The Box in the Cuts by Debra Castaneda

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Four "Supernatural Mystery" Stars

Eerie Combustion!

A small taste of what lies within:

Samantha Reyes is on the high school newspaper team and she learns of deaths of high school girls that are found in unimaginable ways - parts of their bodies if not all parts are ash as if they were involved in a flammable fire. 

Samantha's first thought is spontaneous combustion and whether it exists or not but things become more spooky which leads her and some of her friends to wonder what else could be behind the deaths of the girls and they are going to find out what one way or another before anyone else dies! 

That is about all I can give on a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you are intrigued then go read this book!

Thoughts:

Normally I do not read a lot of the YA genre but the blurb of this story intrigued me and it sounded really spooky so I decided to jump in and read the book. 

I am so glad that I did as there was quite a bit of mystery of what was happening to the characters that were becoming fiery ash along with the young teenage characters trying to solve the mystery.  This was my first time reading this author and I realized after reading this book there is a sequel that I will need to read at some point. 

Attached is the author, Debra Castaneda, profile page from Goodreads:

Debra Castaneda

Attached is the author, Debra Castaneda, profile page from Amazon:

Debra Castaneda

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

1689 (The Haunting of Hadlow House #1) by Amy Cross

 

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Five "Hair-Raising Haunting" Stars

Mysteriously Spooky!

A small taste of what lies within:

Richard Hadlow wants a perfect house built so that he can raise a family, but when tragedy strikes right away with his wife, Catherine and she passes away he grieves for a time. 

Nine months later he has a new wife (Rebecca) who tries to be the perfect wife that Richard is looking for but something is haunting the house and property. The caretakers, Oliver and Fanny try to help Rebecca with getting her acquainted with the home and property but something is amiss which leads Rebecca to believe that something is not happy that she is there and whoever is haunting the house is seeking some kind of vengeance! 

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

Thoughts:

I have read a few Amy Cross books and have been reading her for years. I have always felt that she excels in the haunting/ghost stories as every book she has written that has to do with ghosts and hauntings have spooked me silly! 

This book was no exception as it took off right away and kept me glued to the pages. I read almost 40% of the book in just about two hours as I became caught up in the storyline and just could not break away from what was happening within the story. 

This book is in a series and I will be continuing on with it soon as I want to see what else happens within this series as the Hadlow House is center stage for the rest of the series. 

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

Amy Cross

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

Amy Cross

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

The Metaframe War Series (Books 1-7) by Graeme Rodaughan

 Wow! What to say about this series....well there is actually quite a bit to say!

The author, Graeme Rodaughan created a world that includes vampires/vampire hunters along with loads of cinematic movie action and lots of moving parts within the storyline. I would consider this series to be an "EPIC" series as there is so much that happens within all the books that you basically have to keep notes to remember what has taken place as the series progresses. The series has just wrapped up as the author finished the series this year with the writing of the last book, The Metaframe Adept. 

There are "tons" of characters and supporting characters in this series as well, but once you get into the storyline and move through the books main characters return along with other characters making an appearance. The storyline becomes more involved within the world of the Metaframe from book one to book seven and the characters grow right along with the series.

I stepped out of my comfort zone back in 2016 as I had never really read books about vampires nor had I read books in the dark fantasy genre either, but the blurb of the first book in the series, "A Subtle Agency" made me want to step into that world to see what it was all about as it seemed to be loaded with action and all I can say now is that I am thrilled to have taken that "giant leap" out of my comfort zone as what a thrilling ride it has been!

The writing style of the author is excellent and the action scenes that he weaves within the story are masterful! Reading the action scenes literally becomes a movie reel in your head as the visual aspects of the scenes flows in your mind and with every scene you feel that you are sitting in a movie theatre with the pulse pounding action playing out before your eyes!

You will see and feel the bullets flying:

The martial arts action scenes are just as smooth as the vampire and vampire hunters sway around each other while their katana blades clash in sparks! You will not only hear the blades clashing you will feel every thrust of the blade as the visual aspects of the scenes are brought to life on the page!

Listed below are the books in the series and they are listed in order. The books must be read in order to understand the storyline! The books are not stand alone novels! I have also added links to my original blogs and reviews from Goodreads under each book to give you more of an insight to the books and the storyline. 

A Subtle Agency

Five "Pulse Pounding" Stars!
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My blog of this book:

A Subtle Agency

My review from Goodreads:

My Review of A Subtle Agency

A Traitor's War

Five "Blazing" Stars!
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My blog of this book:

A Traitor's War

My review from Goodreads:

My Review of A Traitor's War

The Dragon's Den

Five "Cinema Action" Stars!
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My blog of this book:

The Dragon's Den

My review from Goodreads:

My Review of The Dragon's Den

The Day Guard

Five "Thrilling" Stars!
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My blog of this book:

The Day Guard

My review from Goodreads:

My Review of The Day Guard

The Crane War

Five "Booming" Stars!
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My blog of this book:

The Crane War

My review from Goodreads:

My Review of The Crane War

The Key of Ahknaton

Five "Raging Ramp" Stars!

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My blog of this book:

The Key of Ahknaton

My review from Goodreads:

My Review of The Key of Ahknaton

The Metaframe Adept

Five "Awesome Kickass Action" Stars!

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My blog of this book:

The Metaframe Adept

My review from Goodreads:

My Review of The Metaframe Adept

Also for even more added "spice" the author released an Omnibus which consists of the first three books in one volume. I am adding the omnibus in here as well along with my review.


A Subtle Agency (Omnibus)

Five "Action Packed" Stars!
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My blog of this book:

A Subtle Agency Omnibus

My review from Goodreads:

My Review of A Subtle Agency Omnibus

I am also including the author, Graeme Rodaughan's profile page links from Goodreads, Amazon, and Bookbub for easy access.


Goodreads Author Profile Page:

Graeme Rodaughan - Goodreads Profile


Amazon Author Profile Page:

Graeme Rodaughan - Amazon Profile


BookBub Author Profile Page:

Graeme Rodaughan - BookBub Profile


My wrap-up thoughts are:

So if you love action, vampires and vampire hunters along with breath hitching moments, characters that you care about, then go grab this series as once you step into the first book you will be transported to the action packed zone of The Metaframe War. 

The first book, A Subtle Agency sets the tone for the whole series and just within a few pages you will find action, suspense, tension, and intrigue which will keep you entrenched into this series for the long haul! 

Step aboard the vampire bullet train and get ready for the ride of your life into a series that you will find yourself invested in through seven books as the last book in the series, The Metaframe Adept brings all the emotions of the series to a full wrap! As sad as it was to see it all end I was happy and satisfied with an awesome ending to a series that kept me wrapped within the life of The Metaframe War for the last 7 years as the series started in 2016 and it has wrapped up for 2023. 

Highly recommend this series! 

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

 

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Four "Killer Thriller" Stars

Twists and Turns Mystery!

A small taste of what lies within:

Chloe Davis went through some trauma when she was 12 years old as her father was sent to prison for the murder of six girls that had gone missing. Now 20 years later, Chloe is a psychologist and she is getting ready to be married to Daniel.

Things are happening once again in her town of Baton Rouge as girls go missing and Chloe's past comes racing back with a vengeance as she realizes that a killer is stalking the streets which throws Chloe back into turmoil as she tries to figure out who has invaded her town and life!

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

Thoughts:

This was my first time reading this author and I like a good crime/mystery thriller. This one delivers with lots of twists and turns. The mystery deepens as things escalate within the story and I really liked the characters in this book. 

I had a few sleepless nights with this book as I kept wanting to see what would happen next. Looking forward to reading more books by this author. 

Attached is the author, Stacy Willingham, profile page from Goodreads:

Stacy Willingham

Attached is the author, Stacy Willingham, profile page from Amazon:

Stacy Willingham

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

Megalodon: Bloodbath (Deep Sea Predators #1) by Michael R. Cole

 

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Four "Prehistoric Predator" Stars

Deep Sea Nightmares!

A small taste of what lies within:

Nico Medrano who is the Chief of Police on the island of Cielo Nublado has his hands full when things begin to happen on the island that are unexplained, but when a dead whale is found on the beach with bite marks all over its body, Nico becomes worried with wonder of what is going on. 

When he finds out that an 80 foot shark is causing havoc within the island waters Nico will need to figure out how to stop it or if he can stop it! 

Thoughts:

This was a great story about a prehistoric shark that goes on an ocean rampage! I have read a couple of other stories by this author and he really knows all there is to know about sharks as he pulls you into his world and plops you right in the middle of the ocean! 

There is lots of blood and shark gore floating around in this book so grab your gore suit and get ready to enter the mind of this author as he takes you deep into the ocean depths where you just might come face to face with the Megalodon! 

Attached is the author, Michael R. Cole, profile page from Goodreads:

Michael R. Cole

Attached is the author, Michael R. Cole, profile page from Amazon:

Michael R. Cole

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

Down in the Deep Dark Places by Jason Parent

 

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Five "Insomnia Fueled Horror" Stars

Great collection of short stories!

This book has 19 short story collections. I am just going to list out a few with a cryptic statement to give you a taste of what lies within:

Revenge is a Dish: Revenge is coming. 

The Exchange: There be monsters in the attic.

Complex: The Messiah comes.

A Boy and His Dog (and zombies): Survival is key. 

Glimmer: Becoming a ghost is not half bad. 

Starry Night: Alien mutated octopus? Maybe.....

The Only Good Lawyer: Confidentiality is exposed but not in a good way. 

Thoughts:

The other stories in this book collection you will need to discover for yourself as they will take you to horror places that are deep into this author's mind! I have been reading books by this author for a long time which I have liked everything I have read by him. This book with a collection of 19 short stories goes from mild horror to walk on the wild side horror quick! 

I had a hard time putting this book down as there was tons of creepy and devilish horror that just kept my insomnia fueled a few nights! Looking forward to reading more by author, Jason Parent!  I have a few more books simmering on my kindle that I need to read. 

Attached is the author, Jason Parent, profile page from Goodreads:

Jason Parent

Attached is the author, Jason Parent, profile page from Amazon:

Jason Parent

My review from Goodreads:

My Review

Bishop: Man vs. Monster by Candace Nola and M. Ennenbach

 

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Five "Terror & Suspense" Stars

Howling Horror Action!

A small taste of what lies within:

Troy and Casey are back in this sequel along with Bishop as now Bishop is considered part of the family. Something evil stirs in the woods once again and Bishop, Troy, and Casey are now hunters of creatures so when this new evil is found out they are off to go in search of it.  

Back in the past of the old west there was an incident of where a creature was sighted and a man named Karl Beck pursued the creature. Troy and Casey come across an old journal that describes Beck's exploits of what he had to endure on his quest to track the creature. In the hopes of understanding what Beck experienced they are wishing to know more about the creature as they think that the creature from the past is now in the present! 

That is about all I can give out on a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you are intrigued then go read this book! 

Thoughts:

This story just took off right away with things happening in the story which kept me riveted to my seat! The mystery of both time lines was very interesting and I loved reading the journal entries from the story that took place back in the old west. 

More creature action is afoot in this story as well as there is tons of things going on with everyone involved in the story. I have become attached to the characters Troy, Casey, and Bishop and I am looking forward to seeing more of them in the future as it seems on the completion of this book there will be another one more than likely as the ending makes it seems there is more to come! 

Attached is the author, Candace Nola, profile page from Goodreads:

Candace Nola

Attached is the author, Candace Nola, profile page from Amazon:

Candace Nola

Attached is the author, M. Ennebach, profile page from Goodreads:

M. Ennebach

Attached is the author, M. Ennebach, profile page from Amazon:

M. Ennebach

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

Hellweg's Keep by Justin Holley

 

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Five "Space Station Horrors" Stars

Spooky & Mysterious!

A small taste of what lies within:

FBI Agent Kendra Omen along with a couple of paranormal investigators and a rescue team try to learn what happened to 37 miners that disappeared within a mine called Hellweg's Keep which is a moon orbiting space station. Though Kendra is not there long when she thinks she sees some type of dark shadow within the corridors of the space station but she pushes the thought aside thinking maybe she was just seeing things. 

Kendra's mind is changed though when more things start happening within the space station leading her to wondering what really happened to those miners and if they will find anyone alive as whatever is haunting the space station is making it difficult for Kendra to come to grips with the knowledge that there is something out there and it is wanting not only her but everyone with her! 

That is about all I can give on a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you want to know more than go read this book! 

Thoughts:

This story just grabbed me right away when the character, Kendra arrived at the space station and started seeing shadows. As soon as that revelation was made known the book just slowly gained speed with suspense and tension.  

The deeper I became involved in the story the spookiness of what was happening to the characters just became more mysterious and kept me reading the book late a few nights as the suspension buildup would not let me sleep as I kept wanting to find out what was going to happen next!

Another great book by this author and I have a few more of his books on my kindle that I need to read at some point. 

Just a side note:  I read this book as an ARC that was provided to me from Flame Tree Press in exchange for an honest review. The book will be released in November of this year. 

Attached is the author, Justin Holley, profile page from Goodreads:

Justin Holley

Attached is the author, Justin Holley, profile page from Amazon:

Justin Holley

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

Can Susan Come Out And Play? by J.D. Allen

 

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Five "Spooky Shivers" Stars

Spine-Tingling Haunting!

A small taste of what lies within:

Dean Luxie along with his wife, Elizabeth and their six and a half year old daughter, Susan are heading out for a road trip to go see Dean's brother. It is not long though before tragedy strikes the family which sends Dean swirling down into a spiral of heart wrenching pain. The only thing that seems to keep Dean sane is a haunted doll as he tries to figure out what it wants with him! 

That is about all I can hand out with a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you are intrigued then go read this short story! 

Thoughts:

This is my first time reading this author and I have owned this book for awhile. The story drew me right in and before I knew it I had read the book in about an hour or so! I literally could not put it down! Things happen quickly within the story and the author just pulled me right into his world as the events took place in the book and the haunting goes into full scale creepy! 

The story takes a twisted ghostly turn though near the end of the book that kept me riveted to my seat! I loved this book so much even though there is quite a bit of emotional trauma in the early parts of the book but the haunting horror takes over as time goes on which has me still thinking about the story since I have finished and laid it down. This book was an emotional roller coaster of a ride from beginning to end and a book I won't soon forget. 

Looking forward to reading more books by this author as I own a few more of his books that are simmering on my kindle. 

Attached is the author, J.D. Allen, profile page from Goodreads:

J D Allen

Attached is the author, J.D.Allen, profile page from Amazon:

J D Allen

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

Sweet, Sour, & Spicy by Bridgett Nelson

 

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Five "Blood & Gore Sweetness" Stars

This book is three short stories so I will be listing out the short stories with a small statement of the story. 

Sweet: Arlo along with his pug dog, Clyde are inseparable for years until sadly something happens to change all that but love between a boy and his dog always endure. 

Sour: A serial killer comes calling in this short story and he uses a different kind of saw weapon that is totally wicked and how he uses it makes this a cringe-worthy story! 

Spicy: Two guys with their girlfriends and the girls have something special in store for their boyfriends that involves lots of sex games that takes a turn for the worse! 

Thoughts:

This was my first time reading author, Bridgett Nelson and what a ride I was taken on! This book goes from zero to sixty so quick that my head was spinning! 

The author pulls you in slowly with the story of the pug dog which was such a sweet story that I choked up with tears, but soon those tears dry up fast as the second story pulled the rug out from under me and then the third story dragged me down into the pits of an erotic hell that had me flipping through pages at the speed of light! 

This book was a splatterpunk feast and for those readers that like blood, gore, and all things nasty in your "feast" then go chow down on this book!  A little bit of advice though - you will want to wear a gore suit for the last two stories so suit up and get ready for the ride of your life! 

Attached is the author, Bridgett Nelson, profile page from Goodreads:

Bridgett Nelson

Attached is the author, Bridgett Nelson, profile page from Amazon:

Bridgett Nelson

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

The Paintings That Hung (The Children and The Gods #3) by Angel Van Atta

 

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Five "Dark & Mysterious" Stars

Spooky & Eerie Vibes!

A small taste of what lies within:

Sarah and Emma are back in this story as they were characters from the first book. Sarah and her family are on a road trip when they decide to stop in a thrift store loaded with knick knacks and all kinds of cool things. But this is not just an ordinary thrift store as something evil lies within the store that has the capability of changing the world which lies within the thrift store itself. 

A woman by the name of Zoila has already succumbed to the thrift store world changing fate and somehow ends up inside a painting that hangs in the thrift store. Unknown to Sarah and her family they have just stepped into a place that might not let them go as what lies within the thrift store is wanting to claim not only their bodies but their souls! 

Does Sarah and her family get out of their situation? Does Zoila escape the painting and get back to her real world? What evil is lurking in the thrift store and what is its agenda? No spoilers here as you will need to read this book and series!

Thoughts:

This was a great mysterious and suspenseful story! I was pulled right away into the storyline as the author just grabbed me and took me deep into the thrift store. I felt for the characters in this story as the perception of the store changed I found my anxiety creep up on me as I could feel the frustration and terror emanating from the characters as they had to endure what was happening to them! 

The pace is fast in this book along with tons of suspense and tension as the story barrels along into the unknown. This story has quite a bit of horror elements but it also leans a lot toward dark fantasy as well. I almost felt like I was in the Twilight Zone as the story twisted and tossed me around with wondering what was going to happen next to these characters! 

Another great book by this author and looking forward to reading the fourth book in this series!

Attached is the author, Angel Van Atta, profile page from Goodreads:

Angel Van Atta

Attached is the author, Angel Van Atta, profile page from Amazon:

Angel Van Atta

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

Angel Gelique - Books Read

 

This list comprises all the books I have read by this author along with star ratings and links to the blogs I have done for these books are listed below each book. However, in the event that a book does not have a blog link then I will post the review from Goodreads. 

Note: This blog features old and new book covers as well but the blog links will probably have the older book covers as some blogs were posted before book cover updates. 

The books are listed in no particular order. 

Man Cave - 5🌟

Blog Link:

https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/2020/06/man-cave_10.html

Expulsion - 5🌟

Blog Link:

https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/2021/01/expulsion-by-angel-gelique.html

Desiccation - 5🌟

My Goodreads Review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2213482764

Hillary: Tail of the Dog (Book 1) - 5🌟

Blog Link: 

https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/2020/05/hillary-tail-of-dog-hillary-1.html

Hillary: Flesh & Blood (Book 2) - 5🌟

My Goodreads Review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2175346993

Hillary: Retribution (Book 3) - 5🌟

Blog Link:

https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/2021/01/hillary-retribution-hillary-3-by-angel.html

Crazy Old Lady - 4🌟

Blog Link:

https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/2020/08/crazy-old-lady.html

Christmas Shopping - 4🌟

Blog Link:

https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/2021/12/christmas-shopping-by-angel-gelique.html

The Season of Giving - 4🌟

My Goodreads Review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2101022372

Merry Murder - 5🌟

Blog Link:

https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/2020/12/merry-murder-by-angel-gelique.html

Merry Madness - 5🌟

Blog Link:

https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/2021/01/merry-madness-by-angel-gelique.html

(NOTE: As I read more books by this author - the books will be updated on this blog.)

Bishop by Candace Nola

 

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Five "Fur & Fang" Stars

Camping Horror Action!

A small taste of what lies within:

Erin along with her daughter, Casey are out in the backwoods of Alaska camping but things go wrong when they end up lost and missing. Troy is desperate to find his sister, Erin and his niece, Casey so he heads out to that area and hooks up with a ranger and rescuers. 

Though a name is dropped about a man named Bishop who is more or less a hermit but knows the wilds of Alaska well. Troy seeks him out and together they hunt for Troy's family themselves but unbeknown to Troy things are not what they seem within the backwoods as there is something evil stalking the land and only Bishop knows what it is along with hoping to find Troy's family alive and well! 

That is about all I can give out with a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you are intrigued then go read this book!

Thoughts:

This book rocked! Wow! I had a hard time putting this book down as the minute I started reading it I kept wanting to read it! 

I have read some other camping horror stories and this book is another reason why I won't go camping! lol  Nope! Not even thinking about it! 😂

I basically flew through this story as the author, Candace Nola slowly drew me into what was happening within the pages of the book. The suspense build up just gave me a dread feeling and then the tension was tight as I made my way through the storyline. 

Eventually there is quite a bit of action in the last half of the book which kept me reading late into the night and kept my insomnia fueled! This book is part of a series so I will be stepping into book two shortly. Loved the characters in this story and looking forward to continuing on with those characters in the sequel. 

Highly Recommend! 

Attached is the author, Candace Nola, profile page from Goodreads:

Candace Nola

Attached is the author, Candace Nola, profile page from Amazon:

Candace Nola

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

 

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Four "Ghost Chains and Grins" Stars

Spookily Humorous!

A small taste of what lies within:

An American family buys an English manor which is the Canterville Manor - it also comes with its own ghost too. The ghost tries to scare the family but they are not easily scared. If anything they try to help the ghost but the ghost wants no part of being helped!

That is about all I can give on a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you are intrigued then go read this classic horror short story!

Thoughts:

I have been wanting to read this book like forever and decided to step into it finally. I found it to be delightful and has quite a bit of humor wrapped within the story. Though it is mentioned that the book is horror - it is far from anything spooky. Go sit in your cozy chair, dim the lights and be prepared to be entertained with a classic ghost story.

Attached is the author, Oscar Wilde, profile page from Goodreads:

Oscar Wilde

Attached is the author, Oscar Wilde, profile page from Amazon:

Oscar Wilde

Attached is my review from Goodreads:

My Review