Review:Bad Man by Dathan Auerbach

To be most accurate, Dathan Auerbach's Bad Man is a good 3.5 star rating for me. Two children stumbling upon a body is where we begin this tale. Who's body we're unaware of at the time but there's much speculation once we get into the girth of the story.

Review:The Devil Crept In by Ania Ahlborn

The Devil Crept In is the second novel I've read by Ania Ahlborn. After having enjoyed Brother I was anxious to see if Ahlborn would thrill me with another read. The Devil Crept Indid not disappoint but is definitely not for the faint of heart. If you're not into horror, blood, guts and things that go bump in the night stay far far away.

Review: The Dead Boyfriend by R.L. Stine

I want to be fair in rating this book. R.L. Stine was the go-to author of my childhood. I think the moment I was introduced to Fear Street and the Goosebumps series, I was hooked. As a preteen, these novels were intense. They invoked a fear like none of other for me. Stine's The Dead Boyfriend could possibly have done the same for me during those days. But, now that my reading has matured, I can't quite seem to recapture that feeling.

Review: The Fireman by Joe Hill

   When I received a review copy of Joe Hill's The Fireman, I was excited and couldn't wait to begin the harrowing tromp through a world plagued with a contagion that causes the host to catch fire. I mean, literally catch fire. After reading and loving NOS4A2, I couldn't be more frantic to read The Fireman. To devour every word on a world that is in ashes with no hope in sight. 

Review: The Deep by Nick Cutter

Nick Cutter did it again! Cutter weaves a horrifying tale that reminds me of what the horror genre is missing and I love it. There's endless suspense, tension, psychological warfare, alien matter, and just good ol' fashion terror. After reading last year's The Troop I was excited to see Cutter was back in the saddle. Anyone who's read The Troopknows there was some f**ked up Sh** happening to those boys. Poor, poor boys. Poor, poor us if we ever find ourselves living a true-life Cutter tale. First comes the virus, outbreak, etc. Then comes pure havoc.

The 'Gets is making its rounds around the world. No one's sure where it came from nor how to get rid of it. This disease begins some scarring on the skin. Then a little forgetfulness that eventually transforms into the brain totally forgetting how to function to the point where even the involuntary reflexes, such as breathing, cease to occur. Many have lost their loved ones to this handicapping disease. The only hope it seems is a small team of scientists who are stationed aboard a ship 8 miles beneath the sea.

Luke is asked to coax his genius brother Clayton into making a breakthrough or at least breaking out since he has been MIA to command control. Rule number one, if most of the people aboard a vessel are either dead or have gone crazy, it's probably a good idea not to continue with the mission. But if everyone followed rule number one, there would be no good stories such as The Deep. Plus, there's always gotta be one someone who could be the hero and save the world of the 'Gets.

Before long, Luke is given a rundown of all the strange happenings aboard the sub and still ventures on. And I mean there's some strange sh**. Wack-a-do scientists, dreams too real to be dreams, constant strolls down memory lane with mommy dearest, and an increasingly more frequent disembodied voice or pull. And that's not the it.

Not only does Luke face the threat of being impaled by 8 miles worth of water, there is an alien substance that can possibly cure the 'Gets. Only problem is... that may not be it's intent at all. The ambrosia could quite possibly have it's own agenda. Who knows?

Nick Cutter is descriptive to the point where you cringe because the portrait is painted so vividly. I felt like I was walking along the Treiste corridors with Luke and Al. He even completely immerses readers into the journals of less than reliable scientists gone mad. There were times I was even afraid Luke's badass mother was going to rise from the grave just to haunt me for no good reason. Cutter spares no detail and allows us readers to experience the psychological warfare that Luke is experiencing in the world's worse place on earth.

Before I give the whole book away I must say I enjoyed The Deep very much. There were no dull moments. It's cabin fever at its height, mixed with a bit of horror, with a side of paranormal activity. One man's journey to the deep blue assures me my place is on dry land.   ****

Copy provided by Simon & Schuster via Netgalley

Review: The City by Dean Koontz

As I read this novel I kept wondering to myself what happened to the Dean Koontz I loved so many years ago. I was so excited to start The City and was even temporarily blinded by Koontz prose and wordplay that I almost forgot that I was bored out of my mind... almost.

The City is the story of Jonah Kirk as he recalls the days of his youth. Born to a beautiful songstress and a disappearing father, Jonah finds solace in his incredible ability to play the piano, note for note, after hearing the tune only once. Jonah is narrating this story at the request of his best friend Malcolm Pomerantz (who's a little on the OCD side) recounting the days of his youth that transforms him into a whole man. Not a half man like his father.

As The City progresses, we are introduced to the many people in Jonah's life that have helped shape him. There's the woman who's the city, Miss Pearl, Mr. Yoshioka, and Amalia Pomerantz, Malcolm's older sister. Each of these characters bring the story to life, with their keen sense of clairvoyance, wisdom, or just plain beauty, inside and out. When Koontz let them star on the pages, the novel didn't seem so...mundane.

As a way to maintain his position on the horror shelf, Koontz provides characters who seem to only exist for the sake of thrills and bloodshed. Fiona, Drackman, and his father help move the story forward but are never really interesting enough to bring on the razzle dazzle of the more evil characters I've come to expect from Koontz. I'm sorry but I had high standards from Koontz. I was a teen who once spent all her allowance just to get my hands on one of his many books.

The one other gripe I have with this novel is that it didn't seem to move forward for at least a while. There were so many references to musicians, poems, art, or architecture and all things creative that the point of them being mentioned was soon forgotten. It's like we were given Koontz iTunes playlist on shuffle. 

It's not all bad. Believe me. The writing is top notch. I have so many quotes I highlighted from this read that will resonate for a long time in my life. Of course, Koontz' classic good vs. evil theme isn't lost on me, but I also thought The City is a great coming of age story. Jonah faces challenges with courage that many adults will never obtain. He takes the good with the bad, and is positive that no matter how bad things get, they will get better. Jonah is the type of person I aspire to be someday.

Overall, The City is an enjoyable enough read for philosophical purposes but if you're like me, expecting the Koontz of yester-year than this may not be the place for you. Wonderfully written paragraphs are drowned by the constant name-dropping of musical acts. I recommend this novel to die-hard fans who are entranced with any and every work by Koontz. I just urge Dean Koontz to take his own advice and realize his talent for writing is a gift he hasn't earned so he should use it wisely on the next novel.  **

Copy provided by Random House Publishing Group via Netgalley

Review: Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie

Suffer the Children is the latest novel written by Craig DeLouie. What's instantly gripping about this novel and pretty much sparked my interest was the creepy cover. I mean look at it. The dirty, dilapidated, beheaded doll always suggests the novel will be pure horror. Long story short, this cover was a tad bit misleading.

It's a normal day like any other in this Michigan town when kids start dropping like flies. They just flat out die. Not just the children in this small town, but EVERY child under a certain age. Everywhere parents are wondering what happens next. Is this the end of the human race? Even unborn children that are in the protection of their mothers womb is not safe from whatever's plaguing the world. This all happens pretty early in the story since the true girth of this novel doesn't begin until all the children start coming back with a taste for blood. 

Grieving parents everywhere are left trying to keep their children alive with their own blood. The problem is this is only a temporary solution since the children are only alive for a few hours at a time. Usher in life after Herod's Syndrome which becomes an existence where it is those who have children against those who don't and blood is the only currency that matters.

Suffer the Children is a quick read that I could have possibly gotten through in a few hours but... c'mon, we all have work, school, and life to get to. Anyway, DiLouie instantly grabbed my attention by the neck and did not let go. I was as invested in preserving the lives of these children as their parents were. But surely, life started deteriorating for all the people involved. 

So why the 2-star rating? The answer is that eventually I felt that there just wasn't enough here to propel the vampire genre forward. Even bloodsucking kids couldn't save this title for me. Although my take on Suffer the Children is a little more "philosophical"... it still wasn't enough.

Philosophical you say? Yes. I see parents who would do anything they possibly can to save their children, or at least to keep them happy. And I mean anything. I remember all those crazy parents who fight each other for the last "tickle-me-elmo" or the ones who spoil their children rotten and declare that the sociopath they raised just maybe wasn't given enough to keep from turning into a homicidal maniac. The parents in Suffer the Children are the absolute extreme but I've seen enough children having tantrums in the grocery store to know that most parents aren't far from point. Anything, and I mean anything, to keep little Johnny or Sara happy. 

Although I wasn't blown away by Suffer the Children I actually look forward to reading more by this author. This novel wasn't bad, I just think the whole vampire thing is the black t-shirt you keep rewashing that fades with every cycle. That black is not coming back. **

Copy provided by Simon & Schuster via Netgalley

Review: The Orphan Choir by Sophie Hannah

Lately I haven't had much time to read books as voraciously as I used to so I have been extremely particular with what books I allow to occupy my limited time. The Orphan Choir by Sophie Hannah is one of the books I decided to read based on it being described as a woman's ascent into madness with horror elements in it. The first part is quite true but the second half of that assessment is very far from the truth. 

The Orphan Choir is narrated by Louise. A woman who is driven mad by the insane thumping of her neighbors music at odd hours of the night. To make matters worse, she's convinced he's doing it intentionally. All she wants is a little peace and quiet so she can go back to complaining about the loss of her son Joseph who boards at a prominent school where he's a member of the Saviour Choir. Before long, Louise hears her sons choir and can't understand why she deserves such torture.

In an effort to get away from her noisy neighbor in Cambridge, Louise moves with her husband Stuart to a quiet slice of heaven of England's countryside. Ultimately, Louise finds that quite possibly the music she's hearing may in fact be in her head. Could she be missing her son so much that she can't get the choral music out of her head, or is something more sinister at play?

Honestly, I was not in love with this novel for a good while. It's an easy, engrossing read yet the narrator takes some getting used to. I could have maybe appreciated this novel more had I not gotten in her head. Ironic, huh? Seriously, she complains about everything. To top off her complaining, she whines to no end about how much she misses her son who's away at the boarding school. 

What ultimately saves this novel for me is the ending. I was ready to write this one off as just another novel with not much going on but... I feel it ends perfectly. Sophie Hannah pretty much owed me for wasting so much time and energy on Louise that the ending needed to make up for it big time. I liked the ending and yes, it does supply that horror feel the blurb suggests. 

My overall thoughts are that The Orphan Choir by Sophie Hannah was not bad at all. I only wish there was a starring character I could actually want to be in the same room with. The Orphan Choir is a fast read and may appeal to fans of psychological suspense. Overall, I would like to read more by this author so long as I get a little more horror and a lot less Louise.  ***


Copy Provided by Picador USA via Netgalley

Review: The Troop by Nick Cutter

I am one of the biggest fans of horror books that contain the most gross, icky, bloody, and cringe inducing moments ever. After reading this book I realized I missed books that doesn't apologize for being the epitome of creepy as is it implants the most vivid images of gore. This book, The Troop fit the bill to a void that had been missing from my life. Thank you Nick Cutter! A man who is seriously hungry and unable to fill that endless void escapes to Falstaff Island, Prince Edward Island. Troop leader Tim is unable to ignore the signs of a troubled man, nor his hippocratic oath, and tries to help him. This man is emaciated to the point where it seems he shouldn't be alive. Tim unknowningly has brought a seriously isidious, deadly contagion into the mix. Yes I'll say it too since there's no way else to get around it, Lord of the Flies anyone? Seriously it isn't a complete rip-off at all but the comparison is unavoidable with the use of five teenage boys alone on a deserted island. Especially when one could possibly be a sociopath. The Troop shifts focus between what's happening on the island and hindsight. Hindsight being the magazine articles, blogs, transcripts from witnesses who appeared before the Federal Investigation Board. The reports provided through these channels helps to gage what the publics reation was to the situation and gave us insight into how/why things end the way they do. Aside from the actual horror part, Nick Cutter proves he's a capable author. The plot is absolutely engaging from the beginning and if horror is your interest, The Troop will make the grade. Cutter's shifting focus is easy to follow and the excitement really shows no letting up at all during the +300 pages. He's descriptive to a fault. Between the moments of gore, themes such as greed, vanity, and the price of war appear. Ultimately, The Troop is highly recommended. If I've learned nothing at all except one thing after reading this novel it's that I don't want any fast solutions via mystery pills. I'll take the road less traveled.  **** Copy provided by Gallery Book/Simon and Schuster via Netgalley

Review: Townhouse by Brian Rowe

This book forced me out of my reading slump! Thank you Mr. Brian Rowe. Townhouse made good on it's promise of being a novel of terror. What a terror it is...

Max Pharaoh and Sara Crimson have not known each other long but an unplanned pregnancy makes them think that maybe they should to make a relationship work for the child's sake. Max does a standup thing by asking for Sara's hand in marraige. An opportunity at a real future for their unborn child prompts Sara to grudgingly accept his hand. These young 20-something year olds ignore some cleverly place moments of suspense even before signing a lease on the North Hollywood townhouse, only to become entangled in a nightmare no one could see coming.

Initially, I was thinking Townhouse is the anti-Knocked Up. You know the movie with Seth Rogan and Katherine Heigl? This is what happens after they get their apartment... when it becomes a horror movie instead of a romantic comedy. A couple who gets preggers and try to make it work, although the two have nothing in common. Well, that's how Sara and Max are. Max is not sure he's ready to give up his bachelor-dom while Sara's wallowing in her own self-loathing because she isn't a published author.

Max, busy trying to move up the talent agent ladder, leaves Sara home alone often. As a writer it is ideal to be in a quiet home but as a woman in very new surroundings, this is the perfect atmosphere for fear to fester. Sara is unsure of her oddly dressed neighbor who she is certain wants to kill her also she can't shake this feeling that something's amiss in this Executive Townhouse community. Not to mention there seems to be people disappearing in this complex.

Rowe cleverly litters the pages of Townhouse with different possibilities of where the plot may be heading. None, thankfully, led me to where I thought I'd be. Only one part was obvious in the ending because I expected it. It proved courage earned and growth in a character who up until that point hadn't been very enticing. Rowe gave them the much needed strength to morph into a hero.

I do have one gripe that's huge and glaring, yet hard to avoid, is the tendency for novels of terror to read like horror B-movies. I personally like B-movies, especially since Netflix is littered with them and I can't help but find their covers to be so gripping. Usually said movies push the envelope with their over-the-topness and being so far removed from reality. This novel avoided the trap... until the bizarre crazy ending. Ultimately my gripe isn't much of a gripe(per se) just something that I couldn't ignore.

Once again, I have to thank Brian Rowe for getting me out of my reading slump and writing something I could not put down. Townhouse will appeal to those who love terror, horror, and blood. Lots and lots of blood. After reading Townhouse I will never look at my neighbors again without wondering what deadly secrets they could be hiding.  ****

Review: The Faceless One by Mark Onspaugh

The Faceless One is the debut novel by Mark Ospaugh that I will not soon forget. Jimmy Kalmaku is 7 years old when he first learns of The Faceless One. His Uncle Will is a shaman for their village in the lowlands along the Gulf of Alaska and is passing on his knowledge to Jimmy. The reason for this visit is to teach Jimmy the ways of the Tlingit people and how to fight this powerful evil entity should it escape the mask. For the sake of all humanity The Faceless One must remain imprisoned if there's any hope of surviving the chaos it can bring.

Like any good horror novel, the story must go on. What fun is it if this evil stayed holed up in some Alaskan cave? Over 65 years later a string of events leads Jimmy to believe that the power of the god inside the mask has escaped. He's been visited by Raven in his dreams and is sure that since he's the last resort of an extinct shaman lineage, he's on a mission to rid the world of this evil force.

The Faceless One includes a small host of characters who are all linked to each other. Although its obvious that all involved will at some point meet, Ospaugh brilliantly makes these characters real and worth taking the journey with. The conversations were real, the connections were real, and their reactions to situations were real. I can only remember one moment that I thought what is this guy thinking... no novel is complete without someone having their falling down when running moment.

Mark Ospaugh combines horror and native mythicism seemlessly. Eventually I found myself searching where the truth in the stories of Raven ended and Ospaugh's imajination began. The Faceless One manages to dodge every give away that it's a debut effort with great pacing, a fine attention to detail, and interesting plot without holes.

Overall, I loved reading The Faceless One and believe that lovers of horror and paranormal fiction will want to read this. Mark Ospaugh is a refreshing new voice in a genre that can seem so full of guts but no glory. I look forward to reading more by this author.  ****

Review: The Heavens Rise by Christopher Rice

The Heavens Rise is the first novel I've read by Christopher Rice and hopefully will not be the last. Rice takes us on a journey through the murky, black, swamp water in Louisiana where there is more than meets the eye, is lying in wait. Three friends are up against an evil the world has never seen before who's only goal is revenge.

The Heavens Rise is an engrossingly atomospheric, poetically written, supernatural novel with elements of horror that will scare the pants off some readers. The novel follows a group of friends Nicolette Delongpre, Ben Broyard, and Anthem Landry and shifts focus between their lives during high school, and as adults eight years later. After a devastating car crash leaves Nikki's mother dead, the Delongpre's vanish almost into thin air. Ben and Anthem have not seen or found evidence that Nikki and her father are alive but are hopeful their queen will return. 

One single lapse in judgement puts Nikki in danger of crossing paths with a villain who is hellbent on getting revenge. In an effort to get restitution for the slights against him, Nikki's best friends are fair game to get what he wants by any means possible. Even if that means killing them.

Rice clearly has some good writing chops that are very obvious in this novel. His use of imagery, plot, and setting make for a read that is very interesting and hard to put down. Rice also makes sure to chronicle Hurricane Katrina and how it affects the cast in a way that provides another layer to characters who would seem one dimensional otherwise.

Although well written The Heavens Rise was not able to leave me with no gripes. My most major gripe is the villain. Although he has a sound reason for wanting revenge on Nikki, I couldn't help feeling he was just a big bully having a temper tantrum. An extremely severe temper tantrum, but still... He was a jerk even before he had a reason to be a jerk. Another maybe less glaring gripe is that I wanted the moments of chaos to be savored. I wanted the battles not to end so abruptly. For so much attention given to detail, I couldn't see why those moments were so dismal and hurried.

The Heavens Rise by Christopher Rice is worth the read and is highly recommended for lovers of supernatural fiction. I definitely enjoyed it. This is not his first novel so I'm off to add his other works to my to-read list.   ****

Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

This book A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is such a profound and touching read. There are no words my mind can summon to fully explain the impact this book has left on me after reading it so I won't even try. Beautifully written with characters who's truths are so much like anyone who has experienced such a loss as Conor O'Malley has. I'm happy to have taken this walk with Connor and his monster on a journey through grief and acceptance.  *****

Review: Mad Gods: Predatory Ethics by Athanasios

I admit I've put off reading this book for way too long and it's a shame because this was one awesome trip that I could have taken already and by now moved on to the sequels. Predatory Ethics by Athanasios is the well written, thought-provoking story of Kosta and Adam. 

Upon first meeting Kosta we find that there is much more to him than meets the eye. He's The Truth and he helps guide spirits to their final resting place. He returns their memories and sets them free... although some unwillingly. He eventually pursues a new task of locating the antichrist to bring him back to his handlers. Instead Kosta decides to hide the child from all opposing sides. The Catholic Church and the Luciferian Church. That old Nature vs. Nurture debate... yes! Kosta knows the Truth and he's convinced that his way of bringing up Adam will prove his thesis.

Adam is the antichrist. He's seemingly like any other child. Anxious for knowledge, comfort, and love. He's also aware that there is something very different about him. The Seekers pursuing them does not do much to assuage this assumption. With a love of TV and radio, Athanasios develops Adam into a character that is fresh besides the antichrist we all picture in our minds. 

Predatory Ethics is a great blend of stories most have come to know through either the Bible, myth, or at least pop-culture (The Omen). Kosta and Adam's story is a unique look in the way we view the antichrist or any other religious icons. Essentially giving these entities the power they possess over us instead of realizing they are human all the same. Humans composed of things good and bad. 

The mixture of historic text to support the characters in this novel was essential and helps to bring structure. Although at times it slows the novel down, it's easy to breeze through because finding out the fate of our protagonists is of the highest priority. The tensity and suspense is held at such a level that makes every page worthwhile and adds another layer to the world Athanasios has created. 

Ultimately, I am so happy that I've been given the opportunity to read Mad Gods:Predatory Ethics (that's a mouthful). There's more to the series and I'm thankful that Athanasios did not leave lover's of this novel hanging. I recommend this novel to fans of... well a few genres and authors, really. Horror, historical thrillers, supernatural, and Clive Barker (courtesy Albert Robbins III from book cover) fans should take a look at this one.  ****

The Chalice: The Glastonbury Ghost Story by Phil Rickman

The Chalice definitely not my favorite by Phil Rickman but it is still a great read. Once again Phil Rickman has readers on the Welsh border in a town named Glastonbury where there is much paranormal activity going on also coinciding with the sudden arrival of New Agers. Amongst the New Age people is Diane Ffitch. She is considered to be a person "prone to imaginative excursions" so it isn't a surprise when she returns to her home town, cloaked as a journalist, traveling with the Pagan Pilgrims. 

The reason for most of the turmoil and strife in this town is brought on by the new plans to build a road that will help connect Glastonbury to London. The New Age community does not want this road because it is believed that the Holy Grail is somewhere in this small town. In an effort to solve what's going on before the town implodes, Jaunita (local New Age bookseller) and Joe Powys search for evidence of this Holy Grail. Instead of finding evidence of a Holy Grail, they stumble upon information on it the opposite. 

Based off the other books I've read by Rickman, I knew to expect many characters. He uses the small-town creepy atmosphere, and weird residents to his advantage in most novels. I didn't feel this novel expressed what I've come to expect from him. I expect a slow build that is laced with suspense and paranormal activity. Instead I got a lot about a road, a tor, and how chubby Diane was. I could not take one more description of her being fat... SERIOUSLY not one more Chubby.

What Rickman does right in this novel is give us characters that are dimensional and interesting. Juanita was definitely my favorite character and I instantly took notice when the chapter was about her. Although the whole town had a feeling of malaise, she was the only one bold enough to get a grip on this town as well as Diane. 

Joe Powys is also a pivotal character who I believe fans of Rickman will remember from Curfew. He's a New Age novelist that is researching old materials from an uncle and stumbles upon evidence of Diane's history and the truth of the Chalice. Usher in the novel's climax which is always pretty worth the 600+ pages. 

Ultimately, Rickman does a great job at captivating his audience and holding them in suspense with The Chalice ... some of the time. Although, this isn't my favorite novel by Phil Rickman, I do look forward to reading some more of his novels. Fans of tomes with supernatural occurances located on the Welsh border might want to take a looksee at  The Chalice.  ***

Review: The New Flesh by Keith Deininger

I decided it was time to read darker fiction and Keith Deininger's The New Flesh supplied that fix, but not in the typical way I imagined. Three years after Jake starts a fire in the woods behind his school, he begins to have increasingly realistic dreams of fire and a figure he's named The Melting Man. Because of the terror and realism in the dreams, Jake senses that the The Melting Man is increasing in strength.

The New Flesh is dubbed as a horror novel, but I find that most of the action was done off-screen. There were moments that eluded to something terrible about to happen and then it would be cut off... or just incomplete. And I'm left to my own imagination to fill in the gaps. Although there were two moments involving graphic violence, I could have had more.

The pages of The New Flesh fly past rapidly. The characters are ever changing. The only one I really grew to like was Jake. He's the quinessential child-hero that makes readers want him to be ok. His parents and their inconsistencies only help with the darkness of the novel. They in no way will win parent of the year awards. They do have moments of normalcy, but they are brief.

Overall, I enjoyed The New Flesh. My eyes were glued to my Kindle the entire length of the novel. I suggest this read to anyone in need for a quick, dark read that you can finish in an hour or three. I'd be interested in reading more by this author.  ***

Review: Night Film by Marisha Pessl

Hands down my favorite book so far of this year. It has everything that I love in a novel. Great plot, interesting characters, mystery, horror, suspense, thrills, and an ending I never saw coming.


Night Film is the sophomore effort written by Marisha Pessland. After having much success with Special Topics in Calamity Physics I'm happy that her followup novel is worthy of the same success. Whenever I could steal away moments to read this novel, I couldn't help but believe the world Pessl created in Night Film.

The recent suicide of Ashley Cordova, daughter of the infamous, recluse horror film director Stanislas Cordova drives investigative journalist Scott McGrath, to search for the last people to see her alive. The reason he can't let her death go is because he happens to be one of the last people to see her alive, which wouldn't be so ironic if he hadn't paid a small fortune to her father for comments made at the height of his career. McGrath tries to findout what Cordova could have done to cause his daughter to commit suicide, and to validate the defamating words used that he is certain to be true.

Before long, McGrath enlists the help of Hopper, who is seriously in love with the deaceased. And an "actress" Nora, who stole Ashley's jacket after she left the restaurant she works at without it. These three embark on an insane journey filled with ghost stories, sadism, satanism, voodooism, black magic, and any other witchcraft-y thing you can think of. The stories they encounter add to the suspense and chills of this novel. I really could not get Night Film off my mind when I wasn't reading it.

Each person encountered in this novel adds another layer to the mystery that is the Cordova family. I even began to think these people were real. Pessl provides photos, news articles, website screenshots, and letters in an effort to bring life to this novel. I wish to insert here my love of movies that include people investigating and finding evidence of something amiss. Say a family moves in, has ghosts, reads article whole family slaughtered... that's my favorite type of movie.

I don't want to go on and on about how wonderful Night Film is. It's an engrossing journey in searching for the truth. Only that truth may not exactly be what your were hoping for. Truth may be a whole lot less glamorous than imagined or hoped. I imagine fans of Peter Straub and (yes)Stephen King will enjoy this literary thriller. A definite must read- I hate the term but it's true. I recommend this novel to ALLLLLL! *****     **Won through a goodreads giveaway**

Review: Lynwood by Thomas Brown

There's something about a supernatural, horror novel set in the sleepy villages of England's countryside that always make my skin crawl a little more. Lynnwood is no exception to this fascination. In the Forest that separates Lynnwood from the rest of civilization lives an entity that has a hunger that needs to be fed. The strangest thing I found about this novel is that everyone knows it's there but doesn't talk about it.


Thomas Brown has managed to pack quite a punch in few pages. He's descriptive in character development and sufficiently atmospheric in the landscape setup. There wasn't a moment I felt that I couldn't picture this village nor its inhabitants. Lynnwood is vividly drawn.

Ultimately, I would recommend Lynnwood to fans of Phil Rickman. There is a great sense of a supernatural presence haunting this town and I believe readers will be happy with this read. Lynnwood only further reminds me why I don't go into the woods all that often near my house. ****

ISBN# 9781907230424

Review: Doors by Daniel Brako

Imagine seeing a door that no one else can see in the middle of a busy street. Now picture like doors strewn across town. This door is the portal to different worlds. Some good and some bad. Do you enter or just figure you're going crazy? David Druas, a successful psychologist, is approached by a sporadic client, Hans Werner. Hans claims to be seeing "imaginary" doors. After summoning the doors, David begins to see the same doors that he thought were the product of Hans delusion. Ultimately this changes David's life in so many ways.

Brako takes readers on a terrifying, weird journey with David and doors. With elements of science fiction, horror, and mystery we embark upon one crazy ride with David. This novel is short but big on action and interesting characters. Doors will have readers wondering what's real and what isn't. It's very much worth the short amount of time needed to read it so I highly recommend this novel to lovers of sci-fi and horror. An answer to the above question of whether I would enter the doors or not is: definitely not! ****

Review of Red Moon by Benjamin Percy

Red Moon by Benjamin Percy is an interesting take on the classic werewolf craze that has kept many people awake at night. He suggests that their has been werewolves since the beginning mankind. A pathogen that inhabits the body and results in an organism part human, part wolf. The humans infected with the Lobos bacteria are known as lycans in Red Moon and they walk among us medicated and often times undetected.

Red Moon follows a few characters who's individual stories converge. Claire is journeying to find her aunt because her parents have been slaughtered by government officials. Patrick is the sole-survivor of a plane crash that was derailed by a lycan attack. Mariam is a woman living in seclusion, trying desperately to walk away from a time in her life when she was involved in the Movement. A lycan organization that is fighting for their right to just be. Finally, we have Chase. The incumbent president who's platform is in support of eradicating the very people he is becoming.

Percy instantly grabs the readers attention with Red Moon. The word flow is easy, graphic images tattooed on minds, main characters are compelling, and the world he creates seems plausible. Actually... a little too plausible. Percy brings life to the idea that there are "others" living amongst us and plays into the fear society has towards "others".  I enjoyed the similarities between Percy's fictional world and my real world. Part I of Red Moon is going to entice readers to keep turning the page to discover what happens next. Sadly, Part II does not live up to it's predecessor as it explodes into a war.

In the spirit of being fair and honest I admit the second half totally lost me. Characters I wanted to prevail no longer mattered to me. Until Part II it's hard to see past the similarities between this book and real life. What was once endearing about that aspect became grating. The idea that the lycans are similar to societies views on Middle Eastern Muslims following 9/11 is not lost on any reader. And the conspiracy adopted by many that our president Obama is possibly a muslim extremist laying in wait is most relative to Chase's storyline in Red Moon. There is also a Balor character that is very Bin Ladin-esque. All these instances become too much. Part II does not have the same impact as Part I.

Essentially, I have a more love than hate relationship with Red Moon. It's hooking from page 1. Percy gives life to the world's oldest phenom in a way that will feel fresh to readers. My introduction to Benjamin Percy has been quite enjoyable and has placed him on the short list of authors I must explore further. I will definitely be recommending this novel to fans of horror and the supernatural. ****