspected supernatural thrown in. Then just after the half way point, the pace suddenly changed dramatically. I couldn’t put the book down and got very little sleep last night until it was finished. A rather humdrum teenage girl angst novel turned into “The Shining” and all bets were off. The second half twisted and turned like Blackadder’s proverbial twisty-turny thing.
I still don’t particularly like the characters, though they did start to redeem themselves as the going got ever tougher. The tiny Tabby came out the best of all. The headmistress deserves to lose her job for a) leaving a sole adult in charge of 6 young girls 24/7, b) for not sending someone to check on the school when the blizzard cut them off and c) for the exploitation of Nash as her personal slave and involving her in some rather dubious activities.
However, all that said, it really is worth persevering with the book so you get to the really exciting story in there.
September 16, 2015
Sixteen year old Nash is dealing with some terribly worry as her brother is missing abroad and she is struggling to keep it together so that she will be successful in her attempts to be made head girl. A rash act puts paid to her hopes and when she finds herself left in her boarding school at Christmas with several other girls and the matron events take a very nasty turn. A creepy legend appears to be more real than she had thought but at least her budding romance with a local boy is a bright spot....or at least it seems to be. I loved this book and was so caught up in it's thrilling final chapters that I missed my stop on the train - and I didn't mind at all! The adrenalin pumping chase through the largely empty old school is rather reminiscent of Stephen King's The Shining and I was almost as scared by this as I was when reading the King book all those years ago. Plenty of twists and surprises in the story keep you interested and the voices of the girls sound plausible & authentic. Only tiny bugbear was a character being seen as a loser as she spent so much time in the library - but then as a former school librarian I am probably over sensitive! A great read, but not one to be read when you're alone in the house in winter - don't have nightmares!
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