You’re going to need it as you will FEEL THE CHILL of Deadhart, Alaska. 673 Living. (But dropping quickly)
In this small Brew yourself some hot coffee.
You’re going to need it as you will FEEL THE CHILL of Deadhart, Alaska. 673 Living. (But dropping quickly)
In this small town, which remains decorated in Christmas lights year round, a boy named Marcus Anderson has been found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body.
The residents of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years, but they are convinced that they know who is responsible-a member of “The Colony” an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the adjacent woods. Despite everything that has been learned about these misunderstood mythical creatures, the town is still filled with hatred and mistrust.
Detective Barbara Atkins, from the Forensic Vampyr Anthropology Department, is a specialist in vampyr killings, She has been called in to officially determine if this is a “Colony” killing – because the town wants to hunt down the Vampyrs but they are considered a protected species on the verge of extinction and are protected by the Vampyr Protection Act, passed in 1983.
Unless they have killed a human, that is.
Then all bets are off.
If a Vampyr is responsible then Detective Atkins can authorize “a cull” and the hunting can begin.
“She’d always known her lover would come from beyond the forest. It was foretold when she cast a divination spell”
Alice was the “pretty” sister, and h
“She’d always known her lover would come from beyond the forest. It was foretold when she cast a divination spell”
Alice was the “pretty” sister, and her family has always treated her younger sister Judith like Cinderella. But, that doesn’t stop Judith from wishing for love.
But, will she recognize it when it finally arrives from the woods?
A Grimm’s Fairytale like short story (43 pages) which gave me a taste of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing which I have been wanting to try-perfect for October reading!
One of my two AMAZON FIRST READ selections for this month-free for Amazon Prime members....more
“Once Upon A Time, next to a great forest lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and his two children. The boy’s name was Hansel, and the girl’s name w “Once Upon A Time, next to a great forest lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and his two children. The boy’s name was Hansel, and the girl’s name was Gretel.”
In this magical DEBUT novel, by Kell Woods, it’s twenty years after the children pushed the old crone into the oven, and the siblings are still struggling to get by in the aftermath of their traumatic childhood and a brutal war because Hans has a gambling problem and is deeply in debt.
Greta is keeping them afloat by baking and selling the BEST gingerbread in the land.
Ginger. Honey. Cinnamon. Flour.
Greta had escaped the witch’s house with a secret. She has the witch’s talking Grimoire, (spellbook) and it has whispered the secret recipe for the addictive gingerbread in her ear. And, that is only the beginning of the magic that she possesses and is just learning about.
But, although the village loves her gingerbread-the villagers are full of suspicion, and she is an outsider, often gossiped about.
This DARK conclusion to the siblings story has all of the ingredients you’d expect from an adult fairytale…
Witches, Wolves, and Bears.
Snow, crimson red Apples and Blood.
And, a wonderful narrator in Esther Wane, who brings it all to life!!
What better way to hear this story then listening to a few chapters a night? It brought back memories of having a bedtime story read to me as a little girl.
⚠️ TW: I had read in the fantastic review by BOOKISH SPY that there was a very descriptive scene of animal cruelty-bearbaiting involving dogs and bears in Chapter 25, so I skipped that chapter. I was able to avoid something that I CANNOT read about, and was still able to follow the story to its conclusion without listening to that scene.
Available October 2, 2023.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor books. I thank them for the gifted copy, and it was my pleasure to offer a candid review!...more
Alison O’Connor has survived her TOXIC abusive childhood and is now thriving as a successful author and illustrator of the children’s book, “Moxie SavAlison O’Connor has survived her TOXIC abusive childhood and is now thriving as a successful author and illustrator of the children’s book, “Moxie Saves Christmas”, modeled after her own wonderful dog.
Her supportive husband, Mark is a lover of ALL things Christmas including sappy Hallmark Christmas movies, and along with Alison and their two daughters, Izzy and Olivia (little mouse), they are busy turning their cozy Vermont home into a winter wonderland for the holidays, when the phone call comes…
Her mother Mavis is dying of stage 4 Cancer.
“I have something to ask you, something I have no right to ask, but I am going to ask it anyway..Promise you”ll think about it, my darling girl…”
Mavis wants to spend her last days with her family.
Hoping to put the past behind them before it’s too late, Alison moves her mother into the guest room, and at first, Mavis seems as sweet as “ Mrs. Claus” herself, but then there are the moments when Mavis seems to KNOW things she shouldn’t.
And, when strange things begin to HAPPEN, Alison begins to wonder if demonic possession is haunting her otherwise normal, happy family, residing in her frail mother’s body, even as the logical part of her brain insists that demons only exist in the pages of horror novels, and late night horror movies.
Right?
As I flipped the pages, I felt the foreboding, and I started to feel as tense and as nervous as Alison did!
Could she save her family from the woman she barely escaped?
Labeled as HORROR and as a “spine tingling psychological thriller”, Jennifer McMahon’s books work for me because she somehow makes her plots believable despite the genre!
Available NOW-just in time for “spooky season” or maybe, if you are more of a Grinch, you can save it for Christmas…...more
Florence Day is a ghostwriter for the famous romance writer, Ann Nichols, and she sees ghosts to booSHE SEES DEAD PEOPLE..(like in “The Sixth Sense”)
Florence Day is a ghostwriter for the famous romance writer, Ann Nichols, and she sees ghosts to boot! It’s a gift (curse?) that she inherited from her father, who just happens to run the funeral parlor, Days Gone, in her hometown of Mairmont, South Carolina.
Florence always thought she would be the exception to the rule-a person who didn’t just write love stories but also had her own great love story…following in the footsteps of her parents who were still very much in love.
But now the final book of her contract with Ann is past due, and Florence has been unable to write a worthy ending for the story, because she no longer believes in love after a bitter break up with a guy who stole more than her heart.
Unfortunately, her new editor, the impossibly handsome Benji Andor, isn’t interested in her excuses. Or the cactus she brought as an apology. ...more
I have to admit-I had not heard of “the ghoul boys” Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej, until receiving their DEBUDo you want a little SNARK with your SPOOKY?
I have to admit-I had not heard of “the ghoul boys” Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej, until receiving their DEBUT book, in the mail! (Where have I been? They have over 5 million highly engaged fans, and 1.4 billion views!)
They are the web hosts of seven spooky seasons of the UNSOLVED franchise- BUZZFEED UNSOLVED SUPERNATURAL and BUZZFEED UNSOLVED TRUE CRIME- available on YouTube, Amazon, and Hulu. which explore the history behind many famous haunted haunted locations in the USA (and a few abroad) and unsolved crimes.
50% of the content of the book is brand new for fans, but just about ALL of it was brand new to me!
The book is divided into 9 sections, and each location is accompanied by an eerie PHOTO and their “trademark humor” interspersed with the accounts of what has transpired in the places being discussed:
Use it as a guidebook of spooky places to visit (or avoid!) as you travel, take it along to read from if you want to scare your friends around a campfire, or read it during the spooky Halloween season. ...more
Fans of Grady Hendrix and his CAMPY HORROR should be thrilled with his latest offering, “How To Sell A Haunted House” …but it’s much more CREEPY, thanFans of Grady Hendrix and his CAMPY HORROR should be thrilled with his latest offering, “How To Sell A Haunted House” …but it’s much more CREEPY, than it is SPOOKY.
What would make Louise and Mark Joyner’s parents leave their house in such a hurry, the night they lost their lives in a car accident on rain slicked roads?
The TV was still on, her Mom’s purse on the counter, her Dad’s cane on the floor and a half eaten Turkey sandwich in the fridge.
Oh, and the Attic had been nailed shut.
This is what Louise and Mark find when they show up to clear out their parent’s home in preparation for sale.
That and their Mom’s CREEPY DOLL collection sitting in the living room, watching the TV.
Yes, this house isn’t haunted by “people gone too soon”-it is possessed by dolls and puppets.
“A Puppet is a possession that possesses the possessor”
And, there is one Puppet, named Punkin, who is clearly in charge.
“Punkin home! Punkin home forever!”
And, he isn’t about to let you sell his house out from under him! ...more
If you follow my reviews, you know that I am not a fan of short stories and I only enjoy “ subtle horror”, but I am a fan of C. J. Tudor, so when offeIf you follow my reviews, you know that I am not a fan of short stories and I only enjoy “ subtle horror”, but I am a fan of C. J. Tudor, so when offered an ARC of this-I had to give it a try! After all, “The Other Place” was an easy 5 star read for me, and two of her others earned 4 shiny stars! (The Hiding Place and The Burning Girls)
So, how did I fare with this collection of short stories?
Let me tell you what I did like…
The book opens with a heartfelt introduction by this “down to earth” author, and in it she shares that in January 2021, her Dad passed away. He had been in a nursing home for two years, and because of Covid lockdowns, she could only visit him for thirty minutes every two weeks, speaking to him through Perspex. The first time she hugged him in over a year, was on the day he died. This book is dedicated to him.
And, those weren’t her only other challenges. (DO read her full introduction!!!)
Writing a book wasn’t working, and she knew it.
She came up with a plan that her editors agreed to-scrap the book she wrote and instead publish this collection of short stories. With MANY “end of the world” and isolation themes, these stories definitely were NOT all my cup of tea…but with all short story collections you always connect with some more than others.
BUT what I really did enjoy MOST was that ALL the stories also came with an introduction of their own-C.J. shared her inspiration for each of them and I felt like I was sitting down for an INTIMATE CHAT with a friend, which ended with an evening by a campfire listening to spooky stories…
Standouts for me were :
The Copy Shop -Can a copy ever be as good as the original? ...more
Sorry, trick or treaters! But, I will be leaving the porch light off-and the door locked-instead of passing out Candy this Halloween!
That is what2.5
Sorry, trick or treaters! But, I will be leaving the porch light off-and the door locked-instead of passing out Candy this Halloween!
That is what I had HOPED that I would be saying, after I finished this book…
INSTEAD, I am disappointed to report that just like the candy you found inside that pillowcase you dragged around when you went trick or treating, what’s inside these pages, was also a mixed bag! ...more
I was wanting to try some magical realism, but at 25% I realize this isn’t for me!
Magical Realism is style of literary fiction and art. I Not rating!
I was wanting to try some magical realism, but at 25% I realize this isn’t for me!
Magical Realism is style of literary fiction and art. It paints a realistic view of the world while also adding magical elements, often blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. Despite including certain magic elements, it is generally considered to be a different genre from fantasy because magical realism uses a substantial amount of realistic detail and employs magical elements to make a point about reality, while fantasy stories are often separated from reality. (Wikipedia)
Please read the reviews from those who love the genre and the author because it’s just a matter of personal taste and nothing more. ...more
I missed this at Halloween this year, but didn’t want to save it till next year-though I will probably view it again !
A little boy asks his sister’s I missed this at Halloween this year, but didn’t want to save it till next year-though I will probably view it again !
A little boy asks his sister’s new boyfriend, a writer if he can tuck him into bed and tell him a bedtime story. As they make their way to his room, upstairs in the newly inherited house, they chat about what makes for a good story. It shouldn’t be too scary, or the little boy may not be able to sleep…
Neil Gaiman reads his story from the darkened NY Public library, setting the mood with burning candelabras.
It can be read-just a page or two long, but I loved listening.
A “MUST WATCH” and only about 10 minutes long.
Here is the YouTube link, that was also provided by Goodreads friends Paromjit and Rosh, in case you missed their reviews:
You must be careful not to take hands with your other self -(wildling) If you do-the two of you will become one …
1998: Liv, a single mom of three is cYou must be careful not to take hands with your other self -(wildling) If you do-the two of you will become one …
1998: Liv, a single mom of three is commissioned to paint a mural in a decommissioned lighthouse, called The Longing, which was built over the grounds where women were held before being burned alive as Witches. While there-she and two of her daughters go missing.
2021: Twenty Two years later, Luna gets a call that her younger sister has been found but when she arrives to reconnect with her-Clover is still seven years old-how can this be? Could she be a wildling (fairy that takes on human form with one touch of a child)?
The 4 numbers branded on her would suggest so…
The Grimoire (magic spell book) of Patrick Roberts-fills in the history of the Witch Trials in Scotland. (The one alternating narrative in the book which didn’t hold my interest despite the fact that the history is fascinating …)
No doubt that this was a UNIQUE and WELL WRITTEN story exploring Scotland’s actual folklore of Wildlings, and the history of the Witch Trials in Scotland which took place in the 1600’s, and I can understand why it was loved by all of my Goodreads friends…
I enjoyed learning what a Bothy is (a basic shelter in remote mountainous areas of Scotland, usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge) and the Mareel Seas (Milky Seas-a luminous phenomenon in which large areas of the seawater glow blue-bright enough at night to be visible from satellites orbiting the Earth-please Google them both- they are gorgeous!!)
But, the story itself based on an enjoyment level was just okay for me..
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up for the writing and the armchair travel to Scotland which was wonderfully descriptive and was the part that I did enjoy immensely....more
First, Google “Overtoun Estate” and “Overtoun Bridge”. You will see the gorgeous real life Castle and bridge in Scotland, dating back to 18951-2 stars
First, Google “Overtoun Estate” and “Overtoun Bridge”. You will see the gorgeous real life Castle and bridge in Scotland, dating back to 1895 which is shrouded in myth and mystery.
Since the 1950’s over 500 dogs have leapt off of the bridge, said to be a “thin place” with most killed by the 50 ft drop onto the rocks below.
Is it the overpowering smell of Minks, that lure them? Or, the paranormal activity associated with the suicide of Lady West, now known as the “White Lady” who haunts the ravine at the “dog suicide” bridge?
“Heaven and Earth are only three feet apart, but in thin places, that distance is even shorter” Celtic Proverb
The book was on my radar since it was published in 2021, but I didn’t want to read about canine deaths, so initially I passed. But, I remained intrigued and since it is a real place and phenomenon, not just gratuitous animal death, I finally decided to brave it, as one of my “seasonal reads” this year.
Fortunately, Sabrina (Sabireads) was willing to take the plunge with me!
Unfortunately, a great premise does not make for a great book!
And, the author felt the need to ADD gratuitous animal harm and death to the fictional story, as if the 500 leaping dogs wasn’t enough!
The “manipulation” she wanted to show could have been done in so many other ways.
The story unfolds through three timelines, Ava (an unlikable pregnant reporter, who takes unnecessary risks) in the Present Day, Constance, from 1949 and Marion from 1929. It was pretty obvious to us how the women would be connected.
We also figured out the sub plot not mentioned in the synopsis early on.
Every time a dog was on this bridge, I had a feeling of dread.
I am told that the epilogue is also disturbing for animal lovers so I decided to skip these last couple of pages. I had endured more than my fill by this point.
I wasn’t sure, if I would rate this two stars or one, when I finished, but now that I have put my thoughts to paper, it’s clear, that the story is only one star worthy to me, and the only aspect of the story that I did appreciate was the fascinating history of the locale and it being used as the backdrop for this story-in other words-the fact, not the fiction.
Thank You, Sabrina for sticking it out with me! Be sure to read her amazing review for additional thoughts!...more
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