Take a photo of a barcode or cover
brennanlafaro 's review for:
Seven Cleopatra Hill
by Justin Holley
What a ride this book is!
Kicking off at the Jerome Grand Hotel in Arizona, Justin Holley sets the scene for a tale of the supernatural. James and Victoria are staying in a hotel renowned for potentially being haunted only to find out they're about to be hit by a blizzard and snowed in. The stuff they're going to be put through from here on out is not for the squeamish.
It's okay to think why bother? I've already read The Shining but that's why I'm here. To tell you that you couldn't be more wrong. I don't want to reveal too much here, but the threat our characters face is ancient and a whole lot more brutal than I anticipated. It also takes the story into a place that doesn't tread quite as many tropes as it could have. Holley's addition of human interaction with the supernatural antagonist made for one of my favorite elements of the story. There is also a scene, and you'll know it as soon as you get to it, that reminded me of Stephen King's The Raft. See what I mean? Come with a strong stomach.
While James and Vic are the most likely nominees for main character, we spend our time with a pretty varied group coming from all walks of life. I think my favorite addition are Miles and Janey, a brother-sister pair who are far more adept at hunting and dealing with the supernatural than you might expect. This is a completely self-contained story, and I have no expectation that Justin Holley will revisit the events or characters, but I would absolutely read another novel centered around these two.
Silver Shamrock has been on a bit of a novella roll as of late, and even though Seven Cleopatra Hill comes in around 260 pages, that page count flies. The story is very linear which pulls the reader in and takes them along for the ride, not really giving you anything resembling a chance to hop off. There are a couple side trips to give backstory, but these are never gratuitous and only add to the reader's understanding and appreciation of the mythology involved.
In short, the newest addition to the Silver Shamrock family is another winner. Another book I won't be content to revisit in kindle form, but will need to add the paperback to my shelf. I was given a e-copy by the publisher for review consideration.
Kicking off at the Jerome Grand Hotel in Arizona, Justin Holley sets the scene for a tale of the supernatural. James and Victoria are staying in a hotel renowned for potentially being haunted only to find out they're about to be hit by a blizzard and snowed in. The stuff they're going to be put through from here on out is not for the squeamish.
It's okay to think why bother? I've already read The Shining but that's why I'm here. To tell you that you couldn't be more wrong. I don't want to reveal too much here, but the threat our characters face is ancient and a whole lot more brutal than I anticipated. It also takes the story into a place that doesn't tread quite as many tropes as it could have. Holley's addition of human interaction with the supernatural antagonist made for one of my favorite elements of the story. There is also a scene, and you'll know it as soon as you get to it, that reminded me of Stephen King's The Raft. See what I mean? Come with a strong stomach.
While James and Vic are the most likely nominees for main character, we spend our time with a pretty varied group coming from all walks of life. I think my favorite addition are Miles and Janey, a brother-sister pair who are far more adept at hunting and dealing with the supernatural than you might expect. This is a completely self-contained story, and I have no expectation that Justin Holley will revisit the events or characters, but I would absolutely read another novel centered around these two.
Silver Shamrock has been on a bit of a novella roll as of late, and even though Seven Cleopatra Hill comes in around 260 pages, that page count flies. The story is very linear which pulls the reader in and takes them along for the ride, not really giving you anything resembling a chance to hop off. There are a couple side trips to give backstory, but these are never gratuitous and only add to the reader's understanding and appreciation of the mythology involved.
In short, the newest addition to the Silver Shamrock family is another winner. Another book I won't be content to revisit in kindle form, but will need to add the paperback to my shelf. I was given a e-copy by the publisher for review consideration.