Allison is the new girl in St. Augustine, she misses her friends in Virginia and hasn't had much luck in her new home except for swooning at the boy across the hall, Rodham.  Allison's luck soon changes as noisy and strange neighbors move into the apartment complex; they party all night, aren't seen during the day and their arrival has sparked strange visions and a green glow that Rodham can't seem to resist.  Rodham teams up with Allison to figure out just what these neighbors are up to.  Together, Allison and Rodham open up a dangerous world that they have been fated to.  As Slayers, they are two parts of a team that was created to destroy the Bloodseekers in a deadly game that has gone on for centuries.


A well-crafted, intense paranormal romance with vampires that packs a lot into a short book.  Allison was a very easy character to relate to and I enjoyed her coming into her own as she became confident in her relationship with Rodham and discovered her gifts as the Garnet Slayer.  I enjoyed learning all of the elaborate details and history  of the Witches of darkness and light, Bloodseekers and Slayers.  I appreciated the creation story as it gave a purpose to all of the different beings.  The constant action and discovery of new magic and beings kept the story quick-paced.  With a shorter story, there were a lot of lucky coincidences that brought people together rather quickly; however I was still easily wrapped into the story and can't wait to meet more Slayers. 


This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Sixteen year old Mandy arrives home to find her mother on the brink of death-injured by something or someone very dangerous.  Before Mandy's mother passes, she imparts some important but mysterious information to her.  Mandy is then whisked off into a new and dangerous world by her upstairs neighbor, Joel.  Very quickly, Mandy learns that her life is not what is seems.  Mandy is a twin daughter of a dark witch and light witch as well as the next amethyst Slayer.  The woman she thought was her mother, as well as Joel are really Werewolves who have been protecting her.  Now, it is time that Mandy learn to harness her powers.  The rest of the Slayers need Mandy in order to help rescue her twin, Veronica.

The Monster Upstairs picks up right where The Vampires Next Door leaves off and bounces between Mandy and Joel's story and Allison, Rodham, Lacy and Veronica's story.  In The Monster Upstairs we get to meet even more supernatural creatures:  werewolves, shifters and boggarts.  Mandy's journey is a supernatural adventure that is action-packed from the start.  I enjoyed learning about the light and dark witches, the werewolf pack and how they fit into everything.  With Mandy's gifts, the Slayers are growing in strength, but not complete yet.  It seems that Veronica has some tricks up her sleeve to help the others get to her and when Allison's friend Vicky visits, they might find another piece of their Slayer puzzle.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

​Everything That's Underneath is a short story collection that explores the ignored, dark spaces, and things we try to not see or remember.  With this unifying theme, the stories ranged from horror, to grotesque to strangely unsettling.  With all short story collections, there were some stories that I loved and some I could live without.  With this collection, there were also some stories that were very similar, like the same darkness was affecting different people .  

Some of my favorite stories included The Dream Eater and Split Tongues.  These stories were a little longer and really allowed me to get into them and wonder about the darkness and what it's intentions really are.  In these stories I was also able to relate to the characters better and feel their interactions with the forces at play.  Overall, an intriguing group of stories that explores themes of family, grief, sexuality and the draw of the unknown.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

High school is a place where many kids feel like they just don't fit in.  That is definitely true for Brian and his friends, a collection of misfits who decided to skip a few classes they day of the school pep rally.  They get back to school just in time for stagecraft class, and for a deadly virus to take hold of their school.  A strange sickness has rapidly spread, something that gives people a drawn, wasted look and develops crusty scales, oh- and it gives the infected person a taste for human bone.  Ground zero is the pep rally, but the theatre building is farther away and able to be protected.  It's too bad that Brian's sister and ex-girlfriend decided to go to the pep-rally, now Brian has to find a way to get the girls out of the zombie infested hallways as well as the stagecraft class. 

This is a very fast-paced young adult zombie outbreak story that does not skip on the gore and held me in suspense.  Centered in a high school with high schoolers as the only uninfected people left, I was really interested to see how high school dynamics would go into play.  Especially since this high school was overcrowded, had a lot of racial tension and general intolerance of anyone who is different.  Luckily, this group of survivors is centered in the theatre, where different is the norm.  When any differences are brought up, they manage to be quickly resolved or changed in the minds of the teenagers for the benefit of survival.  I was really interested in the virus itself and I got a little bit of information on it through Brian's mom, who was on the first response team.  I did want to find out if there was a cure and how it began.  The book really just focused on the outbreak itself and how this small group of highschoolers was able to survive.  There were some very awesome moments of zombie smackdowns and creative weaponry, but there was no resolve after the teens were rescued from the school.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Aiden LeDoux would just like to be a normal kid, someone who flies under the radar.  However, that is unlikely after his father is literally crucified by the son of a man who he has wronged.  One night while at his father's bar, Aiden feels overwhelmed and uncomfortable.  In his anxiety a bright light bursts from his face, illuminating the entire bar.  To add to that, anyone who was bathed in the light is now healed of any physical malady, from a scratch or scar to cancer.  Of course the miraculous event spreads like wildfire, and the small town becomes ignited by zealotry by Aiden's miracle.  Aiden is now being held hostage by those who will do anything to have him perform the miracle again.  

This book threw me for a loop; simultaneously diving right into the action and setting the scene, I was thrown into a small town bar that Aiden's father, Jack owns.  Immediately, I had a feel for many of the characters and the varied dynamics between them.  Then, everything changes.  I was amazed at how quickly the town turned.  However, some people remained the same.  Aiden really becomes a side character and the focus turns on how the town reacts to him.  The horror was not in Aiden's incident, but the quick turnaround to chaos, panic and illogical thinking that takes over an overwhelming amount of people. Pine, the brother responsible for Jack's injury was easily the most terrifying character and could probably have an entire book written about his antics.  There were a few plot holes for me, especially the absence of any law enforcement until the end. Overall, a well crafted book that looks into the dynamics of small town incidents with well placed elements of horror and psychological thriller. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Mac McClellan is a war veteran and practicing Private Investigator.  He has recently been dragged along to do some investigating with the Palmetto Paranormal Society with his girlfriend Kate.  When two subsequent paranormal investigations end with the mysterious death of two investigators, Mac knows something is up; these are more than unfortunate accidents.  After he is officially hired to investigate one of the deaths, Mac begins to notice several things that aren't sitting right in town: a previous insurance fraud case that is continuously being harassed, generous donations to a local college from people who do not have the money to give, a separate PI that is tailing him, a ghostly recording that has gone missing, several more near-deaths and a woman in the Paranormal Society who isn't who she says she is.  Now, it's up to Mac to piece the clues together before more people die and to decide whether the forces at play are of the normal or paranormal variety.

This book immediately starts with action and really does not stop until the end.  After reading the first few pages, I realized that this book was part of a series, however; I was filled in pretty quickly and I didn't feel like I really needed the rest of the books in order to understand everything.  It might have been helpful to understand a little more about Mac's history, but that's about it.  I was really impressed with the layers of mystery and was wondering to the end about how they all fit together.  I also really enjoyed the incorporation of the paranormal; the investigative techniques were really interesting and Mac's skepticism provided a nice contrast.  Mac's character was intriguing as well, at first he seemed very typical and one dimensional, but as the story progressed, I learned more of his true character and really enjoyed his interaction with people and especially his dog.  Overall, this seems like a great mystery series and I would love to read more of Mac!


This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ​

Chris and his wife have separated, he is trying to comes to terms with living alone when she dies in a freak accident.  Chris decides to visit the English countryside that his wife enjoyed in order to grieve and move on.  His destination is motivated partly by the remoteness of a village that is barely on the map and a tabloid article he picked up about an out of service post box that supposedly sends messages to the dead.  Chris arrives in town and begins to have strange dreams, when he meets the villagers and begins to investigate the mailbox, he is warned off.  When a villagers mails a letter to a deceased relative and someone dies, he is intrigued.  And when Chris begins hallucinating, he decides to leave.  However, the pull of the mysterious box is too much for him to handle.  

The concept of a post box that could communicate with the dead really pulled me in.  The setting of an out of the way village with only adults as residents set a creepy tone and Chris as a curious but wary visitor rounded out the story.  Chris's character was very interesting; although he and his wife were separated, it is very clear that he was very much in love with her and his willingness to test out the mailbox proved that even more.  I enjoyed that he was of Mexican heritage, but  it was mentioned a little too often and didn't serve much purpose plotwise.   Chris was also interesting in that he tried to do the smart thing and just leave the post box behind.  This was a shorter book, and did well pace wise. However, I would have loved to expand a little more on some of the characters within the village and the lore behind the box.  For example, one of the villagers tells Chris that he is experiencing a Puca, but nothing more is explained.  Overall, a quick, creepy read with an atypical outcome for the horror genre. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

 Cat O' Nine Tales is a collection of nine (plus one bonus!) stories in the horror, thriller and suspense genres.   The stories cover a wide array of topics in the horror genre.  From blood and gore, planning the perfect murder, the supernatural and animal attacks, you will find it in here.  Each story was short enough that I could read in one sitting, but absorbing enough that I felt connected while reading. 


 Some of my favorite stories were those where humans had a deep connection to animals. As the Crow Flies, Let Sleeping Cats Lie and The Dogs of Riverview Estates all used animals as a protector of those that treated them well, but something much different to those that threatened the people they trusted.  These stories all had a eerie and gory feeling, but as someone who loves and protects animals, they were also reassuring. 

Another story that captured me was The Eternal Sheriff.  I have always loved the idea that a book could come alive; but for Grant Hudson, author of the Sidewinder series, that is truly a nightmare.  After a good run, he needs to kill of his sheriff character, only the sheriff refuses to be killed.  This story, while keeping an apprehensive atmosphere, also showed a bit of humor as the characters played with their creator.  I would have loved to see this story as a longer version.

Overall, a good set of horror novels that will appease a wide variety of tastes.  With all short story collections, I like some better than others.  Some of the stories were very predictable for me, however the characterization was done well.  

Max Albrecht does not have a close relationship with his mother, in fact, his mother's friend Vivienne raised him most of his childhood.  So, when Max receives a letter from his mother telling him that she is dying along with the hope that Max will help her uncover the mysteries behind a chilling picture, he is surprised.  The picture is of his mother, Annabell and a childhood friend, Oskar.  On the back, the words you knew. Max doesn't make it to his mother before her death; however, having spent an unsettling night in his childhood home in Vienna, Max decides that the picture must be looked into.  The deeper Max goes, the more disturbing secrets he uncovers and the more the house seems to rebel.


This was a really interesting blend of historical fiction, mystery, thriller and a  ghost story.  More importantly, the fantasy aspect, while chilling and intriguing, does not detract from the rest of the story, but expertly adds depth and mystique to Max's plight.  I do love a good duel time story, so this was right up my alley.  The story hops back and forth from 2004 in London and Vienna to 1938 Vienna.  The snippets in the past are quick and give just a glance at Annabell's life with  hints of clues of what is going on so we never know much more than Max.  At first, Max seems like an ungrateful son, but as he figures out his mother's past his character as well as Annabel's is explained.  Oskar was the most surprising character for me, another mystery to unravel, but I loved his gentle and easygoing demeanor.  Overall, the mystery building was well done continually throwing me in different directions and the suspense is tightly woven all the way through.  The ending threw me for a huge curveball, also.  This is not a story where everything is tied up all nicely, the chilling ending definitely places this book squarely in the thriller category.


This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

A Christmas horror short, this is only about 10 pages long and took about 10 minutes to read.  Santa is compelled to stop at a lonely, isolated house even though something about the house seems wrong.  The Naughties have tried to trick Santa, but Santa and his reindeer know just what to do.  Moral of the story, don't mess with Santa and reindeer games aren't what you think they are. 

Santa thought that his trouble with the Naughties was over, but as he returns to the North Pole, he sees that it has just begun.  Now, Santa seeks revenge for the destruction of his home and must find out what the Naughties have done with his wife.  

Picking up right where The Naughty List left off, there is the same fierce Santa who is now even more pissed off.  I love that he teamed up with Krampus to go after the Naughties.  There is a super cliffhanger ending, I can't wait to pick up the next installment.  With plenty of gore and twisted myths, this is truly a Christmas horror.  

Chalice Stratford has undergone a trauma that has left her scarred physically and mentally.  She has been placed as a museum docent in France as part of witness protection.  Her very first day on the job, a robbery takes place and she is taken hostage.  Surprisingly, the situation does not bother Chalice all that much and the man behind the heist is very different than she would suspect.

For a short story, this had a lot of character development and sense of place.  It definitely left me wanting to know more about both Chalice and Omar's histories.  The story was fast-paced and took off right from the start.  I was a little surprised that romance was introduced so quickly, but from their characters, it was not surprising.  Now, I really want to check out the next book, Finding Sheba.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

The Queen of Sheba may be just a myth to some, with no archaeological evidence to back up her existence.  However, to many cultures, her life and death on their lands holds great value and significance.  When Dr. Richard Lyon, an expert on the Queen believes that he is close to finding the place where she is buried, he is murdered.  Meanwhile, undercover agent for Israeli Intelligence, Omar Zagouri has uncovered a tomb in Jerusalem with some clues connected to the Queen.  As soon as news of the findings surface, many dangerous organizations and people begin vying to be the ones to find the tomb, or even destroy it.

An exciting historic thriller with many twists and turns.  There were a lot of points of view to keep up with, Omar and fellow agent Mia, Dr. Lyon’s protégés Lucas and Jade, Alem a crewmember who found the first tomb and Queen Sheba herself.  While the mystery and conspiracies happening in the present were all intriguing, it was the Queen’s narrative that captured me.  The Queen’s insight, bravery and boldness captivated me as well as the author’s very imaginative and detailed take on her story from the very little we know about her.  I was also happy to get to read more about Omar, who caught my attention in Beneath. His character shines as he weaves his way in and out of dangerous situations with the help of Mia.  I would still love to know more about his background, hopefully that will be in future books. 

 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  

Omar Zagouri is back in action.  This time, a new version of The Book of the Dead has been found and immediately stolen from a dig site in Egypt dating back to the Pharaoh Hatshepsut, the Lost King. In order to steal the document, an archeologist has been killed and two others, Kale and Farrah, are kidnapped in order to translate the new Book of the Dead and forever change modern religion.  Kofman Enterprises stole the scroll to sell to the highest bidder in order to keep its secrets buried; but once Omar and Mia are assigned, they will stop at nothing to protect the piece of history.

I loved joining back into the non-stop action with Omar and Mia.  The other part that I loved is the switching point of view between the present and ancient Egypt from Hatshepsut’s point of view.  This switching point of view makes it a fast-paced read and gives perspective from Hatshepsut’s side.  Like the previous book, I ended up being caught up in Hatshepsut’s narrative just as much; her story is intriguing and her additions to The Book of the Dead are given depth. With the addition of Kale and Farrah in the present, we get a little more insight into Mia’s past and another antagonist with Kofman Enterprises that will lead to more experiences in books to come.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Almost 500 years ago Sultan Suleyman of the Ottoman Empire conquers a small village in Poland.  In the village, a woman captures his eye and he takes her as a slave.  Aleksandra is not pleased with her new station in life and lets the Sultan know it, but she is also determined to survive, make the best of things and just might have an eye for the Sultan as well.  Deemed Roxelane by the Sultan, Aleksandra quickly moves up in the hierarchy to the Sultan’s favored wife, lowering the status of his first two wives.   In the present day, a growing society of Turkish Royalist have hatched a plot to bring rights back to the surviving descendants of the Royals, especially those of who they believe should be the rightful heirs, the descendants of Suleyman’s first born, Mustafa.  The Royalists believe Roxelane had Mustafa killed in order to bring her own son to power, and now antiques have been discovered that might prove exactly that.  The Royalists are now hunting down Roxelane’s descendants five hundred years later.  However, one of the names on Roxelane’s side is Omar Zagouri, and he won’t be going down so easy, even if he has to work with the son of his enemy and descendant of Mustafa, Naim Bata.
Fast-paced and full of suspense, mystery, romance and history, the latest Omar Zagouri thriller is impressive.  An intense story line is told through three points of view, Aleksandra and Suleyman in the 1500’s Ottoman Empire, Omar and Mia in the present and Naim and Leyla in the present.  Most chapters end on their own little cliffhanger which kept me quickly flipping pages to see where each team’s story would go next. Like the past installments of Omar Zagouri, I have been more taken in by the historical side, Aleksandra and Suleyman’s story is no exception.  Aleksandra was bold, determined and intelligent and Suleyman’s softer side was shown, their love story shone through the centuries.   I also enjoyed learning about Sultan Suleyman, his wives, life in the harem and his kingdom. Naim and Leyla’s story reflected parts of Suleyman and Aleksandra’s story.   And as always, Omar and Mia continue to impress with their daring feats and know-how.  I can’t wait to read more from Omar!
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​ Mia Golding is about to complete a dangerous undercover assignment- a handoff to another agent, Omar Zagouri.  Mia has read up on Zagouri and is wary of the handoff and of him. However, before she can decide what to do, her cover is blown and she and Omar are on the run and forced to work as partners.

This is a great prequel novella to the Omar Zagouri thrillers.  I have read the rest of the series and First Heist delves into when Mia and Omar first meet.  From Mia’s point of view we get to see Omar in a different light, a little dangerous, always jumping head first into trouble and definitely cocky.  I enjoyed seeing their relationship from the very beginning and delving into their history.  It does seem like their romance was a quick start!  If you have read the other books in the series, some questions about Mia’s past are answered.  The action and excitement picks up quickly and doesn’t stop until the very end, it left me wishing this was a full book. 
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This book was received for free in return for an honest review.