Review: The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero

The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero

My Rating:


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

I really wanted to like this book, so many of my friends enjoyed it but I just couldn't get into the flow of the story. The format just wasn't working for me, it felt like it was jumping all over the place and I kept losing interest. Everything felt muddled and wasn't making much sense and it had me feeling so lost and confused that I eventually gave up.
 

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Review: Seeing Evil by Jason Parent

Seeing Evil by Jason Parent

My Rating:


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

I'm pretty fussy when it comes to thrillers, especially when there is some aspect of policing/police procedure involved. But Seeing Evil is no regular thriller. The storyline reveals the very real human side of horror and the psychological torture and abuse that humans are capable of, but at the same time it has a paranormal feel to it as it introduces us to Michael, a child who has psychic visions of the future. It's full of chilling and disturbing scenes and the author has done an excellent job of portraying the darker side of human nature.

I loved the realistic characters, just normal everyday people who despite their flaws and baggage, step up and do something truly brave and heroic. They really appealed to me and were very well developed and memorable. I really hope to read more about them in future.

Usually it's the characterisation that makes a book for me but everything about Seeing Evil was a hit. I was gripped from start to finish. The pacing was perfect, the writing was smooth and a pleasure to read, which resulted in me being up all night reading and finishing the book in one sitting.

I knew upon finishing that it was perhaps going to be one of my favourites of 2015 but it wasn't until I tried to read another book afterwards that I realised just how much I had enjoyed this one. I couldn't settle into another book, I kept finding myself thinking about the characters in this one. It took me trying 3 different books before I could find something where my mind wasn't wandering back to Seeing Evil while reading. Because of this Seeing Evil is definitely going onto my favourites of 2015 shelf.

Highly Recommended!!

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Review: Blood and Rain by Glenn Rolfe

Blood and Rain by Glenn Rolfe

My Rating: 


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

Blood and Rain has a great atmosphere and stand out character development. I have read a few of Glenn's books now and characterisation was something that I felt was lacking in his previous works but he has really stepped up to the mark with this one. The characters in Blood and Rain are well fleshed out and likeable, excluding the baddies but then we're not supposed to like them, and I quickly found myself eager to turn the pages to find out what was in store for them next.

The pacing is great and it's full of horror and tension, with plenty of scenes that will have you cringing as you read. It has a very dark atmosphere at times and the forest scenes were done particularly well. I could visualise it easily... dark, rainy, sounds coming from every direction, something lurking close by ready to jump out any second. It really draws you in and keeps you on edge.

This is werewolves as they should be. They're not cute and fluffy, they don't remove their shirt every scene or stick their furry noses in unmentionable places. These are proper werewolves. They're scary, they're mean, they're violent and they're behind you! Only kidding. No, really... they're behind you...



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Review: The Leper Window (A Daniel Gates Novella) by Frazer Lee

The Leper Window (A Daniel Gates Novella) by Frazer Lee

My Rating:


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

At just 54 pages The Leper Window is a short and fast read. I didn't feel as drawn in as I would have liked and that's due in part to it being short and not having as much substance as I would have liked, it felt like it was part of a larger story, and also in part due to some of the wording. The wording in places put me off and I couldn't take it seriously at times. Especially when the author was referring to the MC and his "Morning warmth"

Don't get me wrong, it's worth a read and the author did a great job of creating the environment and atmosphere but I just felt like I was only skimming the surface of what is a larger and more detailed story, which I guess from the title may be the case. Perhaps if I had read more about Daniel Gates previously I would have enjoyed the context of this one more.

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Review: Greasepaint by David C. Hayes

Greasepaint by David C. Hayes

My Rating:

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

So many of my horror friends say that clowns are terrifying. I don't see it. That doesn't stop me from trying to find one that will have an effect on me, but I didn't find it in Greasepaint.

The book moves at an incredible pace, the reader is thrown into the action almost right away and it continues right to the last page. It's packed full of grisly scenes and events but I just wasn't feeling it when it came to characterisation. Sure the clown was a mean mother and there are sensitive topics covered in the story but the characters felt flat and I didn't feel pulled into the story itself. I wasn't a fan of the way it was written in present tense and I think this put me off quite a bit also.

Maybe it's just me. I kind of find clowns more cliché than scary when it comes to horror. Perhaps it's a case of "It's not you, it's me" when it comes to this book, but I wasn't feeling it at all.

 
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Review: The Dover Demon by Hunter Shea

The Dover Demon by Hunter Shea

My Rating:


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

I'm pretty fussy when it comes to books covering the topic of aliens. They tend to be a hit or a huge flop. The Dover Demon was, I'm pleased to say, a hit.

The characterisation in The Dover Demon is what really stood out for me. I feel like I got to know all the characters, their personal stories and histories created nicely fleshed out characters with a depth that made them easy to relate to and to become invested in their journey throughout the pages.

The dialogue was realistic and the plot was a lot of fun to read. The author creates a great atmosphere throughout the book, from the creepy feeling of being watched or stalked and the claustrophobia in the underground scenes, to the chilling cold environment.

If I remember correctly this is now the third Hunter Shea book that I have read and I've enjoyed them all. I will definitely be reading more of this authors work.


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Review: Under Ground by S.L. Grey

Under Ground by S.L. Grey

My Rating:


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

I was really drawn to the cover of this book. It's simple, eye catching and piqued my interest.

I found myself getting into the story pretty quickly and I enjoyed meeting and getting to know all the characters as they settled in, but I found it starting to drag a little in the middle. I'm not sure what it was that made it feel that way for me, perhaps the characters reactions to what was going on just didn't resonate. I didn't feel the sense of panic or action that I would have expected from the situation, their reactions weren't particularly what I would imagine happening. There was a lot going on but at the same time it didn't seem like there was enough going on considering their situation. The dialogue didn't feel natural, it was stilted and didn't come across as realistic at times. Very few of the characters had enough depth for me to really care about their outcome.

It started to pick up again nearer the end. The ending although it worked just kind of came out of nowhere. The guilty party just didn't sit right with me, it came out of the blue and had me thinking... What?

That being said, the atmosphere created worked well and I could imagine the claustrophobia and helplessness of being in such a situation but I am left with mixed feelings about the book. It held my attention in parts but other parts I just couldn't relate to or care about at all.



Reviews also posted to my blog: Scarlet's Web
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