REVIEW: Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry

*Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for a review*

Expected publication: March 27, 2018

Publisher's Summary:
Rain is a young woman trying to rebuild herself after years of drug addiction and abuse. Ten years ago, at age sixteen, she gave up her baby after the father, her first love, dies in Iraq. Now, three years clean and on the way to a job interview, Rain borrows a pair of reading glasses from an old lady on a Brooklyn train. The lenses are cracked and through the crack she catches a glimpse of a little boy running and screaming. The boy looks so much like Rain’s dead lover. Like their son must look now. 

Rain realizes that the glasses give her quick glimpses of her lost son, Dylan, who needs her to find him. Dylan is important to our damaged, hopeless world. But he’s in terrible trouble because evil creatures - the Shadow People - are trying to corrupt and destroy him. If Dylan dies, then hope dies. 

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Where should I start?  I was hooked from the first word.  Rain's is a compelling story that had me on the edge of my seat the entire read.  This novel has on the components of a chilling yet fascinating read. Rain is a dynamic character whose vulnerabilities make her intriguing and reader's can't help but be entranced by her journey. Maberry does what he does best, write with purpose that is both satisfying for those wanting creative, well developed characterization, action, an interesting plot and enough creepy horror elements to have you sleeping with the lights on and checking all nooks and crannies for any number of evil creatures!

I read in chunks and with the lights on to savor the experience and soothe my overactive imagination.  Maberry remains one of my absolute favorite authors. I devour everything he publishes and pine until I have another fix!

Final rating: ALL THE STARS!!!!!!

REVIEW: Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

*Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for an ARC in exchange for a review*

Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.

Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.

Into the Drowning Deep was a stellar horror novel with a truly inventive foe. I'm from the generation where mermaids should be red haired, sing, collection flatware and be BFFs with fish, crabs and seagulls.  Grant has deftly crafted a dark, suspense filled addition to the horror genre that echos Hans Christian Andersen's macabre classic fairy tale, "The Little Mermaid." 

Excellent pacing and build of intriguing characters surrounded by uncertainty and some truly creepy creatures.  What I did like was Grant's ability to give the mermaid/sirens depth and develop the idea that they might be intelligent and deadly but only out of necessity as the characters (and the readers) learn more about them and why they behavior the way the do.  I'm looking forward to the develpment of this as a series since there is huge potential for more narrative based on Into the Drowning Deep's ending. 

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Read All The Things, Reading Recap Vol 4!

This is one of those classics I can't believe I've never read. It is a compelling novella filled with suspense and intrigue characteristic of H.G. Wells' style. I'm very curious about the upcoming movie based on the story. I realize it has been done before; however, this is a timeless tale and made for the big screen.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

A pretty typical romance centered around a marriage of convenience but ultimately turning into a happily ever after.  I didn't love it, nor did I hate but. That being said, there wasn't much that was overly unique or memorable. Mostly, it filled a space for me in between other books.

Final rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

I wouldn't normally pick up a historical fiction book such as this except that I needed to read Circling the Sun for a book club.  I'd never in my life heard of Beryl Markham--surprising since she had success as a horse trainer in Africa and is the British equivalent to Amelia Earhart.

The novel kept my interest even though I found Beryl frustrating as a character based on fact. The writing is well composed but I agree with the book group that there was lack of depth and a sense of disconnect between parts of the narrative.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I hated this and would have never bothered except I wanted to fulfill the Oprah Book Club spot for my reading challenge. I just couldn't engage in this memoir of self discovery as the author rambles about excessive drinking leading to unplanned pregnancy, a shotgun wedding and subsequent surprise and devastation when said marriage isn't perfect and her husband cheats. But wait! Go meditate by the beach, take some yoga and therapy and then go back to the guy because 'you are a love warrior!'

No thank you! Not for me but I can see why this is an Oprah pick. It definitely fits her book club mantra.

Final rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Wells' science fiction and fantasy writing was certainly ahead of its time, which is why these are classics and still palatable to audiences today. The Time Machine is perhaps my favorite of his tales (plus I like the movie!). I love the blending of past, present and future and the general discussion about the potential future of the human race and the planet, especially what knowledge might remain and what baser instinct always re-emerge.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

And Then There Were None is another classic that I know I should have read long ago. I enjoyed this suspenseful, traditional mystery by Christie. She truly is the queen of the genre.  The story is fantastic as is the pacing. I think that is why so many others have copied the style.  Finishing this makes me want to watch and play Clue!

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

On a decidedly different note, Sleeping with Strangers is the first book I've read from urban fiction author Eric Jerome Dickey and part of my 2016 reading challenge. Gideon is a for hire hitman with a mysterious and troubled past. Fleeing the U.S. after a new job turned particularly violent and way too public, he arrives in London to a whole new set of complications.

I can't say that I liked or disliked the book as a whole. The new writing style from Dickey made it hard for me to adjust. However, I'll agree that it was fast paced and held my attention, especially the cliffhanger that still has me wondering what happens.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Madison's The Vegas Diaries was a bit of a let down after finishing Down the Rabbit Hole. I still found it interesting; however, much of it felt repetitive based on what the author explored in her previous memoir.  There is much more detail about her stint on Dancing with the Stars as well as her role in Peep Show on the Vegas strip. Madison is a competent writer and I enjoyed the Wizard of Oz tie-in to her chapters.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Andres is a young man who has lived most of his life fighting depression and anxiety. Just about to give up hope, he meets a charismatic stranger named Roman. He follows Roman and his friends to an underground party only to be kidnapped and whisked away to a supernatural world where darkness and deceit prevail and human are no more than slaves meant to endure horrific torture. Andres seeks to unite his fellow prisoners in order to escape while also discovering that he might also be the prophesied savior to end the darkness for good.

Dark, fantasy and horror. This was an interest debut from Henriquez but ultimately not my cup of tea.

Final rating: 2 out 5 stars

Triangles is the parallel telling of Hopkins' YA novel Tilt. This narrative in verse follows three mothers:

Holly - filled with regret as a stay at home mom, she sheds excess weight and delves into a life of extramarital affairs which threaten to break apart her family.

Andrea - Holly's single best friend who watches her seemingly throw away a good husband and life she would do just about anything to have.

Marissa - Andrea's sister and mother to a young girl with a terminal illness and a host of other family challenges so extensive that she has forgotten to life for herself.

Triangles is very much a story of connections and disconnections told in Hopkin's riveting style which draws the reader into these characters and their lives.  It is hard, erotic, realistic and at times, overwhelmingly sad but truly a book to remember..

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Book 12 of the Otherworld series, Shadow Rising continues to tale of the D'Artigo sisters and their quest to discover seals and keep them out of hands of an evil demon lord.  Each book is told from a different sister's POV, this one by Menolly, a Fae turned vampire, devoted to her family as well as consort to a powerful vampire lord and finance to werepuma, Nerissa.  To put it mildly, Menolly's love life is complicated.

Will she and Nerissa decide on the details of their promise ceremony? What is happening to the local witches? Can they defeat Telazhar, a malevolent necromancer, dispatched by Shadow Wing?

I enjoyed it; however, the Menolly books are never my favorites.  I'm behind in the series and really need to catch up.  Great characterization and overall plot developments with that nice blend of sexy romance and urban fantasy.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Crimson Death by Laurell K. Hamilton

Crimson Death is the 25th book in Hamilton's Anita Blake series. Blake continues her job as a Federal Marshal and vampire executioner.  She's called by friend and fellow executioner, Edward to consult on a series of grisly vampire related crimes in Dublin--a unique land of its own regarding its history with magic, vampires and She Who Shall Not Be named AKA Damian's former vampire mistress.

This is very much a Damian centric book.  He hasn't been too involved in much of Anita's life even though he's part of her Triumvirate with Nathaniel.  All this changes based on Damian's apparent connection to the situation in Ireland and the role the trio needs to play in each other's lives.

Overall, I enjoyed the book far more than last year's Dead Ice; however, the narrative dragged quite a bit.  It is the same format as the past number of series entries-- introduce crime, then deal with WAY too much relationship and power struggle antics, then finally get on with the crime solving only to have the end action happen too quickly and wrap things up in far too few pages.

What I liked...

The actual Jean Claude interactions, that Damian was back and had a role, that Nathaniel is maturing and stepping up for what he wants. I always like when Edward shows up but he needed to be around more and this government tie-in that is probably going to become important in future books is interesting.

What I didn't like...

The pacing. There's just too much of the same relationship and political woes.  Poor Asher. Poor Anita. Poor Nathaniel. Etc...Etc...Etc. When we finally get into the 'meat of the crime, all the action happens way too quickly and then there isn't a lot of time for readers to process the outcome of character deaths and new metaphysical powers.

Anita spends far too much time justifying her lifestyle choices. It is time to move on and stop being repetitive.

Final rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars



#CrimsonDeath #AnitaBlake #vampires #horror #erotica #netgalley #review

REVIEW: Dark of Night by Jonathan Maberry

Please excuse my squeals of excitement after finishing another amazing tale by Maberry in which he has paired with debut author Rachael Lavin!

I'm an uber fan of Maberry's writing with special love of the Joe Ledger and Rot & Ruin books.  I've thought the Dead of Night series particularly captivating since they bridge the gap between Ledger and Ruin, providing the important details into the outbreak and pretty much the why and how all hell broke loose leading to the 15 years later in which we meet Benny Imura and friends in Rot & Ruin.

Dark of Night is story 2.5 in this series following the intensely painful end of Fall of Night.  In this story, readers follow the perspectives of three key players as the novella brings together all three series.  Captain Joe Ledger (Joe Ledger), former cop Desdemona Fox (Dead of Night), and Rachael Elle (Bits & Pieces) have all been doing everything they can to survive fighting an endless onslaught of living dead until their stories unexpected converge.

This novella is an in your face adventure full of heart pounding action, compelling characterization and some pretty terrifying zombie action plus the struggle for survival in a chaotic world where the survivors much face not only undead monsters but also those who while still human have embraced the evil, dark side of human nature.

The audiobook narrated by doesn't disappoint and adds a whole new facet for how to experience the story. For me, it was pretty much perfect in every way except that I am always left wanting MORE, MORE MORE!

Bravo to Maberry and Lavin! Now, please go write more :)

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Follow the author and narrator on Twitter: @jonathanmaberry @Ray_Porter



#darkofnight #joeledger #deadofnight #rot&ruin #zombies #horror #books #audiobook

REVIEW: Christine by Stephen King

Christine counts as my Book Riot entry for book published in the decade I was born. This 1983 King novel tell the story of an evil alive in Libertyville, PA--an evil that inhabits a red 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine and the car's teenage owner, Arnold Cunningham after he buys it from strange, anger ridden Roland LeBay.

It soon becomes apparent that Christine isn't like other cars.  With a sense of awareness as if she's alive, Christine targets those who bully Arnie and reacts jealously to those who sway his attention from her. Best friend Dennis Guilder learns of the car's dark past including murder, suicide and it's heinous regeneration.

In hopes to save Arnie and put an end to Christine's reign of terror, Dennis joins forces with Arnie's ex-girlfriend Leigh Cabot. But will they all survive or will Christine and the evil manifested by LeBay cost them their lives?

Christine doesn't disappoint. It's super creepy but also interesting in its plot and character development. We so often hear people speak about a car as if it were a real person that the prospect of a car as a sentient being is pretty frightening.  Overall, I enjoyed the book as well as the audio narrated by Holter Graham.

I still have a qualms about King's depiction of female characters.  At this point I've read The Shining, Doctor Sleep, Carrie, The Dead Zone, and Salem's Lot. I want a BA and strong female character that isn't so hopelessly flawed or comes across as a bitch.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars



#horror #Christine #stephenking #cars #possession #audiobook

REVIEW: Asylum by Madeleine Roux

Sixteen year old Dan Crawford arrives at New Hampshire College Prep with high expectations.  He's excited to take challenging courses and to meet friends but less than enthused when he learns that his summer dorm is a former asylum. When Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, start exploring the building, creepy occurrences begin happening and they all discover that it is no coincidence that the three of them ended up there.

I have mixed feelings about this one.  I didn't have any expectations going in so I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised or at least entertained.  I'm currently participated in #TRC2016, a two month long Teen Reading Challenge for the SWON Libraries in Ohio.  Audible was having a groovy sale, so I stocked up on some YA titles. With further investigation, it seems as if I did myself a disservice by listening to this on audio.  Asylum is touted as a readalike for fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children in that it includes found photos which chronicle the unsettling history and chilling reality of many real life asylums. Of course, the audiobook skips over all of the photographs and leaves the reading missing out on a major aspect of the storytelling experience.

Overall, I wasn't a big fan of the characterization and found the plot rather predictable which is fine for the target audience. Back in the day, I would have been all over this series since I loved R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike when I was in middle school.  There is just enough diversity, spookiness and a dash of potential romance. That being said, my adult self was rather disappointed because I just wanted more--intrigue, depth, chills. However, there is mass appeal for middle school as well as reluctant readers.

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Follow the author on Twitter: @Authoroux




#Asylum #madeleineroux #horror #YAlit #teen #audiobook #whatimreading #TRC2016

REVIEW: Wytches Vol. 1 by Scott Snyder

Wytches is a dark and pretty horrifyingly creepy graphic novel exploring an alternate mythology of witches.  The Rooks family has moved to Litchfield for a fresh start following an accident which left mother, Lucy, paralyzed and the mysterious disappearance of teen daughter, Sailor's bullying nemisis, Annie. However, evil waits in the woods and has more in store for this family. The story provides a unique look at the origins of witches and touches on interesting themes regarding the darker aspects of the human psyche.

I was expecting this to be dark and scary but maybe not quite this much.  The story is intricate and compelling on its own but the graphic novel format with these truly haunting and altogether grisly images pack a punch that is decidedly more terrifying than just the well crafted, written words of many notable horror novelists (i.e. King, Koontz, Maberry). I needed to sleep with the lights on and have a comforting hug when I put this down.

The teaser to the next volume has me intrigued and I will certainly read on--except in daylight, with a blankie.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars


#Wytches #GraphicNovel #Horror #ScottSnyder

REVIEW: Slasher Girls & Monster Boys

Slasher Girls & Monster Girls is an YA anthology of scary stories edited by April Genevieve Tucholke.  Thirteen notable teen authors lend their prowess to some downright terrifying stories that will have general fans and more cowering in a corner with a blankie and flashlight at the ready. This is a fantastic go-to volume for year-round reader's advisory.  I know I get teens wanting something 'scary' all the time.  Let's face it, for YA readers there often aren't a lot of truly scary titles. I often recommend anything by Brenna Yovanoff or the Asylum series by Madeleine Roux if they want something beyond R.L. Stine and aren't quite ready for Stephen King.

Personal standouts within Slayer Girls & Monster Boys:

• "Verse chorus verse" by Leigh Bardugo - a teen superstar lands herself in 'rehab' but sinister things happen that make this a not so sweet retreat to get her life on track.

• "Sleepless" by Jay Kristoff - inspired by Hitchcock's Psycho, readers are in for a creepy treat. Full of Kristoff's trademark edgy humor.

• "Dark, scary parts and all" by Danielle Paige - set in high school and heavy with Frankenstein and Dracula allusions.  The school outcast encounters bullying and other drama with a surprise supernatural twist.

• "Fat girl with a knife" by Jonathan Maberry - a short story about a high school outcast but what happens when the bullied girl is your best defense at the beginning of the zombie apocalypse.

• "Girl without a face" by Marie Lu - great, creep imagery.  This one will give readers chills!

• "Stitches" by A.G. Howard - super, super creepy! A young girl agrees to dismember her father over time as part of his penance for other deeds.

Each story is inspired by a song, film or another literary reference. By far my favorite was "Sleepless".  In fact, a week later, I'm still pretty creeped out!

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars




#YAlit #teen #anthology #shortstories #bookreview #horror #scary #slashergirls&monsterboys

Verse chorus verse /Leigh Bardugo