Witch of the Golden Veil by Maria DeVivo

Alex DeVille is a reporter who got her first break reporting on a murder in the Satanic Panic era. Since then, all of her assignments have involved a paranormal and quite often a satanic connection. She wants to report on bigger stories, preferably some that don’t include satanic, occult, or paranormal elements, but that is what she is currently known and recognized for. When she gets the chance to secretly report on a group of nuns performing unauthorized exorcisms in In Italy, she jumps on it. Using some vacation time, she doesn’t tell her boss what she is up to, hoping that this story will be her big break and allow her to move to bigger stories that are not just more of the same: small occult-related stories. After all, demon possession isn’t real. It’s just someone who is mentally ill but has not properly been diagnosed as such, right?

I read a review copy of this book, and love how it ties in with the previous stories in this series. This is the fifth book in this series and I do recommend reading the previous books before this one as I think it adds something when you see how each book ties in with the other books in the series. Yes, you would likely still enjoy this one even without having read the previous books, but reading them in order definitely adds to the complexity of the overall story arc.

It was interesting reading this book and seeing the character be very subtly manipulated, and I’m not entirely certain if she ever even realized it was happening. This story does involve previous incarnations of several of the characters, and as such, I’m uncertain how much of what I call manipulation was actually the knowledge from their previous lives coming through as they were made aware of who they used to be, and what they saw as their purpose in the world.

This is a great series for those who enjoy dark tales involving occult forces. This book, as it did in book one, takes place in the 1980s, but as the main characters are not high school students, I did not expect there to be references to some of what I remember as a teenager growing up during that era, so I did not miss their exclusion in this book. I did enjoy the reference to phone cords, making it clear that the characters were not using mobile phones (which were only beginning to be available in the late 1980s.) And overall, I believe that the author did a very good job of portraying the time period accurately.

If you enjoy horror stories involving the occult, demonic forces, and the paranormal incidents set during in the 1980s, then I believe you will enjoy this book. But be warned, it does contain a fair amount of graphic sex, violence, murder, gore, drugs, alcohol, and even a rape. (I call it rape because while the character appeared to be a partially willing participant, her mind was not under her own control when it happened.) So this is definitely not a book meant for younger readers.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Nine Minute Diner by Grzegorz Kunowski

This is a book that tells the same short story from the perspectives of multiple people in a small, rundown diner in a small town. It was a very interesting concept that, for me, had potential, but also had a number of problems. The entire book is about nine minutes that happened leading up to, during, and immediately after a robbery told from the individual perspectives of each person in the diner at the time of the attempted robbery.

First off, I believe the book could have used a good editor or at least a proofreader. At times, I felt that the author was trying to imitate a particular style of speaking for some of the characters, and at other times, it seemed like it may have been a poor translation from a foreign language, or maybe just needed some fine tuning.

Individually, some of the stories had the potential to be very enjoyable if expanded into a book of their own. For example, the deaf piano player was a character that intrigued me. Of course, I can’t help but wonder why a rundown small diner that seems to be in the middle of nowhere had a piano inside, as no small diner I have ever seen or heard of has space for a full-time piano player. The only exception to this that I can think of would be if it were a piano bar, which this place clearly wasn't. And this wasn't the only character that I wanted to know more about. There were a number of the characters whose stories, if expanded and broadened, would have made for much more interesting tales in their own right.

With each individual character’s story ending at the same point of time, I was often left wanting to know more about what happens to each character after the end of their part of the story. And while each character had their own individual background details about who they were and why they were there at the time of the robbery, in several cases the stories overlapped enough that they felt rather repetitive to me due to being very similar and containing nearly identical information.

I do need to warn you that within at least one character's story, there was what I believe was meant to be a date rape. Though depending on which character is telling their side of the story, it was (or wasn’t) consensual sex involving someone who wanted to have a baby and a guy trying to help her out knowing there would be no commitment between them. Honestly, the stories around this incident and the multiple characters involved left me rather confused as to what actually was or was not closer to the full truth of that story.

All in all, while some of the individual perspectives were interesting, there really is much more I would have liked to know. As it stands, I’m afraid that I'm rather confused as to the intent and purpose of the book as a whole. I think I would have enjoyed it more myself with fewer characters and more details tying them together into a longer, more complete story, or as individual short stories dealing with more about one or two of the characters and their full stories beginning earlier and running beyond the confines of this tying-together incident. As it was, there was just not enough time or space within each tale to truly feel invested in any of them, and I was left confused and wanting more.

It was interesting as a description of multiple people in a single setting. And anyone who wants to read a collection of character descriptions and short background histories would likely enjoy this book, but when I finished it, I felt like I had missed the purpose of the story as a whole. I feel like it needed something more to truly tie it all together. It was a very interesting concept, but one that, for me, needed more time and details to make it work as an individual novel.

I do hope that the author will continue to write and perhaps develop his writing with the help of a good editor and proofreader, because as I said, it was a very interesting concept and one that I had looked forward to reading. It just, in my opinion, needed something more.

Haunter's & Hauntings: Part One (Haunter's Tale) by J. Michael Roddy

This book is a collection of histories & stories collected from the people who create and run haunted attractions. This book encompases a variety of those who specialize in scaring us. We are given a glimpse into these people's lives, and their stories. They share why they have chosen to devote their lives to scaring others and where Their inspirations for their haunted attractions come from.

I received a review copy of this book and enjoyed reading it. I had never really thought about where the ideas for a Haunted House come, nor how much work goes into not just the design, but the amount of small details necessary to make not just something spooky, but something truly amazing and memorable.

The variety Of the tales in this book was fascinating. From simple haunted hayrides, to world record holding haunted houses, and even stories of actual haunting. If you enjoy hearing about what makes various styles of  haunted attractions so entertaining, then you'll likely enjoy this book.

Amazon Associates Statement

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

The Soundtrack to your Scream by Sarah Saedo

Joan Sclacht is a Lorian Hollow Guardian. She helps to protect the human citizens of the town from those who would hurt and cause destruction to others, as well as keeping the peace among all the citizens of the town.Those who have spent their whole lives in the town know that the founding families are not human, and many of them have spent years training and joining the Guardians to help protect people. Others have no idea about the hidden dangers lurking in the town. And when someone begins killing people, removing tongues, eyes, and then sewing  the mouth shut, it’s up to the guardians to solve these murders.

I read a review copy of this book. It was an unusual horror novel with some interesting twists. Not everything is as it seems, and that will make tracking down this mysterious murderer that much more difficult for Joan and the other Guardians. Judas Lorian, One of the immortal members of the founding families, loves Joan, but can never tell her. He is immortal, with secrets that he cannot share with her because she is human. Long ago he loved and lost a human, and he has yet to forgive himself for that tragedy. And that is only one of the complications going on in this book.

I cannot go into much detail here, as I am afraid that would cause me to accidentally give away some of what is happening, and thus spoil the story for you, but I will say that I am interested in seeing what happens in book two in this series.

If you enjoy horror stories that involve some mystery, murder, and quite a bit of gore with a touch of the supernatural attached, then I think you will likely enjoy this book.

Amazon Associates Statement

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

New Moon Rising by Chelsea Burton Dunn

Vee, Shane and Patrick are in the process of moving into their new home. It has been a very chaotic move, and before they even have a chance to get unpacked, another crisis arises, leaving Vee once again without her mate and a hole where she should be able to feel him, Thomas and Tommy are also gone in the same manner, Duflanc is still after Vee, his vampire nest having devolved into chaos without him keeping the younger vampires controlled, and another Werewolf pack is attempting to take control of Shane’s territory. And that’s only the quick summary of what is happening. There’s a whole lot more than that going on in this book as well.

I received a review copy of this book, and I honestly could not put it down until I’d finished it. This story had me hooked from the beginning all the way through to the end, and I am going to be watching and waiting for my chance to read the next book in this series as well. This book is an emotional one, and had me nearly in tears more than once. The characters all stand out, not just because they are strong, but because they feel real. You can easily picture the characters and guess at how they will react to the events that are happening around them.I was sympathizing, cheering, and sitting on the edge of my seat with the events happening in this book. I really enjoyed it. (I am trying not to give anything away, because that would lessen the effect for you as you read it, so you’ll just have to grab a copy for yourself if you want to find out what I’m talking about.) 

If you haven’t already read the previous books in this series, I do recommend beginning with book 1. While you can piece together what has happened along the way if you start at a different point, I really believe that you’ll enjoy the whole series much more if you begin at the beginning. You’ll also feel much more invested in the characters and events happening in this book if you’ve read the previous ones. (This is the fourth book in this series, and the characters have definitely grown and developed quite a bit since the first book.)

If you enjoy books involving Werewolves, Vampires, Witches, Fae, Waters, and other paranormal creatures,l then I think you’ll enjoy this book. And if you’ve been reading the previous books in this series, I think you’ll love this book. I know I did.

Amazon Associates Statement

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

The Warden and the Clocktower by Steve Conoboy

Hannah Warden is a Wyrder. Ever since her father died suddenly, she has been the sole Wyrder in the idyllic seeming town of Overmere. Every night without fail, she leads a ghost walk through the town, telling the stories of the unsettled ghosts who reside in town. Some may think this is just a spooky nightly walk, where tourists are being told tales of imagined ghosts. But in Overmere, the ghosts and hauntings are real, and without the nightly walk where their stories are remembered, they would become unsettled and begin to wreak havoc once again. Tonight, Hannah’s new apprentice is joining her for his second ever ghost walk. He is new in town and has a bit of a temper, but Hannah desperately needs the help. She expects it to be a relatively calm night, but it turns out to be anything but quiet. The ghosts are unusually unsettled and easily provoked. Hannah hasn’t had such a rough night in a very long time. The question is why are they so agitated?

I read a review copy of this book. It was a delightfully spooky story, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was also a quicker read than many of the books I have been reading lately. (Of course, to be fair, many of the books I have recently read have been unusually long.) I enjoyed the characters and the tension created by both the spirits haunting the locations and among the characters on the walk themselves. It was a fun story and one that is a good choice for a Halloween season book to read. It’s spooky, with at times a suggestion of gory happenings, though such instances do not graphically take place during this story itself.

I think that anyone who enjoys stories that are somewhat creepy or eerie, who enjoys mild spooky stories, and can handle stories involving haunted toys as well as location will enjoy this book. I also think that anyone who has ever been on a ghost walk or who has thought about participating in a ghost walk will enjoy reading this story. Although I suspect that in our world, most ghost walks are not as full of agitated and angry spirits as the ones in this story seems to contain. (At least I hope not, though some locations just might have a few such hauntings of their own.)

This book was the first book in a series. (I think there are only two books in the series, though I am not entirely certain if there are or will be more at some point.) I enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading book two in this series at some point. And with this being the Halloween season, it’s a good time to check this one out for some spooky and fun reading.

Mail Order Bride’s Promise, by Florence Linnington

Clara moved from England to America with her sister, brother-in-law, and their baby boy. She had been looking forward to a grand adventure in a new land and had just accepted a position working for a family in Chicago, but just before boarding the train to leave, she received word that her sister and brother-in-law were killed in an accident, leaving Clara as Elija’s only living relative. She couldn’t abandon him, but also couldn’t find a job that would hire her with a baby to care for. Just as she was running out of hope, she saw an advertisement seeking a mail order bride for a man in colorado. Taking a chance, she started writing to him, and soon found herself on her way to Colorado expecting to get married. Only when she got there, Adam had no idea who she was. It turned out that his father had been matchmaking, and had neglected to tell either of them that he’d sent for a wife for Adam. As you can guess, this did not go over well with either Clara or Adam.

I read a review copy of this book and as always, enjoyed reading Ms. Linnington’s latest book. The two main characters in this story had a unique set of problems, made more difficult  by Adam clearly suffering from PTSD after the war. These challenges only strengthened the story, along with a few other challenges that I haven’t named here. This book definitely has a lot going on, and was one that I found very entertaining. It deviates only slightly from the pattern of most mail-order bride stories, but I feel it added something to the inevitable happy ending that I always look forward to in Ms. Linnington’s books. I will note that this book is pictured on Amazon with the title of Mountain Bride’s Promise” on the cover art, but in order to actually find it on Amazon, you need to look for the title of Mail Order Bride’s Promise. I’m not sure why there is a discrepancy in the title of this book, but when I first looked for Mountain Bride’s Promise to post my review on Amazon, I could not find it until I looked up Mail Order Bride’s Promise instead.

If you enjoy Mail Order Bride stories with a bit of a twist, slow-burn romance stories, stories that deal with a couple dealing with post-war PTSD, or are just looking for a nice, story that is easy to read and is usually guaranteed to have a happy ending, then I think you will enjoy this book, As always, I did.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.