I saw the cover for The Earthdead and it made me curious. At first glance, it looks like it could be a children’s book, .then, I looked closer at the hand on the tree. That’s not a very nice hand. The title made me more curious, so I had to read it.
The Earthdead by Mark James Wooding was a quick and dirty read. LOL
Rebecca woke up with something heavy on her chest and a bad taste in her mouth.
The Community of Men are on the hunt for Rebecca. The town knew the rumors of Earthdead rising from the ground to feast on humans.
The Earthdead is a different take on the Undead and looking at the cover I was fooled. I thought it was a children’s book, I didn’t foresee the gruesomeness, but the deaths are not the ususal bloody or gory for zombies….maybe when she seeks her revenge Rebecca will do worse.
For it’s originality, fun and entertainment value I give it a three.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Earthdead by Mark James Wooding.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A certain fungus brings
corpses back from the dead. After the dead revive, they become stronger,
faster, and smarter than they were. They can also travel underground.
And there’s only one item on their menu: human flesh.
Two
local lodges, the Community of Men and the Community of Women, must once
again step up to defend the county against an evil that most people
don’t even believe exists.
Book Title: Come the Eventide by Chris Riker Category: YA Fiction / Adult Fiction, 330 pages Genre: YA Eco-Sci-Fiction / Fantasy Publisher: Lanier Press Release date: June, 2019 Tour Dates: October 14 to October 25, 2019 Content Rating: PG (There are mature themes, but nothing graphic or gratuitous)
MY REVIEW
An original and unique novel of life after the destruction caused by human. Humans, dolphins, and octopodes work together for survival. Told from all characters POV, whether human, dolphin or…
I love any books that relate to water and ecology and the creatures that live there.
Man’s inhumanity to man and everything else on the planet is nothing new. Nothing they won’t do to get what they want and the critters do hold grudges…so beware.
I was entranced, enthralled, disgusted and horrified, tense and frightened, hopeful and dismayed.
Man poisoned the earth and ecologies and species have been decimated and destroyed.
I didn’t see the twist in Chapter 14, but it makes perfect sense. And I love it. I read Come Eventide by Chris Riker in one sitting…because I had to know.
I read slower than normal, not wanting to miss a thing. I had to concentrate to follow and be surprised.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Come Eventide by Chris Riker.
4 Stars
BOOK DESCRIPTION: A century has passed since the fall of
humanity changed the natural landscape. The oceans are poison, and a
fraction of Earth’s magnificent creatures remain. The only surviving
humans squabble over limited resources as they cling to a fragile peace.
Yet in this bleak landscape hope lives on in Earth’s other intelligent
life. It all begins when Septielle, a seven-armed octopod, has a vision
of a world restored—a world she will not live to see. Inspired by her
vision, a dolphin named Muriel shoulders her mission and enlists any
humans who will listen—including Anadare, a young islander with an ax to
grind against the oppressive ruling class of tourists turned
bureaucrats. An invasion of cannibalistic pirates complicates things as
they declare war on a world that rejects them.
As tensions rise to a crescendo,
islanders, tourists, and pirates alike must put aside their differences
to send Muriel on her greatest journey yet—beyond the sea, beyond form,
beyond time itself.
In his first novel, Chris Riker
conducts an opus in voce giocoso that grins at the inevitable, but
reminds us of the heart that all life shares.
Chris Riker is a writer, father, and
journalist. He grew up in Rhode Island and now makes his home in Georgia
with his wife, Ping. He has always loved books, from science-fiction
and fantasy to historical novels and biographies. Building on a
background in broadcast news, including a stint at CNN, he is now
focused on telling stories with strong characters and moral resonance.
His premiere effort blends a love for our beautiful Earth and her myriad
life-forms with a sense of wonder at our shared purpose and fate.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
When teen psychic Dawn Christian gets involved with a fortuneteller mentor and two girls who share her mysterious talents, she finally belongs after years of being a misfit. When she learns her new friends may be tied to freak accidents in town, Dawn has an important choice to make – continue developing the talent that makes her special or challenge the only people who have ever accepted her. This novel is aimed at young adults, and at adults who enjoy paranormal YA such as the Twilight series, House of Night, and The Vampire Diaries series, Meg Cabot’s The Mediator series, or Lois Duncan books.
I love a good paranormal young adult story and when I saw they compared
it to the Twilight series, House of Night, and The Vampire Diaries
series, Meg Cabot’s The Mediator series, or Lois Duncan books, I thought
it was hard to go wrong.
Allright, Book III of the Chupacabra series by Michael Hebler, Legend of the Chupacabra. I got this book from Michael back in 2015 and finished it on 12.16.15. Man oh man it has been a wild ride…so, let’s get started.
As I enter the third book in the series, Legend of the Chupacabra by Michael Hebler, I have been reading them one after another, I become more fond of Jessie and her tenacity. She had a sordid upbringing, is self reliant, untrusting. Life is not what she would have chosen, but she would make the best of it. If she ever became your friend, it would be for life.
I couldn’t understand her felling of dread and being stalked. After all, the chupacabra was dead…isn’t it? What do you think?
Hate and revenge are strong motivators, leaving some open to being duped and unleashing a horror never known before upon the white man. In this western world, we learn about man’s ability to be good and bad. Are they born that way or do circumstances dictate their actions? I love a book that makes me ponder deep questions.
Suspense, twists and turns, pain and sorrow, but love and hope blossom from the most evil depredations. Sometimes subsequent books in the series don’t hold up, but, no worries. Each book has held more depth, more terror and more suspense than the last. I cannot stop reading, the suspense and sense of urgency driving me to the end…but wait…there’s one more book. YAY!
OMG…NO…Michael, you are sheer evil. I had a feeling something had to happen, but, damn it! I sure didn’t see the ending coming and it was a fabulous surprise.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Inside a small village
within the Great Plains of Montana, a ritual initiated in blood will be
performed. This ceremony has been executed only once before and will
mark a rite of honor and justice. Commonly, the Assiniboine are a
harmonious people with strong pride and passions, but turn to the
spirits for vengeance when wronged. The tribe’s chief will summon the
Great Spirit on behalf of his people, for no earthly man can make evil
suffer like a greater evil.
Legend of the Chupacabra finds Jessie and Suzanne living peacefully in Portland, Oregon, six years after they believed to have put an end to the curse of the chupacabra. But the women come to learn of their failure and the futility of their sacrifices when a remarkable reunion brings horror back into their lives; only this time, what they face will be unlike any creature they’ve encountered. Legend of the Chupacabra marks the end of a trilogy but the continuation of a saga that will leave this moment of history drenched in blood.
ABOUT MICHAEL HEBLER
Prior to his tween years, Michael used to “borrow” Stephen King
books off his mother’s bookshelf. Although he has not been clinically
evaluated, Michael is positive that his adolescent self-introduction
into adult horror had an impact on his dark sense of humor and love for
Jason Voorhees. On the upside, Michael has found an outlet in which to
put his twisted thoughts to proper use, and thanks to a college degree
which proves that he had studied the importances of plot, characters,
conflict, themes, and interactions, he is able to give his stories the
attention they deserve.
But life
wasn’t always about the written page. Once Upon A Time in Hollywood,
Michael had a career as a international film publicist, working on
multiple titles for Walt Disney, Pixar, Lionsgate, Lakeshore
Entertainment, Warner Bros., Summit Entertainment, as well as the 2013
Academy Award® Best Foreign Language film, “La grande bellezza” (The
Great Beauty). Sounds exciting, right? Michael thinks so, too.
Currently,
in his spare time, Michael also enjoys volunteering in his local
community. Organizations he has supported include Meals on Wheels, Get
On The Bus, as well as helped protect our animal population by aiding in
the capture/spay/neuter/release feral program.
To date, Michael’s publications include the first four (of six)
books in his Chupacabra Series: NIGHT OF THE CHUPACABRA, CURSE OF THE
CHUPACABRA, LEGEND OF THE CHUPACABRA, and DAWN OF THE CHUPACABRA, a
couple of short stories, as well as my first publication, THE NIGHT
AFTER CHRISTMAS, a holiday picture book for believers of any age.
Welcome to my stop for the My Beautiful Suicide by Atty Eve. I love everything about this darkly delicious look at the twisted world that Cosette lives in.
Today I am delighted to share a dark, disturbing, addictive audiobook series perfect for fans of the hit series Dexter. Come meet Cosette and her group of young friends as author Atty Eve takes us on a journey into one young woman’s disturbed mind.
My Beautiful Suicide Series by Atta Eve
This series is a dark, twisted, unsettling tale. Though the main character is sixteen, it is definitely NOT for young teens. You’ve been warned.
Suicide is selfish.
It tells the world that you are weak. It tells the world your family and friends have failed. It leaves them with guilt that they could have done more but didn’t. It tells them they are clueless and helpless.
I am weak, but I am not selfish.
My suicide will not leave my family and friends with guilt and shame; it will leave them thankful that they knew me for the short time I was here.” – Cosette Hugo
Her brother died. Her parents divorced. Her high school bully is relentless. Cosette doesn’t have a lot to live for, but it isn’t until she accidentally kills someone that Cosette makes the decision to take her own life. Unwilling to bring shame to her mom, best friend Mattie, or her boyfriend Chris, Cosette decides the best method of suicide is to become a victim of the local serial killer, The Poser. But every time she goes out to find him she gets attacked; her instincts take over, and she ends up killing her attackers. This quickly leads to unbearable guilt. Desperate to finish this before she gets caught or racks up more victims, Cosette does the unthinkable.
“And when I reach my final goal, to meet my brother in heaven, and we’re looking down at my victim in Hell, he will say to me ‘Well done, Cosette. What a Beautiful Suicide.”
Cosette Hugo thought she had fulfilled her wish for a beautiful suicide…but she survived. As she begins the slow road to recovery, the guilt of what she has done has become overwhelming. She vows to put her murderous alter ego, Bonnie, behind her forever.
In order to do this, Cosette must rescue Hilda and keep the truth about Hilda’s kidnapping a secret. During the rescue things go wrong, and Cosette is forced to kill again. This wakes up Bonnie, now stronger than ever. Tired of the inside turmoil, Cosette has to decide who is going to be in control.
Now in control, Cosette focuses her addiction. After feeling the sting of betrayal, she makes her kills a little more public, and the public loves her for it! Mattie prays Cosette will come to her senses, but it’s an uphill battle with new friends joining Cosette’s family. Now with the public cheering on Louisville’s Vigilante, or Double V as she has come to be known, Cosette has no plans to stop. As a matter of fact, she has a goal for her addiction: take out Kentuckian’s pedophile population. Protected by a rogue cop, loved by the media, supported by her friends, what could go wrong?
Stupid, Stupid Girl, the fourth and final chapter in the My Beautiful Suicide series, has taken an even darker turn.
It’s a lot of work to kill off Kentuckiana’s pedophile population. Cosette and her Miserables dig deep into the world of kidnappers, drug dealers, and child sex traffickers. It’s a downward spiral she might never recover from, but no one wants her to – she is, after all, a hero.
Listen to Sample …
Praise for the Audiobooks
“A DARK AND TWISTED RIDE INDEED…”–Victoria Haugen“Thriller- in spades!”– Patty H. “…Cruel Intentions meets Pretty Little Liars meets Heathers.”– Audiobook Addicts
Halloween is the perfect time of
year to binge-watch supernatural shows. For your viewing pleasure, here are my
top ten favorite movies and TV shows featuring wolf shifters in either a
primary role or as fun supporting characters.
In no particular order…
MOVIES and TV
1. The Underworld movies. Seriously badass Lycans.
2. Wolf (1994), starring Jack
Nicholson. Can’t go wrong with Jack
Nicholson.
3. An American Werewolf in London
(1981). A classic. Humor + Horror.
4. Ginger Snaps (2001). Teen angst. Dark humor + horror.
TV
5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Seth
Green as Oz, the musician/werewolf who loves Willow.
6. Vampire Diaries. Michael
Trevino as Tyler Lockwood, a broody bad boy with heart.
7. True Blood. Joe Manganiello as Alcide
Herveaux = soooo sexy.
8. The Originals. Joseph Morgan
as Niklaus Mikaelson. A vampire/werewolf hybrid, 100% badass. So are the other
hybrids on the show.
9. Supernatural. Entertaining
werewolves on both sides of the “good vs. bad” fence.
10. Legacies. A Vampire Diaries
spin-off chock-full of werewolves and other teens from the preternatural
community.
Jasmine Moon
Black Hills Wolves
Celia Breslin
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher:Decadent Publishing
Date of Publication: June 3, 2016
ISBN:9781683610458
ASIN:B01GKB9WMO
Number of pages:108
Word Count:36,400
Cover Artist:Fiona Jayde
Book Description:
Tech mogul and workaholic Wolf Evan Luparell has little time for distractions but takes a break for his brother’s wedding in South Dakota. When asked to escort another wedding attendee from the airport to Los Lobos, he agrees. Then he meets the curvy spitfire, and she ignores him.
Designer and Wolf Mina Carver didn’t mean to be rude to the handsome, glowering man claiming to be her ride, but she was busy working. Now she must endure a ride to the Black Hills with the cranky but sexy Dominant Wolf. Unexpected mating energy sparks between them, but still—should she dismiss, or kiss him?
Kisses win and they agree upon a no-strings fling. But with each wedding activity throwing them together, and their powerful chemistry and mate compatibility complicating matters, can two workaholics truly have their fun then walk away?
Evan tipped his
head and eyed the ceiling. Prompt replies, punctual people. Striking deals and
hitting deadlines. These items made his world tick. Not loitering around a miniscule
airport pulling a Waiting for Godot moment on infinite repeat for a no-show, flakey
designer from California.
God grant him
patience and balls of steel when he showed up without the designer and the
all-important wedding dress, because his future sister-in-law Darci would
certainly be unhappy. […]
He took a deep
fortifying breath and froze. Airport smells assailed his senses—the sharp tang
of bleach and lemon-scented cleaners, […] coffee, donuts, fried fast food, and
under it all, the distinct musk of wolf.
Female wolf.
She smelled damn
good. His wolf perked up, and his legs propelled him toward the empty baggage
claim, where one bright-pink suitcase covered in Hello Kitty stickers sat,
unclaimed, on the unmoving L-shaped conveyor belt. Her scent, stronger here,
socked his gut, and his gaze shot to the corner.
The chaos around
the woman stunned him silent. Large, paper coffee cup, half-eaten banana, and a
quarter of a powdered doughnut perched on a brown paper bag next to her. Crumbs
splattered the linoleum and the woman’s long-sleeved blue blouse in a thick
layer of white, sugary dust. On her other side, two pink garment bags lay like
corpses, along with a bubblegum-pink unzipped duffel as long as her
outstretched, denim-clad legs. Some of the bag’s contents—pads of drawing paper
and large swaths of fabric—protruded over the opening, the fabric splaying over
her legs in a rainbow-colored blanket. Her feet peeked out of the mess, encased
in sparkling pink UGGs. Good grief, sequins? She smacked her shiny boots
together in a poor imitation of Dorothy and bobbed her head from side to side
in time to some music only she seemed to hear. Her shoulder-length red hair,
the color of ripe dark cherries—his favorite fruit—gleamed under the harsh
airport lighting and curtained most her face from his view, save a pert nose
and small chin, both speckled with a generous amount of freckles.
He’d
always liked freckles.
Clearing his
throat, he stepped closer, but she didn’t flinch in surprise or look up. Her
attention remained on the tablet on her lap, the stylus between her pale,
freckled fingers swiping without hesitation over her screen. […]
He positioned
himself right in front of her wiggly, booted feet. “Excuse me, J—”
“Sh.” She raised
her arm and flicked her hand in the universal get lost gesture.
He gaped at her.
“Excuse me?”
Another wave of
her hand while her stylus streaked across her tablet screen with the other.
“Not interested.”
Nice voice. Low
and husky. Her attitude, on the other hand… “But—”
“Go away.” Her velvet
voice carried a stubborn edge.
In other
circumstances, he would’ve admired her strength. But he’d wasted copious
amounts of time hunting for the clearly inconsiderate and irresponsible female.
“Fine. Get your own damn ride to Los Lobos. Jasmine.”
About the Author:
Celia lives in California with her husband, daughter, and two feisty cats. She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and has a particular fondness for werewolves, vampires, and the Fae. Her stories are action-packed and typically include one of the many varieties of romantic entanglements: fated mates, second chance, rescue romance, opposites attract, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, and more.
When not writing, you’ll find Celia exercising, reading a good book, hanging with her family, or indulging her addiction to Joss Whedon’s TV shows and movies, as well as everything in the Marvel Universe franchise. Of course!
Nicholas Ryan asked if I would be interested in reading Brink of Extinction, a full length, stand alone zombie novel…and I said YES. Would I read more of his work? You betcha!
Gideon, OMG, is evil personified. What is his motive for the havoc he is wreaking? He is brutal. Is it because of what happened to him? Does he blame the world and is going to take out is revenge of it? Whoa, it’s like someone opened the doors of the insane asylum and the inmates are running wild.
And the author…how deep did he dig to come up with these savage scenarios? I am only at 10%. I can see why the world is on the Brink of Extinction if these are the kind of people holding the power, running wild in the streets.
It has been thirty years since they faced off against the zombies. The apocalypse brought them to the Brink of Extinction. Now…to survive the human danger. Man’s true colors are exposed when their lives are on the line. Will they sacrifice for others? Are they out for all they can get for themselves, killing for sport? What happens when the Army can’t hold the line?
Nicholas Ryan has taken a great angle with Brink of Extinction. This is not your usual zombie story. An original, refreshing, down right frightening take on zombie apocalypse and what comes after. It’s hard to not give away some of the elements I feel would be best you find out for yourself.
You need eyes in the back of your head and your head on a swivel, because every step you take could lead towards capture for the slave auction or death.
A man and a boy on a journey that will bring them both to where they are meant to be by the end of the story. The journey is eye opening, brutal, dangerous and live affirming and I loved walking every step with them.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Brink of Extinction by Nicholas Ryan.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A STAND ALONE ZOMBIE NOVEL A drifter in a savage wasteland, up against the evil that has risen from the ashes of the zombie apocalypse. In
a brutal unforgiving world one man will be called upon to take up a
fight to save those who remain. He thought his last war had been fought
in the trenches against the zombie hordes. Now there is one more bloody
battle that must be won. But the enemy is no longer undead, it is much
worse than that… A full length stand alone novel.
ABOUT NICHOLAS RYAN
Australian writer, Nicholas Ryan, is the author of four bestselling zombie novels – ‘Ground Zero’, ‘Die Trying’, ‘Dead Rage’, and ‘Zombie War’. All of Nick Ryan’s novels are full-length stand alone post apocalyptic thrillers that can be read in any order. Ryan’s first novel, ‘Ground Zero’ was acclaimed by author DJ Molles, as a “Bloody zombie smash!” and since then every book has become an Amazon horror/zombie bestseller. Several of Nicholas Ryan’s books have since been published as audiobooks. Nicholas Ryan lives on the East Coast of Australia with his long time girlfriend on a small farm.
To keep up to date with all the latest Nicholas Ryan news and new book release information visit him on: Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nickryanauthor Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nicholas_ryan_author/
You can contact Nick directly at nicholasryanpublicist@gmail.com.
I must confess, my playlist isn’t
the typical fare of “Monster Mash” and “Love Potion Number Nine.” It’s about
the soundtrack I like to listen to when I’m writing my paranormal tales. These
are for my series Booke of the Hidden that takes place during all of the month
of October and culminates on Halloween. The series wraps up with the fourth
book, THE DARKEST GATEWAY. Tea proprietor Kylie Strange finds and opens the
mysterious Booke of the Hidden, and must capture deadly creatures she’s
unwittingly unleashed, while juggling the advances of an alluring and dangerous
demon and a very human and handsome sheriff. So I need different tunes to get
me in the mood.
So let’s start with “Devils” from Say Hi.
Because my urban fantasy deals with a supernatural Booke and a demon guardian
who gets intimately close to Kylie, the song deals with the devil getting hold
of everything in the singer’s life, even “he make it to my heart”—just like
Kylie.
The next one is Valerie Broussand’s “A
Little Wicked”, because Kylie and Erasmas Dark, the demon, do get a little
wicked. Especially when she can’t decide between the handsome sheriff or the
demon. Who would YOU chose?
And then there’s “In the Shadows” by Amy
Stroup. This mysterious and evocative tune really takes you there. There
may be humor in these books, but there is still something not quite right,
not…quite…human going on. It’s a song that gives me the shivers.
And just to lighten things up—and
because the First Werewolf comes out of the Booke and bites one of Kylie’s
friends—there’s the incomparable Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves
of London”. Who doesn’t like a werewolf with a pina colada in his hand
“…and his hair is perfect.”
And finally, a haunting song that
will spirit you away, right to the dark shadows of Samhain, Halloween, with all
the dangers and powers that shimmer and awaken this night. Loreena McKennitt’s “The
Mummer’s Dance” recalls strange and secret Celtic festivals in a darkened
wood lit only by moonlight.
The
Darkest Gateway
Booke
of the Hidden
Book
Four
Jeri
Westerson
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Romance
Publisher: JABberwocky Literary
Date of Publication: October 2,
2019
ISBN: 978-1-625674-25-8
ASIN: 978-1-625674-23-4
Number of pages: 301
Word Count: 90,181
Cover Artist: Mayhem Cover
Creations
Tagline: “Whoever said country
life was dull didn’t know Moody Bog.”
Book
Description:
With the arrival of Samhain, the
supernatural Booke of the Hidden is set to release a barrage of deadly creatures
onto the hapless village of Moody Bog, Maine.
Tea proprietor Kylie Strange
knows the showdown is coming and wants to end the Booke for good. But the only
way to accomplish this is a journey to the Netherworld and get the help of the
only being powerful enough to destroy the Booke: Satan himself. And, though the
brooding and elusive demon Erasmus Dark has captured Kylie’s heart against her
better judgment, she ignores his repeated warnings that the mission guarantees
her doom.
The sound grew
louder. It couldn’t be anything except hoofbeats. They clopped, not in a gallop
but in a leisurely canter. And soon, there was the Dullahan coming around the
curve. His head looked even greener and slimier under his arm than it had
before, if that were possible.
His weirdly
roving eyes spotted me easily. He kicked his red-eyed horse’s sides and hurried
toward us. All the while, he swung that spine whip. With each revolution around
his headless neck, the weapon grew longer and longer.
I kept the spear
close to my side. I didn’t want that whip to catch it the way it had gotten the
crossbow the last time.
He was almost
upon me when he shrieked, “Kylie Strange!”
“That doesn’t
work on me, you idiot!” I yelled.
The face frowned
under his arm. It cast its googly eyes toward Erasmus and opened his mouth to
yell his name.
“He’s a demon,
remember? We’ve been through this before. Boy, you sure have a short memory.
Must be because your brain is decaying faster than the rest of you. Looks like
a bad case of melting Roquefort you got there.”
His dead face
either grimaced or it really was melting. “Then I don’t need to say your name,”
he said in a high screechy voice.
He spun the
whip. Before I could get out of the way, it came at me and wrapped around my
body, trapping my arms at my sides. I barely got out a yell before I was yanked
off my feet.
The horse
started galloping and I was flung out behind it almost parallel to the road. I
couldn’t bring the spear up. I was whipping around in the air and getting a
little seasick, but it was better than being dragged behind on the asphalt.
There wouldn’t have been much left of me after that.
The bones of the
spine whip were digging sharply into my skin. I tried wriggling free. If
Headless decided to fling me off a cliff, there wasn’t much I could do about
it. I knew Erasmus must be around somewhere, but this was up to me to figure
out…if I could.
The Dullahan
galloped around a sharp curve and I was thrown and dragged through the limbs of
pine trees shouldering the road.
“Dammit!” I
yelled, spitting out pine needles. “I am so going to kill you!”
He lifted his
head up with his other arm. It swiveled and glared at me. “Not if I kill you
first, Mistress Strange.”
“No need to be
so formal,” I grunted, struggling. I slammed into some holly bushes and OW!
The face cackled
and turned away, tucked back under his arm again. Then I looked up and saw what
he was cackling about. The next curve of the road didn’t have any nice prickly
holly bushes or spikey pine boughs. It was just granite all the way up the rock
face. “Shit!”
About
the Author:
Los Angeles native JERI WESTERSON
is the author of twelve Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Mystery novels, a series
nominated for thirteen national awards from the “Agatha” to the “Shamus”. Her
fifth novel BLOOD LANCE was named one of the Ten Hot Crime Novels for Colder
Days by Kirkus Reviews, and her sixth, SHADOW OF THE ALCHEMIST, was named Best
of 2013 by Suspense Magazine. For BOOKE OF THE HIDDEN, her urban fantasy
series, Publishers Weekly said, “Readers sad about the ending of Charlaine
Harris’s MIDNIGHT, TEXAS trilogy will find some consolation in Moody Bog.” The
fourth and final in the series, THE DARKEST GATEWAY, releases October 2, 2019.
Jeri also writes the humorous SKYLER FOXE LGBT MYSTERIES under the pen name
Haley Walsh. Jeri’s short stories were included in several mystery anthologies,
including Shaken: Stories for Japan (for the 2011 Earthquake Relief Fund). Jeri
was also featured on two local NPR shows, “My Awesome Empire” and KVCR-Arts.
She has served two terms as president of the Southern California Chapter of
Mystery Writers of America, twice president of the Orange County Chapter of
Sisters in Crime, and as vice president and California Crime Writers Conference
co-chair for the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime. See more about Jeri
at JeriWesterson.com, BOOKEoftheHIDDEN.com, and
SkylerFoxeMysteries.wixsite.com/novels.
I read this a long time ago, 1.16.15, rated it on Goodreads, but forgot to write the review. Sooooo, here we are. I love the Goodreads cover, so that is the one I am sharing.
I read this back in 2015, but never wrote the review. I have a ton of notes, so that must mean I would be sharing too much. Don’t want to spoil anything. Ya know, a group of kids goes in the woods, I think we all know that some are going to be left behind.
S ize up the situation, surroundings, physical conditions, equipment
U se your senses
R ember where you are
V anquish fear and panic
I mprovise and improve
V alue living
A ct like the natives
L ive by your wits
Most of the characters left a lot to be desired, so it was hard to feel sorry for them. They are seriously damaged
I didn’t see where the story was going and I do love the twist. Brutal. I wanted blood and guts and gore and I got it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wherewolves by John Vamvas & Olga Montes.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Using a fun, explosive
style, full of new slang and fresh dialogue, WHEREWOLVES is the story of
a group of high school seniors, most “military brats”, who are headed
for an army-type survival weekend.
The underdogs, Jeffrey and
Doris, do not want to go as they fear for their safety among the disdain
and cruelty of the popular students. Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, their
teacher, as well as their dysfunctional parents pressure them into
going, but it is an unforgivable act by their peers that propels the
pair to go. Likewise, Elie, a student resented because of his Arab
roots, is even more determined to prove himself this weekend. In the
background, a news report cautions of a wanted couple with alleged
super-human strength supposedly brought on by a new drug on the streets.
In
the woods, the students hike, hunt, camp, and soon act in unity as the
forest brings them closer together. But does it? O’Sullivan leaves them
alone for the night. The students bond, chant, tell campfire tales, and
quickly lose their fears and inhibitions. HOO-AH! Though sexual tensions
are high, it soon turns to violence and everything quickly turns sour.
When
the kids start disappearing one after the other, the remaining begin to
unwittingly “act like the natives” carving spears, ready to face
whatever is out there. What has gotten into them?
Amid the
blood-curdling growls and the gruesome deaths, the story’s underlying
layers are revealed. We see how misconceptions, prejudice, greed, fear,
and hatred bring out the worst and best in them.
What is out there? Can it really be werewolves?
ABOUT JOHN VAMVAS
John Vamvas grew up in one of Montreal’s (Canada) roughest boroughs. His high school teachers always told him that he’d be in jail or dead by eighteen. Thank God for the Arts. Actor, playwright, screenwriter and now novelist, he has been writing with his writing partner/wife, Olga Montes, for over twenty years. He loves words, especially dialogue, and has a lot of fun coming up with new ways to say the same thing.
Mother, preschool French teacher, avid reader, Olga dreamed of being a writer as a child and spent many high school lunch hours working on her writing with her English teacher. She has a college degree in Professional Theatre and a university degree in Spanish and French grammar and literature. She was on her way to becoming a translator for the UN when she heard of an open audition at one of Montreal’s biggest theatres. She almost didn’t get the role, though, because the director and co-star, John Vamvas, was scared of falling in love with the actress and ruining the play. That was 1992. She and John have been writing and working together on stage, screen, and in life ever since.
Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let’s share
some songs we’ve been enjoying lately! If you would like to play, and I
really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below.
Rules:
Every Monday share a few songs you’ve been enjoying lately. It doesn’t
have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites – just
something you’d like to share with others. If possible, share a music
or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s),
and/or music video(s).
If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post’s url HERE
I hope you join in and sing along with this awesome artist. I was fortunate to see him in concert in Detroit many years ago and loved every minute of it. He has always been on my radar and has so many wonderful songs that speak to me. How about you? What is your favorite Bob Seeger song?
