The Vanishing--5 stars

I get Amazon gift cards from my family a lot. They know it's the way to my heart. Diamonds? I do like those. Gargoyle bookends? Yes, please. But an Amazon gift card elicits squeals of delight. There's something about having money specifically dedicated to the books my heart desires that fills me with happiness. So in perusing Amazon to choose my purchases, I often follow a rabbit's warren of "other customers who bought this item bought--" or "other titles you may enjoy." I can spend hours at this. Hours, people. And one of those sojourns is how I came across The Vanishing by Wendy Webb. The novel instantly appealed to me. The synopsis reminded me of Barbara Michaels or Barbara Erskine--both authors who's books I've read and re-read. I'm a sucker for a good Gothic. Plus, the book had ghosts, a horror author (wait, I'm a horror author), and an interesting setting. Sold! Trying Wendy's work was one of my best decisions ever.

You can read about Wendy Webb over on The Author Spot where she was kind enough to let me interview her. Now on to my review of The Vanishing.

Synopsis: Recently widowed and rendered penniless by her Ponzi-scheming husband, Julia Bishop is eager to start anew. So when a stranger appears on her doorstep with a job offer, she finds herself accepting the mysterious yet unique position: caretaker to his mother, Amaris Sinclair, the famous and rather eccentric horror novelist whom Julia has always admired . . . and who the world believes is dead.

When she arrives at the Sinclairs' enormous estate on Lake Superior, Julia begins to suspect that there may be sinister undercurrents to her "too-good-to-be-true" position. As Julia delves into the reasons of why Amaris chose to abandon her successful writing career and withdraw from the public eye, her search leads to unsettling connections to her own family tree, making her wonder why she really was invited to Havenwood in the first place, and what monstrous secrets are still held prisoner within its walls.

The story grabbed me from the very beginning. Julia's life is in ruins, she's bankrupt, people she considered friends now hate her, and her husband--the one person who could tell everyone she wasn't in on his scheme--is dead. So when Adrian Sinclair shows up on her doorstep and makes his offer, what choice does she have? And once we arrive at Havenwood, the story really gets going: ghosts, a hint of madness, a mystery, and a hunky Scottish caretaker.

The narrative is simple and direct, the story well paced, and the characters well drawn and sympathetic. The atmosphere is delightfully eerie and will have you just as uneasy as our heroine, Julia. The mystery is involved enough to not have you guessing the ending right away, in fact it took me quite a while, while the hint of romance is just enough and doesn't overpower the story line. 

I liked the book so much, I immediately ordered Mrs. Webb's other two novels: The Tale of Halcyon Crane, and The Fate of Mercy Alban. I loved them as well, but I'm partial to The Vanishing. I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys Gothic tales, especially those put in a more modern setting. Fans of spooky tales, who like it a little lighter than the horror genre's usual offerings will enjoy this one as well. Five stars from me.

Happy Reading,

♥Spot

Bird Box: 7 out of 10 stars

I'd seen a friend on Facebook recommend Bird Box. I'd also read another friend's scathing review of it. And yet, for all the critiquing the review did, he still insisted he liked the book. So when I was leaving the library and just happened to see it on the shelf, I grabbed it. I like to decide for myself and occasionally a bad review actually prompts me to read a book. What can I say? I'm contrary like that.

It's not a long book and the prose is sparse, which can be a downside or an upside depending on how you like your books, so it only took me a few nights to finish. I'm not a big fan of sparse prose, but it depends on how it's done as to whether it's a reading turn off or not. For me, the author handled it well and it suited the story line so it wasn't a detriment. Sometimes, I like books that go quickly.

Here's the synopsis: Written with the narrative tension of The Road and the exquisite terror of classic Stephen King, Bird Box is a propulsive, edge-of-your-seat horror thriller, set in an apocalyptic near-future world—a masterpiece of suspense from the brilliantly imaginative Josh Malerman.

Something is out there . . .

Something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remain, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now, that the boy and girl are four, it is time to go. But the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat—blindfolded—with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. And something is following them. But is it man, animal, or monster?

Engulfed in darkness, surrounded by sounds both familiar and frightening, Malorie embarks on a harrowing odyssey—a trip that takes her into an unseen world and back into the past, to the companions who once saved her. Under the guidance of the stalwart Tom, a motley group of strangers banded together against the unseen terror, creating order from the chaos. But when supplies ran low, they were forced to venture outside—and confront the ultimate question: in a world gone mad, who can really be trusted?

Interweaving past and present, Josh Malerman’s breathtaking debut is a horrific and gripping snapshot of a world unraveled that will have you racing to the final page.

I'll tell you this: the premise is truly original and that is a hard thing to do in this day and age. Josh Malerman proves not every idea has been written. And it's plausible, which is even better. But, I think where the novel fell down for me was the sense of urgency. I never felt like the threat was imminent or physical. As long as Malorie did what she knew she had to do, the bad things wouldn't harm her. Which makes no sense if you haven't read the book, but those who have will get it.

The characterization was not well developed. You had a sense of who each person was, but not a whole picture. Usually for me this would be a problem, but I think it worked ok for this novel. Because of the brevity of the novel and the amount of ground it covered, I don't think you could have done a better job of characterization without bringing in another 500 pages. And while I might have enjoyed that novel too, it wouldn't have been in keeping with this author's style. So while I'm usually all about characterization, in this case the lack worked.

All in all, I did find it hard to sympathize with the main character. I understand why she was the way she was and why she treated the children the way she did. Extreme circumstances call for extreme measures. And I did sympathize with the children because they're children. 

I did like the flashbacks. Every other chapter alternates between the present Malory is living with the children and the past where the story is set up and the threat explained. I'm a huge fan of the flashback though, and alternating really helped moved the story along. 

I kept reading because I wanted to find out if they made it, and if making it was even a good thing. I think the ending could have had a little more fleshing out. I'm not sure I trusted everyone where Malory ends up and it would have been nice to have that settled when I left the characters. But maybe that was the author's point? In this new world, can you really trust anyone ever again? I don't know.

I'm recommending the book. If for no other reason than the original premise. But I think that a lot of people will be surprised to find themselves liking it. I know I was. It did remind me a bit, style wise, of Jennifer McMahon's Winter People, which I did not like as well as I did Bird Box. Again, I think it's the premise that holds you.

So if you like apocalyptic fiction, like original ideas, and don't mind sparse style, this is definitely the book for you. And if you don't, well it's a fast read, what have you got to lose?

Happy Reading,

♥Spot

The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley

Susanna Kearsley is a bestselling author in multiple countries and so definitely doesn't need my review. However, I do like to turn people on to good books, so I'm going to do a review anyway.
I read her book The Winter Sea first and I will probably get around to reviewing it as well (I'll just say here that it was fantastic), but then I read several others by her and The Splendour Falls is the most recently read.

Synopis: Emily Braden has stopped believing in fairy tales and happy endings. When her fascinating but unreliable cousin Harry invites her on a holiday to explore the legendary own of Chinon, and promptly disappears—well, that's Harry for you.

As Emily makes the acquaintance of Chinon and its people, she begins to uncover dark secrets beneath the charm. Legend has it that during a thirteenth-century siege of the castle that looms over the city, Queen Isabelle, child bride of King John, hid a "treasure of great price." And in the last days of the German occupation during World War II, another Isabelle living in Chinon, a girl whose love for an enemy soldier went tragically awry.

As the dangers of the past become disastrously real, Emily is drawn ever more deeply into a labyrinth of mystery as twisted as the streets and tunnels of the ancient town itself.

First of all, let me just say that I'm dying to go to Chinon, France now. Not only am I a sucker for a castle, but Susanna Kearsley makes the whole town come alive. I especially enjoyed the camaraderie between the travelers at the Hotel. It's something you experience in Europe, but rarely while on vacation in the US.

The book is well written, the tension taut, the mystery compelling. And while I did figure out who the murderer was before the end, it's one of the few times I didn't flip to the back to check to see if I was right. I didn't want to possibly see anything that might change the book for me. The conclusion is satisfying and wraps everything up. I like that in a book, I hate having loose ends blowing in the wind.

The book is a mystery, it's not exactly supernatural, but there are a few hints of the paranormal. It also relies heavily on historical accents, and includes a bit of romance. If you're a fan of Barbara Erskine, I think you'd really love it.

I recommend it. It's a much quicker read than The Winter Sea, but still satisfying. I, myself, plan to read all of Mrs. Kearsley's works.

Sacrifice by Lisa C. Hinsley

I was given Sacrifice as a free read, but more for suggestions than a review. But I liked it so much I decided to review it as well. I also interviewed the author over at my author blog, you can read the interview here. Go on, I'll wait.

Okay, now that you've had an introduction to the author, here's a little about the book. The synopsis:

From the bestselling author of Plague: Part one of the Sulham Close series.

Pete rubs his hands together and waits for midnight. Neil tightens the noose around his neck and jumps from a stool. Kellie collapses to her knees, making the sign of the cross, even though God no longer listens. Sean and Amelia hold each other and wait for the screams. Harold pins Eloise to the kitchen floor as she shrieks her warnings. And so another August passes.

The residents of Sulham Close are cursed. Each year they must provide a sacrifice or suffer the wrath of a goblin-like creature called the ellyllon. Pete finds the victims, vagrants, junkies. People no one will miss.

He lures homeless Mark to Sulham Close with promises of getting him off drugs and giving him an education, installs him in the sacrifice cottage and leaves him to his fate. But Mark has a secret, a girlfriend Pete didn’t see. Heavily pregnant Louisa arrives late in the evening. Unsure whether to believe Pete or clear the house out of valuables, they decide to go exploring. They find a noose and then a man in a tub full of blood, one hand hanging by a sliver of skin at the wrist.

Nothing is worth getting caught up in a murder, so the pair make a run for it, but the gates are locked and there’s no way out of the close. Time has nearly run out. There are noises coming from a cupboard in the cottage and as midnight arrives, the handle turns from the inside…

The idea calls to mind stories like "The Lottery," where residents of a particular place are tasked to provide human sacrifices in order to maintain their lifestyles. But that would be where the similarity ends. As you're never quite sure who the townspeople of "The Lottery" are offering their sacrifice too, or if it's accepted even, you're given quite a close of view of the recipient(s) in Sacrifice. And they're a terrifying bit of welsh folklore. I'm not sure where Mrs. Hinsley drew her inspiration from, but I don't want to visit there late at night.

While Sacrifice is short, 113 pages, the characters are well developed and thought out. I easily sympathized with Mark and his girlfriend, disliked Peter immensely, and got a good feel for the other residents of the close, and their characters.

What I didn't know when I read Sacrifice was that it was going to be a series, this explains a lot of the questions I had and a few themes I felt were underdeveloped. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and finding out more about the curse and it's victims.

I'd recommend the book to anyone who enjoys supernatural horror. But I'd lock my cupboards before reading, if I were you.

You can find more about Lisa C. Hinsley's books at:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-C-Hinsley/e/B003E2VRCG

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lisa-C-Hinsley/e/B003E2VRCG

 

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Taste by Allison M. Dickson

I'll be honest--I had a hard time deciding which of Allison M. Dickson's works to review. So I'm going to do three of the short stories. I haven't dived into the novels yet, I'm savoring the anticipation. You know, like when you're waiting for a particularly good movie to come out and you keep watching the trailers until you just can't wait for the movie to release? What? I can't be the only one who does that... I interviewed Allison over at The Author Spot. If you'd like to read that first, go ahead, I'll wait. No, not patiently. Duh. Back? Okay, great, moving on. I downloaded a few of Ms. Dickson's short stories a while back while they were free (several of them still are. Start here and download till your heart's content).

I decided to go with Taste because it was the first of her stories I'd read. And can I just say it gobsmacked me? I thought I'd read everything; I was jaded, nothing new to shock me. And yet, it did. The idea was just so blatantly weird and repulsive. But it stuck with me. And I thought, if one short story has this kind of power--what are the others like? I was not let down.

Next, I read A Debacle of Donuts. Why? Because what could be scary about donuts? And let me just say  I was indeed, almost terrified something would be scary about donuts, thus ruining one of my favorite treats. After that first story, I wasn't putting anything past Allison. Luckily, it's not the donuts themselves that are scary in this story. What is scary is how far we'll go to achieve what we want without having to work for it. The idea behind the story was clever, and intriguing. But what really grabbed me, was how Allison got inside my head. Yep, I could totally picture myself in the main character, no problem. And there were some hard truths pointed out. I finished the story a little shell shocked and deep in thought.

And then I read Liar's Tongue. I'm pretty sure it should be passed out to anyone thinking of running for office in the future. We might weed a few out with this one. At least those with enough sense to heed the warning. Again, the story was fresh and interesting and I eagerly turned pages. After three stories, I was hooked. I'm an Allison M. Dickson fan for life.

The good news for me? She's got a new novel coming out soon. Along with the few things of hers I haven't read yet. The good news for some of you? You still have all of her work to discover. Go forth and enjoy. I know I will. And then I'll continue thinking about her stories, long after I'm done reading. That, my friends, is the greatest compliment I can give any writer.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Afterbirth by Belinda Frisch

Having read the first book in The Strandville Zombie series, Cure, I was more than anxious to crack open a copy of the sequel, second book in the series, Afterbirth. So when Belinda offered me a copy as a Beta reader, I was thrilled. And then I was amazed. All too often, a sequel doesn't live up to the original. But that was not the case with Afterbirth.

Afterbirth picks up months after Cure left off, but with no feeling of having missed something. And perhaps that's because the author drops us right into the action. We understand that due to events in the first book, the zombie apocalypse is a reality. And we figure our characters have been too busy trying to survive to have done anything significant. But now, they're getting used to dealing with zombies, and must go back to fighting a more pervasive evil--man, one man in particular--Dr. Nixon. Knowing there is still a good possibility his experiments worked with Miranda, and that her baby could offer a cure for not only the zombie plague, but cancer, he's searching for her. And so is Reid, the number one henchman who fell from Nixon's good graces by letting Miranda get away. (Not that he meant too, mind you.)

Miranda and husband Scott are trying to survive both the apocalypse, Miranda's pregnancy, and the imminent delivery. In desperation, they turn to their ex friend and doctor--Michael Waters. Events take place which gather everyone once more at the Nixon Medical Center and a thrilling climax ensues. And lest you wonder about other characters from the first book, many of them are present in the sequel (some only briefly): Allison, Zach, Foster, Carlene, Penny, John, and Frank.

I don't generally read zombie fiction. I like zombies, don't get me wrong, I love zombie movies, love The Walking Dead, like teasing about the imminent zombie apocalypse, but I'm not necessarily a fan of zombie literature. The reason being it's pretty rare to come across something original in the field. Zombies happen, people fight them, and more of the same. The reason I like this series so much is because the idea behind the zombie plague is different, and the story isn't so much about the zombies; sure, they're in there and they ramp up the danger, but the story is really about the characters. And that's what makes it come alive for me. I care about these people. And I'd care about them in any situation, not just when they're fighting zombies and hiding from crazed scientists.

So, even if zombies aren't your thing, give this series a try. Afterbirth is well written, fast paced, character rich, plot driven, and action packed. Really, what more can you ask for in a book?

You can read my review of the first Strandville Zombie book, Cure, here.

You can purchase the book at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com. It's available in all eBook formats and will soon be coming to print.

Visit Belinda's Amazon author page here. You can also find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales

I met Fran Friel at KillerCon in Vegas this year. And she's a very special person. She's also a fantastic author. If you'd like to learn more about her, you can head over to The Author Spot and check out the interview I did with her for today's post.

But let's get right to the book. Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales is Fran's first short story collection. Mama's Boy was originally published as a novella. The collection made it to the final ballot for The Bram Stoker Awards in 2008. The original novella was a finalist in 2006. Those of you who are horror fans will know what an amazing accomplishment that is!

Synopsis: Nothing good comes of the closest ties in Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales, the new collection from Fran Friel and Apex Publications. Things can go especially awry when the tie in question is the one binding mother and son. This collection contains 14 tales, including the Stoker Award nominated novella "Mama's Boy."

The synopsis is short and sweet and doesn't give away anything good. And there's a whole lot of good in this collection. My personal favorite is probably the darkest story in the book: "Special Prayers." This story is about Mama, from "Mama's Boy." And gives us a glimpse into how she got to be the way she is. It's everything a horror story should be; shocking, dark, horrific and yet encapsulated into only four pages.

My second favorite story was "Fine Print." It's a longer story, and maybe a little slow moving for some, but for me, the pace was just right. There were a lot of details to soak up and I enjoyed having the time to do so, with no rush to the conclusion of the story. The story paints a picture of a world where clairvoyant dreamers are used to a very bad end.

The book is filled with other stories, some very short, and poems, plus the novella which lends the book its name. There's not a single story or poem I didn't enjoy. And many of them left me rolling the idea around in my head for days afterward. "Don't look under the dryer." "How glad am I that I don't have a Siamese twin?" "Potatoes!"And many other strange thoughts that you'll only appreciate after you read the book. Which I highly recommend you do.

The introduction is written by Gary A. Braunbeck and captures the essence of Fran and the book very well. If you enjoy short stories, if you aren't afraid of the dark, and if you've ever wondered what lives under your dryer, look up Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales by Fran Friel. Then read at your own risk. You can purchase the book here.

This blog is not technically part of the Coffin Hop. But since I'm feeling generous today, any comments left on this post will get you an entry into my contests over at The Author Spot.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Cure by Belinda Frisch

It's not often that I read zombie fiction, even though I'm a die hard fan of AMC's The Walking Dead. I love to talk about zombies and the impending apocalypse. But it's so hard to find zombie fiction that doesn't fall flat or suffer from "same zombie s**t, different day." You know what I mean? But when Belinda posted a bit of her novel on her website, I checked it out. And I was hooked. So I was more than happy to read it and do a review. You can find the book, Cure, at Amazon.com. It's also available in print.

Synopsis:

Welcome to the Nixon Healing and Research Center, playground for the maniacal Dr. Howard Nixon whose cancer research has him dabbling in the undead. When he kidnaps the wrong test subject, Miranda Penton, a rescue team releases more than the captive women. It unleashes a lethal infection which turns its victims into mindless, flesh-hungry mob. Inseminated with a zombie fetus, Miranda wrestles with an uncertain fate while trying to get away with her life.

The virus is spreading and must be contained. The center is going into lock-down. The group's get away is threatened by a homicidal security guard and a raging storm. The town of Strandville is ground zero for the zombie apocalypse and Miranda must escape because the fate of humanity lies with her unborn child.

What happens when you inject zombie sperm into healthy women of child bearing age? (And who would do that?! Dr. Nixon must be a descendant of Dr. Frankenstein) Well, the results are as disturbing, horrifying, and disastrous as you imagined. Add in an interesting cast of characters: likable good guys, a strong female heroine, and some vicious and deranged villains and you've got yourself one hell of a novel.

The novel starts out with a bang--we jump right into the action--and it never relents. I read this book in one sitting because I couldn't stop saying to myself, "just one more page." The next thing you know I'm resembling a zombie myself the next morning. This book is very well written, fast paced, and complexly plotted, with excellently developed characters. Combine that with a cliffhanger ending, and you'll be asking when the next book in the series comes out.

I would recommend this book to any fan of zombie fiction, zombie movies, or anyone who likes a fast paced read with just enough scientific explanation to make you wonder, "what if?"

You can read an interview with Belinda Frisch over at The Author Spot.

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♥Spot

Dark Reality by Billie Sue Mosiman

I met Billie Sue through-- wait for it, you know it's coming-- Facebook. And let me just tell you that she is a dear, sweet woman. And even though she's been writing horror for 30 years, won multiple awards, and then launched a successful self publishing career, she remains friendly and approachable, eager to help her fellow authors. And that is why I wanted to read and review one of her many works. I also interviewed her and you can read that over at The Author Spot. Make sure you do stop by over there so that you can soak up some of Billie's wisdom.

It happens to be Billie's birthday tomorrow, but instead of waiting for us to shower her with gifts, she decided to gift us instead. She has a large variety of books, novels, shorts, and collections available for kindle for free until June 5th. Why yes, I will wait while you go get you some! Back? Good. I decided to read and review Dark Reality, a short story. On with the review~

Book Synopsis:

From the mind that gave you Edgar nominated Night Cruising and Banished, comes a tale of terror where an alternate reality keeps intruding.

Have you ever walked into a room and felt you had left something in one place, but now it is in another? Have you driven down a street or road you know well where houses and buildings and stores seem a little different from your memory of them? Have you ever felt reality slipping...just a little bit?

In Dark Reality, Lane believes his brother died in Iraq as a Marine, but one day he's back again and several things about the world are different. Buildings in town are changed. The woman his brother was married to is now Lane's girlfriend. And there's a gun in a cabinet that before never existed--neither the cabinet nor the gun. Lane needs to stop his world from shifting reality around him. And he needs, desperately, to keep his brother alive now that reality has given him a second chance...

My Review:

Honestly, I loved this story. The concept of alternate realities is by no means new, but the idea that you could just shift, without any warning, is new. And that's what happens to Lane. Subtle things begin to change-- a missing beer bottle here, a new cabinet there-- and Lane's the only one who knows that things are wrong. But he takes it in stride (what choice does he have, really?) and tries to save the life of the brother, who in his original reality is dead. But can you change the course of fate? Is fate universal to all realities? Interesting questions posed by the story.

I wish the story had been longer. That would be my one complaint. Maybe we could have answered those questions, instead of leaving me to ponder them, kind of obsessively. But then again, I always think the mark of a good book is if I'm still thinking about it days later. And I am.

So I'm giving this one five stars. I really enjoyed it. And I wish Billie Sue a happy birthday tomorrow and many more to come. And I recommend you grab this story while it's free and then collect the others.

♥Spot

And the winners are...

Blaze McRob and Wendy Howard. Bryan and Ruth will be sending you fine folks their respective books in the format of your choice! I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did! Thanks for playing along!

♥Spot

Base Spirits by Ruth Barrett

Hey hey hey! It's still blog hop time! That means that today is yet another chance for you to be a winner. And today's prize is donated by the lovely Ruth Barrett, who's book, Base Spirits, I'm reviewing today. One lucky winner will receive an eCopy of this book, format of their choice. For those of you who didn't follow this blog yesterday, please do so today in order to be entered to win. Also, you must leave a comment. For those of you already following, please leave a comment in order to be entered to win. And if you'd like a bonus chance at winning, head over to my other blog, The Author Spot, and follow me there. If you are headed over there and you wish to read an interview with the lovely Ms. Barrett, click this link. Now on with the review!

Synopsis:

'Murder has took this chamber with full hands
And will ne’er out as long as the house stands.’
~A Yorkshire Tragedy, Act I, Sc. v

In 1605, Sir Walter Calverley’s murderous rampage leaves a family shattered. The killer suffers a torturous execution… but is it truly the end? A noble Yorkshire house stands forever tarnished by blood and possessed by anguished spirits.

Some crimes are so horrific, they reverberate through the centuries.

As an unhappy modern couple vacation in the guesthouse at Calverley Old Hall, playwright Clara, and her scholar husband, Scott, unwittingly awaken a dark history. Clara is trapped and forced back in time to bear witness to a family’s bloody saga. Overtaken by the malevolent echoes, Scott is pushed over the edge from possessive husband to wholly possessed…

Inspired by a true-life drama in Shakespeare’s day, this is itself a play within a play: a supernatural thriller with a historical core.

Only one player can survive.

I can't say enough good things about this book. It grabbed me from the beginning and sucked me in to the story. Ruth Barrett weaves an incredible tale of suspense and horror and tragedy. The events of the past are rendered in truly aching detail, it's obvious she's done her historical homework. Your heart will ache for the players in this tragedy of days gone by.

The modern part of the book is also painstakingly real. From Clara's fear and feelings of isolation, to her husband's jealous and possessive rages, the emotions ring clear and true. The book really picks up speed and rushes torwards the inevitable trainwreck where past meets present in a tragic climax.

Honestly, there wasn't anything I didn't enjoy about this book. Since I'm hesitant to give out five star reviews (they're flung out so willy nilly these days that who really believes them?), I'm definitely giving this one a ringing four star recommendation. Anyone who enjoys history, ghosts, possessions, England, or horror in general, is going to enjoy this book. I don't know how many people know who Barbara Erskine is, but her novels are what this book put me in mind of. And I'm a huge Barbara Erskine fan. Which makes me a huge Ruth Barrett fan.

So, enter the contest, win this book! And if you don't win-- you should just buy it. Well worth your time and money.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Whispers from the Dark by Bryan Hall

Hello boys and girls! It's blog hop time again and this time it's Vamplit Publishing's Bloody Hearts Valentine Blog Hop. Click on the picture in the sidebar and it will take you to a list of all the participating blogs. And you know what participating blogs means? Contests! Contests to win all sorts of great prizes. To enter my contest, become a follower of this blog and leave a comment (if you are already a follower- a comment will suffice). Bryan has graciously donated an eBook (format of your choice) of Whispers in the Dark to my contest winner.

I met Bryan through Facebook and he asked for a review. You know me- I never turn down a collection of short stories, or any book, EVER. So, of course, I agreed. Bryan also agreed to an interview, so you can read more about this fascinating author over at The Author Spot. Did I mention its also part of the blog hop, so there is a contest for free books there as well? I thought that would get your attention!

On with the review. Synopsis says: What if your hometown hid a terrible secret?

What if the vintage LP you brought home was more than just a record?

What if your neighbor's pond held an evil only you knew about?

What if your dying daughter's only hope lay in a strange shack deep within the Appalachian wilderness?

This collection of fourteen short stories from the author of Containment Room Seven asks those questions and many more. You won't find vampires or zombies here - only pure, dark, unrelenting terror on every page.

"...This guy is scary good!" - Joe McKinney, Stoker nominated author of Quarantine, Flesh Eaters, and Apocalypse of the Dead

"A horror master's sense of scene and scares." - Jonathan Moon, author of Heinous

"... dark, fast and fun...a compelling read." - Nate Kenyon, award-winning author of Sparrow Rock, The Reach, and StarCraft Ghost: Spectres, on Hall's novel Containment Room Seven

Now the problem I find with short story collections is that you are most probably never going to like all the stories in the book. Even in a King collection, I find a story or two that misses its mark. (I know-- blasphemy!) And that was the case with this collection.

The first story, Secrets Beneath, was worth the price of admission. It's a unique take on the small town with closely guarded secret tale. It reminded me, in a good way, of 1950's horror movies- I could almost see it in black and white. But the story is original, has good depth, and some tragic consequences.

Another tale I liked was Throwing Stones. It had a creepy build-up and a surprising ending, not what I expected at all. One more hit was The Swim. This one had a moral and a lesson to it. And Kudzu, was another tale I enjoyed. And then there were a few I wasn't so fond of. All in all, there are fourteen stories in the book. A decent number for the price and we all know that opinions are subjective.

Formatting bugaboos aside, and I'm not counting them because I couldn't even tell you how to format properly and I think it's just something we eBook readers are going to have to learn to overlook, there are few content issues I had trouble with. A little bit more "telling" than "showing." There were a few stories that were good idea, they just failed to develop to my satisfaction.

So I'm giving the book three stars. The reason for this isn't because it's a bad book. It's more so that I have something to upgrade his next book to. Because I believe this author has a lot of promise and with a little work, he's going to be great. So I will eagerly await his next work, to see what he's learned and how much he's improved.

Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Whispers from the Dark for free! That first story is calling your name...

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

The Conduit by Gordon Bonnet

I met Gordon via Twitter (Ha! You thought I was going to say FaceBook, didn't you?). I'm not sure who followed who first, but I quickly became a fan of his humor and wit and then of his writing. So when he posted a link to his published works, I offered to do a review. He kindly asked me which book I would like and gifted my choice to me. It was tough to pick. All of his works interested me, but I finally chose The Conduit because it had a big old creepy house and hinted at a scary family history. I was not disappointed!

Synopsis: Ryan Linahan lived an ordinary life as a high school biology teacher, until Great-Uncle George Parker died. While helping his family to go through all of Great-Uncle George's belongings, Ryan discovered a box full of old letters that revealed that the Parker family had some serious skeletons in the closet -- skeletons that were about to come back to life.

Upon finding a genealogical link between the Parkers and the Meadows and Fry families, who had left behind a legacy of dark reputation and ill will in the small, rural Pennsylvania village where they lived, Ryan becomes obsessed with finding out what it was his ancestors were actually guilty of. And his obsession leads him to become ensnared in events that, though they happened in the 19th century, are far from over, and in the end may reawaken evil that was thought to be dead and buried for over a century.

Sounds good, right? It was. The plot was intricate. It touches on Native American legends, demonic possession, conspiracies, inherited evil and madness. And yet, it all makes sense and doesn't lose the reader. The characters were sympathetic and easily likable. The added bits of history, found in the letters, old newspaper articles and other genealogical records was icing on the cake. There is some switching of pov- you get different characters with different chapters- was well done and not confusing as 'head-hopping' sometimes can be. The writing style flows well and the story plays out nicely, while the end satisfies. No lose ends here.

I'm going to give it four stars. It is well worth the read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good scary tale with some history thrown in. I'm looking forward to reading more of Gordon's work.

You can find out more about Gordon over at The Author Spot today, as he kindly consented to an interview. You can find out more about him and his published works at his blog. And you can buy The Conduit on Amazon.com.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

The Robber by WJ Rosser

I met WJ on Facebook(Is there anyone else to meet people these days?) and I liked his literary writing style. So when he put The Robber: Selected Works up for free for a few days, I jumped at my chance and downloaded it. Now, normally I read and review horror, so this isn't my usual fare. If you're looking for skeletons or demonic possessions you should probably come back another day. It's not that I read only horror. I read a little bit of everything, but since I work with mostly horror authors, I find myself reading and reviewing more of it than anything else. However, I like a good mainstream literary yarn as much as the next girl.

So I crawled into bed with my Kindle and started this collection. And a short time later I found myself in tears. That doesn't happen often. But the first story in the collection was so moving, that I couldn't help myself. I got caught up in the story from the very first paragraph. Rosser has an unbelievable talent for immersing you immediately in the character's lives. The interplay between the characters is so real that they could be the couple next door. They are genuine, slightly flawed and absolutely believable. His writing flows well and pulls you along the storyline.

Of the three stories, the title story, The Robber, was easily my favorite, despite the tears. Winchester 30/30 begs the question, how well do we really know our parents? And Genny, is a wonderful slice of one man's life and struggle with temptation. Also included in the collection are two poems which I also enjoyed.

I would recommend The Robber: Selected Works for anyone who enjoys literary fiction. For those who enjoy little vignettes of other's lives, those who liked their heartstrings tugged, and honesty in fiction.

You can find out more about WJ Rosser and his alter ego, Jeremy Wright, over at The Author Spot, where he has kindly consented to an interview.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Ancient Eyes by David Niall Wilson

When "Bram Stoker Award" winning author David Niall Wilson messaged me, I almost fell off my chair. I had read many of his short works in places like Cemetery Dance magazine and other anthologies, but I'd never read any of his novels, so when he offered me the chance, I took it. I chose Ancient Eyes because it was a new one, and the synopsis appealed to me.

Synopsis: There is an ancient evil lurking in the mountains of California. One peak over from Friendly, California, there is another, darker place. In that place there are two churches. Displaced from a time and place far distance, an ancient carving watches from an alcove above the door of a broken down, nearly forgotten church. When the evil it embodies reaches out and snags the soul of Silas Greene, roots creep down into the mountain and out into everything they touch. There is another church on the mountain. It is made of stone, carved into the stone of the mountain, and also all but forgotten.

A message goes out to Abraham Carlson. "He's Back. Come home, boy." When young Abraham returns to the mountain, and to that stone church, a battle is rejoined that should have ended decades in the past. When the cleansing began - and was never completed. The only question is, does Abraham have the strength...or will he, and everyone he loves, fall into the depths of those evil, ancient eyes...

The best word I can use to describe the novel is intense. It pulled me in every night when I sat down to read. David is a master at description and character building, without being overly verbose or repetitive. The characters and setting he created were easily imaginable and at once, familiar. I was drawn along into the story and really wasn't sure how it was going to end. Was good going to win? Or is evil unstoppable? I won't spoil it for you by saying, but I will tell you that the ending is very satisfying.

I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed David's style of writing. It was lyrical and compelling. I had no trouble dropping right back into where I'd left off and I didn't want to put the Kindle down each night (unfortunately falling asleep and dropping it on your head is rather painful) and only did so when my lids began to droop. The story is an old one- good vs. evil, light vs. dark, but he never crossed the line into preaching at the reader. The religion of the good was well done without being overdone and the evil was broodingly malevolent, without being unbelievable. At the heart of the novel are the battles we all face: the struggle between good and bad within ourselves, and the struggle to keep our roots without letting them hold us back.

It may have been the first novel of his I've read, but it will not be the last. I'll hungrily devour more. One last word of warning- if you don't like snakes, prepare to be extremely uncomfortable, because there are a lot of them in the book (obviously representing temptation and evil). I hate snakes. Loathe them. But I made it through with only mild squirming.

I rarely give 5 stars- but this deserves them.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

The Harbor by Al Lamanda

I read The Harbor, by Al Lamanda, because of something I saw on Facebook. In one of the groups I belong to, Al (can I call you Al?) had posted a message he'd gotten from a woman requesting a refund. Her reason? She thought the book was too scary. What better praise for a horror writer, I ask you. So I immediately downloaded the book to my Kindle. Holidays finally finished and I realized that I had about 30 books to read. Where to start? Well I'm always looking for a good scare, so I started The Harbor.

I finished the book last night. It took me three nights to read, as I have a reading period from about 10pm to midnight every night. Last night I stayed up until one to finish the book. Yes, I was that hooked. And after I put the light out, I was still thinking about the premise of the book. And, I'll admit, I was a bit uneasy lying there in the dark. That's the ultimate praise I can give a horror novel- if it makes me uneasy after I put out the light, then it was well done.

I went to amazon.com today to see what other reviewers had said. Most were favorable, but there was one two star. He pointed to flaws (typos, wrong words, ect.). I did notice those things (I can't take off the editor glasses when I read), but they weren't bad enough to distract me from the story itself. He said the writing was bad. I disagree. Each to his own, but I feel pretty qualified to judge storytelling skill. And he pointed out that there was a lot of cigarette smoking and eating in the book (I wondered why I was so hungry!) and there was, but it fit the storyline. I don't even smoke, but had I been a character in this book, I think I would have started.

The basic story is about a small island off the coast of Maine which seems to have a habit of erupting into bloody, unsolved murders every so often. It happens again and Sheriff Mark Blaine wants to get to the bottom of the problem. There is a host of other characters in the story, but Blaine is ultimately my favorite. He's a flawed character and it lends a depth of vulnerability that really makes him likable. The murders are sufficiently gory and the plot speeds along. The central premise of possession and evil is well explained and plausible. I don't think the religious aspect was overdone at all. I liked that explanation of why some were possessed and some were granted absolution. And oddly enough, with all the gruesome axe murders in this book, it was the one accidental death that left me the most horrified. Now you have to read it, just to figure out what I'm talking about!

Overall, I'd recommend this book. The story was a good one, the characters well developed, the premise sound and the action swift. It left me thinking about it long after I'd put the book down. I'll definitely read more of this author's work.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Creepfest Winners!

So, I'm probably the worst blog-hopper in the world. I wanted to be better, I really did. But we are trying to get two books out this week at Angelic Knight Press and there are always a million last minute details. And it's Christmas. Those are the excuses I'm sticking with anyway.

I didn't get as many posts up as I would have liked to, but stay tuned. Those posts are still coming. Plus many more posts on the wonderful books I managed to win during Creepfest. I didn't get to visit as many blogs as I hoped to, but I still have the linky guy. I'll continue the rounds!

My grand prize winner is Gina! Gina gets first choice of the prizes.

First Runner up was Ash Krafton. After Gina lets me know what she wants, I'll get in touch with you, Ash.

And the second runner up was Julie Janson. I'll be in touch!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, and congrats to the winners!

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Quiet Houses by Simon Kurt Unsworth

I read Quiet Houses, by Simon Kurt Unsworth, because of a recommendation I saw in the Kindle Horror Facebook group. I've always been a huge fan of the haunted house story, and this book was recommended highly by another author. I assumed Mr. Unsworth was a new indie author. I was totally wrong. (Not really an unusual occurrence) Mr. Unsworth has been writing for a while and has stories in several of the Best Horror of the Year volumes as well as The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror. You can find his blog here.

Quiet Houses is one of the best books I've read all year. I don't say that lightly, because let's face it, I read a lot of books this year. Some of them not even worth reviewing, but some of them quite good. I will say that this is the best "on a whim" purchase I made this year.

The book uses the "frame method" of story telling. That means that there is a beginning story that sets the premise of the book and then each of the other stories are told, and another story at the end wraps everything up tightly and ties everything together. Sometimes this method works well (think of the old movie, Dr. Terror's House of Horror. What? You've never seen it?! It's a classic, people! Chock full of old horror movie legends! *sighs* I digress...) and sometimes it doesn't work. In this book it works beautifully.

We start with the story of a research assistant, Nakata, sorting through answers to an ad he placed in the newspaper, trying to find haunted houses. He wades through them and finds a few to actually check out. Each of these houses is a seperate story in the book. Throughout the book we get more glimpses into the character and what drives Nakata himself. One of the stories in the book is his own pivotal experience with a haunting. There are eight stories in the book. It would be hard to pick a favorite, but I if I had to (you know, because someone was pointing a gun to my head, or something), I would pick number 5. It centers on a big abandoned hotel, The Ocean Grand.

And I know what you're thinking (no, not because I'm psychic), I can almost here you say it, But that's been done! It has, and it's been done so well that sometimes we begin to think that no one else can use that theme again. And that, my friends, is the beauty of this collection! Haunted houses, haunted hotels, haunted burial grounds have all been done. Yet, Mr. Unsworth manages to do them again and not bore his readers. Each tale is so quietly creepy, so dreadfully evocative, so atmospheric, that you get completely caught up in them and don't spend the whole time comparing them to other things you've read. That, in itself, is quite a feat. As is creeping me out so badly that I don't want to turn out the light. And that's what these tales did.

There's no gore. No shock for the sake of shock value. No mad slashers. No gimmicks. These tales are just pure horror. The good old fashioned kind of horror, the kind that relies on plot, atmosphere and good writing, to deliver the scare. I highly recommend this collection. I don't recommend that you read it at night, if alone in the house. Recommended for lovers of Poe, James Herbert or Barbara Eskine. (If you don't know any of those authors- look them up- they're fabulous!) Or for anyone who just likes their fear to creep up on them, slowly, from behind.

You can find the book here on Amazon.com.

Remember the contest! You can still enter to win by leaving me a comment telling me your favorite book and the reason it's your favorite. Contest runs until December 23rd. Now go. Read something!


♥Spot

Creepfest Reviews...

I am participating in the "12 Days of Creepfest" blog hop, put together by the wonderfully talented Rebecca Treadway. Rebecca is the Artistic Director for Angelic Knight Press. She's a supremely talented author, but she's also a great writer.  And she put together this little blog hop to help all of us grab some new followers and discover new blogs.

The rules of participation say that the blog owner must host a contest during the creepfest. So, since this is a book review blog, I want the contest to be about books. The prize is going to be an eBook version of "Satan's Toybox: Demonic Dolls", eBook version of "Satan's Toybox: Toy Soldiers" or a print copy of Demonic Dolls, winner's choice. I'll give the remaining two prizes to two other lucky people.

How do you enter this fabulous contest? Simple. Just leave a comment on any post between now and December 23rd. In the comment tell me your all time favorite horror genre book and why it's your favorite. I will pick the winner at random and announce them on the Christmas Eve blog post. I'll also pick runner up #1 and runner up #2. If you'd like extra entries, follow me on Twitter (@Spot_speaks) or "Like" my Facebook fan page. Links for both are conveniently located on the side of my author blog.

I will be posting some reviews from now until Christmas. Most of them will not be accompanied by author interviews on my other blog, simply because I don't know the authors. And not all of them will be Indie Books. I've read some really great books lately and want to share.

That's all I've got for today, but you should go visit all the other horror authors, reviewers, artists, bloggers listed at the bottom of this blog. Why? Because it's the right thing to do. Also, they're giving away prizes as well!

♥Spot

Forsaken by Andrew Van Wey

Andrew contacted me through email and asked me if I would like to review his book. I, of course, said "yes". I didn't know Andrew and hadn't heard of his book, but this is not unusual. There are so many books out there and so little time to read. What I have to say is-- if you only have time to read one book-- read this one. It's worth it.

The Synopsis: For art professor Daniel Rineheart, life's a dream. His children's laughter fills the halls of his home, and his wife's embrace lulls him to sleep. But summer's end heralds the arrival of three disturbing omens. A lost bird, thousands of miles from home. A beautiful student with whom he shares an insidious past.

...and a mysterious painting, dripping with malignant secrets.

It wasn't the strangest creation he'd ever seen, but close. A girl with a wounded, sack-like face; a boy with pinhole eyes and a cruel sneer; and a distant shadow peering out from behind a dying tree, all stared back at him from that perfect painted canvas.

Yet it wasn't only the subjects that challenged him, but the riddle that came with it.

"Here in Art, Denial."

Four words shrouding a secret that awakens a surreal nightmare. Where objects from his past manifest in canvas and oil. Where painted clocks tick-tock away in the dark hours before dawn, and a missing dog whimpers from between the walls. Where the painted children leave the canvas to stalk the halls of his once quiet and happy home.

And where all answers lead back to a blind artist and an impossible creation, one that threatens to destroy his family and devour his sanity.

 

Forsaken lives up to all of the potential of the synopsis. The prologue sets the mood for the rest of the story, dark and tragic. What follows is a dark and scary story with all the creepiness one expects from a good horror novel. We follow Daniel down into the darkness beyond the painting and watch as his family is swallowed up too.

The reader is left wondering whether the painting is really supernatural or if Daniel's starting the long spiral into madness or both. The plot spirals in an effective manner that keeps you guessing until the end. The end wraps up the package with a satisfying bow.

Honestly, I was a little creeped out reading it at night, before bed, as is my custom. After the lights were out, I experienced some trepidation. Normally, I pass out without a second thought. To me, that screams success on the part of the writer. If you can make me lose sleep because I'm still thinking about the book- you win- and so do I.

I've seen lots of authors claim that their work is for fans of King, Koontz and Straub. This is the first time I've agreed. Go. Buy this book. You can find it here.

Then stop over at The Author Spot and read my interview with Andrew. He's extremely interesting, funny and articulate.

 

♥Spot