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The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne | ARC Review
JESUS CHRIST ON A BURNING BIKE!! Never has there been a more impossible review to write. The Shadow of the Gods, a book that has not only captured my imagination but stolen my heart with the range of differing but equally loveable characters. Some you love to hate and some that carve a big gash across your chest with glistening sharp axe. The storytelling is magical but brutally real, the atmospheric worldbuilding enraptures you, you can feel the raw and biting waves as you travel with these Norse folks on longships, you can feel the ground they trod upon and you can feel the pressure of being a part of…
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Never Ask The Dead by Gary Donnelly | Blog Tour Review
The past always has a way of catching up with us and Don’t Tell the Dead by Gary Donnelly epitomise that notion. Lace up those Nikes because you’re going to be doing some running! Writing is such a labour of love and writing a series is doubly true. The commitment, the research, and the psyche to get into the head of your characters time and time again requires a special kind of author. Gary Donnelly has consistently delivered a gritty, raw, and deeply compelling crime series set in the pulsing heart of Ireland. The atmosphere is catastrophically real, you can almost feel the elements battering you where you stand, the…
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Smoke Screen by Thomas Enger, Jørn Lier Horst and translated by Megan Turney | Review
I was a little worried about reading Smoke Screen, not because I believed that it would be a terrible read but because I just loved Death Deserved so much and wanted Smoke Screen to have that lasting impact also. This review is the proof that this writing duo know just how to deliver time and time again. An intriguing title, a mysterious cover and a synopsis that promises to deliver a narrative balancing on a tripwire. Enger and Horst have penned another addition that will create a shadow on my soul and leave me hungering to visit the Scandinavian Isles. Smoke Screen is book two in the Blixx & Ramm…
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25 Gates of Hell by Brian Keene |Review
25 Gates of Hell is perpetually locked in the darkness. It is a frank and conclusive investigation of how dark humanity can be. 25 stories from 25 writers, each one steeping into the fires of hell unsure of whether they could escape again. As the title suggests, each story is focussed on the opening of hells gates and the implications upon mankind. Each one is gritty, dark as hell and it kept my black heart beating for a little while longer. 25 Gates of Hell reminded me just why I love Horror short stories. They are quick to the point, devastating to the point of despair and they can display…
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A Killer’s Daughter by Jenna Kernan | Review
A Killer’s Daughter was a very interesting read, and it was certainly unique. In fact, I don’t think I’ve read a plot from the child of a serial killer’s perspective before. First, I want to talk a little about what just didn’t work for me personally. The beginning of the novel started a bit quizzically. It felt very dark and I suddenly began to question just how the events were going to play out. I was confused at times to how all this was going to impact the protagonist, Dr Nadine Finch. There was a lot of repetition of past events, I’m sure it only need to be mentioned once…
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Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt | Review
Tick Tock was everything it promised…raw, gritty, and undeniably electric. I’ve had this book on my TBR for a while now, regrettably it has taken me a while to get around to it, but I will be continuing with this series with haste. If you love strong independent female detectives that are served with humanistic flaws, then this is going to be right up your alley. A story with a chilling narrative, it made me look over my shoulder constantly whilst reading it. Mel Sherratt, has an amazing skill at drawing you in, constantly whispering closer, closer. You keep edging closer even though you know it might mean your doom. …