Shaken (Jack Daniels Mystery #7) by J.A. Konrath

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Four "Serial Killer Shake 'n' Bake" Stars

Another great installment for the Jack Daniels series!

A taste of what lies within:

Jack is in dire straits within this story as she wakes up not knowing where she is or what has happened to her - all she knows is that she is in lots of pain. She knows she is in deep trouble when she learns that she is tied up with rope and she cannot see where she is located but she learns that she is in some type of storage facility. 

Then it finally dawns on her just who might have her in his clutches and Jack knows that it will be no easy feat to escape this lunatic as her memory comes into sharp focus when she realizes that it could be Mr. K who is known for eluding capture as he slays victims left and right.

In the meantime while Jack is tied up in an unknown place, her partner (Herb) and her friends Harry and Phineas Troutt are hunting like mad for her trying to pick up some kind of trail of what happened to her and who is responsible for her kidnapping. It will be no easy hunt as all three of them start out clueless, but once they start going through all of Jack's arrests they finally come to a conclusion of who it could possibly be, but to find "him" will be another matter. 

What happened to Jack and how did the killer kidnap her? Is the killer really Mr. K and if so, what are his plans for Jack? Does Jack's friends and partner find her in time? No spoilers here as you will need to read the book!

Thoughts:

This story took some time to really get into it even though it jumps right away with something happening. With this series so far I have been handing out five stars for each book because I would be staying up late into the night while I felt I was walking a tight rope most of the time with these stories. This book not so much. 

Don't get me wrong - this is a great book but it has time jumps which I have said in other reviews that time jumping is rough for me as sometimes it throws me off of what is happening in the present and then having to remember what happens in the past to tie in with the present. This book though there are "two" time jumps - yes you read that right. Two jumps into the past - one time jump goes back twenty five years and the other time jump goes back three years - then you are shot forward back to the present. It goes like that throughout the whole book. Almost like clockwork - rinse and repeat back and forth to the end of the book. 

So I read this book a little slower as I tried to stay up with what was happening twenty five years ago, three years ago and then into the "here and now". I know the author did it like that to tell the story of the "how and why" of what was happening to the character Jack, but two time jumps is a little too much. So that is why I dropped it down a star - even though there is a warning at the beginning of the book as the author goes into detail of why he is doing time jumps in this book and I thought "oh boy - just what I need", but I wanted to continue on with this series so I just plunged ahead and hoped for the best. I guess I was able to keep it all straight (amazingly enough) as I am writing this review. 

As always the characters of Herb, Harry, and Phineas kept me in stitches with chuckles and laughter - there was no laughter with Jack though as she was in her tight situation so there was more of a somber feeling there. Otherwise this book kept me wrapped in suspense and intrigue. I am looking forward to reading the next book "Stirred" in this series. 

Attached is the author, J. A. Konrath, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/137270.J_A_Konrath

Attached is the author, J.A. Konrath, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/J.-A.-Konrath/e/B000BCH4EM

Attached is my Goodreads review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4047755249

Occult Assassin Series (Books 1 - 6) by William Massa

The "Occult Assassin Series" rocked my world late last year when I stepped into these books!

Author, William Massa, created the world of character, Mark Talon who use to be a Delta Force Operator and is now the Occult Assassin. The first book, Damnation Code just grabbed me right away and I loved the book so much, I went to grab the rest of the series!

There are six books in the series but I also included a seventh book which is a short novella called the "Coffin Collector" which is about 38 pages and it is not required to read within the series but I added it because I did read it as I was curious what laid within the story. 

The character, Mark Talon is one badass dude that will blend in with the shadows and go into stealth mode when needed to take out the bad guys who happen to be cultists that have tapped deep into the dark arts which makes them almost unstoppable, but not for Mark Talon as he learns the dark arts himself as he goes on the hunt to stop the cultists. 

I already was familiar with the writing style of the author as I had read a couple of his books before, but I wasn't expecting a full blown action packed series that kept me awake nights and my insomnia fueled which that is what this series did! There is quite a bit action that lies within, but there is also plenty of stealth and shadows as well. 

I literally read the first four books back to back as I just could not get enough of this world and then I finished up the rest of them within a month's time as I felt that I had boarded a stealth fighter jet and wanted to keep that reading rush moving at lightning speed! 

I feel that the books need to be read in order for full impact of the storyline. The first book is basically fueled by vengeance as Mark Talon goes on a rampage streak with something that happens in the first book, so it is best to read them in the order I put them on here to know what is going on with the character, Mark Talon. There is a supporting character that makes his appearance known in the first book (Simon Casca) and stays within this world through the rest of the series. 

Listed below are the books in the series:

Damnation Code (Occult Assassin #1)

Five "Damnation Diabolical" Pentagrams

⛤⛤⛤⛤⛤

My review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3660347632

Apocalypse Solider (Occult Assassin #2)

Five "Super Soldier" Pentagrams

⛤⛤⛤⛤⛤

My review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3660348864

Ice Shadows (Occult Assassin #3)

Five "Frozen" Pentagrams

⛤⛤⛤⛤⛤

My review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3125643432

Coffin Collector (Occult Assassin #3.5)

Five "Coffin Chiller" Pentagrams

⛤⛤⛤⛤⛤

My review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3704591127

Spirit Breaker (Occult Assassin #4)

Five "Sizzling Spirit" Pentagrams

⛤⛤⛤⛤⛤

My review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3660349839

Soul Jacker (Occult Assassin #5)

Five "Soul Stealer" Pentagrams

⛤⛤⛤⛤⛤

My review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3660352307

Doomsday Disciples (Occult Assassin #6)

 

Five "Diabolical Doomed" Pentagrams

⛤⛤⛤⛤⛤

My review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3671423095

I am also including the author, William Massa's profile page links from Goodreads, Amazon, Bookbub and the author's website. 

Goodreads Author Profile Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7351982.William_Massa

Amazon Author Profile Page:

https://www.amazon.com/William-Massa/e/B00G5D8ITQ

Bookbub Author Profile Page:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/william-massa

Website of Author, William Massa:

https://www.williammassa.com/

My wrap-up thoughts are this:

This series totally rocks and I love how the author created this world with action/occult intertwined with each other through every book. Each book has a different story that deals with cultists so the series does not end on cliff hangers - it only continues with the character, Mark Talon and the supporting character, Simon Casca.  

The first book, Damnation Code starts this series off with a bang and continues onward to the very last book of Doomsday Disciples!  I loved this series so much that I probably will being doing a reread of it this coming year and hopefully read the books a little slower to absorb the action and get back into reading about Mark Talon kicking some cultists ass! 

Highly Recommended!

Desert Places (Andrew Z. Thomas/Luther Kite #1) by Blake Crouch

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Five "Dark Desert" Stars

Dust and Devils!

A taste of what lies within:

Andrew who is an author is feeling in relaxed mode from the book he just completed, but the relaxation doesn't last for long when he gets an eerie letter in the mail telling him there is a body buried on his property and if he does not call the number on a note that is buried with the body by a certain time then a phone call will be made to the police informing them of the so called body and where it can be found. 

Andrew at first thinks it is a joke as he has received weird letters before from readers but just on a hunch he decides to go to the spot where the body is supposed to be buried and notices that something isn't right. When he digs down in that spot and uncovers a body is when he goes into high alert. When he makes the phone call to the person he cannot figure out who it is as their voice is muffled, but when the person tells him that he has to do exactly what is required of him or else the police will become involved, Andrew has no choice but to comply. 

Andrew ends up putting his life on hold as he is forced to do what this person wants or else even so much as taking a plane to a specific place to be escorted to meet with this person. When the "person" is finally revealed to be his long lost twin brother (Orson) who everyone thought was dead is when things go into overdrive.  

When Andrew sees that there will probably be no escape as the place where Orson is located is out in the desert with no one else around for miles. 

Andrew finds out that Orson has actually turned into a sadistic serial killer and Andrew wonders if he will make it out of this situation alive or if he will also become one of his brother's victims!

Thoughts:

This book is my third Crouch book as I read one of his books a few years back that I really enjoyed and I read another book by him that he collaborated on with three other authors. The writing style is smooth and with this book, something happens right away within the first chapter so there is no time to get all settled in my cozy chair before things go awry right away! 

I love the character, Andrew as I could feel the trepidation and anxiety that he was going through as he had to make plans with leaving his life behind temporarily and having to meet up with someone (a stranger) who wouldn't let him know much of nothing of what was in store for him. The pace of the book moves at a great clip and I kept wanting to see what was going to happen next. 

The book does escalate when things become topsy turvy for Andrew but the book takes a twisted turn around the 30% mark putting Andrew in control and Orson in dire straits. From that point on in the story I read almost 30% more of the book within just a couple or so hours as the suspenseful twist kept me on the edge of my seat. There are three books in this trilogy, so I will need to continue on with the next book at some point in time as I want to see what happens next for Andrew. 

Attached is the author, Blake Crouch , profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/442240.Blake_Crouch

Attached is the author, Blake Crouch, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Blake-Crouch/e/B001H6U8X0

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4357226165

Shadow Born (Joseph Hunter Series #1) by Alex Gates

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Four "Shadow Sorcery" Stars

Magic Abounds!

A taste of what lies within:

Joseph Hunter is infused with magical abilities that are entwined with sorcery and he is able to create sigils on his weapons including the bullets so that he can take down supernatural creatures. After his wife, Callie was murdered he has some friends take care of his daughter, Melanie to keep her safe as whoever murdered his wife will probably come after his daughter.  

Though keeping his daughter safe didn't work as now his daughter has been kidnapped and Joseph along with his friend, Xander will need to track down whoever took her which might include them stepping into a vampire lair. One way or the other, both men are on the hunt for Melanie and they hope that they will find her before anything bad happens. 

Thoughts:

This was an interesting first book into this series as the sorcery abilities of Joseph Hunter grabbed me when the character started wielding his powers. There is plenty of action within the pages of the book and that is basically why I am rating this book four stars. 

However, the character, Joseph Hunter has a bad attitude about everything that comes his way and though he is in mourning for his wife that died, he comes off as not caring about anyone but himself, which is understandable as he drowns his sorrows in drinking, but there is quite a bit of whining and him finding himself in trouble all the time which his friend, Xander has to keep pulling him out of scrapes. 

This could have been a five star read if the character wasn't whining and complaining through most of the story, so I have dropped it down one star from a five star read to a four star read. The magic sorcery abilities along with some action within these pages are the only thing that keeps this book afloat.

I wasn't too impressed with the character of Joseph Hunter and at some point in time I will finish the series as I have the other three books that follow this one as I am curious if Joseph will continue to whine or if he will come out of his depression and be something different in the books to follow.

Attached is the author, Alex Gates, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15625321.Alex_Gates

Attached is the author, Alex Gates, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Alex-Gates/e/B01IO5RZVY

Attached is my Goodreads review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3425278014

Afraid/Trapped/Endurance (Three Thriller Novels) by Jack Kilborn

 

💀💀💀💀💀

Five "Gruesome Gory" Skulls

This is a triple omnibus of three horrifying novels so breaking them down book by book with thoughts for each book. 

Afraid: 

The town of Safe Haven is shattered by a helicopter crash that releases special ops soldiers that believe they are on a mission to seek and destroy - the problem is the soldiers will not let anything stand in their way of extracting the information they are looking for. 

The citizens of the town realize too late that they are in the sights of these soldiers and they will have to band together to survive or die trying whichever comes first!

Thoughts:

This book just jumped out from under me right away as something happens almost instantly with this story which kept me suspended in terror.  I was reading about what the citizens were going through as for the first couple or so chapters I was as much in the dark as the citizen characters on trying to figure out what was stalking them. 

I learned quick that the threat was soldiers, but the author keeps the reader hooked until revealing that information, but then I was still in tension and anticipation of what was going to happen next so even revealing that info just heightened my level of intrigue! 

The writing style is pristine and smooth which I knew that it was going to be a fun read as I have read this author under his other name for his crime thrillers, though I have read one of his horror novels before which was Haunted House that is really tied in with this set of books, but I didn't know that when I first read the book that there was character tie-ins so will be rereading that book when I finish reading the three books in this omnibus. 

Trapped:

Martin and Sara Randhurst are guardians of six teens who have had troubled pasts and they decide to take them all camping out to an island that has been known to have an abandoned prison. Martin tells a spooky campfire story to them all one night after they get settled around the campfire about the prison and what happened there. 

Then a few of the teens see something in the bushes but they don't think nothing of it till Martin mysteriously falls back into the bushes but doesn't reappear. Sara thinks Martin is just joking around and trying to scare everyone, but when after a half hour or so and Martin still hasn't reappeared then everyone becomes worried. 

When Sara decides to go in search of Martin she takes a couple of the teens with her telling the others to stay in camp, but then things take a horrific turn as there is "something" roaming the island jungle and it is not happy that they have all invaded its turf. 

Thoughts:

This story grabbed me right away as when the character Martin disappears then all hell broke loose with everyone trying to find him and finding something else instead. There is lots of mystery and spookiness within this story along with some blood action as well. 

This story moves at a fast pace and there are plenty of twists and turns throughout the story which kept my insomnia fueled a few nights. 

Endurance:

An Iron Woman triathlon has been overbooked at one hotel so the hotel clerk informs the guests that they can book a room at the Rushmore Inn (a bed and breakfast) that is hidden away in the backwoods of West Virginia. 

Women have arrived at the Inn but the rooms are creepy in that all the rooms seem to have previous presidents faces on portraits around the room and things just seem to be "off" about the place. There are some creepy and deformed men that are wandering around the inn, but that is not all that is hidden deep away inside this inn as once the women get settled into their rooms they are going to find out that there is more to the Rushmore Inn than they thought and they should have not stayed there!

Thoughts:

This was a backwoods hillbilly gore fest that was a slow burn as it took a little time to get to the "nitty gritty" of the story. There is a prologue where something happens but once I became involved in the gist of the main story it took a little bit for things to happen but when it did I had to grab my gore suit as this story turned into a twisted bloody mess!

Total thoughts for the trilogy:

This was a great trilogy and I am happy that I finally stepped into all three books as I have owned them for awhile. I have been reading the crime series of this author under his Konrath name and really been enjoying them, but hadn't really stepped into his horror books. All three books kept me wrapped up in twisted knots as I wanted to see what was lying in store for me through each book. 

Attached is the author, Jack Kilborn, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1724698.Jack_Kilborn

Attached is the author, Jack Kilborn, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Jack-Kilborn/e/B004IK1V0G

My Goodreads review is attached:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3957242917

Hell's Reveal (Hell #2) by Matt Shaw

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Four "Ghastly Government" Stars

Experiment Nightmare!

A taste of what lies within:

Michelle Clevenger has been taken hostage by the government as they don't understand how she survived the cruise ship experiment they performed on all the passengers. But she is still very much alive and she is angry that her and her family were even part of any type of experiment so she goes on a rampage to find out the reasoning behind the whole situation.

Michelle does have help on the inside from a man that says he will help her escape the facility where she is being held, but he wants something in return for keeping her safe, so she lets him help her, but at what cost?

Does Michelle make it out of the government facility? Is her "rescuer" really willing to risk his life to keep her safe? No spoilers here as you will just need to read this book!

Thoughts:

This was a short reading romp of about 50 pages, but it continues from the first book "Voyage to Hell" so this book is not stand alone. The story keeps up the pace like the previous book with some blood action to boot in the process. The book does end on a cliff hanger though which left some things unanswered, so hopefully at some point in time there will be a continuation of this series.

Attached is the author, Matt Shaw, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1089965.Matt_Shaw

Attached is the author, Matt Shaw, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Shaw/e/B0034OVM56

My Goodreads review is attached:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4344875965

The Best of Indie Horror: Christmas Edition by Kevin J. Kennedy

 

🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅

Five "Holiday Horrific" Stars

This was a great collection of Christmas horror!

I am going to list all the stories as they appear in the book along with a cryptic tidbit for each one and when I mean cryptic I mean I am going to try to make it as vague as possible without spoilers. There are 11 stories total in this collection. 

Story: Tradition by Steve Stred

Cryptic Tidbit: A tradition like no other

Story: Top Floor: Seasonal Furnishings and Christmas Decorations by Lex H. Jones

Cryptic Tidbit: Christmas decorations from days long past are better left alone.

Story: Pennies for Santa by R.J. Roles

Cryptic Tidbit: Do not mess with the bell ringer or else.

Story: Clitoris Krampus by Zoltan Komor

Cryptic Tidbit: A clitoris like no other.

Story: Let the Damn Elves Die Already by Veronica Smith

Cryptic Tidbit: Elves are not as innocent as you think.

Story: The Mall Santa by Eric Butler

Cryptic Tidbit: Don't mess with a mall Santa as you might regret it.

Story: Santa Claws by Patrick Reuman

Cryptic Tidbit: A different type of Santa

Story: A Last Chance Christmas Miracle by Matthew V. Brockmeyer

Cryptic Tidbit: A miracle or something else? 

Story: Blood, Bullets and Baubles by David Owen Hughes

Cryptic Tidbit: Santa and his elves are not what they seem to be.

Story: Golden Ticket by Matthew A. Clarke

Cryptic Tidbit: Ticket maybe to hell...

Story: The Christmas Cabin from Hell by Kevin J. Kennedy

Cryptic Tidbit: Snowmen and elves launch an attack.

Thoughts:

This was another great collection of Christmas horror presented by KJK Publishing! I am always impressed with the authors gathered for these books and I always seem to find new authors to explore. 

These stories will take you deep into the horror realm with barely a chance of escape. So snuggle down deep into your cozy chair, with a hot cup of your favorite beverage, and read this book of holiday horror that will have your Christmas tree even shaking with fear! 

For my full review of the book, The Best of Indie Horror: Christmas Edition, by author, Kevin J. Kennedy, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4344360744

Attached is the author, Kevin J. Kennedy, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5452895.Kevin_J_Kennedy

Attached is the author, Kevin J. Kennedy, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Kevin-J-Kennedy/e/B016V0NA7M

Website of Kevin J. Kennedy:

http://www.kevinjkennedy.co.uk/

Authors I Have Discovered - Part IV

 

My fourth list of 10 favorite authors that I have discovered in the last five years in no particular order are as follows:

Alan Aspinall
(Horror)

Goodreads Author Profile: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20816884.Alan_Aspinall

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Alan-Aspinall/e/B08MWK182B

I read the book "Lucy" (The Fading Light Book 1) back in February and I loved the book as it drew me in right away keeping me glued to my kindle.  The first book was a spooky ride and set the tone for the other books in the series. Since February I have read the other two in the series as well and looking forward to reading other books that this author has coming down the pike! 

Books Read:

Lucy (The Fading Light Book 1)

The Shepherd (The Fading Light Book 2)

We Are Many (The Fading Light Book 3)

Eric Butler

(Horror)

Goodreads Author Profile: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19755309.Eric_Butler

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Eric-Butler/e/B081FQHVQV

Website of Author:

https://www.ericbutlerauthor.com/

I read the book, "The Pope Lick Massacre" back in April. I was "wowed" right away as the book turned out to be a gory romp filled with lots of blood and splatter parts! Right up my extreme alleyways! I have four more books by this author simmering on my kindle and I am hoping to get to them after the new year. 

Book Read:

The Pope Lick Massacre

Donn, TX 1969

Donn, TX 1865

Kiss Me Where It Smells Funny

Jeff Menapace

(Thriller/Horror/Suspense)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4744562.Jeff_Menapace

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Jeff-Menapace/e/B004R09M0S

Website of Author:

https://jeffmenapace.com/

Another great author I discovered actually from the recommendation of a friend and I stepped into this series last year as well. I read the first three books and I need to continue on with the series. The writing style just kept me totally hooked into the books which made me grab some more books by this author. I actually have a few more books that I need to read by this author as well. 

Books Read:

Bad Games Boxset (The Complete Trilogy)

Grady Hendrix 

(Horror/Science Fiction) 

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4826394.Grady_Hendrix

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Grady-Hendrix/e/B005806RT0

Website of Author:

http://www.gradyhendrix.com/

I had seen where everyone over on Goodreads was reading the book "Paperbacks from Hell" early last year and the year before, so I had the opportunity to read it as well and "Wow" what a cool book! It literally took me down memory lane of a time when I use to go the bookstores and thrift shops that had horror books lined up on the shelves with the coolest covers I had ever seen. Sometimes the covers were almost as cool as the stories, but this book captured those feelings and brought them back into focus. I have a few more books on my tbr by this author. 

Book Read:

Paperbacks from Hell

We Sold Our Souls

Scott Thomas

(horror)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15418022.Scott_Thomas

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Scott-Thomas/e/B079Q5Z6C1

Website of Author:

https://www.inkshares.com/scott-thomas

I read this author's book "Kill Creek" last year and "wow" I was instantly pulled into his world as the book just grabbed me with not letting me go till the end. Since then I have done a buddy read of this book again with some friends from Goodreads as the creepiness of this book is a perfect read for Halloween. The author has another book out that I need to step into at some point. 

Book Read:

Kill Creek

Tom Lewis 

(Horror)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13774983.Tom_Lewis

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Tom-Lewis/e/B00VDBN890

The book "Hell: Possession and Exorcism of Cassie Stevens" was one of my top reads of 2018 as I just love to read horror that sends skittering chills down my spine and this book not only did that, but I think it could actually be turned into a movie! This year I read the author's newest book "Hell: The Necromancer" and it was another skittering spine chiller! If you want two books that will scare your socks off then go check out these books and this author. My warning would be: Be prepared to be scared! 

Books Read:

Hell: The Possession and Exorcism of Cassie Stevens

Hell: The Necromancer

Rick Wood

(Horror/Thriller/Suspense)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5294953.Rick_Wood

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Wood/e/B01FHSKF5Y

Website of Author:

http://www.rickwoodwriter.com/

I have had this author on my radar for awhile but I stepped into his book "Shutter House" last year. Since then I started reading the series "The Sensitives" Paranormal Horror Series - I have read the first three books and need to read the rest of them which I do own. The creepiness of his stories just dig down deep into your psych and keep you rooted in fear.  I have quite a few more books on my kindle besides the Sensitives series that I need to read at some point in time. 

Books Read:

Shutter House

The Sensitives (Books 1 - 3)

 

Jason Parent 

(Horror/Thriller/Science Fiction)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6505947.Jason_Parent

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Jason-Parent/e/B008XMAMBY

Website of Author:

http://authorjasonparent.com/

This author had been coming across my Goodreads feed for a long time and I kept seeing the book "They Feed" pop up on the Goodreads site so I decided to take the plunge back in 2018!  After reading that book which is about camping horrors with interesting insects I decided right then and there "no camping for me" - ever! 😀  Since then I read his book "Eight Cylinders" which was a fun read and I have added more of his books on my kindle which I need to read. 

Books Read:

They Feed

Eight Cylinders

Seeing Evil (Cycle of Evil #1)

Hearing Evil (Cycle of Evil #2)

Jeff DeGordick 

(Horror/Science Fiction)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16102371.Jeff_DeGordick

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Jeff-DeGordick/e/B01NCK67PZ

The first time I tried out this author was Halloween 2019 as I read the book "The Witch of Halloween House" with a buddy over on Goodreads.  The writing style just flowed along smoothly and I was captured by how quick the author was able to pull me into his world. Since then I have read a few more books by this author and I have a few more on my kindle ready to go. 

Books Read:

The Witch of Halloween House

Ghosthunter (The Haunted Hamlet Book 1)

Ghoststalker (The Haunted Hamlet Book 2)

Ghosthouse  (The Haunted Hamlet Book 3)

The Haunting of Bloodmoon House

The Ghosts of Jasper Bayou

The Fall of Man (Zombie Apocalypse #1)

Christopher Motz

(Horror)

Goodreads Author Profile: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15998163.Christopher_Motz

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Motz/e/B01M8K5RGF

Website of Author:

Home | Author Christopher Motz (christopher-motz.com)

This author I have had his books on my kindle for a long time as well and finally decided to step into his world this year which I am happy that I did. I had been seeing some of his books come across my Goodreads feeds from friends, so I decided to check him out and this book "Tenants" was right up my alley as it turned out to be a blood and gore romp! I have a few more by this author to explore and will step back into his world soon! 

Book Read:

Tenants

Pine Lakes

That is a wrap for this blog post!

Happy Reading Everyone! 

Voyage to Hell by Matt Shaw

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Four "Blood Basher" Stars

Blood Fest Galore!

A small taste of what lies within:

An all expenses paid cruise is given to a few people without them entering any sort of contest, but things are not what they seem as they have been "chosen" for this cruise. When one of the passengers goes into a "crazed" mode is when things go awry as whatever has made that passenger "nutso" seems to be contagious making this cruise one "hell" of a ride! 

That is about all I can give on a small taste as you will need to read my full review on Goodreads. 

Thoughts:

This was a great bloody and gory romp into the mind of author, Matt Shaw! There is a tiny bit of world building with character introductions, but once you get past who the characters are the story literally takes off into the unknown as when the crazed passenger goes nutso the book goes into overdrive! 

This book is a short novella but my insomnia was fueled as I just could not put the book down. I literally read this book within 12 hours as when the blood started flying I made sure I had my gore suit on as I knew that bloody parts were going to be reigning supreme in this book and I wasn't disappointed one bit! 

For my full review of the book, Voyage to Hell, by author, Matt Shaw, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2205410497

Attached is the author, Matt Shaw, profile page from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1089965.Matt_Shaw

Attached is the author, Matt Shaw, profile page from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Shaw/e/B0034OVM56

Infinite (Ghostland Trilogy Book #3) by Duncan Ralston

 

👻👻👻👻👻

Five "Ghastly Ghost" Stars

Wow! This story was awesome!

A small taste of what lies within:

Rex Garrote is back full throttle in this story along with spreading his evil plans throughout Ghostland and Duck Falls. Lillian and Ben are back to try and stop him once and for all. 

That is all about I can give on a small taste as you will need to read my full review on Goodreads.

Thoughts:

Actually there isn't much of a review on Goodreads either as I just gave thoughts on the story and tried to keep the content of the story as secret as I could because there is tons of moving parts within the storyline that would be considered spoilers as the book wraps up everything within this world of Ghostland that the author created. 

The descriptions of all the characters, the theme park of Ghostland, the town of Duck Falls, and the ghosts are just masterfully weaved together within this book bringing this book to the final closing of the trilogy. All three books are awesome and the author, Duncan Ralston goes above and beyond with the storytelling of all three books creating a theme park that is different than anything else imagined in the author world. 

For my full review of the book, Infinite (Ghostland Trilogy Book #3), by author, Duncan Ralston, please see my review from Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59580355-infinite

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

Authors I Have Discovered - Part III

 

My third list of 10 favorite authors that I have discovered in the last five years in no particular order are as follows: 

Jonathan Janz
(Horror/Suspense/Thriller)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4389526.Jonathan_Janz

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Janz/e/B008IIP7J0

Website of Author:

https://jonathanjanz.com/

When I first started checking out horror indie authors I had been seeing this book quite a bit come across my feeds over on Goodreads: "Children of the Dark". So I decided to check it out myself and "wow" I was not disappointed! I flew through the book and I loved it so much that I gave it five stars which landed the book on my favorites shelf. Since then I have explored more by this author and now I have a few of his books sitting on my kindle that need to be read.

Books Read:

Children of the Dark
The Siren and the Specter
The Sorrows

Dust Devils

The Raven

Witching House Theatre

The Dismembered

Exorcist Falls

Catherine Cavendish
(Horror/Suspense)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4961171.Catherine_Cavendish

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Cavendish/e/B0059GDROQ

Website of Author:

https://www.catherinecavendish.com/

This is author kept flitting across my Goodreads feeds and I just had to go check her work out. My first book by her was "Linden Manor" which I read back in 2018 and my goodness, I was impressed! Her writing style just grabbed me from the first chapter and swept me away to the end of the book. It was one of the best gothic reads that I had read in a long time and made me reminiscent of years gone by when I use to read gothic books when I was younger. I have a few more of her books on my kindle that are waiting to be read. 

Books Read:

Linden Manor

The Demon of Cambian Street

The Pendle Curse

The Malan Witch

The Darkest Veil

The Haunting of Henderson Close

The Devil's Serenade

Dark Observation

Nemesis of the Gods: Trilogy

The Crow Witch & Other Conjurings

The Garden of Bewitchment

Kevin J. Kennedy a/k/a KJK Publishing
(Horror/Thriller)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5452895.Kevin_J_Kennedy

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Kevin-J-Kennedy/e/B016V0NA7M

Website of Author:

https://www.kevinjkennedy.co.uk/

This is author I didn't really see come across my Goodreads feeds - I was just cruising around on Amazon one day a couple of years ago (I do that quite often) and came across a book called: "Halloween Horror Shorts: Trick 'r Treat" which is an anthology of short stories by different authors. I was quite impressed with all the stories and found some new authors in the process. Now as of this blog I have 14 more books waiting to be read on my kindle.  

Books Read:

Halloween Horror Shorts: Trick 'r Treat
Collected Christmas Horror Shorts

The Horror Collection Pumpkin Edition

The Horror Collection Ruby Edition

The Horror Collection White Edition

The Horror Collection Emerald Edition

The Horror Collection Sapphire Edition

The Horror Collection Nightmare Edition

The Best of Indie Horror: Christmas Edition

Halloween Land

100 Word Horrors: An Anthology of Horror Drabbles

A-Z of Horror

Ronald Kelly 
(Horror)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/783444.Ronald_Kelly

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Ronald-Kelly/e/B0055Q14YK

Website of Author:

https://www.ronaldkelly.com/

I had been seeing this author's books come across my Goodreads feeds for a long time but just hadn't stepped into his work until way back last year I read his book "Blood Kin" which was awesome! I love the writing style of the author and within minutes of reading the story I was captured by how smooth the storyline just flowed along. I have since added all his books to my tbr (to be read) shelf as now I am hooked for life! 

Books Read:

Blood Kin
Fear

Undertaker's Moon

Irish Gothic: Tales of Celtic Horror

Mister Glow Bone and Other Halloween Tales

The Halloween Store and Other Tales of All Hallows' Eve

Season's Creepings: Tales of Holiday Horror

The Web of La Sanguinaire & Other Arachnid Horrors

The Essential Sick Stuff

The Saga of Dead Eye Book One: Vampires, Zombies & Mojo Men

Kristopher Rufty 
(Horror)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5197865.Kristopher_Rufty

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Kristopher-Rufty/e/B007IYD1FC

Website of Author:

https://kristopherrufty.com/

My Goodreads feeds were lighting up with this author quite a bit about two years ago with some different books by him, but the book that I wanted to really try out was "Prank Night" as the blurb of the book just seemed right up my alley so I tried it out. Well I can tell you that I wasn't disappointed as the book turned out to be a extreme bloody romp which kept me glued to my kindle and my chair. This author has a few more "up my alley" books that I have added to my tbr shelf and I have a few of his books simmering on my kindle.

Books Read:

Prank Night
Jackpot (with three collaborated authors)

Bigfoot Beach

Sea Caummisar 
(Extreme Horror/Splatterpunk)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18941984.Sea_Caummisar

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Caummisar/e/B07PFS4H42

I have had books by this author for awhile and she writes in the extreme horror genre which I have been dancing into for a long time now. This book Easy Money was my first book by her and it was so good that I started tracking down other books she wrote. I have quite a few on my kindle by her that are simmering and waiting to be read. 

Books Read:

Easy Money (Deadly Reality #1)
Til Death Do Us Part
Extreme Turkey Dinner

Carver Pike 
(horror)

Goodreads Author Profile:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16054982.Carver_Pike

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Carver-Pike/e/B01MPWAO4H

Website of Author:

http://carverpike.com/

Wow! This author has the writing style to pull you into his world right away. I had been seeing his book "Scalp" come across my facebook feeds about a year ago and the blurb sounded so good and different that I went right away to grab the book. I scratched a lot through it (lol) but the story was awesome along with some blood and gore which almost takes this book over into an extreme level. I have added a few more of his books to my tbr and actually have a few on my kindle ready to go. 

Books Read:

Scalp

Grad Night

Terry M. West

(Horror)

Goodreads Author Profile: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/127945.Terry_M_West

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Terry-M-West/e/B000AQ1C10

Website of Author:

http://terrymwest.com/

This author I have had his books for a long time which is about four years or so and just now stepping into his work. I decided to read his book Put on a Happy Face as it is a short story and I finished it within one day. Then stepped into his Baker Johnson series and read the first three books in the series which I really liked and I have one more book to read in that series. I was happy that I finally stepped into his work and I have a few more books by him that are simmering on my kindle. 

Books Read:

Put on a Happy Face
The Giving of Things Cold and Cursed: A Baker Johnson Tale
Servant of the Red Quill: A Baker Johnson Tale

Dark Dreams and Weird Tales: A Baker Johnson Short Story

Brian G. Berry
(Horror)

Goodreads Author Profile: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21022968.Brian_G_Berry

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Brian-Berry/e/B08M413RDW

The books by this author had been coming across my feeds over on Goodreads and some of my friends had been reading his work. I decided to finally step into his world this year and I read his book The Child Eater, which turned out to be a great book. I have a bunch more books by this author to read yet. All his books have extreme elements to them, so I will need my gore suit ready when I step into them. :)

Books Read:

The Child Eater
The Shack

The Sleepover Massacre 

Accursed Ground

OGRE

Blood Lanes

Jungle Rot

Snow Shark

Snow Shark: Terror in Space

Night Weaver

Abominable Snowman

Thanksgiving Day Massacre

Brian's Birthday Bloodbath

A Bloody Christmas

Tim Meyer

(Horror)

Goodreads Author Profile: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7831833.Tim_Meyer

Amazon Author Profile:

https://www.amazon.com/Tim-Meyer/e/B009ISFTZ6

Website of Author:

https://timmeyerwrites.com/

I have been seeing this author for awhile come across my Goodreads feeds and decided to finally step into one of his books which is "The Switch House". Loved it so much that I went to track down his other books! I now have a few of his books on my kindle waiting to be read! 

Books Read:

The Switch House
Sharkwater Beach

Kill Hill Carnage

Primal Terra

Lords of the Deep

Paradise Club

That is a wrap for this blog post! 

Happy Reading Everyone!