Penpal

Perfect for Spooky Season- I chose this for our October Book Club that met on Halloween. Talk about creepy. This one tells a small quiet story of childhood but as the narrator reveals his history the reader slowly horrifyingly realizes what this kid does not. Told with brilliant tension and a childlike calm -this book is the type of horror not with supernatural ghosts or devils -but simply the horror that reveals the evil that men can do.

If you're into mysteries, creepy stalkers, and photography, this is your jam!

This is a deeply unsettling book that is absolutely terrifying. It's not scary like a story about a monster or vampire or something. It's scary because it can, and does, happen.

The protagonist tells the story of what happened in his childhood, pieced together from his memories, conversations with his mom, research, and some speculation. His kindergarten class sent out balloons with letters attached, asking whoever finds the balloon to write back. When the protagonist gets a response, it's just a weird polaroid photo. Then the photos keep coming. Eventually, it becomes clear that the person who found the balloon is obsessed with him.

So it's a story about a stalker, a mother's atttempt to protect her son, and her son's continuous sabotaging of those efforts because he didn't understand the danger. But it's also about fear and shame and about memory, how the things we remember are combinations of things we actually recall, things we remember being told, and things our minds invent to fill in the gaps.

As the story goes on, those gaps are filled in, understandings are changed, and each time that happens, the situation gets scarier and scarier. This novel is brilliantly written and very effective. If I had children, after reading this I don't think I would ever let them leave the house.

How real is too real?

PENPAL is one of the most hyper-realistic stories I have read recently. From the very first chapter it enthralls you, forcing you to continue reading it till the very end.

The constant human fear that it might happen to you makes this story the ever more gripping. Well worth the read and money well spent.

I was weary about reading this novel because I do not enjoy books about child abuse and judging by the reviews this has disturbing child content. However, this wasn't as creepy and disturbing as reviews promised I'm afraid. It's moreover a story of childhood friendships and stalking.

I very much enjoyed the endings of each chapter and was left “ooohing” and “ahhing” a few times. It took me reading 1/3 of the book to get into it. Not a bad read, but nowhere as creepy as promised or maybe I'm just immune as I don't find books scary but will never give up looking.

3.5 stars.

This was a great quick book to read, it had a tense and creepy atmosphere, it also felt fully real like something that could actually happen. The characters were all great though him being six years old in a lot of it felt a little off but I still really enjoyed it.

I also really enjoyed the time jumping around, and the order that the story was told really add to the overall creep factor.

Rating: 4.25 leaves out of 5-Characters: 4/5 -Cover: 4/5-Story: 4/5-Writing: 5/5Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller-Horror: 3/5-Mystery: 4.5/5-Psychological Thriller: 4.5/5-Thriller: 5/5Type: BookWorth?: YesHated Disliked Meh It Was Okay Liked LovedI listened to this on Youtube years ago before it was a book and LOVED it. It is chilling and makes my skin crawl. This book has made me more aware of my surroundings. It is also crazy how you will push trauma down and into a small box in your mind.

going into this i did not expect to cry over a horror book, but here we are

loved it so much from start to finish. love the characters, the atmosphere and the feeling of not knowing what is going on till the end of the book. it was more uneasy and creepy than scary, it reminded me of a creepypasta but in a good way

13/1/2024 reread:

still love it but no tears this time

This starts out as a man remembering his childhood, at first with fondness, then with confusion, and finally ending in horror. During the course of trying to piece together some of his childhood's missing moments, he finds what he's looking for...wishing he would have left well enough alone.

Ok so this is a TOTAL Booksta-made-me buy because a friend I follow gave such a great review. I had ABSOLUTELY no idea what this was about going in, as I so often do with books