Wanna hear something spooky? October is almost over! I can’t believe how fast this month has gone by! I mentioned in my first post that I was planning on reading 13 books this month, and at this point I don’t think I’ll be able to read all of them. Who would’ve known reading 13 books in a month was going to be difficult?? This week I was able to read 2 books and watch 4 movies. So let’s get started!
Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
Rating: 4/5
Lock Every Door follows Jules, who’s having a rough time in good ol’ NYC. The day she was laid off was also the day she found out her boyfriend was cheating on her. Now, she’s staying on a friend’s couch trying to find a job. That’s when she sees a promising ad for an apartment sitter. During the interview, Jules learns that if she is able to follow the rules of the apartment complex for three months, she’ll be paid $12,000. Getting paid that much for just living in an apartment? Doesn’t sound sketchy at all! Jules obviously doesn’t think so, as she decides to take up the position. However, things start getting strange as Jules begins to settle down in the apartment.
This is my third Riley Sager book I’ve read this year and it was a good time! I devoured this book in 2 days! I was just so excited to figure out the mystery of this apartment building alongside Jules. My favorite trope, in both books and movies, occurs in Lock Every Door and that is the main character researching. I love following a character into a library or having them google articles about their new home. It makes me feel like I can put the pieces together like a little detective! An interesting tidbit in this book (that isn’t a spoiler) is the mention of a Blue Moon on Halloween. Now, a Blue Moon is when a Full Moon happens more than once in a month. If you didn’t know, this year in real life there will be a Blue Moon on Halloween! When I saw this being talked about in the book, I flipped out! Like biiiiiitch! What’s going to happen this Blue Moon??? Overall, I highly recommend any of Riley Sager’s books! Each one has been intriguing and a fun time.
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
Rating: 3/5
The Sun Down Motel is told in two separate timelines: one following Viv in 1982 and the other following Carly in 2017. Viv worked the late-night shift at the Sun Down Motel where most of the guests are ghosts rather than paying customers. Then one night, Viv goes missing. She starts her shift at the Sun Down and disappears, leaving her purse and car behind. Having this great mystery hanging over her family for 35 years, Carly decides to try to figure out what happened to her Aunt Viv. The best way for her to do this would be to work the exact same shift Viv worked the night she went missing.
Now, I really don’t know how to feel about this book. For whatever reason, this one didn’t keep me as enthralled as the previous book did and it took me a lot longer to finish it. Also, I figured out everything before the reveals. I don’t know if that is necessarily a bad thing or not. I mean it is cool to have the clues there for you to solve the mystery, but if you figure it out too soon then the book seems to drag. However, this is one of the first books I’ve read in a while where ghosts were actually acknowledged and played a role in the mystery. It was cool that the characters believed one another’s experience, instead of the classic horror trope where no one believes that ghosts could possibly be the reason behind the weirdness. Overall, I did like the Sun Down Motel and enjoyed reading a paranormal story this Halloween season. I recommend it if you’re a fan of true crime.
The Cleansing Hour (2019)
Rating: 1.5/5
The Cleansing Hour is a hot ass mess of a film. It follows two friends, Max and Drew, who decided to create a livestream called “The Cleansing Hour”. Each livestream shows Max performing an exorcism on some poor soul. It turns out it’s all fake, like most things on the internet. Then one day when their “possessed” guest is a no-show, Drew’s fiancé fills in. Then things get real!
Okay. I hated it! This is an interesting concept, I guess? I mean it isn’t original to say the least, but I love possession stories which is why I decided to give it a chance. Here’s my issues with the film: I hated all the characters, the story was a mess, and the ending was predictable. Also, the footage from the livestream looked so bad! They didn’t even have the decency to film their livestream in 1080p. The audacity! I don’t really have anything positive to say about this film and I don’t think it is worth your time. But if you’re bored and want something cheesy to watch, go for it!
Impetigore (2019)
Rating: 3.5/5
After an inciting event, Maya is forced to return to her home village and uncover her family’s secrets. Okay, I know that is super duper vague but I think this one is best experienced not knowing what’s going to happen. I will not be spoiling it, but I do have some opinions to share!
Impetigore’s opening scene is the best one I’ve seen this spooky season! It was intense, sudden, and just a perfect way to start a horror movie. I will say that the rest of the movie isn’t as strong as the beginning, but that is not to say that I didn’t like this movie. Impetigore was my introduction into Indonesian horror and it was an experience that I really enjoyed. I can’t wait to explore more from this director and Indonesian horror in general! Highly recommend!
The Stepford Wives (1975)
Rating: 3/5
Joanna and her family move from the big city of NYC to the quiet town of Stepford. Trying to be neighborly, Joanna and her husband get involved in the community, but things are run a little differently in Stepford. You know what? That’s all I’m going to say about this one! Let’s keep it vague, baby!
This is another film I watched with my family that came out during the year my mom was born. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from a 70s movie, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one! Now, I was able to guess what was going on way before anything was revealed. I still had a lot of fun watching it and the ending was a little creepy! Overall, if you don’t mind a slow burn from the 70s, I recommend this one!
Phantom of the Megaplex (2000)
Rating: 2/5
Phantom of the Megaplex follows Pete Riley, a hard-working teen, who has a job as assistant manager at a movie theater that is supposedly haunted. Oooooo. The night of a huge movie premier, things start going terribly wrong. Almost as if someone was trying to sabotage the premier. Could it be the Phantom?? It’s up to Pete and his siblings to figure it out!
I’ve never seen this movie growing up, but my boyfriend was very excited to re-watch it. I didn’t have as good of a time watching it as he did, and I’ll tell you why. This movie was STRESSFUL! The whole movie is just Pete struggling to keep the Megaplex together. So many disasters kept happening and it was just pure chaos. I can see how little kids could enjoy it. However, there was a secondary plot line in this movie that felt a little weird and slowed the movie down a bit. Basically, we’re following Pete’s mom on a date with her boyfriend. During the date, the topic of marriage comes up and they discuss (in metaphors) about if they should make it official. The secondary plot would’ve bored me as a kid, if we’re being honest. Overall, I don’t think my childhood was lacking because I missed the Phantom of the Megaplex.
Well, October is almost over and I still have a ton of things I want to get to. Will I be able to read and watch everything I have on my list? I guess we’ll see! Keep it spooky y’all!
PRESSED 