The Magic Cottage by James Herbert

Author: James Herbert
ISBN: 0-330-37625-x
Genre: Fiction/Horror
Pages: 394
Format: Paperback
Publisher: PAN

"We thought we'd found our haven, a cottage deep in the heart of the forest. Charming, maybe a little run down, but so peaceful. That was the first part of the Magic. Midge's painting and my music soared to new heights of creativity. That was another part of the Magic. Our love for each other - well, that became the supreme Magic. But the cottage had an alternative side - The Bad Magic." "What happened to us there was horrendous beyond belief. The healings, the crazy sect who wanted our home for themselves, the hideous creatures that crawled from the nether regions, and the bats - oh God, the bats! Even now those terrible things seem impossible to me. Yet they happened..."

This is the second time I've read this book, having read it for the first time years ago. I had forgotten the story so reading it again, was really enjoyable. Although James Herbert is not my most favourite author I really do like some of his books. Reading his books are a little like reading Stephen King's books, I have to be in the 'mood' for it. Otherwise, I'll soon get bored.

Anyway, it took half of this book to get through for anything to really happen, the first half is learning about Midge and Mike, and them moving to the cottage and some of the strange things that begin to happen. Midge is getting over her parents deaths and they both move out into the Cottage. Things happen that they can't explain, and the cottage seems to have a life of it's own. Not too far is a group of people, who are part of a sect. Things seem OK at first, but Mike is suspicious, and as Midge begins to become more friendly with them, the sect begin to get in between them both. There is more to this story but, if I carry on I'll be telling you the whole story!!!

This book is pretty spooky, I was especially spooked when Mike's friend 'Bob' comes to stay with his girlfriend Kiwi. They're awoken to Bob's screams as he sees something 'unnatural' in the cottage, and swears never to return again.

Overall, this is a good spooky ghost book. Which will have you shouting down at the characters, saying No! Wake Up! RUN! I loved the way Mike was described, and the whole relationship he had with Midge. It was sexy in places and had me laughing and smiling a long with them.
I loved how the Cottage was described, it made me want to move in there.

If you're a James Herbert fan, you'll love this book. If you haven't read this book, give it a go. You may find you'll love it.

The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert.

Author: James Herbert
ISBN: 1-4050-0520-3
Genre: Fiction.
Publisher: Macmillan

"The Caleighs have had a terrible year...They need time and space, while they await the news they dread. Gabe has brought his wife, Eve, and daughters, Loren and Cally, down to Devon, to the peaceful seaside village of Hollow Bay. He can work and Eve and the kids can have some peace and quiet and perhaps they can try, as a family, to come to terms with what's happened to them...Crickley Hall is an unusually large house on the outskirts of the village at the bottom of Devil's Cleave, a massive tree-lined gorge - the stuff of local legend. A river flows past the front garden. It's perfect for them...if a bit gloomy. And Chester, their dog, seems really spooked at being away from home. And old houses do make sounds. And it's constantly cold. And even though they shut the cellar door every night, it's always open again in morning..."The Secret of Crickley Hall" is James Herbert's finest novel to date. It explores the darker, more obtuse territories of evil and the supernatural. With brooding menace and rising tension, he masterfully and relentlessly draws the reader through to the ultimate revelation - one that will stay to chill the mind long after the book has been laid aside."


I wanted to read this book after a few people I knew had read it and loved it. So I borrowed it from my sister and was really pleased I had!
For me, so far it has been the best James Herbert book I have read. I found it to go quickly into the story, which for me was really enjoyable. I adored the characters and felt that I was there. I was pretty gripped by this book.
It was pretty scary in places and I wouldn't read in a room on my own, but sometimes I did brave it hehehe.

The book is basically about a family who move into a haunted house, it's haunted by the ghosts of children. I won't say anymore as I don't want to give anything away.

If you're a fan or horror and James Herbert, then I think you'll enjoy this book.

My Verdict: Excellent!

SHRINE by James Herbert

Author: James Herbert
ISBN: 0-450-05659-7
Genre: Fiction- Horror
Publisher: nel


"Innocence and evil become one as a little girl called Alice, a deaf mute, sees a lady in shimmering white who says she is the Immaculate Conception. Alice is suddenly cured and can perform miracles but her saintliness is replaced by a vile force."

I got this book on recommendation from my sister and like her it scared the shit out of me! LOL. I found it to be chilling, spooky and so scary.
I've read some James Herbert novels before; Magic Cottage, The Fog, Once, Haunted, but this one so far is my favourite simply because the fear factor is there. The atmosphere of the book just got to me!

Verdict: Brilliantly Scary!

James Herbert ~ The Fog.

Author: James Herbert
ISBN: 0-330-37615-2
Genre: Fiction-Horror
Publisher: Bantam Press

"The peaceful life of a Wiltshire village is shattered when an earthquake releases a cloud of strange fog that drives people insane. There is only one man who can control the violence that has been unleashed."


I just finished this book. When I first heard about it I thought it was a ghost story, but it isn't.
It's about how an earth quake happens and a mysterious gas is leaked from beneath the ground. This gas turns people crazy and they start to gather and kill them selves, either by throwing themselves into the sea or jumping from buildings. They also turn against each other.

John Holman has to save the UK (and possibily the world) from this gas by trying to get to it's center so a cure can be found.

The book starts off with lots of action but then slows down in the middle. It did pick up again and overall it was an OK book. Not one I would rush to read again.

Verdict: An Okay read