Jon Cohn

Then another realization hits me: I’d rather die than go back to that life.
Holy shit (excuse the language) what can I say about this book. I haven't read many horror stories lately and this one did not disappoint. It had a few moments where I was left waiting for the plot to move along, but boy when it did... everything happened all at once!
The Island Mother is told through three different perspectives. Leigh (Lani), Jesse and Kai. Each person's story leaves you gripping your seat show more because the chapters shift to another POV at the most intense moments of the story. I spent a lot of time on the edge of my seat with this one.
The story starts out intensely and only lets up, momentarily, when our main character arrives in Hawaii after deciding to leave her meth dealing boyfriend and start a new life. Leigh decides to start over in Hawaii by naming herself Lani. She finds a job at an island resort, but things appear a little strange about the people working there. Lani soon learns that not everything is as it seems. Will she trust the itch that tells her it's time to leave? Or is it already too late for her? Is the new love that she developed enough to survive the weirdness coming from her time on the island? Is it enough to save her from Jesse?
I was chosen for a higher purpose, spent a whole life running so that I could end up here... This is my ohana, and I am the Island Mother.
The creep factor of this book is so well written at times I found myself spooked out in broad daylight! Also, I have developed a new fear of birds thanks to Jon Cohn. The book masterfully creates a beautiful island getaway which is not at all what it appears to be. I have to say though I saw some of the events coming in this book they were written so wonderfully that I did not mind! The characters are so well rounded that it's impossible not to fall into the story. A perfect read for the spooky season for sure. show less

To take a quote from this book on how to describe it:

"Slashtag started out as an elaborate haunted house escape room, then it went full Saw for a minute before turning into a possession story, a slasher, and then ultimately, a found-footage spoof of itself."
Yet you can't forget to add in Cabin in the Woods!

All of these elements should have made for a great horror book. Sadly, for me, this book did not hit the mark. This is mainly due to the fact that I did not find any of the characters that show more likeable. In fact, they kind of annoyed me. Despite this factor and that it took me way too long to finish this book, I still did like the concept of it and could see the mashup of the different horror genres in this book. show less

Jon Cohn is an amazingly gifted writer, and The Island Mother is just one more book that proves that. This is beautifully written. It grabbed my attention immediately and held on until I finished. My only complaint is that I lost sleep because I couldn't wait to finish. The Island Mother starts as a gripping thriller and lands with a perfectly executed horror ending.

Everything is Temporary is a book within a book story, featuring Tom relieving a traumatic event from his childhood after seeing someone at the mall, and Tom as a child dealing with a traumatic event that almost had him and his friends killed. I'm not typically a fan of the book within a book scenarios, but this one worked for me and the author used the concept quite skillfully.

The overall story was quite fun, and I loved the fact it revolved around Christmas. Creepy Christmas horror can be show more fun, and while I didn't find this one scary or creepy, I did find it engaging. Sometimes though, you need something lighter and this fit the bill. The alternating POVs worked, and I liked seeing the multiple perspectives of Tom's erratic behaviour and the impact it had on his family. To be honest, I would think my husband was losing his mind if I was every in that same situation. When your husband starts talking about talking Christmas trees and evil Hummels, well...how do you respond to that? I did like the themes that were discussed in this book: trauma, loss, grief, bullying, redemption, and friendship.

The characters were all interesting, but honestly, I don't think I connected with them all that much. I just felt like they needed to be fleshed out a bit more so we could fully understand their motives and why they chose to do some of the things they did. They were relatable however, and I definitely enjoyed the on-going references to Home Alone and Home Alone 2. I did feel like the kids acted a bit older than their 12 years and were quite quick to set up a home to kill like in the movie, something that took me out of the story a couple of times as it jarred with what was happening, but like children, there was no comprehension of the consequences until something happened. I had to remind myself of their ages a few times.

Verdict
Everything is Temporary was a fun Christmas horror that was light and fast. I like how the author takes these things we associate with the holidays and turns them into little, or big, monsters that can be frightening, using something we treasure to kill. I did think the characters and the story could have been fleshed out a bit more, but overall, if you are looking for something light, quick, and fun, then I recommend this book for you. show less