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The Echoed Realm by A.J. Vrana | Book Review
The Echoed Realm…a masterpiece that reminded me absolutely of a love affair between the horror movie Insidious and The Mist. Miya’s back and I’ve fallen in love with these characters even more, didn’t think that was possible but that is the magic being summoned by the incredibly talented Vrana. If you haven’t read The Hollow Gods…rectify that immediately, its ethereal, haunting and the narrative is as likely to leave a hole in you as the devastating plot. Writers who leave you staring into the void with anguish and joy at the ending is something to cherish and Vrana is no exception. The Echoed Realm takes place three years after catastrophic…
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Shadows of Hell by Duncan Thompson | Blog Tour Review
Sometimes, just sometimes, you know instantly when a series is going to become a favourite. The Shadows series by Duncan Thompson is just that. Shadows in Hell is the sequel to the brilliant Shadows in the Woods novel. Features Dante’s Divine Comedy – Check A battle of good vs evil – Check Hard hitting themes such as grief and forgiveness – Check Thompson once again utilizes the short sharp shock in delivering at times a hilarious but dark installment. One event changed several people’s worlds, but one person’s actions saved the world. It paints a vivid picture of how the strands of connection between characters is unbreakable, even when in…
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Secret Santa by Andrew Shaffer | Review
Secret Santa was a mixed bag. A run of bad luck has hit Lussi Myer. She’s behind in her share of the rent, she’s lost her beloved editor role in a publishing house and she needs to find something fast! As you delve into this kind of dark comedy horror you realise that a lot of things aren’t as they seem. She lands the position of Senior Editor in the prominent publishing house of Blackwood-Patterson. Well, of course there is the small matter of her interview going horrendously and the boss taking a heart attack right in front of her. When she arrives at the hospital to visit him, she…
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The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty | Review
The Exorcist. Those two words just strike fear into any adult that is of a particular age. Think about those words and scenes will crash into your head. Visions of a sweet and innocent little girl called Regan. Visions that will soon be replaced by those of a demon infested and quickly diminishing girl. Now quickly I realised that I was going to be scared more by the book than by the movie. I’ve seen the movie and its probably the generation I’ve grown up in but, I have seen far worse. The Saw Franchise or Hostel to name but a few. The Exorcist excels at atmosphere. The way the…
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Reaper: A Horror Novella by Jonathon Pongratz | Review
Reaper was one of those reads that will fester upon the psyche. It will allow you to get on with everyday things but in the dead of night it will re-emerge and make you realise that sleep will be futile. Right from the start we can feel the deep-seated fear that everything is not as it seems. Halloween – a breeding ground for all that is unnatural and terrifying. A long-awaited opportunity to take care of a little sister without their overbearing parents. One should be careful what you wish for. I’m always intrigued when reading POV’s from a teenage viewpoint. They are not quite matured for the big bad…
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Crossroads by Laurel Hightower | Review
Crossroads…a fork in the road, a decision to be made, life taking a turn and lives altered. Laurel Hightower has taken a certainty in life, death and given it a complex meaning, a burden, a floating through life trying to grasp the ending but never holding onto that tangible point. Chris is existing through life after the death of her only son. He is taken in the most tragic circumstances well before his time, a car crash. Greif is crushing her, minute by minute, hour by hour. A natural reaction to an unnatural event, but what would you do to have them back? Look at the cover – the desolation,…
