Review: Children of the Dark by Jonathan Janz

Children of the Dark by Jonathan Janz

My Rating:


I received a free copy of Children of the Dark from Erin at Oh, for the Hook of a Book in return for an honest review and as part of the Hook of a Book Children of the Dark blog tour of which my blog Scarlet's Web is taking part.

Children of the Dark is the prequel to Savage Species which I haven't yet read but, after reading Children of the Dark, it's one I will make a point of reading!

I'm generally not a fan of books that are set around a group of younger characters. I tend to get annoyed with them or find them overly childish in regards to their choices etc, that was certainly not the case here. The characterisation was excellent and really made this one stand out for me. You can't help but become invested in the characters, rooting for some and at the same time eager to see others get their just desserts.

The plot isn't predictable at all, it kept me guessing throughout and although I found the pacing slow to begin with it quickly picked up and kept me on the edge of my seat. The dialogue was natural, adding even more depth to already well fleshed out characters.

Children of the Dark is a must read for horror fans. With real people in horrific situations and a plot full of tension, scares and monsters galore, it draws you in, makes you part of the story and takes you on one heck of a ride.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend giving it a read!



Reviews also posted to my blog: Scarlet's Web
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Synopsis of Children of the Dark

Print Length: 293 pages
Publisher: Sinister Grin Press
Publication Date: March 15, 2016

Purchase Links
Amazon
Sinister Grin Press

 Will Burgess is used to hard knocks. Abandoned by his father, son of a drug-addicted mother, and charged with raising his six-year-old sister, Will has far more to worry about than most high school freshmen. To make matters worse, Mia Samuels, the girl of Will’s dreams, is dating his worst enemy, the most sadistic upperclassman at Shadeland High. Will’s troubles, however, are just beginning.

Because one of the nation’s most notorious criminals—the Moonlight Killer—has escaped from prison and is headed straight toward Will’s hometown. And something else is lurking in Savage Hollow, the forest surrounding Will’s rundown house. Something ancient and infinitely evil. When the worst storm of the decade descends on Shadeland, Will and his friends must confront unfathomable horrors. Everyone Will loves—his mother, his little sister, Mia, and his friends—will be threatened.

And very few of them will escape with their lives.

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Biography,  Jonathan Janz

Jonathan Janz grew up between a dark forest and a graveyard, and in a way, that explains everything. Brian Keene named his debut novel The Sorrows “the best horror novel of 2012.” The Library Journal deemed his follow-up, House of Skin, “reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House and Peter Straub’s Ghost Story.”

 

2013 saw the publication of his novel of vampirism and demonic possession The Darkest Lullaby, as well as his serialized horror novel Savage Species. Of Savage Species, Publishers Weekly said, “Fans of old-school splatterpunk horror–Janz cites Richard Laymon as an influence, and it shows–will find much to relish.” Jonathan’s Kindle Worlds novel Bloodshot: Kingdom of Shadows marked his first foray into the superhero/action genre.

Jack Ketchum called his vampire western Dust Devils a “Rousing-good weird western,” and his sequel to The Sorrows (Castle of Sorrows) was selected one of 2014’s top three novels by Pod of Horror. 2015 saw the release of The Nightmare Girl, which prompted Pod of Horror to call Jonathan “Horror’s Next Big Thing.” 2015 also saw the release of Wolf Land, which Publishers Weekly called “gruesome yet entertaining gorefest” with “an impressive and bloody climax.” He has also written four novellas (Exorcist Road, The Clearing of Travis Coble, Old Order, and Witching Hour Theatre) and several short stories.

His primary interests are his wonderful wife and his three amazing children, and though he realizes that every author’s wife and children are wonderful and amazing, in this case the cliché happens to be true. You can learn more about Jonathan at www.jonathanjanz.com. You can also find him on Facebook, via @jonathanjanz on Twitter, or on his Goodreads and Amazon author pages.

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Praise for Children of the Dark

“Jonathan Janz brings us a vicious tale of terror with the innocence of youth in a coming of age tale that should surely make Stephen King smile.” – Dave, Beneath the Underground

“My highest recommendation to fans of coming-of-age stories, extreme horror, creature features, serial killers, cannibals and basically any fan of dark fiction, in general. There’s something here for every horror fan to sink his/her teeth into. BEWARE the Children of the Dark!” -Char, Horror After Dark

“Jonathan Janz has written the next definitive coming-of-age horror novel that is sure to be mentioned alongside those that came before it. Be on the right side of history and read it now, before it becomes a classic.” –Patrick Lacey, author of A Debt to be Paid

“This one reminded me of Dan Simmons’ SUMMER OF NIGHT……but stripped down, built for speed….without giving up any of the horsepower. This one burns rubber, folks, and you’ll want to take it for a spin.” – Jon, Reclusive Reads

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Media, information and review copy provided as part of the Hook of a Book blog tour by Erin Al-Mehairi from Hook of a Book Media & Publicity.  

Review: Wizard's Rise by Phillip Tomasso III

Wizard's Rise by Phillip Tomasso III

My Rating:


I received a free copy of Wizard's Rise in return for an honest review.

I really struggled with this one. I don't think I have ever before used the highlight function as often as with Wizard's Rise. Almost every other page had at least one highlight, covering everything from: spelling errors, wrong words, missing words, random single letters, sentences that made no sense, dialogue for characters that weren't present at the time, plot holes, inconsistencies and more.

I also wasn't very impressed with the way women were overly described and the men totally neglected. I couldn't tell some of the male characters apart or tell you what many looked like. Especially the two kings. Nothing made them stand out. Not enough information was given in order for me to visualise them and set them apart from each other. The women on the other hand? Oh boy! I know a lot about them: pretty, ugly, naked, eye colour, hair colour, how well they filled their blouse, slim, overweight (cause being overweight means unattractive, ugh!) Way to win over female readers.

The story had potential but all of the above totally ruined the whole reading experience. I also found that not much really happened, the story didn't actually move very far forwards. It read more like a prequel. I had to force myself to finish the complete book. It took me almost 2 weeks to read just under 300 pages, says it all really. I continued only out of obligation to review and to keep note of errors discovered, something I don't usually do but did out of respect for the person who sent the book for review on behalf of the publisher.

Not one I would recommend at all.




Reviews also posted to my blog: Scarlet's Web
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Review: Woman In White by Kristin Dearborn

Woman In White by Kristin Dearborn

My Rating:


I received a free copy of Woman In White from Erin at Oh, for the Hook of a Book in return for an honest review and as part of the Hook of a Book Woman in White blog tour of which my blog Scarlet's Web is taking part.

I really enjoyed the cold, harsh and stormy atmosphere of the Woman in White. The author has done a wonderful job. The descriptions of the scenery, the snowstorm and the environment really made this one stand out and resulted in an amazingly chilly backdrop that gave me the chills and had me reaching for my reading blanket.

I usually find character development to be somewhat lacking in many novellas but the balance here was just right. There was quite a few characters and they were all well rounded and interesting, each had just enough of a backstory to make them feel real and stand out as an individual. The pacing was consistent, the writing flowed well and the storyline had me engrossed from start to finish.

Woman in White has just the right mix of mystery, suspense, horror and gruesome scenes to appeal to all horror fans. I thoroughly enjoyed it would definitely recommend giving it a read.



Reviews also posted to my blog: Scarlet's Web
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 Synopsis of Woman in White 

 
Publication Date: March 1, 2016
Publisher: DarkFuse
Publication Length: 139 pages

 

Rocky Rhodes, Maine.

As a fierce snowstorm descends upon the sleepy little town, a Good Samaritan stops to help a catatonic woman sitting in the middle of the icy road, and is never seen or heard from again. When the police find his car, it is splattered in more blood than the human body can hold.

While the storm rages on, the wave of disappearances continue, the victims sharing only one commonality: they are all male. Now it's up to three young women to figure out who or what is responsible: a forensic chemist, a waitress struggling with an abusive boyfriend, and a gamer coping with the loss of her lover.

Their search will lead them on a journey filled with unspeakable horrors that are all connected to a mysterious Woman in White.

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Biography, Kristin Dearborn

If it screams, squelches, or bleeds, Kristin Dearborn has probably written about it. written books such as Sacrifice Island (DarkFuse), Trinity (DarkFuse), and had fiction published in several magazines and anthologies. Stolen Away was recently a limited edition offered from  Thunderstorm Books, which sold out.

She revels in comments like “But you look so normal…how do you come up with that stuff?” A life-long New Englander, she aspires to the footsteps of the local masters, Messrs. King and Lovecraft. When not writing or rotting her brain with cheesy horror flicks (preferably creature features!) she can be found scaling rock cliffs or zipping around Vermont on a motorcycle, or gallivanting around the globe. Kristin’s latest DarkFuse release is Woman in White.

Find more about Kristin online at kristindearborn.com or Facebook.

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Praise for Woman in White 

 
“Horror born straight from a nor’easter, Dearborn’s Woman in White is a great read for a winter night—with a monster I’ll never forget.” —Christopher Irvin, author of Federales and Burn Cards

“Kristin Dearborn’s Woman in White is a rip-roaring monster tale with sharp-eyed characterization and something to say about the power dynamics between men and woman. Thought-provoking and entertaining as hell!” —Tim Waggoner, author of Eat the Night

“Great stuff! Suspenseful, quickly paced, unpredictable and wonderfully evil tale. Kristin Dearborn’s best yet!” —Jeff Strand, author of Pressure’

“Dearborn has a wonderful sense of the macabre, along with the ability to balance the spookier aspects of her work with well-rendered, solid characterizations…Sacrifice Island is a blazing fast read, with engaging characters and a compelling narrative.” —The Maine Edge

“Sacrifice Island is a fresh and interesting take on a tried and true horror setup.” —Examiner

 

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Media, information and review copy provided as part of the Hook of a Book blog tour by Erin Al-Mehairi from Hook of a Book Media & Publicity.

Review: Northwoods by Bill Schweigart

Northwoods by Bill Schweigart

My Rating:


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

Had I written this review right after finishing Northwoods it would have been higher rated but I have found, after contemplating on it for a bit, certain things which didn't really jump out at me at the time. I did enjoy Northwoods while reading but on writing this review I have come to realise that it was more of an OK read than the great read it seemed to be.

At times I felt there was too much going on and that the characters spent more time apart than they did together. As a result a lot of the action was happening at the same time, this I feel caused a lack in the overall building up of the tension and fear.

I also had trouble with the believability aspect at times. Take for example the opening scene of the book. The area is monitored by sensors and drones and although the sensors were triggered they didn't pick up on the people that were in the vicinity. Surely they would pick up on these people, that is what they are there for after all. Also, the opening scene gets totally forgotten about as the story progresses and the item found in this scene is actually an important item to the storyline. What happened? How did it get there? Where did it come from? Why did no one ask these questions or look into it more?

On a more positive note. I enjoy when an author includes lore or legend in their storylines, I find it fascinating and it added a whole new level to a story for me. The scene setting was done well and the interaction between the characters, when they were all together, were well written. I can't say that I found all the characters likeable or relatable but I did enjoy the character of Alex Standingcloud more than the others. I found Lydnsay to be, as time went on, rather annoying.

Overall it was an OK read. Northwoods was my first by this author and I would read more but I would have to be drawn into the story way more than I was with this one before I would pick up a third.




Reviews also posted to my blog: Scarlet's Web
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Review: Eight Deadly Kisses: A Dark Chapter Press Anthology

Eight Deadly Kisses: A Dark Chapter Press Anthology

My Rating:


Dark Chapter Press and the writers gathered in this anthology have committed to supporting CAMFED, a charity providing education for girls and young women in Africa, to build brighter futures and to encourage the development of female leaders. All money received by Dark Chapter Press from sales of Eight Deadly Kisses will be donated to CAMFED.

You can find out more about the CAMFED campaign at the following links: Dark Chapter Press to Support CAMFED and Our new charity anthology is now unleashed on Kindle


Evil does not consider, or discriminate, it simply selects its target, stalks, and strikes. Evil is a concept in which the sexes are equal. We’re all fair game.

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As you can see from my individual ratings I didn't love every story in the collection but that's usually the case with anthologies. I'm hard to please when it comes to short stories but as a whole I would give this one 4 stars. The concept is a great idea and even though some of them have a lower individual rating they were still pretty good stories, they just weren't of the same quality, in my opinion, as the higher rated ones.

1 - Night Terrors by Audrey E. L. Coots - 4 stars

That was a great start to the collection. A very well written creepy little tale. If they are all this good this is going to be a great collection of stories.

2 - Soul Seekers by Alice J. Black - 4 stars

That was certainly one kickass female! Me likey. Two really good stories in a row, this bodes well.

3 - The Dead Season by Fiona Dodwell - 2 stars

This is a decent and original little story but I found the dialogue to be repetitive in parts.

4 - Marion by Erica Chin - 3 stars

I was really enjoying this one until the ending, I'm not a fan of how it ends. I can't imagine that the outcome, if I am understanding correctly who the voice is, is one that the voice would have wanted for the boy.

5 - Commuting by Veronica Smith - 3 stars

I was not expecting that! However it felt like a rather abrupt and random way to finish.

6 - The Black Cat by Sharon Higa - 2 stars

While this was an OK story, the way the parents interacted with the MC like she was a young child rather than a 14 year old girl didn't match with how strong and mature she instantly became afterwards. You don't sit a 14 year old on your hip like they're a young child or carry them to bed, change them into their night clothes and tuck them in like a baby.

7 - Late Lunch by C.A. Viruet - 2.5 stars

Well that was weird but I'm left thinking why? What was the actual reasoning behind it? The writing was a bit choppy and there was repetitive use of words in places but it was original and rather bizarre.

8 - Prick by DA Chaney 4.5 Stars

This has to be my favourite of the collection. I really enjoyed the sarcasm and humour in this story.



Reviews also posted to my blog: Scarlet's Web
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Review: Closer Than You Think by Karen Rose

Closer Than You Think by Karen Rose

My Rating:


I received a free copy of Closer Than You Think from the publisher in return for an honest review.

I would happily give this one 5 stars if it wasn't for the speed at which the MC fell for the FBI agent that was on her case. I found that part of the story totally unbelievable, along with the reactions of the detectives, and other people involved in solving her case, towards said relationship. They all accepted it way too easily when it's a huge no no to get involved in circumstances like this.

I particularly liked being able to experience both sides of the story. The parts that cover the killers POV were very well done and added a lot to the over all feeling of tension and suspense to the book. Karen Rose is one of the few authors who keeps me guessing almost right to the end . I can even tolerate the romance that is always included in her books, which alone is testament to how well she manages to pull the reader in as I usually hate romance in all forms in books.

Closer Than You Think is, in my opinion, Rose's best book so far. At 690 pages it's a lot of reading and I have to admit I put off reading it for a bit because of how big the book is. Little did I know that I would get so sucked into the storyline that I would read all 690 pages in one day.

Definitely one I would recommend.




Reviews also posted to my blog: Scarlet's Web
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