This book has a lot of exposition but it is intermingled with action and resolution of issues from book one. As a caution, although these books have a young vibe, this second installment contains explicit sex scenes and some depictions of pretty graphic torture – not to mention the vampire violence, blood, and gore. Just saying, it’s not for the faint of heart nor the kiddies. NYV: Goth was a very good story and it sets up situations for future books that I will be looking to read.
Fifteen-year-old Christian Leclères had lived all his life in the rural East Texas home with his mother. Home-schooled and never allowed off the home place alone, he is unaware of the workings of the world around him: no friends, no other family, no television, radio, telephone, or car. Their only visitor is Mrs. Brooks who came in her big Buick Electra to take his mother to town for groceries every 3rd Friday of the month. Christian knows nothing about his father or mother’s family other than they live in Louisiana. He thinks he remembers meeting his grandmother when he was very young but he’s unsure if that is an actual memory or one he’s developed from hearing his mother talk about it. For whatever reason, his mother’s family was devastated when he was born a boy rather than a girl.
On the eve of his 15th birthday, Christian’s mother has him perform a cleansing ritual, anointing his body with oils, and thanking God for his attainment of this milestone. The next day, Christian’s birthday, happens to be the 3rd Friday of the month and when his mother leaves to get groceries, he rides off on a bicycle he’d found in a shed on their property to clear his head and enjoy a bit of freedom while she’s away. He ends up lost and is eventually given a ride by a senior couple living the RV lifestyle. Talking to the couple, Christian decides to go to New York City. But before he can get on a bus to The Big Apple, he is attacked and stabbed in the chest by a creepy, old man. He is taken to the local hospital where he is patched up and begins to heal miraculously well. He begins to have nightmares or visions from the viewpoint of his attacker killing more people. Terrified, he escapes the hospital, makes his way to New York, and falls in with other kids his age living on the street. He does not, however, escape the monster in his dreams.The descriptions of the life and times of the punk scene were most interesting. The New York City setting with detailed street information was fun. Also, it was interesting and entertaining to note the changes in our culture, trends, and technology - payphones, boom boxes, cassettes – present in the 1984 time frame. Bravo to the author for these touches; they were fun. The weaving of Chris’ life and the visions were frightening and intense. There are sexual situations and descriptions in the story that make this one a story for mature readers.
This is a very different sort of vampire story: the vampire element not being the major focus of much of the novel, yet underlying and being the cause for much of the action. The addition of Aztec angle was new to me and I liked that. This appears to be a first book in a series. There are a lot of unanswered questions and plotlines left hanging by the end of the book. I look forward to the next installment to see where those go. I recommend this book for its young adult, coming of age theme, its depiction of the 1980s punk scene, and the unusual Aztec storyline.
So some of the members of the Expedition 12 team have appeared back at their homes, or in the biologist's case - the empty lot she used to go to for solitude. The Psychologist who we learn was also the Director of the Southern Reach agency itself is not among the returned. In the absence of the Director, John "Control" Rodriguez, has been assigned to the agency as a "fixer." He's to find out what is going on at the Southern Reach and report back to a handler known as the "Voice" by a secret cellphone. The Assistant Director, Grace, and many of the other staff are understandably not welcoming. The Director seems to have been revered and many, Grace among them, are still waiting for her to return.
The members who have shown back up from Area X remember almost nothing about their time there. They do not know how they got out of Area X and back to their homes (or empty lots.) It's all very mysterious, confusing, and then there are creepy staff members and strange shrines to who-knows-what in closets, drawers, and hidden rooms.Book 2 quietly sneaks up on you as you try to unravel the secrets of Area X, the Southern Reach, and even Central. I kept listening and holding my breath for the next shoe to drop and when it does... the action doesn't stop ... only the narration. On to Book 3 now!
As Robin works the angles presented to her, she quickly assimilates into the island community thinking maybe this is where she’ll settle when she retires. (She’s got way more tenure at APD than she needs to call it done, and her rheumatoid arthritis has become a constant, painful companion.) On the island, she meets old friends and new as well as the handsome blue-eyed George that seems to so very, very familiar to her.
Meanwhile, a long-burning domestic abuse case on the island come to a head but even with the abuser out of the picture, tragic events continue to plague the victimized family with two women attacked, two twin sons murdered, and one young teenage daughter kidnapped.Sins of the Father is the 4th book in the Land’s End series so there are a number of diverse plotlines in play left over from previous books going from the very start. I have not read the first three books but was able to get the gist of what was going on and enjoyed it. I have a feeling that I would have enjoyed the book even more if I’d read the earlier installments though. There are a lot of interesting characters to keep up with, all of whom add plenty to the ongoing story. The author gives some background information during the course of the book which helped to get me up to speed and there was a mix of flashbacks among the chapters that reinforced or clarified the back story.
This was an enjoyable book with a lot going on – mystery, romance, and a thriller all rolled into one. I look forward to getting into those earlier books and will be waiting for book 5 as well. There’s still a lot of unanswered questions and cliffhangers at this time.
Nadine was a detective with NYPD and was used to the cruelties and brutality she’d witnessed during her time working with women and children victims but there was something about eight-year-old Mary McGregor that she just couldn’t put her finger on.
Mary – the sole survivor of a massacre at her foster family’s farm where both foster parents and six children were mutilated before her.
Mary – with the innocent face and strangely beautiful eyes.
Mary – who doesn’t take “no” for an answer.
Talk about going from tragedy to outright horror! Typhoid Mary is a creepy, twisted, entertaining horror story just right for a great, fun read.
The Orleans' mission is to deliver diplomats to the first ever meeting with another intelligent life species. Not everyone wants this meeting to occur though and there are conspirators hidden among the crew that intend to stop the Orleans at all costs. Also, there is a shifter on board trying to kill Mila because they believe May is still alive and she had discovered the plot to prevent the meeting.
This was a fast and fun book with loads of action and romance. I couldn't put it down! The mysterious shifter evades capture for quite a while and the tension builds while he continues to hunt May/Mila. There is quite a collection of interesting characters populating the Orleans including Mila’s grumpy roommate and a coworker working through gender identity. It appears to be the start of a new series so I will be looking forward to more about these characters.I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a lighter SciFi read and perhaps suggest it to shifter romance readers that may want to stretch their genre reading into SciFi. This book is not scheduled to be published until September 15, 2019.
Bug Out is cleverly told in alternating chapters of current action and an overheard conversation between two unknown speakers that builds the back story for that action. The author has created a tight and exciting narrative that builds tension throughout. The truth behind the scenes are slowly revealed with ingenious twists. I was thoroughly entertained. I will be “book talking” this novella to all my family and friends, and looking for more in the genre from Charlie Dalton.
Back home, life goes on as George prepares to leave on the morrow for his induction training in the war effort. He’s starting to remember bits and pieces of the events leading up to his “accident” that left him with his amnesia. Betty knows that it is going to be traumatic for everyone all around when George regains his memory but for it to happen on the night of his departure would be devastating.
In the meantime, Jacob Lawrence is working long, hard hours to both safeguard his former girlfriend, Adina Sonberg and apprehend the city’s latest threat - “The Boudoir Butcher.” Although, he is still invested in a relationship with her, they are a long way from where they were. He’s committed though and has accepted Betty’s help to protect her and free himself up to pursue the serial killer.Betty is keeping her ear to the ground and makes a long overdue visit to her clients at Kitty’s Kat House to plug into the gossip of the city’s seedy underbelly. While talking with one of the girls there (Tilly), Betty experiences some frighteningly weird visions that may actually be the thoughts and memories of “The Boudoir Butcher” HERself!
As the latest story about “The Boudoir Butcher” unfolds, readers are treated to the flavor and lingo of 1940s wartime. The author successfully recreates the atmosphere and feel of the time and it just envelops you. We check in on many of the characters from the previous episodes including the ladies of Kitty’s Kat House whose circumstances have upgraded somewhat under the management of Madame Trixie (although it is still just a desperate means of survival during those hard times for these women.)As this series continues to flourish, it continues to entertain and delight. I highly recommend this entire series.
The story is presented from the viewpoint of The Biologist who proves to be a less than reliable narrator. This first installment in the Southern Reach Trilogy is strange, confusing, scary, and fascinating! I couldn’t put it down “needing” to know what was going to happen next. You know what is happening when it happens but you never know why or how anything fits into a bigger picture of what Area X is. Doesn’t matter. Let me have Book 2.
Set in India in the year 3077 BC, the action begins immediately with eight-year-old Tejaswi and his mother, Dhara, fleeing through the Dandak Forest pursued by two time-demon brothers, Kumbh and Vetri. Just as they are almost away, the evil demons catch up with them. They plan to kill Tej to punish his mother for running away but are stopped by the appearance of Guru Riga, an elderly sage and time reader. The time-demons themselves end up captured and trapped in a secret place where time is no factor and they can do no further harm.
Twenty years pass and Tej grows to manhood, marries, and has a child of his own when Guru Riga arrives on his doorstep. Guru Riga has seen that in the far future, the time-demon brother Kumbh is going to escape and destroy all of humanity. Tej who is actually Kumbh’s son is the only one that can stop him because he, too, is a time-demon and can travel through time. What follows is an imaginative and well laid out story of how Tej must travel backwards and forward in time to pull together the tools and know-how to stop his father with Guru Riga always in the background planning for the future based on the changes that result from Tej’s time traveling.Such a good story! This is the first book in what looks to be a new and entertaining quest epic series called Time Travelers. Coming from a different culture with no knowledge of the cultural mythology of India the story seemed fresh and different. I was hooked from the very start and kept interested through the entire book. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy traditional quest stories but are ready for something new.
Told from the viewpoints of two different women, this novel chronicles an accident victim’s sojourn in a nursing facility while in a coma (and so much more!) Although the woman’s family quickly gives up hope of her recovery, her husband stays by her side caring for her, singing and talking to her throughout the day (and night), for months. He is assisted in his watch by a nurse assigned to the room his wife where his wife lays, an immigrant from Ghana who is still adjusting to her life far from her home and her tragic past. It is her voice that starts us out and tells us what has happened to the patient, about her care and the husband’s constant vigil. As she recounts her interaction with the couple, we see her slowly developing a disturbing obsession for the husband and building a relationship with him - in her mind.
This woman’s narrative is offset with what the comatose wife is “dreaming” as the days slip by. Those dreams fill us in on the relationship between the husband and wife, the wife and her family, and the events and circumstances that preceded the accident that put her in the coma. While the husband sings to his wife, she dreams that he is sleeping in a hotel room her keeping her “awake” with his snoring.What a great and inventive story! The plotline of the nurse’s growing infatuation with the husband is intense, creepy, and moving. The glimpses into her day-to-day life as an immigrant are very interesting. The wife’s grief over the loss of a child was tragic and emotion-filled. I found myself longing for the wife to recover especially as the husband slowly, but inevitably, begins to lose hope.
In both instances, the nurse and the patient, the narrative pours forth in a ‘stream of consciousness’ style of writing so we’re getting every thought and feeling, which are sometimes frankly intimate or sexual in nature, that passes through each woman’s mind. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but I felt it appropriate, and liked it.I recommend this book for readers of contemporary fiction, medical stories with romance, and those that don’t mind storylines with some pretty earthy passages.
The Kaye sisters, Georgie and Aleta, have been given a trip to Hawaii as a Christmas present by their respective children. Trouble begins from the very start – on the plane to their destination – in the form of a constantly arguing couple, Herb and Dottie Bickerson. Nothing, it seems, is right for the annoying couple but the young tour company rep, Daniel, keeps trying his best.
When the husband mysteriously falls to his death during a luau, Georgie is convinced he was helped off the cliff, and with literally everyone in the tour group having a reason to want the man gone, she has a lot ground to cover before discovering who did it.Even though one of the charms of this series has been, for me, the Chicago setting, the switch to the 50th state was very entertaining. There are some new and interesting characters to focus on up close and personal because the tour group members are together pretty much 24/7. And this time, because Georgie’s ex, Stan, is not on the trip, he is not there to pull Georgie out of trouble. That duty falls to one of the aforementioned interesting new characters.Another nice cozy mystery featuring the sisters. I recommend this book (and entire series) to readers that like their mysteries on the cozy side and enjoy having a sleuth of a more mature age.
Enora Byrnes, now in her last year of school, has grown up in Prineville and this has always been the way things were. As she approaches graduation, she is expected to make a decision on her future – how she is going to contribute to society henceforth, as an adult. Undecided and with few choices open to her, all she knows is that she does not want to go into the DMC. Her best friend, Bram, a few years older and of the same mind had been selected by the DMC never to be seen or heard from again. The DMC was for the elite in town: their children groomed for service since birth. Enora was not one of the elite. But as graduation nears, Enora is singled out for the DMC anyway and begins her training in addition to her school work eventually ending up at a training base several hours away.
With her recruitment, Enora begins to see improvements in the lives of her parents: better housing, increased water credits, better and more food. Enora feels obligated and stuck especially when things that the DMC does don’t jive with what she and the rest of the population has always been told.When she and her partner are sent to the town of Renascence to neutralize a dangerous rebellion their doubts about the DMC and their role in the agency mount when the rebels turn out to be mere children and the DMC is hiding some horrible secrets below ground and behind locked doors in secret facilities there.
I really enjoyed this tale of a dystopian U.S. The author did a fabulous job of creating the world that Enora lives in. Enora seems like such a typical teenager on the brink of high school graduation with the usual angst associated with fitting in, living up to her parents’ expectations, friends, and young love. Then there are some terribly tough decisions about her future and the horrible revelations that gradually unfold. And the story’s not over – there’s a Book 2! This story kept my attention and kept me reading late into the night because I couldn’t find a good spot to stop. It is action-filled and thought-provoking. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy young adult books and those that like dystopian/post-apocalyptic tales as well.
Now, years later, she is coming home after a sad divorce with ten-year-old Maya by her side. But she’s not the only one returning to Silver Springs. Maddox, a successful school administrator, has been hired by Aiyana Turner at the Silver Springs-based New Horizons Boys Ranch, where he had once been a pupil himself, to open up a new girls’ school.
Unforgettable You is a story with a number of twists. Even after the passing of 11 years, Jada and Maddox are still in love with each other. Her family never liked Maddox, and to complicate matters, it was Maddox’s brother, Tobias, under the influence of drugs, that shot Atticus the night of the party – a party that Jada had taken him to behind her parents’ backs. Jada’s father had recently passed away leaving her mother on her own and trying to support herself and Atticus with the income from a faltering bakery. Maddox and Jada had only been intimate one time and she didn’t know about the pregnancy before Maddox left and because of all the intertwining blame, she never searched him out to let him know that they had had a child.It is a heartbreaking story but one of forgiveness and second chances. I found it to be a very emotional reading experience and with so many obstacles to overcome I was really rooting for a happily ever after ending. I recommend this book for romance readers that like secret baby stories and second chance romances. Although Unforgettable You is part of the Silver Springs series, it could easily be read and enjoyed on its own.
Many of the channelers eventually succumbed to the pressures of their responsibilities and, if they were lucky, ended up at the Refuge cared for by Miranda and her loving parents but forbidden from ever contacting their master intelligence again. One such resident is the mysterious (in Miranda’s teenage-crush eyes), Brightside, who had been channeler to the great master intelligence, OMNIUM.
When the Information Police come knocking, Miranda discovers not everything at the sanctuary is as tranquil and mundane as she’d thought. Not only has Brightside been in communication with his old master but her mother is involved in something with him as well.Helping Brightside to escape, Miranda attempts to find out what is going on. She joins Brightside onboard a subspace ferry and next finds herself face to face with Altrius Prime, the highest political authority in the solar system (and the oldest one), who she prevents from committing suicide by making an unauthorized time jump.
As she disrupts his plans, Miranda herself makes the jump and ends up on a wooded mountainside in the year 1058. No sooner has she gathered her senses from the jump when she is attacked by a warrior from the invading horde known as the Holders of the Chain.Her rescuer is an apprenticed painter, Friskin York, who along with his master had been on the mountain to capture the magnificent vista. Miranda slowly falls for Friskin as the three travel to find a place of safety from the invasion and search for her parents who tried to follow her during her accidental time jump.
All Time is an engrossing story with great characters and vivid world-building not only of a far future but of the past. There are numerous twists and turns along the way as Miranda tries to understand her new reality and she doesn’t always find herself welcome. There are unresolved issues in this first book that I hope to pursue in subsequent books in the series.I highly recommend this book for readers that like time travel stories and grand adventures.
But it is also an entertaining and funny story! Seventeen murders down and now the Grammar Nazi Serial Killer is a guest on Courtney X’s dark web talk show. With its interview style format, author Ryan Suvaal unfolds a thriller of a tale of horror that will also make the “Grammar Nazi” in you laugh out loud (and wonder if maybe it isn’t time to brush up on your own skills.)
I couldn’t possibly give this story fewer than five stars. I wouldn’t dare.
This night will be no different. After “convincing” the seedy hotel manager of his current flop that he can stay another week without paying, Isaac retrieves his room key and goes to bed. But gunshots from the area of the front desk awaken him and he knows he’s been found again. He escapes from the first set of guards (the girls in black) through the use of his unique “talents” only to be trapped in an alley by Darkmore and more guards from the Newton Street facility.
The Lost Boy will give readers a better understanding of Isaac, a main character in The Mutant Rain series. It’s outstanding, and I have a much better picture of the boy that Isaac was.This series touches a broad range of reading interests (mystery, urban mystery, mutants, horror, sci-fi, dystopian, urban horror). There is something for almost everyone.
When they fail to return after 2 days, Aurora and Evaline head to New Hampton to find them leaving behind the weakest of the survivors and, unknown to them, one of Dr. Zhirkov’s secret moles. In the city, they meet up with a small group of survivors led by Detective Benjamin Farrow, Aurora’s former partner on the police force.
Integral to The Fall is the revelation of Dr. Zhirkov’s back story and that of his men, Vitaliy, Dmitri, and Victor. Readers get a much fuller picture of what Dr. Zhirkov is about and a better understanding of the extent of the mutation that is occurring throughout the world.The Fall continues the highly imaginative and entertaining tale by L.A. Frederick which began in The Rain. Part horror, mystery, AND romance, it is a dystopian story that’s got everything. However, I recommend readers begin with The Rain (The Mutant Rain #1) as well as the Mutant Origins short stories before tackling The Fall.
Our favorite Avon Lady is back!
With Donald Pinzolo in custody awaiting trial, you’d think that life would settle down for Betty Jones, her darling husband, George, and their two children. But this is wartime and George has received his notice to report for induction training and will be leaving soon. Daughter Nancy is coming into her own powers and is pressing her mother to teach her how to use them. NYPD Sergeant (and friend) Jacob Lawrence needs Betty’s help to catch a possible female serial killer. And Betty, herself, is under the scrutiny of the FBI who are trying to figure out just who (or what) she really is, determine how she fits in with numerous criminal schemes around town, and how to exploit her talents.In this episode, Betty confronts Jacob’s former girlfriend, Adina Sonberg, a key witness in the upcoming case against Pinzolo, to convince her to await her testimony at a safer location than her aging parents’ home, when she suddenly comes face to face with his deadly minions herself.
The Boudoir Butcher is a delightful start to another Betty Jones adventure. There are recurring characters and continuation of the Pinzolo storyline from Season 1 but some fun and interesting new faces as well and an intriguing new serial killer plot is introduced. The city setting and the flawlessly atmospheric 40s timeframe just add to the pleasure.I highly recommend the entire Avon Calling series but start reading from the beginning with Episode 1 - A Woman’s Work is Never Done for maximum enjoyment.
Successfully freeing two Cursed prisoners, Odin and Charon, from the torture chamber/dungeon of the House of Gisnu, Anu returns to Wil in the secret, secluded cabin. Exhausted, she falls into his arms. While the intimate night means everything to Wil, the next morning she tells him that she will not be leaving with him but will instead return to the castle and her guardian, Etlu. Anu has always loved Etlu, and her plan is to convince him to run away from it all, and live out their days together. But Etlu has other plans.
Continuing the story where it left off in Episode 2, this installment brings to life the shared history of Anu and Etlu, and really fleshes out some of the other characters especially that of Wil’s sister, Isabol. As the story is presented from multiple points of view, we are able to get a much more solid picture of who they are, how they fit into the story, and their relationships with everyone else.The plot is slow-building but with constant action as you begin to piece together this world and its history. Silverwood’s writing is vivid and exciting: you can feel the cold of the frigid Canadian north as well as the heat between Anu and Etlu.
This is not a standalone story. I can recommend the entire series so far with each episode read in sequence (and preferably with not a lot of time lag in between the reading of each!)