15 January 2015

Review, Interview and a Can't-Give-It-a-Miss Giveaway of The Blood and The Raven by John Hennessy



My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.
----Howard Phillips Lovecraft —known, an American author who achieved posthumous fame through his influential works of horror fiction

John Hennessy, an English YA novelist, captivated our minds with his latest novella, The Blood and the Raven that features fear like never before. From the name itself, the book gives us a vibe that it's nothing about all those sweet vampire love story, instead it will be a sick story and the fear of which will absolutely overpower our minds.

Synopsis:
A group of teenagers spend a night amongst the ruins of an old priory, taking turns to scare one other with a tale of horror, each one more scary than the last.

When it comes to Seth, the last storyteller, he is reluctant to tell the story, because once the tale has been told, those who hear it, will begin to die.

His friends think Seth is bluffing - but is he in fact, telling the truth?



This novella centers around a bunch of kids goofing around an old cemetery- totally normal teenage stuff! They plan to tell one horror story. Among them, there is a sweet, innocent, geeky guy called Seth, who tells a millions year old Gothic and horror folk-lore, but his story has the power to kill those who listen to it! If you are brave enough, then read definitely read this book.

I won't sugar mouth about this author, since he is my close friend. Honestly speaking, John's intricately detailing style of story-telling also entrances my mind, and I found his horror stories to be much more scarier than what Stephanie Meyer tried to do with hers. Bottom Line: This author knows how to spun a horror story in such a way that it feels your mind with a sense of fear and while reading the book always dares me to look over my shoulders. His narrative style feels up my mind with an eerie feeling, and when I manage to look up from the book even for a fleeting second, I can almost feel the faint stillness in the air. That's what this author can do, and I'm not bragging about it! Read it for your self, then you watch yourself, how you sway with the rhythm of the story as it takes you with its highs and lows. The best part is that John's story-telling have never failed to intrigue me deeply!

The characters that John crated for this book are absolutely striking enough to make you feel like even for the briefest moment you feel like you know these vast pool of various characters somewhere from your own life. Yes, John makes them very realistic and artistic with his evocative words. There is an underlying story in this novella that is surely going to leave you scared to death! Moreover, John spins the story that in such a way that it only captures your mind with fear, but also makes us smile with his use of witty punch lines here and there. John's sense of humor is really great despite the darkness we can feel the slight lightness upon our heavy hearts.
PS: This novella is not for those with a weak/faint heart.

Verdict: Do read this book, if you want to experience fear in a whole new level.And a fantastic series that you don't wanna give it a miss!

Courtesy: Thanks to the author, John Hennessy, for giving me an incredible opportunity to read and review his book. I'm honored that I got to read his book. 
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Let's talk with the Man behind The Blood and The Raven- John Hennessy

Me: Tell us a bit about yourself John! What were you like at school? Did you watch/read any horror movies/books? Do ever wanted to scream at your English teacher at your school?

John: I was a very reserved, introverted individual. I didn't make friends easily, and I cannot say why, really! But I do enjoy other's company, and at school, especially junior school, I have many fond memories.
In the last few months, I was contacted by a friend from my first school, and I had not heard from anyone from there for 30 years. So it's amazing really.
We had a book club where we could purchase books - this relates to my secondary school period. I would always buy horror, and I liked collections, so books by Ruth Manning-Sanders, M.R. James, and Mary Danby were very appealing to me.
My English teacher was really great, but sometimes we would have to read a book, and I would hate it. We were told it was part of the school curriculum. I have nothing against 'classics' -in fact I love many of them. But there were one or two books that I wanted to avoid like the plague!


Me: Tell us about your favorite book. And will you recommend your friends to read your favorite book?

John: This is obviously a very difficult question! It's *probably* Pet Semetary by Stephen King, although I love the fantasy elements of Lord of the Rings, and the sheer fun and sense of adventure in Rebecca's World.
I would recommend everyone read Pet Semetary. It's often considered Stephen King's most 'real' novel...and boy does it hit near the bone. I absolutely love that book.


Me: Favorite past time that we don't know about.

John: (hehe I'll pass on that one Aditi!)


Me: Which actors/actresses do you want to play your lead characters from your series, Murderous Little Darlings and Dark Winter when your books are turned into movies?

John: I like your confidence Aditi! Honestly, it would be amazing if the books were made into movies. I'd like control on them though - like JK Rowling had with her Harry Potter stories. Many authors would not have that luxury.

Regarding Dark Winter, I think I've been working on this list forever!

Romilly - Danielle Parabaker (not a well known actress, but I think she has the looks. if Jennifer Lawrence was a bit younger I would have
chosen her).
Toril - Jena Malone (I know she is older than Toril, but I think she'd be perfect)
Beth - Saoirse Ronan (Not just because she's Irish. I think Beth needs to be played carefully, and needs an actress capable of bringing out the different elements of the character).
Jacinta - Elle Fanning (An easy choice).
Troy - Darren Criss (Another easy choice).
Curie - Stanley Tucci (thought he was brilliant in The Hunger Games, but it was The Lovely Bones that slam dunked it for me. he'd be terrifying as Don Curie.
Dana - Sarah Maria Stark-Rogers (She has the balance of cuteness with the ability to look evil. She would be perfect).
Tori-Suzanne - Winona Ryder (the first one I ever chose. She'd be perfect as Toril's mother).
Lunabelle - Julianne Moore
Denzel - Tony Todd

Murderous Little Darlings:-

Marcus - Mason Cook
Rocco - John Bell
Juliana (aged 11) - Mackenzie Foy (she was the best thing about Interstellar!)
Juliana (aged 18) - Madison Davenport


Me: Do your stories (Murderous Little Darlings and Dark Winter) scare you while reading them?

John: I think Dark Winter has some real unsettling moments in it, that sometimes I'll go back to and think 'man, that is scary'. Murderous Little Darlings is more about stand out shocks. When I read it back, the imagery still works. I would like it to resonate, and stay with the reader so it has the greatest impact.


Me: Say something for your reader fans!

John: I am grateful to each and every one of you that has read, commented on, or even viewed my books. Authors need all the help they can get, and I treat readers as real treasures, because all of you are!
Please support authors by reviewing their books. If you ever review any of mine, you can be sure it is appreciated.
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2 comments:

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