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acrawf2019's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book in under 8 hours. If that doesn't tell you how addicting it is, I don't know what will. This family-centered drama delves into the relationships we have with ourselves and others as well as how far we as humans are willing to go to protect ourselves. The real "villain" will shock you...the redeemable character will prick that cold heart you're left with in the end. And the dog? Can I adopt her, please?Overall, a fascinating and incredibly insightful look at one family's experiences with incredible pain, deceit, and love.
Edit: I just want to add that Delia and Pearl are two of my favorite characters I've ever encountered in a book. Both strong and capable women (in their own ways!) who don't let anyone drag them around. Girl power!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Pegasus Books for this ARC in return for this original and honest review.
Edit: I just want to add that Delia and Pearl are two of my favorite characters I've ever encountered in a book. Both strong and capable women (in their own ways!) who don't let anyone drag them around. Girl power!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Pegasus Books for this ARC in return for this original and honest review.
wegmarken2006's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
willowthewildandco's review against another edition
5.0
Holy moly! What an original story! I never saw the twists and turns coming. Fast paced and capable of making you feel a whole lot of feelings in a wide range of contrast. Caity is so darling, and Pat... oh man, I hate Pat so much. It’s like that Fluke movie meets Stephen King’s Carrie in the best possible way.
It got hairy and I had to take a short break from it, but so worth the ending!
It got hairy and I had to take a short break from it, but so worth the ending!
jeanne25's review against another edition
3.0
I love Ketchum and this book came highly recommended. His books don't have to be extreme horror for me. Red is in my top 5 favorites. I went into the book with high expectations. As I began reading, elements seemed extremely familiar. When the book got to the part with Caity and the blue and purple balls, I knew I had read this. I must have not finished it because shortly after the fire, nothing really seemed familiar. So while I enjoyed the book, the first 80%(ish) read like a Jodi Picoult novel. It really picked up towards the end and felt like Ketchum. I really like the last 20%or so. Overall, I enjoyed the book but won't be in my favorites/rereads.
dynahthirst's review against another edition
The writing was really scattered and hard to follow. The editing was poorly done. The characters were pretentious and ridiculous. The plot was boring. Abandoned!
charshorrorcorner's review against another edition
5.0
What an incredible read!
I've loved the work of Jack Ketchum ever since I read his book The Girl Next Door. In The Secret Life of Souls Jack teams up once again with Lucky McKee and together, they knock this one right out of the park.
The Cross family is as dysfunctional as they come. Pat and Bart, (mom and dad), are busy trying to make their daughter Delia a star and her brother Robbie is mostly ignored. The family dog Caity more or less belongs to Delia alone, and it doesn't take long for the reader to discover that Delia and Caity have a special connection. Caity lives to serve the Cross family, but other than Delia and Robbie, they don't deserve this loyal dog. I'm going to leave off the plot here because this story should be absorbed as the authors intended, not interpreted by a lowly blogger like me.
This book is fast paced and well written. These authors know how to pull on your heart strings and they are not afraid to do so. The characters of the Cross family are so well developed but the more you get to know them-well, you'll see. The dog, though? The dog is the star of this show, and with portions of the story from Caity's point of view, it is no mystery how she's feeling. Many times I found myself wishing I could reach out and pet Caity and call her a good girl. (Who's a good girl, Caity? You are!)
I'm not sure this is a horror story, though parts of it are certainly horrific. What it is for sure though, is a fantastic novel that takes the reader through the full spectrum of emotions: from full blown happiness to acute sadness and all the stops in between. This may even be my favorite book of the year so far. The more I turn it over in my mind, the more sure I am that it will be.
Highly recommended for everyone, but most especially to dog lovers. I think you'll adore The Secret Life of Souls.
You can buy your copy here: The Secret Life of Souls: A Novel
*Thanks to Net Galley and Pegasus Books for the free e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
Find this review and others like it at HorrorAfterDark.com.
I've loved the work of Jack Ketchum ever since I read his book The Girl Next Door. In The Secret Life of Souls Jack teams up once again with Lucky McKee and together, they knock this one right out of the park.
The Cross family is as dysfunctional as they come. Pat and Bart, (mom and dad), are busy trying to make their daughter Delia a star and her brother Robbie is mostly ignored. The family dog Caity more or less belongs to Delia alone, and it doesn't take long for the reader to discover that Delia and Caity have a special connection. Caity lives to serve the Cross family, but other than Delia and Robbie, they don't deserve this loyal dog. I'm going to leave off the plot here because this story should be absorbed as the authors intended, not interpreted by a lowly blogger like me.
This book is fast paced and well written. These authors know how to pull on your heart strings and they are not afraid to do so. The characters of the Cross family are so well developed but the more you get to know them-well, you'll see. The dog, though? The dog is the star of this show, and with portions of the story from Caity's point of view, it is no mystery how she's feeling. Many times I found myself wishing I could reach out and pet Caity and call her a good girl. (Who's a good girl, Caity? You are!)
I'm not sure this is a horror story, though parts of it are certainly horrific. What it is for sure though, is a fantastic novel that takes the reader through the full spectrum of emotions: from full blown happiness to acute sadness and all the stops in between. This may even be my favorite book of the year so far. The more I turn it over in my mind, the more sure I am that it will be.
Highly recommended for everyone, but most especially to dog lovers. I think you'll adore The Secret Life of Souls.
You can buy your copy here: The Secret Life of Souls: A Novel
*Thanks to Net Galley and Pegasus Books for the free e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
Find this review and others like it at HorrorAfterDark.com.
lauriereadslohf's review against another edition
5.0
This review and the rest of the crap I write can be seen @ my blog Bark's Book Nonsense . Stop by and say hey.
Having read Ketchum’s work in the past and watching a few of Lucky McKee's films (May is a must-see, btw), I pretty much read this book with my heart in my throat while I waited for the ball to drop on my head and I was not at all disappointed!
This is a not a feel-good story. Don’t let that lovely cover fool you. It is a story about two terrible, self-absorbed, materialistic people who never should’ve had children. But they did. Twins in fact. Now the twins are eleven and Delia, an actress, is their beautiful little money maker. Robbie is basically ignored while their stage mom drags Delia from job to job to keep up with their luxurious lifestyle and to keep herself supplied in alcohol. Dad stays home and buys himself expensive toys.
Ugh, I DESPISE these people. You will too. But you’re supposed to, so don’t feel bad about it. I sure don’t.
Delia’s only friend is her beloved dog Caity who has her own point of view. Caity is an amazing, fully fleshed out character. Their bond is super tight and extraordinary. It is also beautifully written and completely believable. Terrible things happen, as they do in a Ketchum novel, and I’m not going to spoil any of them. Just know that you will cry even if you think you’re too tough for that and when the story ends you will feel raw, as if you’ve been turned inside out and all of your nerve ending are now exposed. But you will not regret reading through the tough bits to get to the unforgettable end. Trust me on this.
I loved this book. Books like this are the reason I keep reading through all of the “meh” one’s. It is absolutely deserving of all five stars. Delia and Caity will forever be in my heart. Now I’ve got to go and hug my dogs before I get all weepy again.
We are here. We together. We are not alone.
This one might require Daryl.
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. Thanks Netgalley :)
Having read Ketchum’s work in the past and watching a few of Lucky McKee's films (May is a must-see, btw), I pretty much read this book with my heart in my throat while I waited for the ball to drop on my head and I was not at all disappointed!
This is a not a feel-good story. Don’t let that lovely cover fool you. It is a story about two terrible, self-absorbed, materialistic people who never should’ve had children. But they did. Twins in fact. Now the twins are eleven and Delia, an actress, is their beautiful little money maker. Robbie is basically ignored while their stage mom drags Delia from job to job to keep up with their luxurious lifestyle and to keep herself supplied in alcohol. Dad stays home and buys himself expensive toys.
Ugh, I DESPISE these people. You will too. But you’re supposed to, so don’t feel bad about it. I sure don’t.
Delia’s only friend is her beloved dog Caity who has her own point of view. Caity is an amazing, fully fleshed out character. Their bond is super tight and extraordinary. It is also beautifully written and completely believable. Terrible things happen, as they do in a Ketchum novel, and I’m not going to spoil any of them. Just know that you will cry even if you think you’re too tough for that and when the story ends you will feel raw, as if you’ve been turned inside out and all of your nerve ending are now exposed. But you will not regret reading through the tough bits to get to the unforgettable end. Trust me on this.
I loved this book. Books like this are the reason I keep reading through all of the “meh” one’s. It is absolutely deserving of all five stars. Delia and Caity will forever be in my heart. Now I’ve got to go and hug my dogs before I get all weepy again.
We are here. We together. We are not alone.
This one might require Daryl.
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. Thanks Netgalley :)
meowjorie's review against another edition
5.0
This book was such a roller coaster - a thrilling and beautiful roller coaster. It was nothing like I expected it to be, and I honestly think that the labels of "horror" and "psychological thriller" apply very loosely, but it was an excellent drama.
toris_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Every time I pick up a book by Ketchum, I think to myself, "I've read his other stuff, he really can't shock me with this one!" And usually I'm wrong - in this case, I was especially wrong.
Ketchum and McKee are both famous for more gore-tastic, in-your-face kind of horror. So when I grabbed this book, the first 50 pages or so were not at all what I was expecting. It seemed more like a flawed family drama/thriller than anything else. Boy, was I wrong.
The storyline immediately took a turn about two-thirds of the way into the novel (which is, fittingly, split up into three parts) and became not entirely unlike the works of Ketchum and McKee that I was familiar with. However, this book tugged at my heart strings, and horrified me, more than any of the other works I've read/seen by them.
Maybe it's because there was a dog involved, or maybe it's because the plot surrounded children who you only wanted love and protect, but The Secret Life of Souls both mortified and frustrated me in ways that I never knew possible.
While probably not the most shocking works of either authors, this novel was definitely the most realistic - making it by far the most horrifying.
Ketchum and McKee are both famous for more gore-tastic, in-your-face kind of horror. So when I grabbed this book, the first 50 pages or so were not at all what I was expecting. It seemed more like a flawed family drama/thriller than anything else. Boy, was I wrong.
The storyline immediately took a turn about two-thirds of the way into the novel (which is, fittingly, split up into three parts) and became not entirely unlike the works of Ketchum and McKee that I was familiar with. However, this book tugged at my heart strings, and horrified me, more than any of the other works I've read/seen by them.
Maybe it's because there was a dog involved, or maybe it's because the plot surrounded children who you only wanted love and protect, but The Secret Life of Souls both mortified and frustrated me in ways that I never knew possible.
While probably not the most shocking works of either authors, this novel was definitely the most realistic - making it by far the most horrifying.
onewingedpsycho's review against another edition
3.0
I don't feel like this was a bad effort, it just wasn't for me I like more gore in my stories and this had a far more cosy mystery vibe.