Category Archives: Horror

Review: The Prophet – Mira – Amanda Stevens

April 23, 2012

Expected Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Mira
Author’s Website: amandastevens.com
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 3, Graveyard Queen
Series Best Read In Order: Yes
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

My name is Amelia Gray. 

I am the Graveyard Queen, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. My father passed down four rules to keep me safe and I’ve broken every last one. A door has opened and evil wants me back. 

In order to protect myself, I’ve vowed to return to those rules. But the ghost of a murdered cop needs my help to find his killer. The clues lead me to the dark side of Charleston—where witchcraft, root doctors and black magic still flourish—and back to John Devlin, a haunted police detective I should only love from afar. 

Now I’m faced with a terrible choice: follow the rules or follow my heart.

What Worked For Me:

  • Devlin. Oh Devlin. *sigh* I adore John, and I was so happy to have him back as a major character in this novel.   Haunted by his past (literally), John can’t let go of his guilt in regards to the death of his wife and his precious daughter.  Complicating matters is his estranged relationship with Amelia, a murder that Devlin might be under suspicion for, and complicated dealings with the arcane.
  • As always, Amelia is my favorite character in the series.  She has some very tough decisions to make in this book, each with the potential for serious consequences, and while we get a little more insight into her powers, there’s still plenty left unknown for future novels, without leaving the reader feel as though the story were incomplete.
  • That ending was incredible! *whew* I’m fairly certain I was holding my breath for almost the entire climax of the story, and some of the twists were absolutely fantastic.
  • While not everything is sunshine and roses for Amelia and Devlin, I was left with a much more optimistic feeling in general at the end of this story than I had been with the two previous novels.
  • One thing I really appreciated about this novel is that the romance was much stronger than it had been in previous novels. Sure, Amelia had a “love interest” of sorts in the other books, but there was never really any sense of anything really progressing on that end.  The Prophet, however, finally has Devlin opening up and Amelia making some very difficult choices in order to really advance their relationship.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • If anything, I think my one complaint would be that The Prophet wasn’t as creepy as The Kingdom was.  Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of ghosts and danger and surprising twists and arcane weirdness. There just wasn’t quite as much of a “spookiness” in New Orleans as there was in Asher Falls, no matter how many ghosts and terrifying witch doctors Amelia may run into.

While I do feel that the Graveyard Queen series is best read in order, I’m not sure how much of that stems from my immense enjoyment of the series and how much of it is really the feeling that new readers wouldn’t quite “get” it. While old fans of the series will relish the plotline deeply involving not only John but also both his ghosts and his history, I do think newcomers will be able to easily follow along, though of course they won’t get the benefit of having witnessed the developments in both John and Amelia’s lives.

As a very solid member of Team Devlin, this book absolutely thrilled me. Not only was there the same arcane mystery, complete with plenty of twits and red herrings, as I’ve come to love from this series, but Devlin played an enormous part in the story — possibly even moreso than in The Restorer if that’s possible.

The final chapters of this book left me breathless, and I’m anxiously awaiting future installments in the Graveyard Queen Series.

A very solid 5/5 Stars.

Graveyard Queen Reading Order:

 

Also posted in Contemporary, Mystery, Paranormal Romance – 2 Comments

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood – Tor Teen – Kendare Blake

December 1, 2011

Expected Release Date: August 30, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Tor
Imprint:  Tor Teen
Author’s Website: http://kendareblake.com/
My Source for This Book: Personal Gift
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Anna Series
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Warm

Warning: This review contains minor spoilers.

Official Blurb:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas’s life.

Cas Lowood is no ordinary 17 year old boy.  He is a ghost-hunter, one of the few descended from a long line of hunters who can not only see and communicate with malevolent ghosts, but who possesses the power to end their reign of terror.  When his father was brutally murdered on a routine ghost-hunting mission, Cas picked up where his father left off, training and searching, waiting for the day that he is strong enough to go after the being that murdered his father.

When one of his associates forwards information about Anna Korlov, known now as Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas feels an immediate strong compulsion to seek out the murderous spirit, and put her back in the grave.  When he arrives in town, however, he discovers that Anna is much more powerful than any other spirit he’s ever encountered, and it will take not only his own strength, but the help of the locals to discover the source of her power and break the curse that has trapped her in the old Victorian house, destined to murder any who enter…

What Worked For Me:

  • I loved the blood and gore.  There was just enough to actually convince the reader that Cas’ job was truly fraught with danger, without crossing the line into cheap thrills, and I thought it worked beautifully.
  • Cas was simply wonderful. I loved that he was so mature for his age, and given his chosen vocation, it fit so well that he saw friendships and relationships as tools of the trade rather than true emotional ties.
  • I also loved Cas’ inexplicable connection to Anna, and the fact that it was set up before they met.  For some reason, the fact that Anna’s haunting resonated with him from the moment he heard of her was the perfect setup for their “relationship”, and their first meeting was absolutely incredible.
  • I also liked the backstory with Cas’ father’s death, and while I personally figured out the twist from the first hint that was given, I still enjoyed when everything came to a head.
  • It may seem silly to mention something that was not in the story, but I was actually quite thankful that there was no love triangle in the story. Ms. Kendare could’ve stirred up issues of jealousy and angst between Cas and Carmel, but wisely chose to focus instead on the ghost story, and I couldn’t be happier about that decision.
  • I also enjoyed the surprisingly high level of humor that balanced the story so nicely.  With plenty of references to Ghost Busters, and some silliness regarding distracting some of the minor players in the book, there was just enough levity to keep the story from being dragged down into severe heaviness, without actually negating the horror and mystery.
  • I don’t read books from a male POV very often, so this was a refreshing change.  Sure, Cas is not a “typical” teenage boy in many ways, but even so, you could definitely feel the masculine influence on his thoughts and behaviors, and I enjoyed it.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • I was actually a bit put off by the fact that non-sensitive people could see Anna.  While I understand that part of it was probably to illustrate the vast amount of power she had, it just seemed a bit… off, for lack of a better term.
  • It’s a spoiler, so I’ll try to be vague, but in regards to the athame, I was disappointed in how it was “returned”.  Plus, all I could think of was “won’t the cops notice bloody footprints?”. Or perhaps I just watch too much CSI.
  • Big bad evil ghost chick is suddenly able to ride around in a car, and hang out on Cas’ porch.  While I realize that by this point of the story she was no longer “tethered” to the house, it still seemed a bit incongruous that she was able to travel such a large distance from where she’d been killed, especially given the setup of all of the other hauntings given in the story.

I wanted, so badly, to adore this story.  It got off to such a strong start that I in all seriousness told Mr. Romanceaholic that I sincerely hoped that someone would have the good sense to make this novel into a movie, because the storyline and visuals were absolutely engrossing.   Everything from Cas’ family history to his hunting down and killing murderous ghosts, to utilizing his father’s contacts to choose his next target, to his mother’s white witchcraft and enabling of his lifestyle.  Even the relationships that Cas developed with the local schoolkids, and the horror of watching a ghost brutally murder someone right in front of him while inexplicably sparing his life, all added to my excitement about the story, and the incredible descriptions painted such a vivid image of the story in my mind that I couldn’t help but wish I could go see it come to life on the big-screen.

However, about halfway in, the story became less frightening and creepy and turned more silly and cheesy, culminating in an ending that had me sighing, not with contentment, but with disappointment.   Once Anna’s curse was broken, there was practically no tension left in the book, and when another Big Bad made an appearance, it was too little too late for me, despite the valiant effort at gore, creepiness, and vivid descriptions.

Am I still interested in seeing this book turned into a movie? Probably not, unless the screenwriters work with Ms. Kendare to amp up the horror and tone down the cheese in the ending.  Will I read the sequel when it’s released? Absolutely.   Do I recommend this to fans of YA horror? You betcha.

A solid (and creepy) 4/5 Stars.

Also posted in Young Adult – 2 Comments

Review & Giveaway: Scent and Shadow – Mercy Loomis

November 7, 2011

Expected Release Date: October 17, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Self Published
Author’s Website: http://mercyloomis.com/
My Source for This Book: Gift
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

Madison, WI. 1999. When vampire Gabriel Chapel decides to take on a fledgling, he knows not just anyone will do. Newly-turned vampires kill at least one person a night for the first decade or so—a fate most humans could never adjust to. 

For college student Amanda Bairns, nothing is more important than finally taking control of her life. But when Gabriel forces her to drink his blood, Amanda is pulled deeper and deeper into a supernatural underworld she never knew existed, where mages have their fingers in local government, shapeshifting faeries control infrastructure, and aether-rich ley lines attract a host of creatures welcome and unwelcome. 

With the vampire’s blood coaxing her to become a murderer, Amanda has four weeks to discover which means more: her freedom and humanity, or the power Gabriel offers. But neither Gabriel nor Amanda realize Amanda is a pawn in a much bigger contest—one which could have lethal consequences not only for the two of them, but for the entire city. Contains explicit sex.

Madison, WI, 1999.

College student Amanda Bairns is finally about to take control of her own life. Getting her degree and finally getting out from under her mother’s thumb should mean this is one of the happiest times in her life. But when Gabriel, a friend from school, turns out to be a psychotic vampire intent on making her his newest fledgling, her dreams of the future turn into a nightmare filled with blood, mind control, violent sex, and murder.    With the transformation incomplete, Gabriel promises Amanda one month to choose between the seductive power of vampirism or the frail weakness of being human prey.  Four weeks seems like a small enough time to hold onto her humanity, but with each passing day, the new seductive powers she’s discovering, the physical changes, and the blood lust thrumming in her veins all become harder to ignore.

Amanda’s transformation is not their only concern, however, when it becomes apparent that there are outside forces whose interest in Gabriel’s newest fledgling could mean a major shift in power not only in the city of Madison, but in the supernatural community as a whole.

What Worked For Me:

  • This book is not what I would call a “traditional” paranormal romance. Instead, it was very dark, and while there were certainly romantic themes on occasion, it also toed the line of a horror story quite well.  There was just something about Amanda’s reluctant attraction to Gabriel, her horror and disgust at what he was and what she was becoming, and her struggle against the very real feelings of power and superiority that she was beginning to feel towards other humans, that just made this book impossible for me to put down.
  • Gabriel was awesome. A true sociopath, he was incapable of feeling emotions the way humans do, and with the blood lust on top of that, he thrived on the fear and pain of his victims, and enjoyed toying with them — keeping some as “pets” before killing them. Really,  I shouldn’t have liked him as a protagonist, because frankly, the guy is scary as hell, but I couldn’t help but enjoy his character.
  • I really liked Amanda as well, and the journey her character took was incredible.  As Gabriel said, the change to vampirism doesn’t change your personality, and Amanda soon learned some unpleasant truths about herself, such as how addictive it can be to control other people, and how easy it is to think of others as chattel instead of individuals.  I think what I liked the most about that was the fact that most people who get their first taste of real power would have the very strong potential to feel the same way, and how frighteningly easy it could truly be to let your humanity go in that sort of situation.
  • I. Loved. The ending. Loved it. It was quite unexpected in some ways, but in others, it just fit so perfectly with all of the changes that Amanda had gone through over the course of her time with Gabriel.   While certainly not a traditional “Happily Ever After” by any means, it was… right, for this story and really and truly couldn’t have ended any other way.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • BIG, BIG issue for me here — it’s a spoiler, so be sure you want to know before you click
    SPOILER ALERT SelectShow Spoiler
  • The shifting POV’s could get a little disorienting at times. While they certainly added depth to the story, at times I felt myself a little overwhelmed by the number of main characters. I think I just wanted to focus on Gabriel and Amanda so much that seeing what other characters were up to just wasn’t a high priority for me.
  • Not really a “negative” for me, but I was never quite certain why the book was set in 1999 instead of just not specifying a year. There were only two references in the entire story that “dated” the story, and that was a reference to Star Wars: Episode One in the theaters, and a small reference to the whole computers/Y2K thing. It’s possible that the reasoning was mentioned or explained, but if so, it truly didn’t stick with me.

This book was a bit of an adventure for me.  You see, it’s not what I would call a “traditional” romance. Instead, it’s more of a horror novel with romantic elements, which I admit threw me off a bit.  However, if you approach this story as less of a romance and more of a sexy horror story, I think that you will get the full effect of the novel.

Even though I do tend to prefer traditional romances, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.  Gabriel was sexy and terrifying, and Amanda was so incredibly real that I couldn’t help but love her. She, as like most people, preferred to think of herself as someone who would never even be tempted to abuse or harm another human being, but as her transformation progressed, she quickly realized the intoxicating abilities of pure, unadulterated power. This, more than the blood and gore, was probably one of the scariest things about this novel — the idea that it doesn’t require a sociopath to start thinking of other humans as beneath you once you get a taste of real power.

While there was one scene that troubled me greatly, the overall story captivated me from the very beginning and wouldn’t let me go.  The ending was absolutely fantastic despite being perhaps a bit unexpected, and I would recommend it for any fan vampires who are actually scary rather than sparkly*.

A very solid 4/5 Stars

*For the record, I am a Twihard, so that was not a bashing of Twilight fans lol

 

Check back Friday for an exciting Giveaway featuring this title for the Blog Tour De Troops hosted by The Indie Collective! Comments on this review during the tour will receive a FREE copy of the Scent and Shadow ebook!

Also posted in -- Contests --, Paranormal Romance – 5 Comments

Review – Bound – Shannon Mayer

September 26, 2011

Click on Bookcover to Visit Purchase Page

Expected Release Date: September 14, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Self Published
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://www.shannonmayer.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2 Nevermore Zombie Apocalypse Trilogy
Series Best Read In Order: YES
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

Nevermore Trilogy Book II

Rumours and whispers of a cure have reached Mara’s ears and hope that has been denied for so long begins to grow once more. But, if she is to find the cure, to help Sebastian, she must face down a whole new set of dangers. 
A sadistic army General whose hatred knows no bounds.
A brilliant scientist whose love for his lost wife drives him to madness.
And a new pack of Nevermores . . .

What worked for me:

  • Just as pulse-pounding as the first novel, Bound is unapologetic about the gritty reality of a world during a zombie apocalypse.  Major characters die horribly, Mara is forced to make choices that she never would have even considered in her old life, and the bullies of the world are the ones who have gained power in a time when civilized actions take the backseat to basic survival. So awesome.
  • I loved the new location with the militia group that was going about rounding up survivors.  Never make the mistake that they were doing so for altruistic reasons, however — survivors had to be useful or the militia would find uses for them that we’ll just call “incredibly unpleasant”.
  • I loved that this story was fast paced and full of action, but was also balanced out with quite a bit of character growth as well as expanding on the overall arc of Nevermore.  With understanding of the pack mentality from the Nevermores, it’s easier to see the humanity that still exists underneath the hunger, and helps to lend quite a bit of hope to the story, especially with the possibility of a cure being discovered.
  • I was also happy that there was a more “scientific” explanation of the condition — while I had a basic understanding of the Nevermore injection from the first story, it was expanded on in a way that made it sound realistic and yet was easily understandable by someone like me who has no medical background.
  • The new characters (with the exception to the Evil Scientist villain — more on him later) all have an amazing amount of depth considering the low word count and the sheer amount of action in the story. They could have easily been simple flat, cardboard cutouts of basic characterizations, but instead, each character is given a personal history and motivation that helps to explain both their actions and their attitudes.
  • Scout! I won’t say more as it would be a spoiler, but I was happy to see my second-favorite zombie make an appearance in this story.

What didn’t work for me:

  • There is another bleeding cliff-hanger at the end!  To be fair, it actually was a good stopping point for the novel this time, as opposed to the cliff-hanger at the end of Sundered that left my eye twitching in annoyance, but it is still painfully obvious that this is a book that lands smack in the middle of a trilogy.
  • I’m not sure how much I can say without it being a spoiler, but Mara’s reaction to a bit of news towards the end was incredibly more mild than I felt it should have been.
  • The Mad Scientist, Donovan, was a bit over-the-top to me.  While I definitely understood that he was quite a few cards shy of a full deck due to the situation with Juliana, I tend to find insane characters less frightening than those who are in full control of their faculties and are simply sociopaths instead.  I fear that the author may be setting him up for redemption, and frankly, I’m rather hoping he dies a fairly horrible death in the end.

Sensitive readers should know going in that there is a child death in this story.

While this one did end in what I would consider to be a “cliff-hanger”, I do have to admit that it was a much better stopping point than that of the previous installment, Sundered.

Even having not read the final installment, Dauntless (expected release October 31, 2011), I have to say my very strong opinion thus far is that the entire series should probably be consolidated into a single, longer story and given a higher price point.  While I understand that the current price of ninety-nine cents for Sundered, and right at three dollars for Bound, is a definite selling point for readers unfamiliar with the author, the fact that this book picks up literally a sentence after the last one left off makes it virtually impossible for readers unfamiliar with the series to really get the full benefit of the story.  While the general gist of the history of the apocalypse is covered, as is the relationship between Mara and Sebastian, I do think that some readers who did not read Sundered will be highly disappointed with just how obvious it is that the first book is an integral part of this one.

That said, I would still recommend both Sundered and Bound to any fan of zombie apocalypse fans, especially those who prefer a strong romantic theme.  Gritty, violent, tragic, and terrifying, this whole series also manages to be touching, romantic, and at times, even sexy (which let me tell you, is an achievement considering the hero is a zombie).  Just make certain that you pick up the first book before attempting this one and you won’t have any problems.

I am actually very excited to have found this author. Even with the slightly-campy feel to the initial premise, her skill in creating believable characters and writing both action and love scenes is truly much more than I’ve experienced in a self-published author in quite some time.  I am very anxiously awaiting the final installment on Halloween, and can’t wait to see what becomes of Mara, Sebastian, Scout, Buck, and the others.

Recommended for fans of fresh takes on the zombie apocalypse trope, of normal people surviving on their wits, and of a love that not even a zombie infection can stop.

A very solid 4.5/5 Stars

Also posted in Short Story Or Novella, Urban Fantasy – 1 Comment