I have returned to my love of the classics and am in awe of the masterful way these wizards of words weave their worlds. There is no one, to this day, who compares to the writers of old. I hear authors state these classics are boring but if that is the case, why are they timeless? Why have they lasted when so many other titles have met their shelf-life and been neglected? Why have movie adaptations been made over and over depicting these "boring" stories? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced us to an amazing machine of detection. Today, I start this journey with A Study in Scarlet, a story of Sherlock Holmes.
My Review:Disclaimer: My reviews are based on my own opinions. By no means will I ever discourage a reader to form their own opinions by reading the author's book. Do NOT contact me and complain about your review. I am and always will be brutally honest and expect my reviewers to be the same. A Study in Scarlet is the first installment in the legendary journey of Sherlock Holmes. It begins with Sherlock Holmes being called to a bizarre scene where a grisly murder awaits and a word is written on the wall in blood. What unfurls is a mystery involving lost love and a vengeance transcending 20 years. I am very and I mean very excited to have re-read this timeless classic. Arthur Conan Doyle reminds us as to the reasons why he is one of the masters of weaving the true mystery. Doyle offers a unique approach to his novels by having Dr. Watson be the one who recounts Sherlock's adventures in his journal instead of having the story told from Sherlock's point of view. This is not something commonly seen in today's "literature." Though Doyle does not provide the depth of world-building I usually prefer and relies largely on dialogue to create the story, I find his works one of the finest examples of the detective story to date. Something I personally suffer from is the ability to figure out the killers, the motive and the method of murder mid-way in many of the mysteries I read. This is not the case in works by Agatha Christie, Conan Doyle or Edgar Allan Poe. I adore this about Holmes. With rich characters, multiple twists and turns in the plot and of course, Holmes' miraculous ability to deduce details otherwise hidden to the naked eye, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle creates true works of literary art. They are a fresh breath of air in a world where weaving such tales is becoming a scarce art. Have a book you want to recommend? Want me to review yours? I'm always looking for new books to review! Be sure to read my review policy before contacting me. There are changes! Make sure to be aware.
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Recently, I have had the pleasure of finding a renewed love of all things mystery. Knowing what people know about me, it may be surprising for them to find I have a soft spot for cozy mysteries. This led me to finding a cozy mystery group on Twitter that I am enjoying very much. Let's get to the review!
My Review: Disclaimer: My reviews are based on my own opinions. By no means will I ever discourage a reader to form their own opinions by reading the author's book. Do NOT contact me and complain about your review. I am and always will be brutally honest and expect my reviewers to be the same. Live and Let Chai follows the story of Everly Swan, a young woman who just opened up a dream cafe within her home where she serves tea to the lovely patrons of Charm, North Carolina. A man by the name of Mr. Benedict Paine makes it apparent his disdain of the lovely little shop. However, he soon winds up dead, apparently poisoned with a jar of Everly's tea in hand. This does not bode well and Everly finds herself defending not only her reputation but the reputation of Sun, Sand and Tea by tracking down the killer(s). All this while falling for the handsome Graty Hays, a detective who recently moved to Charm. To start, this book was a lovely read. I enjoyed almost everything about it. It was my first venture into Bree Baker's work and let me say, it does not disappoint. It has many aspects one comes to expect from a cozy and executes them in an impressive manner. The writing was beautiful, flawed in some places, but more on that later. The characters were probably my biggest problem. I couldn't really connect with any of them nor did I find myself feeling too much sympathy for Everly. However, I did indeed understand her drive and could experience it pleasantly throughout the book. I did not like the concept of the Aunts. As a fan of Joanne Fluke and Charlaine Harris, I am more fond of the over-controlling parent figure but can respect the desire of the author to change. I also found myself wanting more sleuthing on behalf of the sleuth BUT loved the dynamic between Everly and Detective Hays. Those two made up my favorite characters, which in retrospect, is what needed to happen. As I mentioned above, the writing was absolutely beautiful. There were a few places an editor could have caught but it is not uncommon to find a few mistakes and I can easily overlook them in light of a good read. This novel will bring me back to Ms. Baker's work as I want to know more about her work. A refreshing read and a beautiful one. Highest recommendations to lovers of a good cozy mystery with a change from bakeries and libraries. Have a book you want to recommend? Want me to review yours? I'm always looking for new books to review! Be sure to read my review policy before contacting me. There are changes! Make sure to be aware.
Another title for the Popsugar Reading Challenge. Theme: A Book With a Two Word Title. The Strain is everything I want in a horror novel and more. A complete change featuring a wonderful combination of two well-known tropes. It is a beautiful example of how a writer can take what's already been written and turn it into something new. If you haven't already, I invite you to view my Popsugar Reading Challenge list.
My Review:Del Toro proves to the horror community that he has earned his place amongst the masters of the supernatural horror. Teaming up with Chuck Hogan, these two wizards show how something so familiar to the horror genre can be twisted into something completely new. The Strain is set-up in multiple views with interludes outlining the beginning of the novel's dark antagonist while taking great care not to introduce him too early. It begins when a plane carrying over 200 passengers suddenly goes dark on the airstrip. Ephraim Goodweather and his team are called in to investigate the strange occurrence. What they discover winds up being something straight out of a horror film, challenging Eph's reliance on pure scientific explanation. This book has it all. A colorful cast of characters, each with their own struggles and flaws that develop the further along the story goes. It has a mysterious antagonist with the capability of infecting people in ways unknown to modern day, romanticized vampires. Each character is faced with new challenges, forcing them to change what they always thought to be true, shattered in an instant by a supernatural force. The Strain takes the undead and makes them what they are meant to be - carnal beasts with a lust for human blood. It combines the well-known and beloved biological outbreak theme and makes it into a unique concept by turning the vampire virus into just that - a virus. Del Toro and Hogan use the power of imagery to paint vivid pictures so the reader can formulate their own versions of what the "revenants" look like without going into depth of description. They utilize the horror author's tool-kit - suspense, shock value, gross out factor and tension - and push them to create a fast-paced novel capable of keeping readers wanting to turn pages. The hook of the book is especially extraordinary by introducing the plane and then following it to its imminent doom. The Strain is a novel I've personally been craving. At times it does move slow, adopting some of Stephen King's dragging dialogue and scenes describing everyone's daily lives. However, despite this, del Toro and Hogan are capable of keeping the reader engaged. Something not many horror novels are able to do in today's clutch of authors. I have nothing but the highest recommendations to readers looking to see a vampire virus as it should be - pure, devastation. Have a book you want to recommend? Want me to review yours? I'm always looking for new books to review! Be sure to read my review policy before contacting me.
My Review:Overall: 4 out of 5 Cover: 3 out of 5 The story follows Harley Baker, a young man who faced death twice after a horrible accident that resulted in the deaths of his parents. As the story continues, Harley experiments with astral projection and winds up losing his body to a powerful demon. We learn that Harley's connection this demon goes even deeper than originally believed.
This story blew me away with its multiple plot twists and completely unique take on astral projection. I honestly didn't know what to expect after looking at the cover. The cynical side of me wanted to believe this might be a spin-off of Insidious but I soon found this is not the case. With possibly one of the strongest hooks I've seen in a long time Out of Body gave exactly what the author promised it would: "A supernatural thriller with a unique ending." My only complaint for this novel was a lack of character and world building. There also could've been a bit more conflict with Harley being able to contact someone and made things a bit harder for the villain. He did indeed do so through the bodies of other, willing participants but the scenes felt rushed. I also wanted a bit more tension with the mentioning of how Harley's body was dying and required the demon to consume essences of the body to stay more healthy. This point, though powerful, felt under-developed. It seemed to be a theme with this novel - under-developed points and a rushed ending. Otherwise, I saw very little grammatical and technical error and enjoyed the story much more than I thought I would.
My ReviewOverall: 3 out 5 Stars Cover: 1 out of 5 Disclaimer: My reviews are based on my own opinions. By no means will I ever discourage a reader to form their own opinions by reading the author's book. Do NOT contact me and complain about your review. I am and always will be brutally honest and expect my reviewers to be the same. I am going to be honest. My opinion of this book is going to be unpopular. I really don't understand why it's rated as high as it is. That cover alone didn't draw me in to wanting to read it.
While I found this story a unique and refreshingly dark tale of very real subjects many authors seem afraid to address nowadays, I was unimpressed overall. With claims of "fans of Supernatural and Constantine" liking this book, I expected much more action and less dragging. It bored me halfway through the book However, I did indeed finish it and found it entertaining. I liked the way one person saw Alec as one thing while another saw him differently. The series does intrigue me so I am thinking of picking it up. To begin, the first five chapters could've been omitted. There was way too much detail and not enough conflict. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of build-up but five chapters without an inciting incident is too much. We see a glimpse of Catalina's pain but Alec brushes it aside, ignoring his sister's obvious plight. You mean to tell me this is the first time the teacher saw it? That nothing was sent home even if the kids' dad was a drunken abuser? Alec saw nothing at home and everything was great until BAM....not realistic. Then there comes the arrest. No police officer worth their badge is going to arrest a kid without looking into the forensic evidence. Obviously something was wrong. They would take proper procedure and look into every aspect of the crime scene before even making an arrest. For example, the mom comes into the kids' bedroom and says nothing to the cops in her son's defense? I mean come on. They incarcerate Catalina, a rape victim? No. Not realistic. Add the lack of understanding just whose story we're supposed to be reading and I just couldn't take anymore. This is supposed to be from Alec's point of view, yet we see Buck's, Catalina's, the mom's, Sabrina's, Chaz's. For goodness sake, it got so confusing, I had to re-read a few parts. No reader should ever have to do this. Character development suffered greatly in my opinion and there were too many cliches. I mean, Sabrina just so happens to be named Sabrina and have otherworldly powers. The mother, whom we learn is on medication, just so happens to have the ability to see auras but she didn't get the least bit suspicious or make a move to protect her family? I don't think so. Finally, there's the lack of editing. An editor would've seen "their selves" and changed it to "themselves." The editor would have caught the boundless head-hopping and made the author at least settle on a point of view. This all being said, I liked the premise of the story and with a bit more care, I do believe it could've earned at least a four star review from me. Title: The Dark Game Author: Jonathan Janz Genre: Thriller, Suspense Publisher: Flame Tree Press Publication Date: April 11, 2019 Blurb: Ten writers are selected for a summer-long writing retreat with the most celebrated and reclusive author in the world. Their host is the legendary Roderick Wells. Handsome, enigmatic, and fiendishly talented, Wells promises to teach his pupils about writing, about magic, about the untapped potential that each of them possesses. Most of all, he plans to teach them about the darkness in their hearts. The writers think they are signing up for a chance at riches and literary prestige. But they are really entering the twisted imagination of a deranged genius, a lethal contest pitting them against one another in a struggle for their sanity and their lives. They have entered into Roderick Wells's most brilliant and horrible creation. The Dark Game. FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. My Review:
Overall: 4 out of 5 Stars Cover: 3 out of 5 Stars ***Disclaimer: These views are my own opinion. I will always recommend people to read the novel and form their own opinion. I loved everything about this book. It gave me the feeling of Clue meets Stephen King. At first I wasn't sure how I would go into it when reading the start of the novel. It seemed to move a bit slow with cliche dialogue and "oh move on already" scenes but as I read further, I found myself pleasantly surprised. Again, I won't bother going into the synopsis simply because the blurb does so well at outlining the plot of the story. Immediately, I felt like I was drawn into a written game of Clue. As an avid fan of the board game, I had many verbal "ah-ha" and "I knew it" moments, which I have come to love in mysteries and thrillers. What truly won me over was the sheer beauty of the author's voice. This novel had a gorgeous use of voice. Something I rarely see and crave in today's horror. It is a treat to see such wonderful imagery and deep characters. If you've followed my reviews, you know I crave deep, flawed characters. This book delivered so well, I will definitely return to the author's other titles. I identified with Rick and Lucy on such a deep level which does not happen for me often anymore. However, the lack of world-building hindered the novel greatly. While I adored the character depth and suspense, the world itself lacked as much care as the characters. Another thing that bothered me was some of the dialogue. It seemed forced and unnatural. It became difficult at times to tell who the speaker was. BUT! All in all, this book, guys...I can't recommend it enough. I enjoyed it thoroughly despite the few technical errors (which let's face it, authors are human. Reviewers need to remember this). Mr. Janz, you have another lifelong fan. You are a true storyteller. Something rare in these modern times. Thank you NetGalley for the ebook. Goodreads // Amazon // Website Title: Craven Manor Author: Darcy Coates Genre: British Fiction, Occult, Supernatural, Ghost Story Blurb: Daniel is desperate for a job. When someone slides a note under his door offering him the groundskeeper’s position at an old estate, it seems too good to be true. Alarm bells start ringing when he arrives at Craven Manor. The mansion’s front door hangs open, and leaves and cobwebs coat the marble foyer. It’s clear no one has lived there in a long time. But an envelope waits for him inside the doorway. It contains money, and promises more. Daniel is desperate. Against his better judgement, he moves into the groundskeeper’s cottage behind the crypt. He’s determined to ignore the strange occurrences that plague the estate. But when a candle flickers to life in the abandoned tower window, Daniel realizes Craven Manor is hiding a terrible secret… one that threatens to bury him with it. My Review:
Overall: 4 out of 5 Stars Cover: 5 out of 5 Stars The author Darcy Coates has created a beautiful masterpiece with this novel. From the time I started it to the final pages, I could not stop reading this absolutely magnificent breath of fresh air. After being left jobless and near homeless, Daniel does whatever he can just to get to by while living with his "slob" cousin in their small apartment. It become very clear Daniel wants to move out and live on his own. His salvation appears in the form of a mysterious letter left in front of his apartment offering for him to go to Craven Manor, a mansion long avoided by the townsfolk for fear of what happened there. Daniel takes the job as the groundskeeper and comes face to face with the ghost of a little girl named Annalise and the strange master, Bran. Events turn more bizarre the further Daniel gets dragged into the world of shadows. I cannot say enough good about this novel. For each page I turned, I felt like I was walking the halls of Craven Manor myself. Coates replaces needless dialogue with luscious descriptions, immersing the reader into the world she wants them to see and feel. A limited cast of characters allowed the author to focus on making them deep and relatable, full of flaws and a bit angsty. I loved Bran's character. Everything about him screamed "personal prison" and guilt. When he finally became free of his burden, I could feel the weight lifted off of him. Something I cannot say, sadly for many characters nowadays. Craven Manor takes everything you can love in a ghost story, turns it on its head and makes it more deep than anything I've had the pleasure to read. The cover drew me in before I even cracked the spine. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the descriptions of Stephen King and the twists and turns of Edgar Allan Poe. Coates promised us a terrible secret and by the moon, she delivered one. Goodreads // Amazon // Website Title: The Troop Author: Nick Cutter Genre: Horror, Suspense Blurb: Once every year, Scoutmaster Tim Riggs leads a troop of boys into the Canadian wilderness for a weekend camping trip—a tradition as comforting and reliable as a good ghost story around a roaring bonfire. But when an unexpected intruder stumbles upon their campsite—shockingly thin, disturbingly pale, and voraciously hungry—Tim and the boys are exposed to something far more frightening than any tale of terror. The human carrier of a bioengineered nightmare. A horror that spreads faster than fear. A harrowing struggle for survival with no escape from the elements, the infected…or one another. Part Lord of the Flies, part 28 Days Later—and all-consuming—this tightly written, edge-of-your-seat thriller takes you deep into the heart of darkness, where fear feeds on sanity…and terror hungers for more. My Review:
Overall: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Cover: 3 out of 5 Stars I can honestly say this book is very much "old school" horror. It relied on gore and definite shock value to catch the audience's attention. I think that's probably one of the things I appreciated the most. Parasitism is a huge fear of many people. The idea of something "growing" inside of us and the fact tapeworms could indeed carry some biological warfare capabilities further added to the "gulp" factor. The way the book was written was decent. It flowed well - though a little draggy at times- and let's face it, could have used a better inciting incident. No doctor is going to take a young boy in the room with a stranger - never mind the sick value. That was unrealistic and probably one of the worst parts of this book. Oh and the "random" military appearances. Someone would want to find some answers. Now, what really - and I mean really - irked me was all the references. I saw so many similar things from many different sources. Ephraim trying to cut the worms out - The Ruins anyone? Shelley being impregnated and going "hive-mind/daddy crazy" - Um.... Slither anyone? King's Dreamcatcher. The Invasion. Lord of the Flies. Just too many things die hard horror fans could pick up on. This being the case, I know inspiration happens but can we at least not pack so much into one place? Also, I wanted more worm, less Lord of the Flies. If the author wanted to go Flies then something I think would've helped would be to explore the human condition. Where was the character depth? They were cardboard for goodness' sake. I knew Shelley was psycho and would lose his mind. I knew Max would be the lone survivor and that Newton was the voice of reason. Good grief, Ephraim should've given more of a fight - worms or no. He was built up to be a badass for night's sake. He obviously didn't trust Shelley from the start so why on Earth do something so drastic as to listen to him and cut into himself? Just no. All of this said, I actually enjoyed this book. It didn't terrify me, really, but I'm an avid horror fan so I guess I'm a bit numb. I will be reading more of the author's titles. I think there's definitely some potential here. Amazon // Goodreads // Website |
AuthorMy name is Iona Caldwell. I'm the author of the British Occult Fiction, Beneath London's Fog set to be published by FyreSyde Publishing October 2019. When I'm not busy weaving worlds of the arcane and dark, I'm spending time out in nature. I love books. My biggest inspirations are H.P Lovecraft, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Edgar Allen Poe. I blog about many things but mostly everything bookish. Archives
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