Publisher: HotKey
Format: Paperback
Published: 5th June 2014
Number of Pages: 240
Book: For Review*
Genre: Paranormal, Supernatural, Urban Fiction, Horror, Thriller,
Suspense, Action Adventure, YA, YA-Adult Crossover
Recommended
Age: 14+
Contains: Horror, Death, Swearing,
Drug, Cigarette and Alcohol References
Author's Site: James Dawson
The truth is more terrifying than the
legend
When
Bobbie and her best friend Naya are dared by their schoolmates to summon the
legendary ghost of Bloody Mary, neither really believes that anything will
happen.
So
they complete the ritual, and chant Mary’s name five times in front of a
candlelit mirror…
Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary…
And
something is called forth that night.
Something
dark, terrifying, and out of control.
She
will be there, just out of sight, in the corner of your eye.
She
will lurk in your nightmares.
She
will hide in the shadows of your bedroom.
She
will b waiting in every mirror that you see.
She
is everywhere. And she wants revenge.
Review:
“Five
days. Five days to die. Five days to find her before it was too
late...”
It was only meant to be a game - a stupid,
childish game, played to freak them all out on Halloween at midnight.
Bobbie was sure it was all crazy: that it
couldn't be real.
She was wrong.
From the moment Bobbie, her best friend
Naya and town-boy Caine stood in front of the mirror and candles at midnight
and chanted 'Bloody Mary' five times,
they set something loose – something that can't be stopped.
To begin with, the signs are small and
easily dismissed. The words 'Five
Days' are scrawled on the mirror one day. One of the girls present
while they chanted Mary's name falls ill. The three who said the name get
nosebleeds at the same time...
But it's not a coincidence – none of it is.
Because Mary is real and she
wants revenge.
She cannot be stopped. She will not
be stopped. She will haunt them, torment them and torture them until she
has her revenge – and they are dead.
And Bobbie, Naya and Caine have only five
days to figure out how to stop her...
Drip,
drip, drip...
“BLEED
LIKE ME…”
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| A little BookAddictedFanGirl picture! |
I always love a good horror – be it in book
or movie form. And James Dawson is a master of horror writing (as well as being Queen of Teen 2014) – something
truly displayed in Say Her Name.
Right from the start of this book, I was absolutely hooked. I loved
how it was such a suspenseful read: the suspense was wracked up slowly, slowly,
messing with my mind the whole time. I'm going to admit this: I really,
really wish I hadn't read Say Her Name
in the middle of the night... Not my brightest move because this book
was freaking terrifying! I
seriously recommend reading it in the middle of the day in a room flooded with
natural sunlight – and with all the mirrors covered up. Because
otherwise: nightmares alert! Not for me, of course... I'm totally
immune and definitely didn't throw a towel over my bathroom mirror, keeping it
covered for days...
Bobbie: well, I always love a fellow writer
(aspiring one, anyway) as a character. I liked that Bobbie was kind of
odd: she wasn't your typical paranormal heroine – she was smart, funny, a
little awkward and unsure of herself. I found that refreshing. She
was also (justifiably) scared but was just as brave, too. I think most
girls can relate to her – ghosts aside, of course...
I really loved Naya, Bobbie's best friend:
she was brilliant! I loved how snarky and mouthy she was, and also how
she showed her vulnerable side. Gotta love the sassy ones!
And then there was Caine: I really liked
Caine. He wasn't what you first expected and I loved that. He was
more than just some boy from town – he was strong and sweet and just... the
perfect hero-ish boy. And I really liked how the relationship between him
and Bobbie developed: it was sweet and real – again, ghosts aside...
The rest of the cast was brilliantly real.
There was no denying that, although loads of them were complete cows...
Mary I found absolutely intriguing, however, right from the start.
But the writing... I swear, it felt
like I was there – like I was Bobbie, being stalked by a crazy, terrifying
ghost. And Good God, it was scary as hell! The suspense James
managed to build... I was on the edge of my seat for every single word on every
single page. And, as mentioned before, I was scared witless – yes, to the
point of covering all mirrors... Hey, it's like Jaws! It takes you a while to get back into the water, so to
speak. And trust me: if you read this, if you live this terror, you'd be
a little... nervous, too. However, James did manage to get these funny
moments in: that did help my terror a little.
Even so, I was always just waiting for the other shoe to drop: for the
scary to come crashing back as Mary made another deadly move...
And as for the story: terrifying.
Honest-to-God terrifying. I mean, the way James just wrenched up
the suspense, the horror, the fear... I've never read anything like it.
In fact, I've been a little scarred by it! Hence covering the mirrors…
Oh, and I have to mention the Bloody Mary legend – it was by far the most interesting Mary myth
I've come across. I mean, totally terrifying but brilliantly intriguing.
To sum it up, I recommend Say Her Name to literally everyone who
wants to be hooked start to finish, perched right on the edge of your seat.
However, if you scare easy, stay the hell away! This book is
terrifying! For all horror movie lovers, on the other hand, dump your Paranormal Activities DVDs and pick this
up. It's much better, much more intense, and much better for your brain
(not your nerves, though...). So what are you waiting for?!
But something to end with that scares the
pants off of me: When James signed my book he wrote 'I dare you to say her name'. I can definitely, bluntly and
honestly say that I will never, ever, ever say
her name. Like, ever. I'm logic-less: I'm not suicidally stupid. But if you want
to try it, go ahead. But be prepared to be terrified, tortured and killed.
Look, don't say I didn't warn you...
Oh, wait... I've said her name more than five times in my
notes on my tablet... Does that count as saying her name?! DOES IT?!
Good God, I'm dead...
Star Rating:
4 Out of 5
4 Out of 5
Read this
book if you liked:
Hollow Pike by James Dawson
Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake
Supernatural
Happy Reading
Megan
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