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Raven’s Peak by Lincoln Cole is a book that I am glad I stumbled across. The book follows two main characters, Abigail and Haatim, who are on an unlikely journey together to a quiet mountain town where there have been reports of strange happenings and people acting crazy. Along the way we learn about both their pasts and how they are connected to one another in the present as well. And Haatim discovers that demons are… real!? The book had a wonderful blend of supernatural, horror, and action. I was pleasantly surprised at the balance of these elements because they are all things I look for when picking out a book to read.
I read this book in only two sittings due in large part to how well the author can weave a story together. Each page reads with such ease that you can’t help but power through the story. The author does not write with fluff or wasted words. Cole gets to the point and delivers powerful paragraphs and never loses your attention. And it also helps the flow of a book when there are little to no typos and glaring grammatical errors. I applaud this book for being easy to read and follow.
The horror elements of this book are awesome. There are some particularly gory and descriptive scenes and characters that make you cringe. Just when the story might seem to stray a little into the dark fantasy or supernatural, something gruesome happens to pull you right back into sheer terror. I thought the author did a wonderful job of creating a sense of panic for the reader throughout the book.
Abigail, one of the main characters and Hunter in the story, is quite the complex character. Just when you think you have her figured out she throws you a twist and reminds you not to get to comfortable. For any fans of the TV Series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, she has many qualities that liken her to Faith, the rebellious slayer. She is quick on her feet and has layers of sass and attitude. But at the end of the day you know that she just wants to do the right thing.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. This book did not get the full 4 star rating because it just did not pull me in deep enough to think. This book was an entertaining and fast-paced read, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that there was not a lot beneath the surface of the words. And there’s nothing wrong with that! This story did exactly what it set out to do: it captivated my interest and has me ready to find out what happens next in this journey in the following books in the series!
I read this book in only two sittings due in large part to how well the author can weave a story together. Each page reads with such ease that you can’t help but power through the story. The author does not write with fluff or wasted words. Cole gets to the point and delivers powerful paragraphs and never loses your attention. And it also helps the flow of a book when there are little to no typos and glaring grammatical errors. I applaud this book for being easy to read and follow.
The horror elements of this book are awesome. There are some particularly gory and descriptive scenes and characters that make you cringe. Just when the story might seem to stray a little into the dark fantasy or supernatural, something gruesome happens to pull you right back into sheer terror. I thought the author did a wonderful job of creating a sense of panic for the reader throughout the book.
Abigail, one of the main characters and Hunter in the story, is quite the complex character. Just when you think you have her figured out she throws you a twist and reminds you not to get to comfortable. For any fans of the TV Series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, she has many qualities that liken her to Faith, the rebellious slayer. She is quick on her feet and has layers of sass and attitude. But at the end of the day you know that she just wants to do the right thing.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. This book did not get the full 4 star rating because it just did not pull me in deep enough to think. This book was an entertaining and fast-paced read, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that there was not a lot beneath the surface of the words. And there’s nothing wrong with that! This story did exactly what it set out to do: it captivated my interest and has me ready to find out what happens next in this journey in the following books in the series!
this book had me all SORTS of disturbed and grossed out but in the best ways. I found myself clutching my pearls and grimacing often. and it never ended. it was relentless. the whole story hooked me and kept me entertained. I would love to see a tv/film adaptation of it great book and that ending...!
Children of the Dark by Jonathan Janz is one of my favorite types of books! Why's that? WELL, let me just tell you. It combines so many things I look forward to in a horror novel: coming of age / kids being kids, serial killers, supernatural elements, etc. It was such a fun read and evoked all kinds of nostalgia the way The Monster Squad, Goonies, and even Stranger Things can all do as movies or TV shows. Janz creates a group of friends that reminds me of The Loser's Club from IT and the kids in Dan Simmons' Summer of Night. I have been told that this book also gives some readers slight Boy's Life vibes written by Robert McCammon, but since I have not read that yet, I will just have to trust their opinions!
If the summary here on Goodreads or Amazon does not sound like something you are already dying to read then I don't know what else to say! Janz does not disappoint with his storytelling skills and ability to build up characters. He is able to put you, as the reader, smack dab in the middle of Savage Hollow and in the midst of all the horrific chaos that is happening.
The narrative flowed so perfectly and kept me engaged. It was always entertaining and an incredible blend of horror and thriller. I even liked what Janz did with the chapter titles in this one. They were usually broken down into a small list of three items which were basically high-level categories/topics for what the chapter was going to be about. So each chapter title hooked you wanting to know in detail what was about to happen. I never wanted to take a break from reading this book - but I am glad that I also was able to enjoy it over a few days as opposed to devouring it in one long sitting. Soaking this story in over multiple days really was fantastic and gave me something else to look forward to each day after work before my husband would come home from his job.
Aside from supernatural horror and how terrible humanity can also be, Janz touches on the concept of family a lot. Will has been fatherless in life. His mother is an addict in the worst way. And he has been forced to take grow up too fast and take care of his younger sister, Peach, because there is no one else. I loved this aspect of the overall story and it was just another creative way that Janz makes it personal and connects to the reader, making this story even more real.
A huge thank you to Jonathan Janz, Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi, and Sinister Grin Press for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. And the copies were signed and inscribed which makes the treat even sweeter! AND I was able to discuss and bond over my group of Night Worms over yet another incredible book! 5 out of 5 stars and I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE.
If the summary here on Goodreads or Amazon does not sound like something you are already dying to read then I don't know what else to say! Janz does not disappoint with his storytelling skills and ability to build up characters. He is able to put you, as the reader, smack dab in the middle of Savage Hollow and in the midst of all the horrific chaos that is happening.
The narrative flowed so perfectly and kept me engaged. It was always entertaining and an incredible blend of horror and thriller. I even liked what Janz did with the chapter titles in this one. They were usually broken down into a small list of three items which were basically high-level categories/topics for what the chapter was going to be about. So each chapter title hooked you wanting to know in detail what was about to happen. I never wanted to take a break from reading this book - but I am glad that I also was able to enjoy it over a few days as opposed to devouring it in one long sitting. Soaking this story in over multiple days really was fantastic and gave me something else to look forward to each day after work before my husband would come home from his job.
Aside from supernatural horror and how terrible humanity can also be, Janz touches on the concept of family a lot. Will has been fatherless in life. His mother is an addict in the worst way. And he has been forced to take grow up too fast and take care of his younger sister, Peach, because there is no one else. I loved this aspect of the overall story and it was just another creative way that Janz makes it personal and connects to the reader, making this story even more real.
A huge thank you to Jonathan Janz, Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi, and Sinister Grin Press for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. And the copies were signed and inscribed which makes the treat even sweeter! AND I was able to discuss and bond over my group of Night Worms over yet another incredible book! 5 out of 5 stars and I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE.
3.5 stars. my favorite of the series so far but I'm still wanting a stronger connection to the characters. the plot is solid and the twist is unique, but I just am not totally feeling how I want to while reading and after completing. but still enjoyable and entertaining!
Witch Hunter: Into The Outside by J.Z Foster is the first book up for the Night Worms. The book is about a witch hunter who does not even believe in witches. He takes a cameraman and a reporter out on a witch hunt and he is shocked when his "tricks" actually work and they locate a witch. He soon learns that all his training was real and he must use it to save them all.
I absolutely loved this book and a HUGE thank you for J.Z. Foster for taking a chance on Night Worms with our crazy idea and sending me a free (and signed!) copy in exchange for this review. First of all, I loved the view on witches this book took. It was a totally different story than anything I have read before when it comes to witches. So for that refreshing dose of originality, I am already impressed.
The format of the story is like part mystery and part thriller noir. It goes back and forth between two times and Foster makes it work! Every time I started a new chapter I looked forward to going back to the "other time" and seeing how it would set up what that chapter would ultimately be about. And unlike some books that use this method, Foster never confuses us or makes us wonder what's going on or in which "time" in the story we are reading. ANOTHER 10 POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!
The characters were all complimentary to one another. No one character was the same and they all fed off each other and helped each other stand out in different ways. Ultimately, this is a story of a man BECOMING. Richard, the Witch Hunter, never believed in what he was doing. He always thought it was fake. But he had to become the Witch Hunter in order to survive. And it was so cool to see his journey and see his rag tag team on the rise.
My FAVORITE character was The Wight. He was the perfect combination of Death from Bill and Ted's Bogus Adventure and E.T. (except we have corn chips instead of Reese's Pieces). At least that is how I constantly envisioned him. Hands down my favorite character! And he TOTALLY gets me when he says things like: "My hunger is eternal! My desire unquenchable!" Same, fam. SAME."
He is also the epitome of high maintenance and diva. When asked his name, he responds, "To properly say my name, you must separate your tongue into three sections of equal length and master the language of Abyssal, with its various overlaying and under-lapping mouthing postures." I aspire to that level of Diva Queen.
Witch Hunter is not a horror book that will likely terrify you, it is more of a horror book the same way the TV show Supernatural show is deemed horror. There are horror elements and scary moments as well as action and humor. I mean this in the best way possible, as I love Supernatural!
This book is easily a 5-star read for me. I cant wait to read more of J.Z. Foster and I encourage you ALL to check out this book! You know what they say... IT'S A LOVELY NIGHT FOR A WITCHING!
I absolutely loved this book and a HUGE thank you for J.Z. Foster for taking a chance on Night Worms with our crazy idea and sending me a free (and signed!) copy in exchange for this review. First of all, I loved the view on witches this book took. It was a totally different story than anything I have read before when it comes to witches. So for that refreshing dose of originality, I am already impressed.
The format of the story is like part mystery and part thriller noir. It goes back and forth between two times and Foster makes it work! Every time I started a new chapter I looked forward to going back to the "other time" and seeing how it would set up what that chapter would ultimately be about. And unlike some books that use this method, Foster never confuses us or makes us wonder what's going on or in which "time" in the story we are reading. ANOTHER 10 POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR!
The characters were all complimentary to one another. No one character was the same and they all fed off each other and helped each other stand out in different ways. Ultimately, this is a story of a man BECOMING. Richard, the Witch Hunter, never believed in what he was doing. He always thought it was fake. But he had to become the Witch Hunter in order to survive. And it was so cool to see his journey and see his rag tag team on the rise.
My FAVORITE character was The Wight. He was the perfect combination of Death from Bill and Ted's Bogus Adventure and E.T. (except we have corn chips instead of Reese's Pieces). At least that is how I constantly envisioned him. Hands down my favorite character! And he TOTALLY gets me when he says things like: "My hunger is eternal! My desire unquenchable!" Same, fam. SAME."
He is also the epitome of high maintenance and diva. When asked his name, he responds, "To properly say my name, you must separate your tongue into three sections of equal length and master the language of Abyssal, with its various overlaying and under-lapping mouthing postures." I aspire to that level of Diva Queen.
Witch Hunter is not a horror book that will likely terrify you, it is more of a horror book the same way the TV show Supernatural show is deemed horror. There are horror elements and scary moments as well as action and humor. I mean this in the best way possible, as I love Supernatural!
This book is easily a 5-star read for me. I cant wait to read more of J.Z. Foster and I encourage you ALL to check out this book! You know what they say... IT'S A LOVELY NIGHT FOR A WITCHING!
First of all, thank you to the publisher for an Advanced Reader’s Copy for all seven of the Night Worms review group in exchange for honest reviews. This book officially releases on April 10th.
This is the first book by Josh Malerman that I have read, so I had no expectations or knowledge going into this story. It is about a woman named Carol Evers who has this dark secret: she dies over and over. But they are not really deaths, per say. They are more like comas where she is fully conscious of what is happening and being said around her. While only two people know of her affliction, her greedy husband Dwight who plans to bury her (alive) asap nad her long lost love, James Moxie, we are instantly thrown into a world of action and deceit.
Malerman’s writing style is so good that it makes the story even faster to read and you don’t even realize how quickly you are turning the pages to find out what happens next. The chapters are broken up quite well (and they header/font for them is cool, too!!) and that further increases the speed at which you can unknowingly read this book.
While the story’s main character is presumably Carol Evers, I couldn’t help but be even more fascinated by her long lost love, outlaw James Moxie, and the crippled hitman, Smoke, who has been hired to stop him from coming back to town. Smoke is one nasty sunnabitch! He is definitely someone I would never want to cross paths with, that’s for sure.
Malerman has a good “slow burn” book here that definitely builds. We get a map of the area where the story takes place. One end of the map is where Moxie is traveling from and the other end of the map is where Carol Evers is in her comatose state. As the book kept going, I constantly referred to the map to see just how many towns were left between Moxie and Carol. As the book got closer to the end, he got closer to Carol. And it made me increasingly more anxious as he got closer. I kept waiting to see if he would have a showdown with Dwight, Carol’s husband. And I kept waiting to see if Smoke would catch up to him and where and when and what would happen!? Malerman did a wonderful job of keeping that suspense at a great level.
One of the biggest distractions to me in the book was the overuse of a couple of phrases. I really don’t even know how to put my finger on why it irked me so, but I know that every time I read it I would be so anxious of when I would come across the word/phrase again that it almost pulled me out of the story a few times. I will let all readers see if they can figure out the words/phrases that I am talking about without putting any sort of preconceived notions out there.
In the end, I am giving Unbury Carol 4 out of 5 stars. The world that Malerman creates is indescribable. Is it modern? Western? Dark fantasy? Horror lite (I use the word lite because I actually thought this was going to be a scary story, because I had no idea what it was about before cracking that spine)? It’s almost like this beautiful blend of all of the above. I do recommend this book and I am definitely looking forward to seeing what else Malerman has to offer and get my hands on a few of his already-published books!
This is the first book by Josh Malerman that I have read, so I had no expectations or knowledge going into this story. It is about a woman named Carol Evers who has this dark secret: she dies over and over. But they are not really deaths, per say. They are more like comas where she is fully conscious of what is happening and being said around her. While only two people know of her affliction, her greedy husband Dwight who plans to bury her (alive) asap nad her long lost love, James Moxie, we are instantly thrown into a world of action and deceit.
Malerman’s writing style is so good that it makes the story even faster to read and you don’t even realize how quickly you are turning the pages to find out what happens next. The chapters are broken up quite well (and they header/font for them is cool, too!!) and that further increases the speed at which you can unknowingly read this book.
While the story’s main character is presumably Carol Evers, I couldn’t help but be even more fascinated by her long lost love, outlaw James Moxie, and the crippled hitman, Smoke, who has been hired to stop him from coming back to town. Smoke is one nasty sunnabitch! He is definitely someone I would never want to cross paths with, that’s for sure.
Malerman has a good “slow burn” book here that definitely builds. We get a map of the area where the story takes place. One end of the map is where Moxie is traveling from and the other end of the map is where Carol Evers is in her comatose state. As the book kept going, I constantly referred to the map to see just how many towns were left between Moxie and Carol. As the book got closer to the end, he got closer to Carol. And it made me increasingly more anxious as he got closer. I kept waiting to see if he would have a showdown with Dwight, Carol’s husband. And I kept waiting to see if Smoke would catch up to him and where and when and what would happen!? Malerman did a wonderful job of keeping that suspense at a great level.
One of the biggest distractions to me in the book was the overuse of a couple of phrases. I really don’t even know how to put my finger on why it irked me so, but I know that every time I read it I would be so anxious of when I would come across the word/phrase again that it almost pulled me out of the story a few times. I will let all readers see if they can figure out the words/phrases that I am talking about without putting any sort of preconceived notions out there.
In the end, I am giving Unbury Carol 4 out of 5 stars. The world that Malerman creates is indescribable. Is it modern? Western? Dark fantasy? Horror lite (I use the word lite because I actually thought this was going to be a scary story, because I had no idea what it was about before cracking that spine)? It’s almost like this beautiful blend of all of the above. I do recommend this book and I am definitely looking forward to seeing what else Malerman has to offer and get my hands on a few of his already-published books!
