Ashes of August Manor
Gothic, creepy, unnerving, dark, and chilling! Blaine Daigle’s Ashes of August Manor with its eerie vibe slowly and silently sucked me and never let go! I was instantly engrossed in this book about a hospice worker who has been hired to care for a dying man in his manor home outside of Bell River, Oregon. This book delivers on the chills and thrills and kept me guessing. I was instantly intrigued by the fact that before she even arrives at his home she is warned by someone in town to go home. The dying man is a monster she is informed. When she decides to continue on to the home, she is strongly urged to never go into the woods!!!! I was all in for that! I mean seriously, what could be in the woods that has everyone in town avoiding them? Plus, are those ashes falling from the sky? Noelle, who is no stranger to loss, grief, tragedy, and loneliness, has been hired by the Isabel August to care for her dying father. She along with her mute son, Ernest, live in the dark home with Isabel’s dying father. The home is grand yet relies on candles as there is no electricity. What? How do they cook, what about a refrigerator? If these questions pop up, just push them to the side and go with it as I did. Noelle is happy to get to work but Isabel always seems to have a reason that she needs to check on her father. Earnest, the mute child, is frightened and Noelle wants desperately to help him. Noelle can relate to his fear, his loneliness, his helplessness, and his isolation. It’s not long before strange things begin to happen. Noelle begins to hear and see things. Are they real? Is the house haunted? Plus, what is up with the ashes????Don’t even get me started on the ravens! This book is oozing with atmosphere and unease. I loved the foreboding and sense of danger that ebbed and flowed just underneath the surface. Something isn’t right but what is it? Why is Isabel not letting her see the man she was hired to care for? Why is Earnest so frightened? This is the 4th book which I have read by Blaine Daigle, and he continues to wow me with his wonderful writing, his well thought out plots, his characters, his settings, his vivid descriptions, and the chilling feel of his books. This book goes through a metamorphosis as it progresses. It goes from being a haunted house book to something else entirely. I had no idea where things were going to go in this book, but I happily read along as Daigle switched things up in a spooky strange manner. This book read like an old-time horror movie/ horror book, and I loved every page of it. There is something nostalgic and creepy about the house, the atmosphere, and the characters. I felt as if this book was taking place in black and white and I mean that as a compliment. This book is spooky, chilling, dark, haunting, gothic and atmospheric. Dark, gothic, wonderfully written, and hard to put down! I can’t wait to read what Blaine Daigle writes next! Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Like Lions
Gritty, violent, raw, gripping, shocking, riveting, and hard to put down! I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator. I am reading this book in reverse which has been interesting, but I loved both Hard Cash Valley and Nothing but the Bones and wanted to go back to the beginning. I had both on hold at my local library and this one became available first. Brian Panowich is such a gifted author. He pulls me in and has me instantly absorbed into the lives of his fictional characters. I love his writing, his vivid descriptions, his characters both good and bad and those that tiptoe the fine line between the two. Whew! If you have not read a book by Brian Panowich you are missing out!!!! His books are gritty and violent but so very good!
Not Quite Dead Yet
“In seven days Jet Mason will be dead.” Talk about grabbing a readers attention! This book had me from the very first page and never let go! Secrets and lies are the name of the game in this book! My first book by Holly Jackson was a hit! Jet is horrifically attacked and the outlook is grim. Her doctor has diagnosed her with an injury caused deadly aneurysm and she does not have much time left to live. With only a few remaining days, she enlists her childhood friend, Billy to help her find her killer! Yes, this was a new one. Knowing that your horrific head injury would result in your death in a few days! In all of my reading, I have not seen this before! Intrigued, I dove in and along with Jet and Billy, tried my best to figure out whodunit! Man, this one sucked me in. I was rooting for both Jet and Billy to find the individual who attacked Jet. Jet could have easily fallen apart but she has grit and determination and wants to know who attacked her and why. She is one tough cookie but is also human and I loved the scene where she is vulnerable with her friend and expressed her feelings. She is resourceful and dedicated to not let anything stop her including her failing body in search of her killer. Billy is her loyal and sweet friend who is by her side, doing his best to be supportive and throws himself into helping her figure out who attacked her. As the book progressed, I could feel the tension, dread and sense of time jumping off the pages! The clock is ticking and my anxiety was piqued as the sand slipped through the hourglass so to speak. I felt the sense of urgency to solve the case before it was to late. This book kept me guessing and fully engaged in the plot. I loved the twists and turns that this book took. I kept thinking ‘how much can one person take’ but also kept turning the pages and overlooking the fact that Jet survived massive head trauma and was able to get around and investigate what happened to her. Her family also seemed a little laissez faire to me about her remaining days. I would be glued to her side trying to do whatever it took to spend as much time with her as I could if I was her family member. As the book got closer to the end, I had whittled down my suspect list as minor bread crumbs began to fall into place. There were many possible suspects and even though I did guess whodunit before it is revealed in the book, I marveled at how Holly Jackson brought everything together. This was my first Holly Jackson book and I look forward to reading more of her books! Wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, and hard to put down Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Finding Grace
Wowza! Usually, books take time to build but this one sucker punched me in the very beginning! Holy Moly! Talk about being shocked and left with your mouth hanging open! Life can, as they say, change in a moment. I found myself instantly gripped by this book and went through an array of emotions while reading Finding Grace. I had a hard time putting this book down and found myself gripping the pages tighter and tighter while my feelings and thoughts changed multiple times during reading Finding Grace. I cannot believe that this is a debut novel!!!! Whew! This book is wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, thought provoking, heartbreaking, shocking and evokes emotion. This book looks at choices, decisions, action, morals, honesty/dishonesty, love, relationships, and being a parent to name a few. There are a few others, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers. There is one character who will remain nameless in my review who had me feeling all kinds of things. I wanted to hug this character, then talk sense into this character, then yell at this character, you get the picture. This is a great book for book clubs. The subject matter may be hard for some, but there is so much to discuss with this book. Wonderfully written, gripping, shocking, thought provoking and hard to put down! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
How to Survive a Horror Story
Seven authors have been invited to legendary deceased author, Mortimer Queen’s home for the reading of his last will and testament. Each has some form of connection to the late author. Each are invited to play a game…. I enjoyed the creepy and eerie vibe of this book – a grand manor, a game where the players must solve riddles to move on. If you don’t solve the riddle, the house will make its move! This was an unusual, unique and at times entertaining book. This book is like a fantasy horror locked room game where the stakes are high, and consequences are deadly. Other times, I felt as if there were too many characters and my attention waned. As the characters connection to the late author were told, I found some interesting and others meh. I thought I would enjoy this book much more than I did. It has a great premise, but the execution didn’t quite work for me. Normally I loved that ‘trapped’ feeling in books, but this one didn’t quit3 work for me. Others are enjoying this book much more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. Creepy, horrific, and eerie.
Sophie Was Here
Gripping, thrilling, shocking and twist filled! Sophie Was Here: A totally addictive and absolutely gripping psychological thriller is another captivating book by Kathryn Croft. This story builds slowly and normally I have issues with slow building books but I was invested in the mystery surrounding the house, the disappearance of a young woman, and the family that I just cruised along with this drama filled ride and before I knew it, things picked up and I couldn’t put Sophie Was Here down! Emmie and her boyfriend, Charlie have moved into Forest Farm, Charlie’s family home which has sat empty for years. When Emmie discovers writing on the wall (“Sophie was here”) in the basement her interest is piqued! Emmie soon learns that Sophie, Charlie’s high school girlfriend went missing years ago. I love a good cold case and apparently so does Emmie’s and she begins asking questions around the village about Sophie…. This book is told in two timelines using multiple POV’s. This was a nice touch and provided insight into many of the characters’ lives from when they are teenagers and into adulthood. I always enjoying trying to determine whodunit and was shocked when the reveal occurred. Families can be complex, and this family is no exception. There are secrets, lies, and gaslighting galore in this book. At times I wondered who could be trusted, who was telling the truth, and how much danger was Emmie getting herself into by asking questions that made certain characters uncomfortable. As I mentioned, this book begins slowly as the author builds the plot and introduces readers to members of the family and village. I enjoyed when things began to get tense and individuals began getting uncomfortable. This book has a nice amount to twist which kept me on my toes and changing my list of suspects. There were a few reveals that I did not see coming and I always love it when that happens. I had both the book and audiobook versions of Sophie Was Here, which made for a full immersive reading experience. Wonderfully written, well thought out, clever, and full of secrets! Thank you to bookouture and bookouture audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ashes of August Manor
Gothic, creepy, unnerving, dark, and chilling! Blaine Daigle’s Ashes of August Manor with its eerie vibe slowly and silently sucked me and never let go! I was instantly engrossed in this book about a hospice worker who has been hired to care for a dying man in his manor home outside of Bell River, Oregon. This book delivers on the chills and thrills and kept me guessing. I was instantly intrigued by the fact that before she even arrives at his home she is warned by someone in town to go home. The dying man is a monster she is informed. When she decides to continue on to the home, she is strongly urged to never go into the woods!!!! I was all in for that! I mean seriously, what could be in the woods that has everyone in town avoiding them? Plus, are those ashes falling from the sky? Noelle, who is no stranger to loss, grief, tragedy, and loneliness, has been hired by the Isabel August to care for her dying father. She along with her mute son, Ernest, live in the dark home with Isabel’s dying father. The home is grand yet relies on candles as there is no electricity. What? How do they cook, what about a refrigerator? If these questions pop up, just push them to the side and go with it as I did. Noelle is happy to get to work but Isabel always seems to have a reason that she needs to check on her father. Earnest, the mute child, is frightened and Noelle wants desperately to help him. Noelle can relate to his fear, his loneliness, his helplessness, and his isolation. It’s not long before strange things begin to happen. Noelle begins to hear and see things. Are they real? Is the house haunted? Plus, what is up with the ashes????Don’t even get me started on the ravens! This book is oozing with atmosphere and unease. I loved the foreboding and sense of danger that ebbed and flowed just underneath the surface. Something isn’t right but what is it? Why is Isabel not letting her see the man she was hired to care for? Why is Earnest so frightened? This is the 4th book which I have read by Blaine Daigle, and he continues to wow me with his wonderful writing, his well thought out plots, his characters, his settings, his vivid descriptions, and the chilling feel of his books. This book goes through a metamorphosis as it progresses. It goes from being a haunted house book to something else entirely. I had no idea where things were going to go in this book, but I happily read along as Daigle switched things up in a spooky strange manner. This book read like an old-time horror movie/ horror book, and I loved every page of it. There is something nostalgic and creepy about the house, the atmosphere, and the characters. I felt as if this book was taking place in black and white and I mean that as a compliment. This book is spooky, chilling, dark, haunting, gothic and atmospheric. Dark, gothic, wonderfully written, and hard to put down! I can’t wait to read what Blaine Daigle writes next! Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Like Lions
Gritty, violent, raw, gripping, shocking, riveting, and hard to put down! I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator. I am reading this book in reverse which has been interesting, but I loved both Hard Cash Valley and Nothing but the Bones and wanted to go back to the beginning. I had both on hold at my local library and this one became available first. Brian Panowich is such a gifted author. He pulls me in and has me instantly absorbed into the lives of his fictional characters. I love his writing, his vivid descriptions, his characters both good and bad and those that tiptoe the fine line between the two. Whew! If you have not read a book by Brian Panowich you are missing out!!!! His books are gritty and violent but so very good!
Not Quite Dead Yet
“In seven days Jet Mason will be dead.” Talk about grabbing a readers attention! This book had me from the very first page and never let go! Secrets and lies are the name of the game in this book! My first book by Holly Jackson was a hit! Jet is horrifically attacked and the outlook is grim. Her doctor has diagnosed her with an injury caused deadly aneurysm and she does not have much time left to live. With only a few remaining days, she enlists her childhood friend, Billy to help her find her killer! Yes, this was a new one. Knowing that your horrific head injury would result in your death in a few days! In all of my reading, I have not seen this before! Intrigued, I dove in and along with Jet and Billy, tried my best to figure out whodunit! Man, this one sucked me in. I was rooting for both Jet and Billy to find the individual who attacked Jet. Jet could have easily fallen apart but she has grit and determination and wants to know who attacked her and why. She is one tough cookie but is also human and I loved the scene where she is vulnerable with her friend and expressed her feelings. She is resourceful and dedicated to not let anything stop her including her failing body in search of her killer. Billy is her loyal and sweet friend who is by her side, doing his best to be supportive and throws himself into helping her figure out who attacked her. As the book progressed, I could feel the tension, dread and sense of time jumping off the pages! The clock is ticking and my anxiety was piqued as the sand slipped through the hourglass so to speak. I felt the sense of urgency to solve the case before it was to late. This book kept me guessing and fully engaged in the plot. I loved the twists and turns that this book took. I kept thinking ‘how much can one person take’ but also kept turning the pages and overlooking the fact that Jet survived massive head trauma and was able to get around and investigate what happened to her. Her family also seemed a little laissez faire to me about her remaining days. I would be glued to her side trying to do whatever it took to spend as much time with her as I could if I was her family member. As the book got closer to the end, I had whittled down my suspect list as minor bread crumbs began to fall into place. There were many possible suspects and even though I did guess whodunit before it is revealed in the book, I marveled at how Holly Jackson brought everything together. This was my first Holly Jackson book and I look forward to reading more of her books! Wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, and hard to put down Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Finding Grace
Wowza! Usually, books take time to build but this one sucker punched me in the very beginning! Holy Moly! Talk about being shocked and left with your mouth hanging open! Life can, as they say, change in a moment. I found myself instantly gripped by this book and went through an array of emotions while reading Finding Grace. I had a hard time putting this book down and found myself gripping the pages tighter and tighter while my feelings and thoughts changed multiple times during reading Finding Grace. I cannot believe that this is a debut novel!!!! Whew! This book is wonderfully written, well thought out, gripping, thought provoking, heartbreaking, shocking and evokes emotion. This book looks at choices, decisions, action, morals, honesty/dishonesty, love, relationships, and being a parent to name a few. There are a few others, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers. There is one character who will remain nameless in my review who had me feeling all kinds of things. I wanted to hug this character, then talk sense into this character, then yell at this character, you get the picture. This is a great book for book clubs. The subject matter may be hard for some, but there is so much to discuss with this book. Wonderfully written, gripping, shocking, thought provoking and hard to put down! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
How to Survive a Horror Story
Seven authors have been invited to legendary deceased author, Mortimer Queen’s home for the reading of his last will and testament. Each has some form of connection to the late author. Each are invited to play a game…. I enjoyed the creepy and eerie vibe of this book – a grand manor, a game where the players must solve riddles to move on. If you don’t solve the riddle, the house will make its move! This was an unusual, unique and at times entertaining book. This book is like a fantasy horror locked room game where the stakes are high, and consequences are deadly. Other times, I felt as if there were too many characters and my attention waned. As the characters connection to the late author were told, I found some interesting and others meh. I thought I would enjoy this book much more than I did. It has a great premise, but the execution didn’t quite work for me. Normally I loved that ‘trapped’ feeling in books, but this one didn’t quit3 work for me. Others are enjoying this book much more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. Creepy, horrific, and eerie.
Sophie Was Here
Gripping, thrilling, shocking and twist filled! Sophie Was Here: A totally addictive and absolutely gripping psychological thriller is another captivating book by Kathryn Croft. This story builds slowly and normally I have issues with slow building books but I was invested in the mystery surrounding the house, the disappearance of a young woman, and the family that I just cruised along with this drama filled ride and before I knew it, things picked up and I couldn’t put Sophie Was Here down! Emmie and her boyfriend, Charlie have moved into Forest Farm, Charlie’s family home which has sat empty for years. When Emmie discovers writing on the wall (“Sophie was here”) in the basement her interest is piqued! Emmie soon learns that Sophie, Charlie’s high school girlfriend went missing years ago. I love a good cold case and apparently so does Emmie’s and she begins asking questions around the village about Sophie…. This book is told in two timelines using multiple POV’s. This was a nice touch and provided insight into many of the characters’ lives from when they are teenagers and into adulthood. I always enjoying trying to determine whodunit and was shocked when the reveal occurred. Families can be complex, and this family is no exception. There are secrets, lies, and gaslighting galore in this book. At times I wondered who could be trusted, who was telling the truth, and how much danger was Emmie getting herself into by asking questions that made certain characters uncomfortable. As I mentioned, this book begins slowly as the author builds the plot and introduces readers to members of the family and village. I enjoyed when things began to get tense and individuals began getting uncomfortable. This book has a nice amount to twist which kept me on my toes and changing my list of suspects. There were a few reveals that I did not see coming and I always love it when that happens. I had both the book and audiobook versions of Sophie Was Here, which made for a full immersive reading experience. Wonderfully written, well thought out, clever, and full of secrets! Thank you to bookouture and bookouture audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
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