YUM, Nicole Antonia Carson

Todays review is a guest post by Carlie M.A. Cullen. Last week she reviewed the book 'Yum' by Nicole Antonia Carson on her blog, Carlie M.A. Cullen and has graciously given us permission to repost it here on The  Dark Side Book Reviews. With out further ado, I give you Carlie's review:

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The Blurb: As a young man, Doctor James Lewis championed for animal rights and transformed the nation. Six decades later his friends and neighbors are eating each other. Can Jim and his great-granddaughter Emily stop the carnage before they become tasty snacks?

 

 

The Review:

I’ve been meaning to write a review of this fantastic book for months and I’ve finally gotten around to it. YUM is not your normal horror; it has shades of dark comedy and plenty of suspense. George Orwell meets George Romero in this interesting novel.

This dark comedic horror offers thrilling suspense and enough plot twists to tie you in knots!

The premise of this well-written and unique tale, set ninety years in the future, is that animals have mastered the art of speech and are equal with man. Animals are fitted with opposable thumbs and as a result they are able to fully contribute to society, hold down jobs, live in houses and socialise with other species. Consequently, in all but a few countries in the world, laws exist to protect both humans and animals alike from being eaten and if caught, the penalties are severe. The new society works well until a rash of feedings begin . . .

 

The two main characters, Dr James Lewis and Emily Lewis (Dr. Lewis’s great-granddaughter), are beautifully characterised. James is a champion for animal rights and spearheaded the changes to society at great personal cost and sacrifice. He is a brilliant man with a gentle soul, but at 93 years old, he needs a little help from modern science to keep his faculties intact. Carson has given this character great depth, successfully hooking the reader into liking and caring about this fragile old man. She artfully explores the different sides to his character and manages to make him jump off the page. Emily is a teenager growing up in a family of very high achievers and she feels overwhelmed and dwarfed by it. However, she has inherited her great-grandfather’s determination and love for animalkind, giving her the strength to follow her own path and not the one her high-powered mother has in mind. Again, Carson has crafted an amazing character; the reader can feel and relate to the angst Emily suffers as well as her loving nature. Emily is no pushover though and has a bit of a temper, which has been realistically portrayed.

 

All the supporting cast have been brought to life and each given their own personalities so you find yourself attaching to them as well.

 

The plot is interesting with unexpected events occurring throughout and culminates in the most unexpected twist of all. It moves along at quite a pace and the author has timed it extremely well, giving you moments of respite before the next whammy hits. The tale is very different and enjoyable.

 

Whilst there is a little comedy, it’s subtle and in no way detracts from the serious side. The dialogue is realistic and relatable and Carson does well to make it specific for each species. I felt the description was a little underdone in places, particularly when it came to some of the more emotive scenes. However, Carson sets the scene sufficiently for the reader to imagine what’s missing.

 

For me, the mark of a good book is when you want the story to continue after you’ve turned the last page and that’s what I wanted with Yum. A great and entertaining read from an author to watch!

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Carlie M.A. Cullen is the author of 'Heart Search - Lost', and is well known as an editor and Blogger. You can find her blogging at http://carliemacullen.com  where she discusses everything from books to recipes.

Wishbone, Brooklyn Hudson

This week we are exploring the dark side of life in the bucolic country-side with the unnerving novel, Wishbone, by indie author Brooklyn Hudson.

The tale begins with Rachel and Julien Grenier, a well-to-do couple who live on the Upper Eastside of Manhattan. Julien was born on a farm in France, and at the age of 9 he witnessed his father brutally murder his beloved grandfather.  He does not share this traumatic experience with anyone, not even his wife, although he is plagued by dreams of the event.  A sculptor and artist, Rachel knows that he has has secrets, but is content to leave them be as they don't intrude on their life together.

Unfortunately, Rachel is the victim of a brutal attack that culminates in the miscarriage of their baby; a child that Julien was unaware of and would not have wanted. 

Rachel sinks into depression bordering on madness, and is ruled by her fears.  Julien is desperate to bring her back to normal. To escape the past and give Rachel a new start in life, Julien quits his job and finds a home in the country, a lovely old Victorian that Rachel falls in love with.

King's Hollow appears at first to be the miracle they prayed for.  The one thing that Julien is not really on board with is the Chickens that come along with the place, but eventually he accepts them.  The chickens are cared for by a developmentally disabled seventeen-year old, named Sarah. 

Sarah even does the butchering of the chickens, and although she is unhappy at eating a 'pet', Rachel cooks it up and finds it to be the best chicken she ever ate, as does Julien. At the end of their meal, they take the wishbone, and play the game of wishing on it.

This begins a series of events, and their life together takes a strange turn, directly into the Twilight Zone.

I could not put this book down.  Julien is handsome and strong, and loving and giving despite his secrets.  Once they begin the game they cannot quit, nor can they stick to the rules they set for themselves. Rachael is no longer herself and Julien is experiencing a string of bad luck and unfortunate accidents.

And at the center of everything is Sarah and her beloved chickens.

This book will have you thinking long after you put it down.  I don't think that I will ever see a Thanksgiving dinner again and not think about this book!