Review: Dead of Winter

Dead of Winter by Brian Moreland

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Dead of Winter from the publisher in return for an honest review.

I loved the characters in this book, I connected and cared about them very early on and I was right there with them throughout, rooting for them during their struggles. I have a soft spot for anything related to Indian folklore so this book really grabbed my attention and I enjoyed those parts a great deal. The plot wasn't what I was expecting and turned out to be more and better than I originally thought it was going to be on reading the blurb.

The writing style when describing the scenes and the storm was very well done, I could easily picture the cold and the atmosphere the author was projecting. I must be honest and admit that when I first started reading I found myself thinking, oh no this is going to be a zombie story and I am not a fan of most of those. Thankfully it turned out not to be and it went down the path of some of my favourite subjects in horror. Demons, exorcism and Indian lore!

The ending went where I was hoping it would and I was happy with the conclusion of the story. So many books now have cliffhangers or open endings, this one doesn't and I enjoyed it all the more for it. It did take a bit for me to get into the story but I think that's more because I was reading it during the Christmas season than any fault with the story itself.

Dead of Winter is the first of Brian Moreland I have read and I will be reading more from this author. Definitely one I would recommend to fans of horror.

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Review: The Martian

The Martian by Andy Weir

My rating: 5 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The Martian from the publisher in return for an honest review.

“I’m stranded on Mars. I have no way to communicate with Earth. I’m in a Habitat designed to last 31 days. If the Oxygenator breaks down, I’ll suffocate. If the Water Reclaimer breaks down, I’ll die of thirst. If the Hab breaches, I’ll just kind of explode. If none of those things happen, I’ll eventually run out of food and starve to death. So yeah. I’m screwed.”

Mark Watney is the best male character I have come across during all my years of reading. I love his smarts, sarcasm, wit and pure determination. Watneys dialogue is what made the book for me, he was just so much fun to be in the company of, despite his situation. I believe this has to the be the first time I have said this, not only in a review but ever... I developed a huge book crush on Watney, my first one ever! Seriously, who needs romance for book boyfriends, I'll take Watney over them all any day.

The plot was very well done and the tension and pace held my attention from start to finish. There was a lot of science in the story, some I understood, some I didn't but it honestly didn't matter either way. The writing style is impressive, Watney is in a very serious situation, high stakes, big risks and trying to survive the impossible but it's unique, interesting, hilariously funny, riveting and full of tension. Yet despite all the seriousness of his situation, all the science talk and the danger, it's fun, it's lots of fun and that is all down to the author's writing style. The author has taken a life or death situation, all the highs and lows, injected lots of sarcasm and humour and he's turned it into something unlike anything I have read before.

The Martian is at it's heart a science fiction book but it's more than that. It's got adventure, humour, tension, thrills and chills. It's both character driven and plot driven. Really it has it all. Should you choose to give this one a go, don't be put off by the science. It seems complicated and hard to follow at first but trust me when I say, it doesn't matter. The story will grab you and before you know it you'll have learned and understand a lot of the science. The bits you don't? Well, by that point you are so hooked it doesn't matter!

The Martian has easily shot right up to the top of my favourite reads of 2014, it's well deserving of all the hype that surrounds it and I highly recommend picking this one up.

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Review: The Package

The Package by Evans Light

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




This story really doesn't paint Santa in a very nice light, infact he's positively glowing under a great big neon asshat sign!

I found myself getting rather pissed off at Santa and the way he kept putting down poor Mrs Claus. I mean cmon he's no hunk of a catch himself and it would take a miracle to find his junk under that belly, especially considering how lacking he is in the trouser department. And as for his new package, lets face it the only way that's going to be even slightly appealing or see any action, is if it's removable, has a bow wrapped round it and put it under someones tree!

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Review: Servant of the Red Quill: A Baker Johnson Tale

Servant of the Red Quill: A Baker Johnson Tale by Terry M. West

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Servant of the Red Quill: A Baker Johnson Tale from the author in return for an honest review.

Baker Johnson is a parapsychologist and is called to help a family who is being tormented by an evil spirit that is linked to a tome titled Servant of the Red Quill. Before reading Servant of the Red Quill I would advise you to first read the prequel: The Giving of Things Cold & Cursed.

At just 53 pages this is a quick read and it held my attention throughout. The pacing is perfect and although the plot is a short one, it's done well. The writing style very much suits the time period the story takes place in and the dialogue also fitting for the time. It was nice to see the character of Baker Johnson in action, I read the prequel a while back and got to know Baker but didn't get to see him in action in this way previously.

Terry M West has many short stories published but Servant of the Red Quill is my favourite so far. The plot covers one of my favourite topics in horror but I'm not going to spoil the story by saying what that is, you'll just have to read it to find out!

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Review: The Donor

The Donor by Nikki Rae

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The Donor (The Full Novella) via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I'm not sure how I feel about this one, I read it pretty fast and it held my attention but there was something missing. Don't get me wrong it was a good plot and had twists to it but it just felt like it needed more. It's a short read but I think it needed expanding, I felt like I was filling in missing parts myself a little. I wanted to know who the characters were previously, who they were as themselves before the situation they found themselves in. I feel it would have made a huge improvement to the story and how I felt about the characters to have gotten to know them a bit better outside of their intertwined story.

The topic in this novella isn't an easy one to write about and it's done well. The way the story is written jumping back and forth portrays the upheaval, fear and confusion of Casey nicely. It gives the impression of scattered thoughts and her mind being a bit all over the place which really works. I don't feel like I got to know Jonah very well at all, there were hints to his background but not enough, he didn't feel real. It felt a little like he was thrown in just to make Casey's character work rather than sharing the story with her, he needed more substance. The romance felt a little rushed, I get that they didn't have much time and it's only 115 pages but I found the chemistry lacking somewhat.

In summary, it was a decent, tragic and unique read with with an underlying message, but I would have loved a little more background to make the characters more substantial.

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Review: The Egg

The Egg by Andy Weir

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



For such a short story it really says so much more than you could ever imagine would fit into 4 pages. It also gives you quite a lot to contemplate on, kinda mind blowing really. It takes real talent to say so much with such few words.


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Review: No Such Thing as Werewolves

No Such Thing as Werewolves by Chris Fox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars




I received a free copy of No Such Thing as Werewolves via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

No Such Thing as Werewolves is an extremely clever novel with a very unique and impressive plot, delivered at a gripping pace that will have you hooked from start to finish.

I found myself thinking many times while reading how impressed I was with how the plot was progressing and the way everything was tying together. This novel totally grabbed me and didn't let go, I didn't want it to finish and upon finishing I immediately wanted more. So much happens between the pages of this book and I honestly had no idea where the story was going to go, it wasn't even slightly predictable. It's a very mixed genre with everything from horror, to thriller, to sci fi, to mystery, really it's got it all and it works, boy does it work. It's non stop action right from the start and it doesn't let up right till the last page.

The character development was great, the back story and the progression of the characters really fleshed them out and made them all stand out. The dialogue was well done and I enjoyed the interaction between the characters. The writing style, well lets just say that I'm not a huge fan of stories with military and gun talk etc but I was totally hooked in this case, that says a lot about how well the author told the story and kept me turning those pages. The mythology, history, back story, plot, everything really, was fascinating and really made the book one that stood out for me. I honestly don't think I could write a review that would do this book justice.

That cliffhanger though, it killed me. I hate cliffhangers, I really do but in this case I get it, it's a long book and you can't put everything in and believe me there's a lot in this book but it's not complicated, it's cleverly done and easy to follow.

I believe this is the authors first full length novel and wow, just wow. For someone to turn out a book as unique, well paced and with such a well developed, researched and thought out plot, I'm impressed. I kept pausing while reading and finding myself actually in awe of how well everything linked together.

No Such Thing as Werewolves will appeal to fans of almost every genre and I highly recommend giving this one a read. I have said I'm impressed and enjoyed it but I can't say it enough, really I'm impressed and loved every minute of it! I need more, I'm dying to know what happens next.

An easy 5 stars, I would give more if I could.

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Review: Above

Above by Isla Morley

My rating: 2 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Above from the publisher in return for an honest review.

After reading the blurb for Above I was really intrigued and looking forwards to reading and although I enjoyed it to start with, it lost me just after the half way mark.

The first half of the book held my attention. The story of the abduction and the scenes and events in captivity were done well. The author did a nice job of projecting the fear, loneliness and hopelessness of the main character Blythe Hallowell and her situation.

The middle of the book where the first half blends into the second half is where everything went wrong for me, it wasn't smooth and totally disrupted the flow of the story and started to drag.

The second half actually felt like another book, the pace, tension and atmosphere totally changed and was nowhere near as good as the first half. It lacked the world building needed to hold my attention and make the situation believable. The ending kind of picked up a little but not enough, it was still a bit of a slog to get through and was lacking too much for me.

It took me a bit to get into the story to start with because I couldn't connect with the character as soon as I would have liked to and I don't feel like I really connected and felt for Blythe like I should have in a book that covers a topic like this. There are times when it felt a bit jumpy, I would be reading and start the next line only to realise it had moved onto something else or a little further on in the timeline all of a sudden and I found that confusing and off putting.

It wasn't an awful read but it wasn't a great read either. I think perhaps it would have worked better if each half was expanded and was it's own book rather than feeling like two books squeezed into one as it does now.

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Review: Escape from Witchwood Hollow

Escape from Witchwood Hollow by Jordan Elizabeth

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Escape from Witchwood Hollow from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Escape from Witchwood Hollow was a light and fast read, I flew through this one in no time at all. I enjoyed the perspectives of the different time periods, it worked well and gave the plot and what was happening more depth. The way the characters from the different time periods came together in the end was a pleasant surprise and despite the back and forth between the different times it was easily followed.

There was quite a few characters and they weren't as developed as I would have liked and it gave the feeling of parts being missing but to be honest it didn't really matter much. The characters all worked well together and there was just enough of a background to each for the story to work. There was the odd factual mistake but not anything major that ruined the story.

One thing I did find irritating and kind of out of place was all the fashion brand naming, I felt it wasn't really needed. I found myself getting annoyed that almost every outfit the main character wore kind of felt like an advert. It was too much information, too often. At times I thought it felt like the author was being sponsored by different brands to give them a mention.

In summary this was a light and easy read that you can pick up and just enjoy for what it is. No heavy thinking involved and a simple plot that doesn't require your complete attention to try and follow or decipher. It has a few issues that are easily forgiven and was an enjoyable story.

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Review: Orphans of Wonderland

Orphans of Wonderland by Greg F. Gifune

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Orphans of Wonderland from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Orphans of Wonderland was a little slow for me, I felt like I was waiting for something to happen for most of the book. The characters were well done, the main character very well developed and likeable. The plot was OK although it felt drawn out a lot for me, it wasn't till the last third of the book that I felt like it was actually getting to the nitty gritty of what was really going on and the tension started picking up.

During the first two thirds of the book I found the book easy to put down and I wasn't overly drawn to pick it up again. On getting to the last section though I was really drawn in and enjoying it a lot more and I was keen to turn those pages to see what was happening next. I prefer books that have a bit of a faster pace but it was well written and had some nice twists in it towards the end that made up for what I found lacking in the previous sections.

For the most part this was a bit of a middle of the road read for me with the ending saving the book in my opinion but it has left me with a lot of questions which I don't feel were answered.

(2.5 stars rounded up to 3)

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Review: Dark Vengeance

Dark Vengeance by Russell James

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Dark Vengeance from the publisher in return for an honest review.

On reading the blurb and seeing this was about a coven of witches I just had to give it a read. Dark Vengeance was a bit of a hit and miss for me, I wanted to read on and finish it but it wasn't a book that stood out for me at all.

I would have preferred if the characters were a bit more fleshed out and developed, there was a little background but not enough for me to be able to relate to or connect with the characters. The plot was OK although I felt like there was something missing, it felt a little like it skimmed the surface and I wanted to know more about where the children came from, why the coven were doing what they were doing, why were they looking at the pupils stats, what did the numbers tell them etc. The dialogue at times seemed very unrealistic, especially when it came to the interactions between Theresa and the sheriff.

Despite the problems above, it was still an OK light read, the pace was even throughout and it held my attention enough that I wanted to finish and learn what the outcome was going to be.

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The Naughty List

The Naughty List by Edward Lorn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Well who would of thunk it. Santa and his reindeer are badass!

This was a fun and twisted little story.



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Review: The Lurking Season

The Lurking Season by Kristopher Rufty

My rating: 2 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The Lurking Season from the publisher in return for an honest review.

After starting this book I was informed that this story follows on from a previous book, The Lurkers, which I have not read. I dithered on whether I should read the first one before reading any further but I decided that as I had already started, to just go ahead and continue reading. Now that I'm finished I think perhaps I should have read the first one before reading any further.

I enjoyed the book but at the same time I didn't enjoy it. The plot was pretty basic and I didn't feel there was much detail to it, perhaps that's because I haven't read the first book and that covers a lot of what I felt was missing here, I don't know. A lot of the background to the characters was hinted at but not enough for me to connect to them. As far as I can tell the characters in this book are mostly new characters to the story so I didn't miss any more detailed background to them from not reading the first book. I found I wasn't too bothered who survived and who didn't and the dialogue and character interaction didn't draw to me to any of them either.

Despite the problems I had connecting, I still wanted to keep reading and finish the book as I wanted to know how it would all end. I have to admit though I had trouble at times taking the lurkers seriously. Some of the descriptions and scenes made me picture the gremlins and I found the scenes quite humorous as a result, but that's just me. The book does have a few disturbing topics in it however, rape, cannibalism and scenes of violence are all in the story, so it may not be for everyone.

2.5 stars but not enough to round up to 3

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Review: Stillwater

Stillwater by Maynard Sims

My rating: 4 of 5 stars





I received a copy of Stillwater from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Beth who is wheelchair bound is looking for a new house in which she can find some peace and quiet to recover and to work on her new novel. She has leased a property called Stillwater but she soon realises she's not alone, she's sharing her house with the spirit of a drowned girl who previously lived in the house and who is making herself known in many different ways. Beth, as she learns more from the ghost, is determined to help her and discover what really happened at Stillwater.

I really enjoyed this one, it turned out to be a great ghost story and I was hooked right from the beginning. The tension and atmosphere builds really well and it has plenty twists and turns to keep it interesting. The characters are very well developed and I was really rooting for Beth, she was a very likeable and strong character. The pacing was good and and held my attention from start to finish and I didn't want to put it down but at the same time I didn't want it to finish.

Stillwater actually reminded me a little of the movie Jessebelle, only with a much better and more detailed plot and characters. It would make a much much better movie than Jessebelle that's for sure. Definitely one I would recommend for those who love paranormal and ghost stories.

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Review: Boom Town

Boom Town by Glenn Rolfe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Boom Town from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Boom Town is a fast and fun novella and I read it one easily in one night. It wasn't what I would really class as horror, more a mix of sci-fi and horror but not too heavy on the horror compared to my usual reads.

Thirty years after a UFO appeared above Hollers Hill the earth is shaking and people and pets have gone missing. Kim and Brady discover a pipe at the back of the Flea Market that's leaking weird blue slime. Things are changing in Eckert and the two teenagers are about to find themselves in a situation that puts them and their families in danger. What's really going on is much worse than the town and the outside world is aware of.

I enjoyed the different views in this book, moving from news broadcasts, to gossip and then on to several different characters and the relationships between those characters as the story and tension progresses. I liked how the mix of sci-fi and horror worked together here, the talk and speculation of what's happening progresses into something much more dangerous and darker than anyone could have predicted.

The pacing was nice and held my attention, the character development with it being a novella was just enough for the story to work and I enjoyed the plot. This is the second book I have read by Glenn Rolfe and I have enjoyed both, I will be reading more from this author in future.

3.5 rounded up to 4.

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Review: Snow, Glass, Apples

Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars




This was a fun, dark and twisted read. I love fairytale remakes, the darker the better and it doesn't get much darker than this.

Snow white is told originally from the perspective of Snow White herself, this little gem retells the story from the point of view of The Evil Queen.

Looks like little Snow White isn't as sweet and innocent as we were all led to believe. Forget all you think you know of this story and immerse yourself in the dark and twisted truth narrated for us by the Evil Queen herself.

I'll never think of Snow White the same ever again!

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Review: In the Heart of the Dark Wood

In the Heart of the Dark Wood by Billy Coffey

My rating: 2 of 5 stars




I received a copy of In the Heart of the Dark Wood from the publisher in return for an honest review.

I was looking forwards to this as it takes place several years after When Mockingbirds Sing, having really enjoyed When Mockingbirds Sing I had high hopes for this one.

It started off well. The book centres around Allie and Zach, who after setting out on a journey realise they are lost in the forest. This worked fine to begin with but most of the story (from 25% - 90%) is about the two children and their experience while in the woods and it really started to drag for me. It felt like this part went on forever and I found myself starting to get bored and skim the pages, it was just too repetitive for my liking.

One thing that bothered me, the children are 12 years old but they acted very young for their age. I know they were having a rough time of it but some of the reactions and dialogue just didn't feel right for their age at times.

I was actually tempted to give up on this one and mark it as DNF but I wanted to know what was in the woods and what the outcome of their journey would be, so I stuck with it and skimmed most of the story from around 60% to 90%. The ending was sweet and emotional but the book as a whole just didn't work for me. I think perhaps because I wasn't enjoying it as much as I wanted to a lot of the deeper message inside the story was missed.


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Review: Doppelganger

Doppelganger by Sean Munger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Doppelgänger from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Anine moves to New York with her new husband, looking forwards to a new life in a new city and a nice new house, life seems to be on the up for Anine. Things aren't as they seem however, there is something sinister in her house and her and her new husband are not being made welcome.

This was a pretty decent read. the characters were nicely developed and the scenes and detail of the era were very well described and set out. I feel there could have been a bit more tension in the actual haunting but it was still a good read. The story revolves more around society, life and the times rather than concentrating on the fear and atmosphere that I would have liked to have seen.

The book held my attention and I wanted to keep reading to learn what the outcome was. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, I just don't understand why Anine just accepted the ending in the way she did.

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Review: What She Left

What She Left by T.R. Richmond

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



First reads giveaway win (Nov 03 2014) - Book arrived 7 Nov 2014

I received a copy of What She Left as a first reads giveaway and I also received a digital copy from the publisher in return for an honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The blurb caught my eye and the idea of rebuilding someones life from their digital footprint was something that I had never really thought of before reading this book. Many people put a lot of their lives online and on social media and I'm sure very few of us have ever considered the impression it would leave behind if ever something was to happen to us.

I liked the format, wasn't sure I would enjoy it but I did. The only thing I didn't like about it was the dates on everything, it jumped back and forth so often that eventually I gave up trying to follow the timeline. I did enjoy reading it, if asked to describe it, to give a simple rough explanation... It's a book about a book, Alice is found dead, Prof Cook is rebuilding her life from what he can find online and from her friends. He's putting it all in a book, we are now reading that book.

My feelings on the Prof were a bit all over the place, he wasn't easy to like and was a bit of a letch. A bit of a letch is putting it mildly actually, he was a disgusting, dirty old man and I didn't like him at all most of the time. I can't say I particularly liked Alice either, although everything you learn about her comes after her death and gossip is never a good thing, it always tends to focus on the negative and the flaws. The other characters didn't stand out at all. I don't know exactly what it was that kept me reading, although I didn't like Prof Cook much, his voice was captivating and kept me reading.

The book really explores the devastation of losing someone to then have a stranger expose all different parts of their life publicly without those left behind having any control over it. It really makes you think about yourself and what echoes of ourselves will we leave online and in diaries etc. What will our online legacy be when we are gone? How will what we have left behind affect the people we love after we're gone? What kind of impression of who we really are will it give?

Reading this book sort of feels like you're peeking through the window at someones life and they don't know you are watching. All the good, bad and ugly exposed for all to see. It's a bit like putting together a scrapbook of someones life, revealing all the different sides of them that not everyone gets to see. Their inner thoughts on the page before you, exposed to all. Diary entries, blog posts, emails, text messages, notes on their computer, all there for everyone and anyone to read and interpret any way they like. It certainly gives you a lot to contemplate on, makes you more aware of what you say and do online in a way that perhaps many haven't ever considered before.

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Review: Book of the Dead

Book of the Dead by Greig Beck

My rating: 5 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The Book of the Dead from the publisher in return for an honest review.

"And the Earth shall fall before they rise."

Sinkholes are opening up all over the world, getting larger and larger, birds are falling from the sky and hundreds of pets and people are missing. When the government start to investigate what's going on, they realise there is a lot more to what's happening and mankind is in danger of being wiped out.

In the authors notes at the end of the book it states that this book pays homage to H.P Lovecraft and I have to applaud the author, he did a damn fine job. This book had me totally hooked, I couldn't put it down I devoured it and the pages more or less turned themselves.

I couldn't find any fault in this book and I certainly can't find the words to express just how good this book was. I loved absolutely everything about it. The characters were great, well developed and fleshed out, the pacing was perfect and the world building was fantastic. I was totally engrossed in the story from start to finish. The whole time I was reading I felt like I was part of the world created in the story and I had to resist peeking further down the page.

Definitely one I would highly recommend. The Book of the Dead is a must read for all Lovecraft fans and is one of my top reads of 2014.

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Review: A Christmas Horror Story

A Christmas Horror Story by Sebastian Gregory

My rating: 5 of 5 stars




I received a copy of A Christmas Horror Story from the publisher in return for an honest review.

A Christmas Horror Story was a quick and fun read, it's not your usual feel good happy Christmas story though!

Katy, Emily and Jake are home alone on Christmas Eve waiting for their Mum coming home from work and looking forwards to having a nice Christmas together. A snow storm changes all that, their Mum hasn't made it home and something is outside trying to get in. The Child Eater is looking for more victims and his sights are set on the three of them.

I really enjoyed this one, it was fun to read a Christmas tale with a darker side to it. The characters were likeable and I was really rooting for them to get the best of the The Child Eater. The pacing was just right and held my attention, the scenes and environment were easily pictured and written very well. The author has included back story from previous years within this one to show that the Child Eater has been terrorising children for many many years and it adds more tension to the story knowing the history.

This year when you hear those bells and footsteps on your roof, you better be sure it's Santa and not the Child Eater come to pay you a visit!

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Review: Satan's Fan Club

Satan's Fan Club by Mark Kirkbride

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I was provided with a free copy of Satan's Fan Club by the author in return for an honest review on Scarlet's Web.

I'm not sure what genre I would file this one under, it kind of hinted at horror but then didn't quite get there for me. There was some mystery to it in regards to the serial killer but that's not really what the storyline centred around till later in the book. I would probably class it more psychological dark(ish) fiction, for me anyway.

The plot wasn't predictable at all, there were times I thought maybe I knew where it was going but it went in a different direction. I couldn't really connect with the characters, I'm not sure why. I think perhaps I didn't find any of them likeable as they all had faults in one way or another, there was no clear good guys/bad guys and I don't feel like I really got to know any of them. That being said, I still enjoyed it and wanted to know what happened. I couldn't have predicted the ending at all, which is always a good thing in my opinion. The pacing was pretty good although it felt a little slow to start with and the plot held my interest as it was unique and unpredictable. There was one part that confused me, now that I know how it all ends I'm confused as to who (and how) the youngest daughter was talking to but I can't really explain that here without giving away spoilers.

I'm not a fan of the cover, I know we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but this one wouldn't have caught my attention and made me curious enough to read the blurb.

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Review: Hillary: Tail of the Dog

Hillary: Tail of the Dog by Angel Gelique

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




The faces I must have pulled while reading this book. I have read so much horror and twisted dark books that I swear I have become desensitized and not many books have me cringing anymore. This one did!!

The warning that comes with this book should not be ignored, it's definitely not for the faint of heart. I honestly didn't know who's side to take in this story, perhaps that will become more clear in the next books. I did start off feeling for poor Hillary but as things progressed that certainly changed fast!

I honestly couldn't stop reading, it's brutal and has lots of twisted scenes of abuse and torture that somehow makes it feel wrong to have enjoyed reading it but I couldn't help myself I just had to keep reading. It's grossly addictive and I don't think I am ever going to able to scrub some of those scenes out of my head. My husband actually asked what the hell I was reading, every time he looked over at me I was making faces and cringing, he's not used to a book making me react like that anymore.

This is one I would recommend but only for those who are not squeamish and have the stomach for the twisted and extreme. I really enjoyed it and have recommended it to my daughter, not sure what that says about me, or my daughter lol.

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Review: Island of the Forbidden

Island of the Forbidden by Hunter Shea

My rating: 5 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Island of the Forbidden from the publisher in return for an honest review.

An isolated island with an awful past. A creepy house that's falling to bits on the outside is in perfect condition on the inside despite laying empty for 20 years. The grounds overrun by trees, greenery and the ghosts of over 100 children, and a new family has just moved in. Sounds like a recipe for disaster right?

Island of the Forbidden has it all, ghosts, an evil presence, psychics, creepy dead children, old haunted house, good guys, bad guys, the list goes on. I would have been out of there faster than cake at a weight watchers meeting!

The atmosphere and tension in this book was perfect, I was gripped right from the start and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The pacing is just right, the tension building slowly as the atmosphere gets darker and creepier before going off the scales as everything comes to a head. Island of the Forbidden is very much a plot driven story, the characters having just enough depth and background for the plot to take the lead. Usually I prefer characters to be a bit more fleshed out but in this case it worked perfectly just as it is. The descriptions made the island, house, and grounds easy to picture in my minds eye and added so much more to the creepiness, especially when picturing the house and all the children.

This was such a good read, I couldn't put it down. I got to get my hands on more books by this author!


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Review: The Pendle Curse

The Pendle Curse by Catherine Cavendish

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The Pendle Curse from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Finally a proper witch story! I have been in the mood lately to read about witches and the few that I was recommended weren't really what I was looking for. I jumped at the chance to review this one as soon as I saw witches mentioned in the blurb and I wasn't disappointed.

I recently reviewed another of Catherine's books Saving Grace Devine and really enjoyed it, so I was even more keen to start this as a result. The Pendle Curse is written much in the same way as Saving Grave Devine in that the tale weaves between two time periods that come together wonderfully in the end. The attention to detail when describing the scenes and building and connecting the tales between past and present is very well done. The characters are well developed, the relationships and tension between them are expressed in such a way that you can feel the emotions and tensions building as the story progresses. The story moves at a nice pace and held my attention from start to finish.

The only thing missing from this (thank goodness) was the cliché "Hubble bubble toil and trouble!" It had it all, witches, cauldrons, spells, familiars, curses and more. I really enjoyed this one and ended up reading it in one sitting. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

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Review: Echoes

Echoes by Michael Bray

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great book in the Whispers trilogy, roll on book three!!

Echoes picks up seven years after book one and a hotel has been built on the area of Hope House. A paranormal team are going in to investigate and the previous tenants of the house have returned for the event, although not really having wanted to. Will everyone be safe and things go as planned?

There are a few storylines running together in this one, each with it's own characters and it works really well. The individual storylines really build the tension up on several different fronts and brings them all together for a great finale. One that will have you itching to get your hands on book three to see what happens next.

There isn't as much mystery in this one as in the first one but the tension really picks up in Echoes as previous characters make an appearance and are determined to have their revenge and to try claim what they didn't get in book one. You are swept along with the story, watching the characters take steps that you just know are going to have dire consequences later on.

I'm eager to get my hands on the last instalment to see what's coming next!

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Review: The Rose Man

The Rose Man by Terry M. West

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The Rose Man from the author in return for an honest review.

Well that was kinda creepy. I'll never look at roses the same ever again.

Such a thoughtful and simple gesture buying a rose for the one you love and what awful consequences that simple gesture results in in this tale. The Rose Man is a very creative and imaginative story with twists that I couldn't even have begun to see coming. If I had any flowers in my house while reading this they would certainly be hidden out of sight as soon as I was done! Just the thought of them sat there gives me the shivers!

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Review: Seed

Seed by Lisa Heathfield

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Seed from the publisher in return for an honest review.

I couldn't put this book down, I picked Seed up earlier this afternoon and before I knew it it was dark outside and the rest of the day had gone without me realising.

What would you do if you discovered everything you'd learned or been taught was a lie?

Pearl has just become a woman and is looking forwards to one day becoming the companion of Papa S like many young girls have done before her. It's all she's ever wanted but the arrival of three new members to the community begins to awaken doubts within her and she finds herself questioning everything she's been brought up to believe in.

Pearl lives a happy, content and perfect life, she has everything she could ever need. A roof over her head, a family who loves her and food on the table. Food that is grown lovingly by the hands of the community she has grown up in, the only one she's ever known. The community of Seed.
Seed is run by Papa S, they all look up to him, they live their daily lives following his beliefs and thanking Mother Nature everyday for all she provides. Secure and happy in the knowledge that as long as they stick to the beliefs and live their lives by the rules their leader has put in place, that life will go on as Mother Nature has planned, together, perfect and happy, safe from the outside world. But things aren't always what they seem to be.

Seed is a coming of age story with a difference, it's both beautiful and horrifying and will open your eyes to the stark truth that goes on in places all over the world. We all want to have that ideal life, to be surrounded by people we love and to feel safe and content with everything we have but sometimes things are too good to be true. The story is beautifully written and the characters give us a peek into a world that many of us will have heard of and found ourselves wondering, what were they thinking? How couldn't they not see what was going on? Why didn't they leave or question things? To us looking in, these questions seem so simple, the signs so blaringly obvious but on reading this book you find yourself understanding why they didn't leave, why they weren't seeing what was really going on and why they didn't question things. The power that someone can have over a group of people is scary to witness, how easily someone can manipulate and control, how far they will go to make sure they maintain that control.

I really wasn't expecting this book to touch me in the way it has, It just grabs you, and doesn't let go. The character development was fantastic and I felt for them, I just wanted to grab them and save them, show them that the outside world isn't such a bad place.

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Review: Dark Prayer

Dark Prayer by Natasha Mostert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Dark Prayer from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Once again Natasha Mostert writes another great book around the concept of memory. I was keen to dive into this one as I was fascinated with the use of memory in Season of the Witch and I was eager to see where else she could go with it in this book.

Jennilee's mother is murdered and she's the only one to have seen the person who murdered her but she has no memory of who the murderer was. Her mother was part of a group made up of 4 people who were studying the mystery of the human memory, how we remember and how those memories change over time. Is it possible to make those memories more vivid at the time? Is it possible to restore forgotten memories? Can we remove unwanted memories from those who have experienced trauma and want to forget?

Daniel Barone who was part of the group, takes Jennilee in and becomes her guardian after the death of her mother. Many years later she disappears and on finding her, her guardian soon discovers that she has no memory of who she once was, she's suffering from what is known as a fugue state and has a whole new identity. He reaches out to her and she refuses to come home, so Daniel in an attempt to get her back contacts another member of the group who sends his son Jack Simonetti to help. All is not as it seems however, and there is a darker side to the story. One which you're going to have to read to find out!

I really enjoyed this one, it wasn't as heavy a read as it sounds from what I have written above. It's a very well paced mystery and I learned quite a few things while reading. I was actually quite shocked to learn what they used to do in medieval times to young children. During a time when few could write, they would use these children in the most awful way in order to make them remember certain occasions more vividly so that the memory would be remembered exactly as it happened, unchanged even in the childs old age.

The story has a lot of detail and it's obvious a lot of research went into this one. It was well executed and it left me with many things to think about after having finished. My 16 year old son and I actually ended up having a rather interesting conversation, there was one part of the book that I read out loud to him - "If there were memories to sell, what would you buy? I would buy memories of love. If there were memories to buy, what would you sell? I would sell memories of love." - and we ended up talking away for almost 2 hours about the possibilities of this and what we each would choose and why.

Oh and I just can't finish this review without my favourite quote from the book - Books. They tumbled from the bleeding sky like wounded birds. The spines snapping open and the pages fanning white. Black letters slipping off the slanted pages and falling, falling to the ground where they... Shatter.” It's not very often I quote from a book in my review but I just loved that one!

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Review: Journals of Horror: Found Fiction

Journals of Horror: Found Fiction by Terry M. West

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




Review copy provided by Terry M. West in return for an honest review.

I used to spend many a sleepless night on Reddit reading the horror case files and found footage horror stories. Journals of Horror is much the same but in book format, so I was looking forwards to this one. There are so many stories in this collection that if I were to say a little about each like I usually do with anthologies, my review would be too long. Instead I've given them each a rating and will say a little about my favourite and my least favourite in the collection.

"If you have an arse you're as good as buggered already" Hole By Joseph Ramshaw is by far my favourite and it's so aptly named! I kinda cottoned on roughly where this story was going, enough to know there was a huge cringe factor ahead of me. It was so wrong in so many ways but I just had to keep reading.

My least favourite was Vermilion A Traveller's Account By Stuart Keane. I don't like zombie stories. I'm sick of them, they are everywhere and most are rehashed and done to death in my opinion, so I wasn't far into the story before I knew it wasn't one for me. I also didn't like the homophobic tone used by the MC or his use of the word "fags" or the way the guy with a stutter was classed as a retard. That kind of stuff honestly sets off my moral compass and I don't want to read it.

1. Bagged, Tagged & Buried by Terry M. West - (4 stars)

2. Turn Me On, Dead Man By Robin Dover - (2.5 stars)

3. Truant By D.S. Ullery - (5 stars)

4. The Book of Flesh and Blood By Jeff O’Brien - (4 stars)

5. Beyond Castle Frankenstein By Paula Cappa - (1 stars)

6. Dying Scrawl by DJ Tyrer - (1 stars)

7. Girl in the Woods By Evan Purcell - (3 stars)

8. Going Home By Michael McGlade - (2 stars)

9. Hamburger Lady By Darryl Dawson - (3 stars)

10. Hole By Joseph Ramshaw - (5 stars)

11. Human Resources By Todd Keisling - (1 stars)

12. In the Woods, We Wait By Matt Hayward - (3 stars)

13. “Killing Jessica” By Glenn Rolfe - (5 stars)

14. Letter to Grandma By Crystal Leflar - (3 stars)

15. Look Up By Michael Seese - (3 stars)

16. Lucca By John Ledger - (2 stars)

17. Night Terrors: Journal By Michael Thomas-Knight - (5 stars)

18. Finders Keepers By Paul D. Marks - (3 stars)

19. The Anniversary By Sonja Thomas - (3 stars)

20. The Breath Within The Darkness By Essel Pratt - (3 stars)

21. The Devil’s Irony By Lori R. Lopez - (2 stars)

22. The Note By P. D. Cacek - (3 stars)

23. The Seahorse Speaks By Erik Gustafson - (4 stars)

24. Vermilion A Traveler’s Account By Stuart Keane - (1 stars)

25. Whispers on the Wind By Robert McGough - (4 stars)

26. There's something in my house By Wesley Thomas - (2.5 stars)

27. Tweets of Terror By Robert Holt - (1 stars)

28. Self-Consumed By Terry M. West & Regina West - (4 stars)

29. Note-To-Self By Christopher Alan Broadstone - (3 stars)


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Review: Abram's Bridge

Abram's Bridge by Glenn Rolfe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




I received a copy of Abram's Bridge from the publisher in return for an honest review.

At 85 pages Abram's Bridge is a quick read, it's a ghost story but it's also a lot more than just that. The story revolves around Lil'Ron meeting the ghost of a young girl, so it is at it's heart a ghost story but it also has elements of thriller, suspense and the horror every day people are capable of. Drawn to the Sweet Kate, Lil'Ron spends more and more time with her and wants to know what happened to her and why she is still around, little does he know that in looking into her death his life will change drastically. Every town has their secrets and this small town is no different.

Short stories tend to be a hit or miss for me, many of them have big gaps in the story where the reader has to try fill in the information themselves, or on finishing you're left with questions and no answers given and you're left wondering what the heck just happened or they lack depth and background and have boring flat characters. Abram's Bridge had none of that, it's a good solid story with a main character you can't help but like and root for. The pacing and tension builds slowly throughout and the story has a good beginning, middle and end and held my attention easily.

I enjoyed this one, it took me on a whole different journey than I was expecting.

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Review: The Haunting of Sunshine Girl: Book One

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl: Book One by Paige McKenzie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The Haunting of Sunshine Girl: Book One from the publisher in return for an honest review.

I was drawn to this book because it's written around a series of YouTube videos, I haven't watched any of the videos but the idea intrigued me. The blurb really doesn't give much away in regards to what the story is about, so unless you've watched the videos all you really know before reading is that it's about a girl living in a haunted house. It's so much more than that.

The story revolves around Sunshine and unlike most YA books, the female lead doesn't have boys falling at her feet, she's not pretty or perfect and there's no love triangle or overly mind numbing teenage angst. The first half of the book felt slower than I would have liked. There was plenty happening but I just wanted it to hurry up and get to part where I could really get my teeth into what was happening. I think it was more impatience on my part though because of the other voice in the story, someone who throughout the story is watching Sunshine but who we don't know who until nearer the end.

The characters of the book are well done and each play their own part very well. The overall atmosphere is dark, cold and creepy and I felt so sorry for Sunshine feeling like she did all the time. I enjoyed the plot, I won't go into the plot details as I don't want to spoil it but it was original and held my attention throughout.

I don't know that I enjoyed it enough to want to carry on with the series, like I said before it was slower than I would have liked but that's just my personal preference.

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Review: A Place for Us Part 4

A Place for Us Part 4 by Harriet Evans

My rating: 5 of 5 stars




I received a copy of A Place For Us Part 4 from the publisher in return for an honest review.

You can find my reviews for previous parts here: A Place For Us Part 1 / A Place For Us Part 2 / A Place For Us Part 3

Part 4 is the final instalment of A Place for Us and I have to admit, I'm kind of sad to see it finish. I started reading this series originally because I was sent an invite to review part one, this is not my usual choice of reading material so it's not something I would have chosen for myself to read. I have really enjoyed getting to know the Winter family and I'm going to miss them. The character development during this series has been fantastic, I feel like I'm losing contact with good friends now that it's over.

This is the perfect ending to a great series, full of joy, pain, personal struggles and journeys of a family who have really been through good and bad times together. I was eager to see how they would all come together and overcome everything they have been through, I really couldn't have pictured things ending any more perfect than they have.

Harriet Evans has a real talent when it comes to developing characters that draw you to them and have you feeling like you've known them forever. I will definitely be reading a lot more of her work.


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Review: The After House

The After House by Michael Phillip Cash

My rating: 1 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The After House from the publisher in return for an honest review.

From reading the blurb I was expecting this to be a great creepy and spooky read, a ghost story that would be full of atmosphere and chills. It was nothing like the blurb would have you believe. What I got instead was a mix of romance, predictable mystery and the paranormal with a little humour.

The main character Remy I found really irritating, she allowed herself to be so easily led by others and her decisions and reactions made no sense. The inner dialogue and conversations of Olivia, Remy's 6 year old daughter, were totally wrong for her age. And cmon Remy's mother meets this guy Hugh once and after everything her daughter has been through, she's pressing her to meet what is basically a total stranger. A stranger who within a few minutes of meeting, Remy then falls madly in love with. One thing I hate more than love triangles is people falling head over heels in love within seconds of meeting each other, especially when it's grown ass adults. I get that you have to suspend belief when reading fiction but not this much.

The After House just didn't work for me at all. Yeah I got a few chuckles out of it but overall it didn't live up to the expectations given by the blurb. Nothing came across as believable and I couldn't connect with any of the characters at all.

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Review: A Grimm Legacy

A Grimm Legacy by Janna Jennings

My rating: 2 of 5 stars




I received a copy of A Grimm Legacy from the publisher in return for an honest review.

This book frustrated me quite a bit. It could have been a great story, the idea was fun and the basic story was there, but the writing lacked and let it down.

What you have here is the story of 4 children who are transported to another world and on trying to find their way home they find themselves travelling through several different fairytales. Some you may have heard of and some not so familiar.

I couldn't connect with the characters, I found myself getting frustrated with the way the author had portrayed them. It took me ages to get the characters right in my head and even then at 73% in I still wasn't sure which girl was which. The author didn't define them enough for me. I know one had blonde hair and one had dark hair but apart from that there was nothing. The author didn't given me much about them appearance wise to set them apart from each other, there was no picture built of them in my minds eye, yet I was expected to know who was who. I kept having to stop and try to remember which was which and I eventually gave up trying.

The story mostly centres around the two girls, which seemed weird to me as Frederick was really the only character that the author gave any substance to, he stood out more clearly and had way more substance than all the rest, yet he played a much smaller role than all of them. Also for some reason Quinn was the only one that got captured, not just once but every time someone got captured it was poor Quinn.

There were many places where the sentences and grammar were off and the dialogue could have been improved. Each chapter jumps between the four characters. When reading these chapters I found that sometimes on moving to the next paragraph the story had jumped ahead all of a sudden, like a part of the story was missing. Normally this would be where a new chapter would begin, but because of the chapters revolving around a character, it just goes right into a new paragraph instead and it got confusing and pulled me out of the story.

A Grimm Legacy had a lot of potential but I think it needs quite a lot of improvement and a lot more character building. The characters are flat and forgettable they need more substance. Show me, don't tell me, build the images in my mind so I can see the characters and remember them, make them stand out as individuals.

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Review: The Nightmare Girl

The Nightmare Girl by Jonathan Janz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




I received a copy of The Nightmare Girl from the publisher in return for an honest review.

The Nightmare Girl is a fast paced tale of a family man who struggles to protect his family after saving a young boy from his abusive mother. After helping the child Joe and his family head home and try to get on with their daily lives but soon realise that in saving the boy, they have angered the cult that his mother was a member of and they are out for revenge.

I really liked the main character in this one, I could feel his fear and need to protect his family, especially his daughter. The love he had for his daughter was very well portrayed and I could relate to his fear and determination to protect her. The tension builds nicely throughout the book then really kicks off just over halfway, and boy do things kick off. The tension reaches an all time high and doesn't let up, just when you think it can't get any worse you are hit with one gruesome scene after another and you can't turn the pages fast enough to discover if everyone comes out the other end intact and alive.

This is only my second journey into the writing of Jonathan Janz and I am quickly becoming a fan. I read this in one sitting, it held my attention from start to finish and I had to resist peeking further down the pages in many parts. I will definitely be adding more of Jonathan's books to my reading list.

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Review: Halloween Tales

Halloween Tales 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I received a copy of Halloween Tales from Terry M. West in return for an honest review. Thank you Terry!

1. The Devil Came to Mamie's on Hallowe'en by Lisa Morton - (3 stars)
This was a good story but cmon, that poor cat :( I enjoyed Leona's fire and determination in the end.

2. Worth the Having by Michael Paul Gonzalez - (1 stars)
Can't say I was keen on this one at all. The sexual aspect felt like it was put in for shock factor and was over the top, it just didn't add anything to the story. There was nothing as to who and why, we were just expected to read and believe without any explanation given at all.

3. Donuts by Hal Bodner - (5 stars)
This was so fun to read, I swear I was smiling the whole way through this one. It was imaginative and entertaining.

4. The Hairy Ones by Terry M. West - (4 stars)
Short, to the point and perfect for Halloween!

5. The Deal by Janet Joyce Holden - (1 stars)
The Deal is similar to another short story I read recently (Long Tall Coffin) in Funhouse by Michael Bray. I think, it being so similar and reading it so close to having finished Funhouse, I didn't enjoy it as a result.

6. Outlaws of Hill County by John Palisano - (3 stars)
The ending was the best part of this one. I have fond memories of my dad making up stories like this at Halloween.

7. The Cross I Bear by David Winnick - (5 stars)
I loved this story, it was funny and twisted and had me laughing out loud many times. My favourite one in the collection so far!

8. By the Book by Kate Jonez - (3 stars)
That is one twisted babysitter.

9. Ankou, King of the Dead by R. B. Payne - (3 stars)
Hmm don't know what to say about this one, wasn't bad but not too sure about the style it's written.

10. The Lurker by Steven W. Booth - (4 stars)
Knew there was a reason I loved cats!!

11. Harvest of Flames by Maria Alexander - (2 stars)
Would have liked this better without the jumping back and forth I think.

12. The Patch by Eric Miller - (4 stars)
I'll never look at pumpkins the same ever again!

13. Beneath it All by E.S. Magill - (1 stars)
The sentences were really short and choppy in this one. I just didn't like this story at all.

14. Farkelberry Forrest Cemetery by Tim Chizmar - (3 stars)
Poor Henry, at least he had company lol.

15. Halloween in East Hampton by Robin Wyatt Dunn - (1.5 stars)

16. Hollywood Ending by R.B. Payne - (1.5 stars)

17. Johnny Jackson’s School Dare by P.S. Gifford - (0 stars)
Rating removed.

18. The Old Magic by Xach Fromson - (5 stars)
This was really good, great pacing and could feel the tension building.

19. Dead Devil in the Freezer by Nancy Holder - (4 stars)
Well that was confusing, weird but good.

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