eBook Review: Investing Isobella by Jason Werbeloff

This is true, scary horror, complete with sci-fi cyber elements.
Investing Isobella
by Jason Werbeloff


File Size: 1417 KB
Print Length: 38 pages
Publication Date: February 20, 2017
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B01N26RM2Y
Genre: Cyberpunk, Horror, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.

Paul Sanders is a desperate man. He and his daughter, Isobella, are weeks away from living in the Gutter.
Enter Jono Falanges, a greasy stockbroker promises Paul all the money he needs, and more. The only catch is, Paul must invest Isobella’s health on the stock market.
Plunge down the slippery slope of morality with Investing Isobella, a horrifying sci-fi novella. You won’t look at your investments the same way, ever again.

Review:
Paul Sanders is afraid he and his beloved daughter, Isobella, will soon be living on the streets. He struggled after the death of his wife and is now, out of work, he is desperate to make the last bit of his funds protect his family. He is afraid to gamble but afraid not to. Paul seeks advice from a slick technology stockbroker. The man convinces Paul that he has an asset he can invest and that the risk is minimal. But Paul doesn’t understand the true deal he is making – it is more life and death than he realizes until much later.

I was intrigued by this presented as a sci-fi horror story. And oh – this is true horror. I winced when I realized the deal he was making and at the end my reaction was “AARGH!” The story is well-plotted and well written. I don’t know if all of the works by Werbeloff are horror and I will have to brace myself to try more from him (having just picked up three more freebies). This is a short story well worth reading especially if you enjoy horror.

Source: April 2018 Free Kindle. This qualifies for 2019TBR/ebook goals.

Audible Book Review: Lullaby by Jonathan Maberry

This is what I consider a true horror story.
Lullaby
By: Jonathan Maberry
Narrated by: Scott Brick


Length: 37 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 10-04-18
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Original
Categories: Fiction, Horror, Short Story
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 5.0.

About This Audible Original
The fears and horrors of being a new parent take on a shocking dimension in in this heart-stopping original story, only from Audible. A young married couple, Matt and Gillian have just bought a gorgeous house located next to a lake in the Catskills. They want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city to raise their baby girl, Hope, in relative peace and quiet. When night falls, however, their dream home becomes a house of nightmares. Matt and Gillian soon learn that darkness takes many forms. And sometimes, darkness is hungry.
New York Times best-selling author and Bram Stoker Award winner Jonathan Maberry delivers a haunting Audible Original that will give listeners the Halloween creeps all year round. Scott Brick, the man with the golden voice, perfectly captures the experience of hearing a classic ghost story told around the campfire.
This product features adult language and themes.
©2018 Jonathan Maberry (P)2018 Audible Originals, LLC.

Review:
Matt and Gillian plan to raise their coming baby away from the rat race of the city. They buy a gorgeous home in the Catskills even though they know the house has a dark history. All seems good until one night Gillian wakes up startled and thinks she sees something strange on the baby monitor. She and Matt try to convince themselves everything is fine even as they install more security systems. Events escalate and they have to rush the baby to the hospital. Tension grows and horror follows.

This is what I consider true horror. The writing is direct, clear and appropriately dark. I liked the dark tone but admit that (like another reviewer) I questioned the behavior of the parents. I can’t imagine taking my infant back into that house after the crises that occurred. I still enjoyed the quick “fright night” story and recommend it to those who enjoy a short horror tale.

Audio Notes: Scott Brick does a perfect job of narration for this work. He carries the tone wonderfully making it a ‘fun’ listen -- especially for a free listen.

Source: 10/29/2018 Free Audible Original. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs

This is a good ironic, vintage sci fi.

The Monster Men
By: Edgar Rice Burroughs
Narrated by: Sean Murphy

Length: 5 hrs and 57 mins
Published May 4th 2015 (first published November 1913)
Genre: Classic Literature, Horror, Sci Fi Classic
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

They called him Number Thirteen, the latest and best of Dr. von Horn's attempts to create life from chemicals. He found himself an almost-human on von Horn's hideaway jungle island off the coast of Borneo. He saw the monsters that had preceded him and grew used to those dreadful travesties of humanity.
Not until Number thirteen met the American girl who was von Horn's prisoner did he realize how different he was from the others. Then, monster or not, he turned against his master and his "brothers" and threw in his lot with the girl in a desperate attempt to escape the island of terror.

Review:
Professor Maxon has secretly been working on creating “man”. His attempts have left him with ruined bodies and estranged from his daughter, Virginia. Now the two are headed to a remote Asian jungle island accompanied by the Professor’s new assistant, Dr. von Horn.

As the time passes the Professor remains locked in the cabin with his lab work. One after one the ‘monsters’ are produced and caged. Each creation, from number one through twelve, are a little better developed and a little less monstrous. As Dr. von Horn keeps the professor’s secrets, he also attempts to woe Virginia. She is lovely but he is mostly interested in her inheritance. He is not the only one after the Professor’s treasure chest. Crew members and local natives are conspiring with nearby pirates to take the girl and the treasure.

The camp is attacked and the Professor suspects that his latest experiment has been damaged a few days before it is ready. Instead the pod opens to reveal Number Thirteen – a beautiful manly specimen ready to be taught language and manners.

As the pirates are attempting to kidnap Virginia, they are interrupted by the monsters. Virginia is horrified to be pulled away from the kidnappers to be put in the hands of a ghastly monster. Then she faints only to awaken in the arms of a beautiful man, Number Thirteen. Number Thirteen is enchanted by Virginia but the Professor and von Horn convince him that Virginia could never love a soulless monster.

A chase ensues as von Horn tries desperately to get to Virginia and the treasure. He is quick to tell the Professor that Number Thirteen is the one to blame for the attacks. But von Horn doesn’t realize that there is a shadow watching his every betrayal. A shadow who hopes to save Virginia… and maybe Number Thirteen.

The adventure is full of a macabre atmosphere in a fitting earlier year setting. I may have rolled my eyes a few times at the simplest nature of the beauty and beast romance, but I enjoyed the chase and the fine horror and ironic ending. This is a mix of Frankenstein, Tarzan and Dr. Moreau. I may prefer the Barsoom Series (John Carter on Mars) but I do recommend this to readers who enjoy vintage sci fi mixed with horror.

Audio Notes: The narration by Sean Murphy fits the vintage nature of the story. This is a type of story I am more inclined to listen to than read so I am glad I got it for a bargain at Audible.

There are many covers for this title but I think the most fitting is this one:

I picked this TBR for FRATERFEST.
Source: 2018 December Audible Purchase $.82. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

This is an engaging horror story.

I Am Legend
By: Richard Matheson
Narrated by: Robertson Dean

Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 12-31-06
Language: English
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Horror, Paranormal, Sci Fi, Vintage
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
In I Am Legend, a plague has decimated the world, and those unfortunate enough to survive are transformed into blood-thirsty creatures of the night. Robert Neville is the last living man on earth. Every other man, woman, and child has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood. By day, he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for the dawn. How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?
©1954, 1982 by Richard Matheson (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Review:
Robert Neville is a lone survivor of a plague that turned most survivors to a form of vampire. The authorities took his daughter to the burn pit but he protected his wife as long as he could. When the time came that she died he took her to bury her with dignity – he thought. At least he would be able to visit her grave. But when night came, she arrived at his door to visit him.

The neighbors and strangers prowl his lawn at night seeking his blood; hoping to make him one of them. He struggles with being a true, living survivor, with no one to talk to and only the taunting shouts of the dead outside his barricaded home. During the day Neville tracks the sleeping monsters to their lairs and kills them first with wooden stakes and later by other means he discovers. One night after a drunken rage he decides to study the decease to see if he can find a cure. After all he has hours and days and years…

It has been a long time since Neville has seen a person during the day or heard a voice other than the dead. He is shocked when he finds a woman wondering in a field one day. His ravings frighten her but he ends up dragging her home. Then he begins to wonder if she is another survivor like him.

The character of Neville in the book is not the one I remember from the movie. I suppose it is understandable that Neville would have bouts of craziness – being alone so long and always under night attacks. At times he is a sad character and other times pathetic. I hoped things would improve when he began reading medical journals. Some of the monologues and medical jargon got a bit tedious but it was part of the character development. I especially found the history and myth testing regarding vampires interesting.

This is a Vintage book written in 1954 and it did not have some of the more modern items I think I remember in the movie. I had forgotten enough of the movie to make this worth listening to as part of my TBR. I knew it was horror and I am thinking that the book achieves a different level of sci fi horror than the movie.

I enjoyed the ending dilemma which reveals the meaning of the title. I recommend this to horror fans, fans of a different, dark vampire (no sparkles), and fans of post-apocalyptic. I also recommend it even if you have seen the movie.

Audio Notes: Robertson Dean does an excellent job with the narration. He captures the dark tone of the story and the mania of Neville. I’m glad I listened to this rather than reading.

Source: 11/18/17 Celebrating 20 years of Listeners Membership Perk Free #audible20. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Frankenstein: Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz

Surprisingly engaging with underlying questions.

Frankenstein: Prodigal Son

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Christopher Lane

Series: Frankenstein, Book 1

Series: Frankenstein, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 12-04-17
Language: English
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Horror
My Rating: Story 4.0 of 5.0; Narration 5.0

Publisher's Summary
From the celebrated imagination of Dean Koontz comes a powerful reworking of one of the classic stories of all time. If you think you know the legend, you know only half the truth. Here is the mystery, the myth, the terror, and the magic of...
Every city has its secrets. But none as terrible as this. He is Deucalion, a tattooed man of mysterious origin, a sleight-of-reality artist who has traveled the centuries with a secret worse than death. He arrives in New Orleans as a serial killer stalks the streets, a killer who carefully selects his victims for the humanity that is missing in himself. Deucalion's path will lead him to cool, tough police detective Carson O'Connor and her devoted partner, Michael Maddison, who are tracking the slayer but will soon discover signs of something far more terrifying: an entire race of killers who are much more - and less - than human and, deadliest of all, their deranged, near-immortal maker: Victor Helios - once known as Frankenstein.
©2005 Dean Koontz (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Review:
The story caught my interest from the start. Further in I didn't want to put it down. I was fully engaged and enjoying the characters (the good guys). The primary villain is horrible and it is fascinating to see how his creations are slowly breaking out of his planned control. I was captured by the narration and intrigued at the implications of seeking happiness and meaning in life by the created monsters. I was caught up in the protagonist's transformation .. and then the ending! Arrgh! I had forgotten this was the first in a series.

I was surprised by the imagination and depth, although perhaps I shouldn’t have been since Koontz is a well known and accomplished author. I know some of his books are off the edge horror, but this one is creepy and wonderfully strange without being really scary horror.

I found this to be a little drawn out to get where it is going. Still, the characters, including villains, are well drawn and the story moves well. I recommend this for those who enjoy the idea of a Frankenstein monster with a heart fighting a truly evil megalomaniac.

Audio Notes: I found the narration by Christopher Lane to be spot on for the tone and intent of the story. It is a great entertaining experience.

Koontz is the author of one of my favorite time travel titles: Lightning.
Source: Audible Daily Deal $3.95 6/3/2018. This qualifies for Audiobook Challenge and 2018 title for Alphabet Challenge.

Audible Review: Zombie Fallout, Book 1, by Mark Tufo

This seemed a fairly common zombie conflict.
Zombie Fallout
Zombie Fallout, Book 1
By: Mark Tufo
Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Series: Zombie Fallout, Book 1
Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 03-27-12
Language: English
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Horror, Humor, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
It was a flu season like no other. With the H1N1 virus running rampant throughout the country, people lined up in droves to try and attain one of the coveted vaccines. What was not known was the effect this largely untested, rushed to market, inoculation was to have on the unsuspecting throngs. Within days, feverish folk throughout the country convulsed, collapsed, and died, only to be reborn. With a taste for brains, blood, and bodies, these modern-day zombies scoured the lands for their next meal. Overnight the country became a killing ground for the hordes of zombies that ravaged the land.
This is the story of Michael Talbot, his family, and his friends: a band of ordinary people trying to get by in extraordinary times. When disaster strikes, Mike, a self-proclaimed survivalist, does his best to ensure the safety and security of those he cares for. Book one of the Zombie Fallout Trilogy follows our lead character at his self-deprecating, sarcastic best. What he encounters along the way leads him down a long dark road, always skirting the edge of insanity.
Can he keep his family safe? Can he discover the secret behind Tommy's powers? Can he save anyone from the zombie queen? Encircled in a seemingly safe haven called Little Turtle, Mike and his family, together with the remnants of a tattered community, must fight against a relentless, ruthless, unstoppable force. This last bastion of civilization has made its final stand. God help them all.
©2010 Mark Tufo (P)2012 Tantor

Review:
Mike, a man in his mid-40s, is an ordinary man with his wife, Tracy, a daughter, Nicole, in college, 19-year-old Justin, 15-year-old Travis and an aging bull dog named Henry. Mike is a former Marine, but that didn’t prepare him for zombies. When the “flu” turns his neighbors into the walking dead, Mike and Travis head to Walmart to pick up Justin. In addition to Justin, they bring home overweight, affable Tommy. Tommy quickly becomes part of the family, saving them a time or two with an unexplained second sight. Nicole and her boyfriend make it home to make it one strong family group.

Mike was already a prepper, but the family begins to scavenge for supplies to aid in survival. They plan to hunker down with other survivors. in their subdivision of Little Turtle. There are some who cooperate, helping to build a defensive wall. Others don’t cooperate, and some are downright psychopaths. Still, the real enemies are the zombie hoards.

The story is written as journal entries, mostly by Mike but some by Tracy. The tale follows the family as they face the conflicts and risk their lives. There are otherworldly elements that add weirdness to the horror. There is a rather crude sense of humor with cliched phrases. This underlies plenty of death and foul language. I wasn’t gripped by the characters and found this to be a standard zombie conflict. I’m not planning on picking up the next books (unless I need a “Z” title). I recommend it to readers who like zombie stories.

Audio Notes: Sean Runnette does a fine job with the narration. It is all a bit slow at the beginning but soon enough he is portraying the characters through their distinct personalities and leaning into the humor. I preferred listening to this rather than reading.

Source: 2016 Audible Sale Purchase. This qualifies for 2018TBR, Audible and Alphabet Challenge.

Audible Book Review: No Easy Hope: Surviving the Dead, Volume 1 by James N. Cook

This is a solid EOTW, biochemical (zombie) story with a strong lead character and good action.

No Easy Hope: Surviving the Dead, Volume 1
Written by: James N. Cook
Narrated by: Guy Williams

Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
Series: Surviving the Dead, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:03-07-13
Publisher: James N. Cook
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Thriller, Zombie
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Eric Riordan was once a wealthy man leading a comfortable, easy life. Until one day Gabriel, his oldest friend, Marine Corps veteran, and a former mercenary, told him how the world was going to end.
He did his best to prepare. He thought he was ready for anything.
He was wrong.
As the dead rise up to devour the living, one man finds himself struggling to survive in the ruins of a shattered world. Alone, isolated, and facing starvation, his only chance is to flee to the Appalachians and join forces with Gabriel. But the journey will not be easy, and along the way his humanity, his will to live, and his very soul will be tested.
This is the beginning. This is his story.
©2011 James N Cook (P)2013 James N Cook

Review:
Eric is a wealthy man, not a military man. He and Gabriel, Gabe, became friends during the sale of land between them. Sometime later, Gabe warns Eric to prepare for a chaotic collapse of the world. Gabe is a former Marine and former mercenary who has reason to know of biological secrets that could endanger society.

Eric had the money to prepare a bunker and stock it with food and weapons. He thought he was ready – but who can really prepare for the bloody rising of the dead? After staying alone in his own bunker for a time, Eric sets to meet up with Gabe who is hunkered down in a cabin in the mountains.

Along the way Eric faces danger and rescues a young man from an attack of the undead and returns with him to a compound of survivors. Some of the survivors are thankful but some are resentful and untrusting. Eric remains and proves his good intent as he helps the group clearing local communities of infected so they can gather more supplies. Sadly, the undead are not the only enemy that the survivors must face. There are rival survivor groups who are lawless and brutal.

I really liked Eric’s strong, well developed character. The survivor group he works with is well developed also. Mr. Cook does a good job of creating an engaging story with a good balance of human elements and action. There is gore and bad language but it is not the focus of the story but rather part of the situation.

There are also grammatical errors which might be attributable to the nature of the characters… otherwise it is just inadequate editing. I let them slide. There are a few slower segments but for the most part the story pacing moves along well. I did not realize that this series is already up to 8 books. I will likely continue to read at some point, although not immediately. I recommend this to readers who like well written, catastrophic, end of the world (EOTW), scenarios.

Audio Notes: Guy Williams does a good job with the narration. I found it is easy to listen and follow the characters. There did not seem excessive emotion but adequate to convey the scenes of the story. The narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

I picked this from my Audible TBR shelves. It qualifies for Audio Challenge, Mount TBR and "N" in Alphabet Challenge.

Book Review: The Rage by Matthew Babaoye

Sorry - the language pretty much ruined the rest of the story for me.
The Rage
by Matthew Babaoye

File Size: 2510 KB
Print Length: 296 pages
Publication Date: February 10, 2016
ASIN: B01BM99YFO
Genre: Horror, Occult
My Rating: 3.5 of 5.0

"The Rage was transformative. Few appreciated the emotion like he did. Most feared it. But not him, not anymore. He fed it lesser emotions like sadness and fear, to grow it...
His psychiatrist would never understand."
Damon's life sucks. His parents ditched early, his few friends are thoughtless meatheads only concerned with partying and bullshit, his job is a sales nightmare, and his home is a s***hole apartment in the gutter district. Although: he at least has a loving, gorgeous girlfriend... whose mother hates him, and whose abusive ex won't let go.
So how does Damon deal with all of it? The rage. Using the emotion as fuel to power him through his days, a constant source of energy for the rough road of his life. Always there to keep him warm in the cold, dependable in its intensity...
Until the rage begins to act of its own will, and changes him in ways that neither he, nor anyone else, could have ever imagined.

Review:
Damon is an unhappy, angry young man. He lives in a tiny apartment in a ‘gutter’ neighborhood and rides a bus to work. At work Damon is the top appointment setter who is annoyed by his co-workers and annoyed that all he gets for his efforts is a pat on the back and greater expectation from his boss. Damon is dissatisfied with his life but only half-heartedly willing to try to change it.

The only bright thing is his beautiful girlfriend, Monica. But even that has problems in the form of an overly eager little sister and a mother who really dislikes Damon and wants Monica to return to her ex-boyfriend. Plus Monica insists that Damon keep his weekly visit with the psychiatrist.

Damon has always had a lot of anger but lately his inner rage seems to be growing beyond his ability to maintain control in social settings. Damon is initially distressed by this. Then he and his basketball playing friends realize that Damon’s body is changing. He is getting leaner and stronger; they can barely recognize him. The hotter his rage grows the more his body changes until Damon, as he knows himself, is consumed.

My initial comment on this book is that it should come with a warning for extreme bad language with the "F" word filling up a good portion of the book. Had I looked at the sample before accepting the story for review I may well have said ‘no thank you’. At 25% I was ready to stop but then decided to push along to see where the rage was taking Damon. I was sort of thinking this was a story like the Hulk, but no.

About a third in, although still put off by the language, I enjoyed the basketball action and thought, okay… now we are getting somewhere. I really wanted to know where the story was going when finally, beyond three quarters in, an interesting transformation occurs. The language stops and a different type of action picks up. This leads to a full out chase and escalating confrontation. The ending brings along a twist which was hinted at and had great potential. Unfortunately for me the ending left me disappointed and wondering what the purpose was.

Sorry – but this really didn’t work for me. Half of the book was bad language that could have been removed and left some interesting character building. I had hopes for the hinted-at conspiracy but the ending left me with no satisfactory feelings. The more I think about the story I do think the writing and the idea were good - without the excessive and repeated "F" word. The writing moved along well, except for the excessive bad language and some typos that may be fixed in the published version. Readers who like horror and aren't bothered by bad language might find this an interesting character study.

I received this from the author for an honest review.

Audible Book Review: Yesterday's Gone:Season 1- Episode 1 by Sean Platt and David Wright

This is interesting but do note the warning especially regarding language.
FREE Yesterday's Gone: Season 1 - Episode 1
Written by: Sean Platt, David Wright
Narrated by: Ray Chase, R. C. Bray, Brian Holsopple, Chris Patton, Maxwell Glick, Tamara Marston

Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins
Series: Yesterday's Gone, Book 1
Original Audiobook
Release Date:04-15-14
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Genre: Sci Fi, Horror
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Start the First Season of the Groundbreaking Post-Apocalyptic Serial! Yesterday's Gone: Season One: Episode 1.
WARNING: This is a post-apocalyptic horror audiobook where bad people do evil things, and as such, this series features disturbing scenes and foul language. While it is all within the context of the story, some listeners may find this content offensive.
Can humanity survive what it never saw coming?
On October 15 at 2:15 a.m. Earth vanished. A scattered few woke alone in a world with no rules, other than survival at any cost.
A journalist wanders the wretched reality of an empty New York, searching for his wife and son. A serial killer must hunt in a land where prey is now an endangered species. A mother shields her young daughter from danger through every terror-filled breath.
A bullied teen is thrilled to find the world gone missing, until the knock on his door. A fugitive survives a fiery plane crash. Will he be redeemed, or return to the killing he's best at? An eight-year-old boy sets out on a journey to find his missing family, only to find something that will change him forever. These survivors aren't truly alone...
Someone or something is watching them. And waiting...
Strangers unite. Sides are chosen. Can humanity survive what it never saw coming?
©2011 Sean Platt, David Wright (P)2014 Podium Publishing

Review:
I failed to heed the warning and the language is explicitly rough making this less pleasant for me than it might have been otherwise.

The story follows six or so characters who wake up to discover their family, friends, neighbors and strangers in the surrounding areas gone. There are no traces and no explanations. The chapters bounce between the characters which makes it a little hard to follow. There is a journalist in the city who seeks his wife and son; an awkward teenager at home is sort of glad to be alone; a young boy follows rainbows looking for his parents; and a sociopath is glad when he finds other survivors to kill. There is also a mother trying to protect her daughter and a fugitive who views his plane crash as a means to a second chance.

There is something strange about the cats and dogs that have survived and most of the survivors sense they are not alone. This episode ends with a horrific discovery but it does not reveal the cause of the disappearances.

I found some of the characters interesting and their stories were engaging with a sense of fear and some of horror. This might be well suited to those who like horror mystery and don’t mind horrendous foul language. I don't think I'll be pulling up other episodes right away.

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the narration from all of the readers. I really didn’t focus on the narrators so it seemed natural and unobtrusive to the story. This is a story I would like better in audio mode than reading.

I downloaded this as a free Audible library.

Audio Book Review: Nevermore: A Novel of Love, Loss & Edgar Allan Poe by David Nail Wilson

This is a marvelous dark fairy tale, reminding the reader that not all fairy tales have a happy ever-after ending.
Nevermore: A Novel of Love, Loss & Edgar Allan Poe
by David Nail Wilson
Narrated by Gigi Shane

    LENGTH    6 hrs and 6 mins
    RELEASE DATE    04-20-13
    PUBLISHER    Crossroad Press
Genre: Horror, Occult, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
On the banks of Lake Drummond, on the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp, there is a tree in the shape of a woman.

One dark, moonlit night, two artists met at the Lake Drummond Hotel, built directly on the borderline of North Carolina and Virginia. One was a young woman with the ability to see spirits trapped in trees and stone, anchored to the earth beyond their years. Her gift was to draw them, and then to set them free. The other was a dark man, haunted by dreams and visions that brought him stories of sadness and pain, trapped in a life between the powers he sensed all around him and a mundane existence attended by failure. They were Eleanore MacReady, Lenore, to her friends, and a young poet named Edgar Allan Poe, who traveled with a crow that was his secret, and almost constant companion, a bird named Grimm for the talented brothers of fairy-tale fame.

Their meeting drew them together in vision, and legend, and pitted their strange powers and quick minds against the depths of the Dismal Swamp itself, ancient legends, and time.

Once, upon a shoreline dreary, there was a tree. This is her story.
©2013 David N. Wilson (P)2013 David N. Wilson

Review:
A young woman, Lenore, has a unique and special, mystical, artistic skill. Lenore is able to sketch and release spirits trapped in objects, in this case, trapped in the trees. She has been drawn to an off the beaten path hotel on the borderline of Virginia and North Carolina. Nearby is a swamp and a Lake with legendary trees that resemble living creatures. One tree is shaped like a grand stag and another is shaped like a woman. There are local legends but no one really knows the story -- except perhaps the mysterious, ancient woman who lives in the swamp.

Lenore strike up a friendship with the man in the room next door, Edgar Poe, who travels with his faithful companion, a crow named Grimm. Edgar struggles with his dark writing as he despairs the imminent loss of his ailing wife. Lenore continues her work with intense focus while Edgar weaves a strange story of a sorceress who seeks dark power through capturing a child princess. Suddenly it appears that the artists’ skills are changing time, history and reforming reality.

A young waitress and a young boy at the Inn agree to help Lenore and Edgar on their separate adventures into the swamp. Edgar and Lenore part, agreeing that they will meet again after they have completed their missions. But their destinies soon cross again as Edgar races to stop Lenore when he realizes that the woman Lenore is about to release from the trees could bring disaster, not only to the swamp, but to Lenore herself.

This is a haunting story; beautiful in its presentation, even though dark. The author manages to convey a Southern gentility in the primary characters and a dark malevolence in the evil character. The pacing moves well with the building mystery leading to the danger and action.  I love how the author uses Edgar Allan Poe as a character along with several of the famous poet’s characters such as Lenore and the raven. When I was finishing the story I was compelled to pull out a copy of The Raven to re-read in light of this fairy tale.  I recommend this to any reader who likes Poe and any listener who wants an engaging, quick listen.

Audio Notes: This was a wonderful narration and made for several hours of engaging listening. Gigi Shane does an excellent job of conveying the Southern tone and the haunting danger. I enjoyed listening to the smooth delivery as I anticipated discovering what would happen.

I received this audio book from the Author through Audiobook Jukebox to provide an honest review.

Book Review: The Halloween Collection From the Indie Eclective

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! This is a fun collection and only marginally scary. See the smiling pumpkin?

THE HALLOWEEN COLLECTION FROM THE INDIE ECLECTIVE
M. Edward McNally (Author), Lizzy Ford (Author), Heather Marie Adkins (Author), PJ Jones (Author), Alan Nayes (Author), Julia Crane (Author), Shea MacLeod (Author), Talia Jager (Author), Jack Wallen (Author)

• File Size: 490 KB
• Print Length: 113 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005LPGG0C

Genre: Paranormal
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: September 6, 2011The Indie Eclective: What is it, who are they, and why can they spell neither “eclectic” nor “collective” correctly? The Indie Eclective is an ensemble of authors operating under the assumption that Readers like Good Books. The Halloween Collection showcases spooky reads from nine very different authors. Whether you enjoy light or dark paranormal, YA or adult-themed genres, there’s bound to be a story to suit your tastes. Thanks for reading!

Review:
It was fun to read these different stories and learn the tone of all new authors to me. I have written just a short sentence or two on each story - the print in orange. The two that are blocked in pale orange are my favorites and I may well seek to read more of those series. The collection is still free on Kindle and I recommend trying it. Some are more enjoyable than others but the full collection is entertaining and reads very quickly.


**Rhyn Trilogy: Origins, by Lizzy Ford: Gabriel's fate as an assassin seems set until he meets a courageous half-demon child named Rhyn, whose plight rekindles the humanity he thought he'd lost.  I liked Gabriel even as a harsh assassin for the Immortals. But I was pleased when he chose to help Rhyn.  I would like to read more from this series.

Ralphie the Special Werewolf by P.J. Jones: Ralphie doesn’t want to get snipped, but his pack is tired of watching him defile the sofa cushions. Now, he’s got to find a mate by Halloween night—or else.  This is a rather funny, and a bit crude, ‘doggy’ tale.

**Sunwalker's Kiss by Shéa MacLeod:  While searching for a magical bloodline, Sunwalker Jackson Keel discovers magic of a different kind. Jack was a Templar Knight but is now a Sunwalker, an Immortal who has come from hiding in the Dragon land. Amara has been accused of being a witch but Jack knows she is not...but she is something. When he realizes what he is more than willing to protect her against the evil man who seeks to kill her. I would like to read more in this saga too.

The Village of Those Who Touch The Dead by M. Edward McNally: "All obligations will be paid. There are no exceptions."  This is an interesting monster tale perhaps from Chinese legend. The endiing was not what I expected.

Haunting in OR 13, by Alan Nayes:  Halloween never frightened Sara McCaffe, until she stepped into Operating Room 13!  This one is a psychotic tale - is it dementia or a real haunted hospital?

To Taste of Shimmering Revenge by Jack Wallen: A vampire is awakened after four hundred years only to find his kind embarrassed and shamed by the rash of shimmery, hunky vampires on the big screen. His revenge will be sweet and tasty.  Ha- a Rip Van Winkle type story with a vampire waking to modern times that he can’t quite comprehend.

Magickal Vendetta by Heather Adkins - Revenge is a dish best served up in a pink saucepan for accident-prone blood witch, Gretchen.  By harnessing the power of Halloween, she hopes to break the bond with the soulmate who did her wrong.  This is a fun story of a witch who can’t seem to get her magic straight in spite of an expert mentor and a smart alike cat, Aura. As the 7th daughter of a 7th daughter her mate has been predestined. She wants to break the curse... except with his magickal kisses that might be more difficult than she thinks.

From the Keegan’s Chronicles series:  Haunted House by Julia Crane -  Keegan, Lauren, and Anna find much more than they bargained for during an innocent trip to a commercial haunted house.  Someone long dead awaits them on the second floor... Three girls start with fun in a haunted house but soon find a real ghost who needs help to leave this realm.

From the Gifted Teens series: Mind-Blower by Talia Jager - Kassia and Daxton’s romantic picnic is interrupted by the arrival of creatures bent on her destruction.  Will her powers fail her when she needs them most? A teen couple trying to enjoy a picnic need a little help. Although Kassia has a gift to kill demons and Daxton has strengths to help, they need some extra special help to escape from the demons when their numbers become almost overwhelming.

I read this for my Just For Fun October & Halloween Challenge.

Book Review: Creative Spirit by Scott Nicholson

This is an engaging ghostly tale!

Creative Spirit

by Scott Nicholson

• File Size: 481 KB
• Print Length: 314 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Haunted Computer Books (December 2, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006HKLNAI

Genre: Horror
My Rating:  4.25 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 2011

"Scott Nicholson explores the dark legends of the southern end of the Appalachian mountain chain, a nightmare country that ends in Stephen King's yard."-- Sharyn McCrumb, author of The Ballad novels

When artists gather at a remote Appalachian estate for a retreat, they are unaware that their energy is feeding something unwholesome. Sculptor Mason Jackson and dying parapsychologist Anna Galloway must uncover the dark secrets of Korban Manor before their spirits become trapped forever.

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CREATIVE SPIRIT

A modern Gothic thriller

After parapsychologist Anna Galloway is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she has a recurring dream in which she sees her own ghost. The setting of her dream is the historic Korban Manor, and she's compelled to face the secrets of her soul.

Sculptor Mason Jackson has come to the manor to make a final, all-or-nothing attempt at success before giving up his dreams. When he becomes obsessed with carving Ephram Korban's form out of wood, even Anna can't divert his bizarre passion.

The manor itself has secrets, with fires that blaze constantly in the hearths, portraits of Korban in every room, and deceptive mirrors on the walls. With an October blue moon looming, both the living and the dead learn the true power of their dreams.

Review:
I am sometimes hesitant to read horror stories as I fear (no pun intended) they may be too dark or gruesome.  This horror story is creepy and has some gruesome aspects but I found it surprisingly engaging.

The story begins in 1898 introducing the reader to several important characters: the head of the manor, Ephram Korban, and a young maid, Sylva. It is quite apparent that there is some terrible magic in use and Ephram has a strong hold on Sylva who is drawn, perhaps fatally, to him.

The author then brings us to the present day and introduces a group of artists from different media who have come to the secluded resort at Korban Manor.  Mason is a part time sculptor who is there on a grant for his last effort to produce a work that will make him famous, make his mama proud and allow him to leave his day labor jobs.  Anna is a specialist in parapsychology. She is dying from cancer and has been drawn to the Manor in search of a ghostly image she thinks is herself.  Anna and Mason have some immediate disdain for each other, as do many of the other guests who include a famous, vain writer, a cynical journalist, a gay couple, one of whom is a freelance photographer, a pair of musicians and some amateur artists.  All of the guest have come on retreat with the hopes of breathing fresh air into their work and dreams.

The Manor is beautiful but creepy with pictures of Ephram in every room and fires blazing all the time.  The guests seem to be inspired in feverish and dramatic work but they do not see that their dreams may lead them into a terrible nightmare. What price are they willing to trade for what they seek in success?

Slowly Mason and Anna begin to see that there is something dark, obsessive and wrong in the Manor and how it effects them. They are still at odds but perhaps they will have to work together if they want to uncover the dark secrets before the magic and spells of the Blue Moon pull them where they don’t want to go.

Mr. Nicholson weaves a marvelous tale with characters who draw you in. I felt vested in both Anna’s pain and feelings and Mason’s dreams and frustrations. I was pulling for them from the early pages of the book. The tension and anticipation of fear built as I waited to discover what monsters would be around the next corner in the house and tried to determine, along with the guests, which passages were dreams and which were real.  I actually have notes in my Kindle at passages where I say “Oh gosh” and “nooo, nooo!” 

Some of the ghostly aspects were not completely surprising but the author has given them a particularly dark and unique aspect under Korban.  There is an unexpected twist as the drama reaches its climax. I was surprised too by many pieces of introspective wisdom that are shared and these added to my enjoyment of the story.  If you are up for an engaging mystery in a dark setting you should try this story.

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Some wisdom tidbits:

Death wasn’t a release. Death...was just another prison, this one full of the same suffering that shadowed the living. Only here, there was no escape, no hope, and still nobody to belong to.  Location 3754.

The toughest critics weren’t in New York or Paris. They weren’t in the art schools.... Sometimes they lived in your mirror.  Location 4049.

Thank you to the author for providing a copy of this book for review.

This was set in the Appalachian mountains in North Carolina for My Where Are You Reading challenge. I will also add it to my ARC and New Author lists.