PENPAL BY DATHAN AUERBACH

I'll admit, this was one creepy book. It sent chills up my spine and really freaked me out. However, I really didn't like the ending. Nothing was tied up like I would have wanted. 

Rating: ★★★
​Release Date: June 2012
Genre: Horror
Series: None. Standalone. 
Pages: 254 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased. 

Penpal began as a series of short and interconnected stories posted on an online horror forum. Before long, it was adapted into illustrations, audio recordings, and short films; and that was before it was revised and expanded into a novel!

How much do you remember about your childhood?

In Penpal, a man investigates the seemingly unrelated bizarre, tragic, and horrific occurrences of his childhood in an attempt to finally understand them. Beginning with only fragments of his earliest years, you'll follow the narrator as he discovers that these strange and horrible events are actually part of a single terrifying story that has shaped the entirety of his life and the lives of those around him. If you've ever stayed in the woods just a little too long after dark, if you've ever had the feeling that someone

or something was trying to hurt you, if you remember the first friend you ever made and how strong that bond was, then Penpal is a story that you won't soon forget, despite how you might try.

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Read my Book Review

​Release Date: June 2012
Genre: Horror
Actual Rating: 3 stars

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it is downright creepy. You get a keen sense of foreboding while reading it and it actually sends chills down the spine. On the other hand, the execution of the story is slow and the ending feels... like we didn't get enough (or rather ANY) reason for why things happened. I wanted answers. Did I get any? Nope. So that's very frustrating for me as a reader. I feel like I invested time into a story that wasn't wrapped up. Ugh! 

I will go into a bit more detail, but it may contain spoilers so only read if you don't plan on reading the book and/or don't mind spoilers. If you DO plan to read the book then I highly recommend not reading the rest of my review. It would absolutely RUIN your reading experience. Here goes:

(view spoiler)

With that, this is a terrifying novel that will probably stay with me for a long time. While I may not have really liked the execution of the novel- everything unfolds very slowly- I can appreciate it and understand why the author chose to go this route. Would I recommend the book? Actually, despite giving it 3 stars I would. It's one of those books that seeps into your bones and makes you feel chilled. It's just not for everyone. 

★★★