The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn

The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn - 283 pages

They only come when it snows, and nobody ever gets away.

A group of close friends gathers at a secluded cabin in the wintry mountains of Colorado for a final holiday hurrah. Instead, it may be their last stand. First a massive blizzard leaves them marooned. Then the more chilling realization: something is lurking in the woods, watching them, waiting...

Now a weekend of family, friends, and fun has turned into a test of love and loyalty in the face of inhuman horrors. The only hope for those huddled inside is to fight—tooth and nail, bullet and blade—for their lives. Otherwise, they'll end up like the monsters' other victims: bright pools of blood on glittering snow, screams lost in the vast mountains.

This book was great for the last 100 or so pages.  Before that it seemed more like a love story than horror, but I understand that build up needs to happen.  I just think it was a bit more than I wanted to see in a horror book.  I liked how the author described the "hellions" as well as their actions, they sound pretty scary.  Overall, the book was good, but the ending was fantastic!

Brother by Ania Ahlborn

 

Brother by Ania Ahlborn - 319 pages

Deep in the heart of Appalachia stands a crooked farmhouse miles from any road. The Morrows keep to themselves, and it’s served them well so far. When girls go missing off the side of the highway, the cops don’t knock on their door. Which is a good thing, seeing as to what’s buried in the Morrows’ backyard.

But nineteen-year-old Michael Morrow isn’t like the rest of his family. He doesn’t take pleasure in the screams that echo through the trees. Michael pines for normalcy, and he’s sure that someday he’ll see the world beyond West Virginia. When he meets Alice, a pretty girl working at a record shop in the small nearby town of Dahlia, he’s immediately smitten. For a moment, he nearly forgets about the monster he’s become. But his brother, Rebel, is all too eager to remind Michael of his place…

Wow, this book is dark.  I love horror and still thought to myself "WTH did I just read?".  However, it was a good book, I really rooted for Michael.  I really enjoyed the twist at the end, I didn't see it coming and it was fantastic.