Mom Kat Reads: January 2024

Monday, January 29, 2024

“Second Hand Rose” by D.E. Fox

When her grandmother died, Abigail inherited her antiques shop and house. Moving back to the town where she had grown up and bringing the dog she had adopted with her, Abigail intended to reopen the antique shop and enjoy a quiet life reconnecting with old friends as well as building a new life for herself. She was not aware of the many dark secrets that had long existed in the small town, but she soon enough found herself in the middle of everything, and needed to find a way to end the horror that controls the town and its residents.

This was an interesting first horror novella written by a new author. There is a fair amount of blood & gore in this story, so if horror is not something you enjoy, this book likely isn’t meant for you. I also need to warn you that there is some spousal abuse that takes place in this book.

It is a short tale and a fairly quick read. I felt like there were a few instances of awkward phrasing in the story, but that might have something to do with the author being in the U.K. and my being in the U.S. Sometimes phrases that are common in one country seem a little odd to those in another.

Overall, it was an interesting tale that had a couple of potential ways that it could have ended. It also leaves things open for there to possibly be a sequel in the future. If you enjoy horror that does include some blood and gore, as well as having a touch of paranormal beings in the mix, then you will likely enjoy this book. I enjoyed reading my review copy of this book.

This book may also be found through the following:

https://books2read.com/u/mv6PO6

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.

Monday, January 22, 2024

“Bardo” by Emily Gallo

Bardo (Amazon link)

After Luthor is once again suspected of a murder he didn't commit, it seems the wisest move for him is to leave the area. He had previously spent 20 years in prison before being exonerated, and while there is no evidence pointing to him, the body was found nearby and he is a black man living in a predominantly white, rural area. The cop who came to their property seems determined to pin the crime on him. And so, for now at least, Luther flees from the farm he had been living and working on in California and winds up in New York to stay with an old, Irish author And here, it seems that his life finally and truly begins.

This was an Interesting story about two men who seemingly could not be more different from each other. Finn helps Luthor to explore life and live it to the fullest. They travel across the country by car from New York to California, experiencing new places, new foods, and discovering different ways of life, allowing Luthor to finally discover who he is, and who he wants to be.

I received a review copy of this book, and at first, I was confused by the addition of the cat Bardo to their journey. But when you discover the meaning behind the cat’s name and how that applies to the rest of the tale, it all becomes clear. But I’ll let you discover that part for yourself, as part of your journey with this book.

If you enjoy contemporary stories about people from different walks of life discovering themselves and others, and of course a variety of foods (for the various foods in this book are just as much a part of this journey), then I think you will most likely enjoy this book.

This book may also be found through:

https://books2read.com/u/4jEngj

Monday, January 15, 2024

"Everything Will Burn" by October Kane

Everything Will Burn (Amazon Link)

Quill Point has been isolated from the rest of the world. No one can get in, and the only way out is death. The town's mayor appears to have made a bargain with an evil god and has been using the town's people as his means to achieving power and immortality. Even his own daughter is little more than a pawn in his plans. Throw in two evil demigods and a nightmare existence, and you will find a nightmare in the making.

This is the second book in this series. I read a review copy of this book, and if you enjoy reading horror then you don't want to miss out on reading this series. (But I would strongly recommend reading book 1 in this series first.) I will say that while I really enjoyed reading book 1, this book sucked me in and I couldn't put it down. I read this book in two days. Book one was good, but book two is even better. There is a creepiness to it that makes me think of Stephen King meets the Twilight Zone.

One thing that I do need to warn you about though, is that this book begins exactly where the previous book left off. So you should be aware that if you need a reminder of what went before, you may want to go back and reread the first book in the series before beginning this one.

This book has it all, suspense, terror, gruesome encounters, true evil, and unexpected twists. If you are a fan of horror novels, you will really enjoy this series. I'm very much looking forward to finding out what happens next.

This book may also be available through: https://books2read.com/u/4N7pqY

Monday, January 8, 2024

"Silverblood Scion" by Megan Mackie

Silverblood Scion (Amazon Link)

Elaine is the last Scion of Isa. She is the last one alive who carries both Isa's blood and thus a remnant of her power. Unfortunately, she is being sacrificed in an attempt to make a bargain with Acies, the Demon Lord of War by a man named Dakin in order to gain power. However, it doesn't seem to work the way Dakin and the priests expect. And instead, Acies strikes a deal with Elaine that binds them together and saves her life.

Now, the Demon Lord of War is once again living in their world, and while most would assume that to be a bad thing, from what I as a reader can see, it may wind up being the only way to save their world from a great number of other threats. And just possibly, it may be the means of returning the goddess Isa to their world. The only problem with that hope currently, is that Acies wants revenge upon Isa for having imprisoned him in a void and leaving him there for centuries to die a slow death.

I received and read a review copy of this book. I really enjoyed reading this story and am expecting that there is much more going on than any of the characters realize. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book in this series. I have a few guesses about what will happen as well as what I think may have actually happened to both Acies and Isa, but they are just my guesses based on what I read in this book. As such, they could just as likely be wrong.

Either way, I am very much looking forward to getting the chance to read book 2 in this series to see how close or how far off my guesses wind up being. But I'm not going to spoil the story for you. You'll just need to pick up a copy and read it yourself if you want to know more.

If you enjoy epic fantasy involving gods and their descendants, magic, and demons, then I believe you'll enjoy this book.

This book may also be available through:

https://books2read.com/u/mB8vKN

Monday, January 1, 2024

“The Dead of Sled Run” by Jean Rabe

When Piper Blackwell’s Chief Deputy, Oren, is awakened by a fire at his house, he barely manages to find and save all of his cats, but as he locates the third cat, she falls unconscious, and Oren nearly falls with her. He would have likely lost his life had another deputy, Basil, not arrived to help them out alive. But with first & second degree burns from the fire, Oren will be hospitalized for a very long time. And his home has been completely destroyed, along with his neighbor’s house.

It becomes clear that it was arson. Unfortunately even though the neighbors are in Florida for the winter, someone who shouldn’t have been there had been in the house when it collapsed. And those were only the first two mysteries that need to be solved in this book, with more to be revealed along the way.

This was a very intricate tale with quite a few twists and turns along the way. Ms. Rabe has woven a masterpiece with this tale. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, another of the clues needed to solve this mystery was discovered that seemed to upend what I had thought was happening, convincing me that I still didn’t actually have the mystery solved. And just when I was convinced that it couldn’t be answered in this one book, she manages to tie it all together to reveal the truth of what was going on. And wow, was it bigger than I had expected.

This was an amazing story by a true master of murder mysteries. If you enjoy a great story that will keep you guessing every step of the way, then this book is a must read for you. And if you've read any of the other books in this series, then you really don’t want to miss this one. It’s a book you won’t be able to put down. (I certainly couldn’t!)