A House by the Sea (Winthrop House #1) by Ambrose Ibsen

 

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Five "Spooky" Stars

I read this book back in September 2016 and it was my first book by this author. I was very impressed by how quickly the author pulled me into the storyline! This book is full of haunting atmosphere that grabbed me and kept me pinned in my chair! 

A little taste of what is inside:

An author moves his family into a house that has some haunting history and when the house wakes up it lets the family know that it is not happy that they have moved in! 

Thoughts:

This book started me out on many more creepy books by this author and this book also has a sequel as well which is just as fast paced as this book. Enter the mind of Ambrose Ibsen and be prepared to be scared! 

For my full review of the book, A House by the Sea, by author, Ambrose Ibsen, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1766308924

Attached is the author, Ambrose Ibsen, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14031995.Ambrose_Ibsen

Attached is the author, Ambrose Ibsen, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Ambrose-Ibsen/e/B00YBXIVS0

The Ghost of Molly Holt by Amy Cross

 

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Five "Haunting" Stars

Sometimes books just hit the right note especially when authors build up a crescendo of suspense in the first few chapters of a book. 

I have read a few books by author, Amy Cross, and quite a few of her books deal with hauntings and ghosts. She seems to always "bring forth the spooky" into her stories and this book was no different. 

The first thing that drew me to the book was the freaking cover as it made me think of that horror movie "The Ring" and I had a feeling that the story was going to be a "spook fest" and I wasn't disappointed!

A little taste at what is inside:

A curse is attached to a video tape which shows the rape, torture and murder of the character Molly Holt. When the video is found by some teenagers they end up watching it in the house where the murder took place. Watching a cursed video in a house that is haunted is definitely a bad idea which they find out the hard way. 

The book is fast paced once the teenagers appear in the story and then the book kicks into high gear with creepy chills! 

For my full review of the book, The Ghost of Molly Holt, by author, Amy Cross, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2105913631

Attached is the author, Amy Cross, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5344482.Amy_Cross

Attached is the author, Amy Cross, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Cross/e/B006DE8I6U

Bone Snow by David Haynes

 

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Five "Chiller" Stars

This was a great book with lots of trepidation and spooky atmosphere. I have read other books by author, David Haynes, and each one always seems to give me tension and suspense. 

A little taste of what is inside:

A snow storm blows in trapping customers inside a small town store with no escape, but one of them is not what they seem and as time passes with no let up from the blizzard the customers would rather deal with the blizzard than deal with what is inside the store with them. 

Chills and thrills abound in this book along with some interesting characters with a heavy dose of folklore added for spice and flavor. 

For my full review of the book, Bone Snow, by author, David Haynes, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3059900926

Attached is the author, David Haynes, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6521221.David_Haynes

Attached is the author, David Haynes, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/David-Haynes/e/B00983PM9Y

Top Reads of 2015

This year was a strange year as it seems I wasn't reading a whole lot for some reason and what I did read was quite a bit of true ghost stories. More this year than 2014. But I will just put in top reads of those mixed in with whatever else I read that year. Also it seems I was on a Darcy Coates kick too as I read three of her books back to back. :)

My Top Reads of 2015 are as follows:

Horror:

Hudson House by J.T. Warren

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9806382-hudson-house

Porcelain by William Hage

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23270554-porcelain

Crawlspace by Darcy Coates

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24960838-crawlspace

Crypt by Darcy Coates

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25529576-crypt

The Mannequin by Darcy Coates

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23734258-the-mannequin

Reunion by Jeff Bennington

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10803673-reunion

Crime/Mystery:

Classmate Murders by Bob Moats

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7983478-classmate-murders

True Crime:

The Naked Streets: The Shocking True Story of the Phoenix Sniper Murders and Baseline Killer by Ronald Watkins

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21161211-the-naked-streets

Cary Stayner: The True Story of the Yosemite Park Killer

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26079611-cary-stayner

True Paranormal:

Ouija Board Nightmares by John Harker

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25271448-ouija-board-nightmares

The Nightmare Returns by Jason McLeod

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23130964-the-nightmare-returns

Demonic Dolls: True Tales of Terrible Toys by John Harker

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25838483-demonic-dolls?

Top Reads of 2014

I have decided to do another blog series on my "Top Reads" from past years and I will be providing a link of the book from Goodreads for easy access.

I will be starting it out for 2014 as that is when I first acquired my kindle and was introduced to digital books. I started to dip my toes slowly into a few indie authors here and there as I was able to get books so easily to download from Amazon. As time went on I discovered more indie authors which I truly found "tons" in the year 2016.  

So I will be adding different genres here and there as not everything I read was horror. :)  There might be a smattering of mainstream in here too so I will just filter them in here and there. Also in 2014 it seems I was "easy to please" as there are quite a few 4 and 5 star reads so this might be a long list! LOL :-)

My Top Reads of 2014 are as follows:

Horror:

Dark Side by J. M. Barlog

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9645549-dark-side

Haunted House by Jack Kilborn (note: this is in a series but I didn't know it at the time - it can be read as a stand alone from what the blurb says though.)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17563580-haunted-house

Devil's Nightmare by Robert Pruneda

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25937161-devil-s-nightmare

Covenant by Wade Joseph Le Fevre

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22556557-covenant

Floor Four by A. Lopez, Jr.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19438523-floor-four

The Store by Bentley Little

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209682.The_Store

The Bank of the River by Michael Richan

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18076161-the-bank-of-the-river

Fantasy:

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (I read the omnibus 1 - 3)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/529015.The_Lord_of_the_Rings

True Crime:

Danger in the Dorm by Ann Rule

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17561804-danger-in-the-dorm

Those Want Ads Can Be Murder by Les Macdonald

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22697883-those-want-ads-can-be-murder

Shattered by Kathryn Casey

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7976870-shattered

True Paranormal: (For some reason I was in the mood to read true ghost stories in 2014 as there are quite a few I read but I am only listing a few here that were really good.)

Haunted by Willow Cross (note: there is four books in this series) 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12956854-haunted

Paranormal Intruder by Caroline Mitchell

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19317575-paranormal-intruder

My Haunted Apartment by Lisa Gellers

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18889347-my-haunted-apartment

A Connecticut Family's Nightmare by Jason McLeod

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19445939-a-connecticut-family-s-nightmare

The Damnation Game by David Brian

 

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Four "Twisted" Stars

I have read a few books by this author and this one follows the same fast pace as a few of his other books. I was able to get involved in it right away and though it is a short story it kept my attention all the way to the end of the book. 

A small taste of what is inside:

A woman's husband is killed by a serial killer and as she tries to pick up the pieces of her life, the killer turns his eyes towards her.   

That is about all I can give away as the story is a short read, but it does pack a punch along with some twists and turns in the storyline which kept me entertained to the end.

For my full review of the book, The Damnation Game, by author, David Brian, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1843659965

Attached is the author, David Brian, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1068132.David_Brian

Attached is the author, David Brian, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/David-Brian/e/B005OKXVVG

Misfits by Hunter Shea

 

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Five "Blood Festive" Stars

Wow! Another awesome story by author, Hunter Shea, that brings creatures alive within this book! 

A little taste of what is inside:

Five friends want revenge for a crime that was committed against one of their friends and they take the culprit out to the backwoods of Milbury, Connecticut leaving the person to fend for themselves against legendary creatures called the Melon Heads. 

This story was a twisted ride of horror and gore as legends come to life within this book. As with some other books by this author when the bodies start to pile up you know that you better prepare yourself for a bloody good time as when the blood starts to fly you better be in possession of a gore suit as you will need it!

For my full review of the book, Misfits, by author, Hunter Shea, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3538098613

Attached is the author, Hunter Shea, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5224760.Hunter_Shea

Attached is the author, Hunter Shea, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Hunter-Shea/e/B007RMLXAA

Food by Jeffrey Caston

 

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Five "Blood Infested" Stars

This was a extreme short story and though it was a short romp through the mind of this author, it packs a punch near the end of the book.

This book can be read in about 30 minutes and the author, Jeffrey Caston, slowly builds up the story to the point you do not know where it will be leading until you get to the end. I felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under me when the ending of the book smacked me in the face as I was definitely not expecting how it all turned out. 

I can not really give a backstory on the book except you will just have to read my review to get more of what lays inside this story as I have a little more laid out in there. 

For my full review of the book, Food, by author, Jeffrey Caston, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3446691034

Attached is the author, Jeffrey Caston, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20027977.Jeffrey_Caston

Attached is the author, Jeffrey Caston, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Jeffrey-Caston/e/B084TQYBM7

Where The Monsters Live by Duncan Ralston

 

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Four "Gritty" Stars

This short story by author, Duncan Ralston, has a great impact of what a parent will do for their child and how far they will go to see justice done. 

A small taste of what is inside:

When a girl is raped her father cannot seem to get the law enforcement to move fast enough to find out who did it, so he takes matters into his own hands and he will sacrifice everything to find the man to see that is justice is done swiftly. 

I was impressed by the raw emotions that are within this book and it shows that when a child is hurt that the parent(s) will do whatever it takes to catch the criminal even if they have to step outside of the law to get it done.

For my full review of the book, Where the Monsters Live, by author, Duncan Ralston, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2087383532

Attached is the author, Duncan Ralston, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7509031.Duncan_Ralston

Attached is the author, Duncan Ralston, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Duncan-Ralston/e/B00F23Y41Q

Ravenous by Ray Garton

 

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Five "Ripping" Stars

This was an great story about werewolves that went on a rampage through this book! I have had this book on my kindle for a long time along with some other books by this author that I have been meaning to read. 

I have been in a werewolf reading mood lately for some reason so I decided to pick up this book first to try it out. I have seen this author's books come across my Goodreads feeds lots of times and I always say that I am going to read one of his books that I own. Well I finally did and I am very happy to have read it as what a fun horror ride it was as I scampered my way through the storyline. 

A little taste of what is inside:

Werewolves invade the small town of Big Rock, California and they make the town their breeding ground as they take over the area. No one is safe in this town as the bodies pile up. 

There is an interesting twist to the story as well which is located more in my full review but the pace was perfect - the surprises of who was going to be next on the "to die list" kept me entranced within the story as I moved quickly through the book. Also there are tons of characters in this book so make sure you do not get attached to anyone as they might end up on the "die list". 

For my full review of the book, Ravenous, by author, Ray Garton, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3501931262

Attached is the author, Ray Garton, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20559.Ray_Garton

Attached is the author, Ray Garton, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Ray-Garton/e/B000ARBIQI

Haunting in Hartley by Janice Tremayne

 

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Four "Spooky" Stars

What a haunting tale this turned out to be as the spooky atmosphere of the book wrapped itself around me! New author to purse as well as I was impressed by the writing style of this story. 

A small taste of what is inside:

Not only the town of Hartley is haunted but a renovated presbytery holds a powerful secret locked behind a door in the basement. The price to unleash the secret could be deadly. 

There was quite a bit of the spooky atmosphere running rampant throughout the story and I could feel not only the jittery feeling of ghostly tendrils, I could also visualize what the characters had to endure as the story moved along. 

The book is in a series, but it can be read as a stand alone. Definitely will be tracking down more books by this author.  

For my full review of the book, Haunting in Hartley, by author, Janice Tremayne, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3515230235

Attached is the author, Janice Tremayne, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19471383.Janice_Tremayne

Attached is the author, Janice Tremayne, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Janice-Tremayne/e/B07X25Q8Q9

My thanks to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for letting me review this ARC. 

The Outsider by Stephen King

 

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Five "Creepy" Stars

I read this book last year in early 2019 and I was quite impressed with the story. It was definitely a grabber and the master of horror kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end.

It has been a long while since I have read that great of a book by King as sometimes I get a hit and miss with some later work, but this book reminded me of his earlier work and the stories that I read in his early years. 

A little taste of what is inside:

A murder of an eleven year old boy is committed by someone that is loved and respected in the community, but all is not what it seems as there is mystery surrounding the murderer that no one sees coming.

This was almost like a classic "whodunit" type of book as the mystery of the crime unfolds and King keeps up the pace of the story with lots of twists and turns. I was surprised by how deep into the story I became involved as I would stay awake nights with my head and eyes buried in the book as it kept me captivated. 

For my full review of the book, The Outsider, by author, Stephen King, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2151569756

Attached is the author, Stephen King, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3389.Stephen_King

Attached is the author, Stephen King, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Stephen-King/e/B000AQ0842

The Blood House by Amy Cross

 

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Five "Bloody" Stars

This book was my first introduction to author, Amy Cross and wow what a ride into terror the book turned out to be! I read this book back in November of 2016 and have not forgotten this book as it was actually also my introduction into graphic gore as well which gave me my first taste of the extreme side of life! 

A small taste of what is inside:

A house comes alive as new occupants moves in and the house is hungry as it has been awhile since it has fed. 

This book was very fast paced and I was so captured by what the house could do and would do that I just could not put this book down! I read the book within 24 hours and the graphic descriptions that the author weaved through my mind has stayed with me even four years later. If you need some blood in your diet then go grab this book as it runs in rivulets through this storyline! 

For my full review of the book, The Blood House, by author, Amy Cross, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1803062023

Attached is the author, Amy Cross, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5344482.Amy_Cross

Attached is the author, Amy Cross, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Cross/e/B006DE8I6U

Thoughts - Author Comments on Reviews

I have been on Goodreads for near nine years and I have seen all kinds of things, but I saw something last week that made me pause with eyebrows raised as I wasn't sure I was reading the post I was seeing. I literally read the post three "freaking" times as I kid you not I could not believe it! 

A reader had put up a post with a question that said this and I quote: "Does anyone else get upset when authors leave comments on the reviews? The authors should stay off of the reviews of the books." 

WHAT?!! What is wrong with that picture?!  I came close to going on a rant but the person was not one of my friends (thank goodness) so I just scrolled through all the readers reactions and I can honestly say that I was stunned by what some of the reader friends were saying on there. Quite a few of the friends were agreeing with the poster on there and I am still even shocked by that statement as I sit here and write this blog. Now out of all the comments one reader did say on there that they feel honored when the author leaves a comment on their review. FINALLY someone with some common sense! 

What is the reading world coming to when the authors who wrote the books cannot leave comments on the reviews of the books they wrote?! Where is the sense in that?!  

Here are some more thoughts on it from my end and if any author wants to leave a comment on any of my reviews my thoughts are "Go For It"!  The author creates stories - spends hundreds of hours writing them - then puts them out there for us readers to read and review. The very least that the reader can do is let the author comment on the review if they so wish as the books would not be here if it wasn't for the authors. 

I shake my head quite a lot these days as I don't know about readers sometimes and their thought processes. I am truly amazed at the things I see over on Goodreads and sometimes I just do not understand what is happening in the reading world. The more crazy stuff I see the more I want to go on rants. It is almost like "road rage" when you are driving your car and some idiot cuts you off - well in the book world I call it "reader rage" and you just want to lay into someone for saying crazy stuff about books. 

This one though takes the cake because I never dreamed that readers truly don't like the authors to leave comments! Maybe that is why some authors don't leave comments as they are worried about backlash from the reader - well let me tell you all something - if any author wants to leave comments on my reviews I would be honored as the book belongs to the author and it is their work that they have spent hours on end working to get out there to the readers! 

So those are my thoughts this week and I wonder if I will see anymore "crazy stuff" over there. Well if I do then I will write a blog about it because at least I can blow off some steam over here! :) 

The Raven by Jonathan Janz

 

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Five "Edge of the Seat Thriller" Stars

This was a raving bloody romp through apocalypse proportions!

A small backstory:

An event known as the Four Winds decimated life and created new life in forms of creatures that roam the earth. Dez McClane survived the Four Winds but has to endure the inhabitants around him which include monsters from every form of life. Everything is in this book including Minotaurs that have free rein throughout the world. Dez is not one of these creatures as he is human which in this world is known as Latent and he is has no superhuman abilities either.

Dez has to travel through the terrain in search of his partner Susan but by searching for her, Dez will have to fight and survive the creatures roaming this world!

Thoughts:

My second reread of this book was just as awesome as the first time around!

Author, Jonathan Janz moved into horror apocalyptic, but with this book he stepped out into what I would call a cross between urban fantasy, modern day western, and science fiction horror.

Lots of twists, turns, fast pacing and descriptive blood/gore scenes that kept my attention throughout the story!

I can say it was different but there are horror elements integrated within the story with the creatures which include vampires, werewolves, cannibals, etc. just to name a few and there is tons of extreme gore interlaced through the story as well which takes the storyline into extreme splatterpunk. 

Attached is the author, Jonathan Janz, profile page from Goodreads:

Jonathan Janz

Attached is the author, Jonathan Janz, profile page from Amazon:

Jonathan Janz

My Goodreads Review:

My Review

The Demons of Cambian Street by Catherine Cavendish

 

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Five "Shivering Suspense" Stars

Spooky Occult Chiller!

A small taste of what is inside:

Stella is slowly recovering from cancer and she wants to go somewhere that is peaceful and serene. Stella and her husband find such a place on Cambian Street. As they settle into the home everything seems fine at first, but then small things start happening that makes Stella wonder if she is imagining things. There is a cupboard in the house that has a lock on it which Stella finds curious, but she starts wondering what is really going on when the cupboard starts unlocking itself.

When Stella discusses it with her husband, he just laughs it off saying it is an old house, but what they don't know is that the cupboard is locked for a reason and what is in the cupboard is beyond their wildest nightmares. The more that Stella tries to relax and recuperate, the more activity starts flaring up in the home.

Stella makes friends with a woman (Rhiannon) that practices Wicca and along with her new friend they try to discover what is haunting the home as this is not the first time that something has happened there. What they find is a nightmare from hell!

That is about all I can give on a small taste so if you want to know more then go read this book!

Thoughts:

The book begins as a peaceful and tranquil time for Stella, but quickly builds in suspense, tension, chills, along with twists and turns all the way to the spooky end. After I was 30% into the book it just took off on an accelerating ride into the unknown as I didn't know what to expect with each page turn. 

Author, Catherine Cavendish created characters that wrap themselves around the reader and pulls them into the nightmare on Cambian Street.

I could feel the dreadful atmosphere of the house as I was reading the book and the more I became involved with the story, the harder it was for me to put the book down! I was literally at 70% reading this book before bed, but as the suspense, tension and spooky activity of the book increased, I ended up finishing it within a couple of hours as I could not put it down!

What a ride into horror this book turned out to be! I read this book back in November of 2018 and what I found inside was so full of spooks that it is a wonder my kindle didn't become haunted! 👻

So if you want a book that is going to "spook you out of your skin" and give you delicious nightmares then go read this book as it will wrap its tendrils of fear around your mind and take you on one hell of a ride!

Attached is the author, Catherine Cavendish, profile page from Goodreads:

Catherine Cavendish

Attached is the author, Catherine Cavendish, profile page from Amazon:

Catherine Cavendish

My Goodreads Review:

My Review

Seat 6A by Michael Bray

 

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Four "Twisted" Stars

Short story twist that I read back in early 2018 as the cover looked interesting along with the story so I jumped right in! 

Also this was my first book by author, Michael Bray, and the writing style was right up my alley! This book is what started my pursuit of the rest of his books and I do have quite a few more on my kindle waiting to be read.

A small taste of what is inside:

A passenger sits in Seat 6A and he is not what he seems to be. 

So if you want to find out more about what lies inside this book then go grab a copy and step into the mind of this author!

For my full review of the book, Seat 6A, by author, Michael Bray, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2133057724

Attached is the author, Michael Bray, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2301413.Michael_Bray

Attached is the author, Michael Bray, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Bray/e/B009GH9XCO