Welcome to my Monday Minis Reviews where I share shorter reviews of books I’ve read. Except I had such fun with this one that the review isn’t that short. LOL
Murder On Pea Pike
A Listed And Lethal Mystery #1
by Jean Harrington
Genre: Mystery
My Review
What a fun book. I like the lighter mysteries. You can say I’m addicted to them. They are the perfect fun stories when I need something lighter than the horror I usually read.
Murder On Pea Pike was a happy surprise. As were some of the characters I met. Hands down, my favorite was Honey. After breaking up with her boyfriend she lands on her feet, getting a job with a big time realtors office. Too bad she runs into a snag. A big one. She finds not one but two dead bodies, and a cache of diamonds. This puts her on the list of suspects. Good thing the sheriff has a crush on her and she’s free to do some sleuthing. Otherwise, there’s a cell with her name on it, or worse.
Honey just stole my heart. She’s smart, plucky, and it was pure fun to walk in her shoes. As I mentioned, the sheriff has a crush on her, but she has a crush on her sexy boss. All through the book I wanted her to choose the guy I thought she should be with it. Not able to tell you how that turned out without spoiling things. It sure heightened my anticipation as I turned each page.
The mystery isn’t an easy one to solve. I had a couple of those ‘I see’ moments once the bad guy was revealed. The author did a great job of seeding clues throughout the book and disguising them so well you skim right past them with nary a clue yourself.
Loads of fun, strong writing that just flows right along and one of the most satisfying and surprising endings I’ve read in quite a while.
5 Stars
Thanks so much to Camel Press and Jean Harrington for a complimentary copy of this book. My review is voluntarily given.
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Synopsis
Fresh off her ex-boyfriend’s Harley and determined to remake herself, Honey Ingersoll snags a job with handsome Sam Ridley, Eureka Falls’ biggest realtor. She’s thrilled, but her troubles are far from over.
During the sale of an abandoned farmhouse, she stumbles over the body of a young woman with big hair, silver stilettos and a bullet hole in her chest. A few days later, she discovers uncut diamonds on neighboring farmland. The owner turns up dead soon after—and once again Honey finds the body.
Sheriff Matt Rameros, who’s sweet on Honey, believes the two incidents are unrelated. Honey, now a person of interest in the murders, thinks otherwise. Why else would Sam Ridley, a big Fayetteville financial concern, and a U.S. senator all have an interest in these hardscrabble properties? Honey has to find out, or she may have fled a double-wide only to end up in a jail cell. Or worse.
Book 1 in the Listed and Lethal series.
I’ve not been reading many vampires stories but this one caught my eye. The cover is creepy and the blurb pushed me to give it a try.
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Thea
A Vampire Story
by Steven Jenkins
My Review
This story was a nasty little piece of work. In a good way.
Thea is a young teen with an over protective alcoholic mother, Sarah. Things come to a head when her mother does something truly horrific while in a drunken stupor.
Told from two points of view, you really get inside these two gals heads. See what motivates them. Why they push each other to the limit.
What I found interesting was the vampire angle. People know they exist, though many believe they’re extinct. They’re taught about them in school, but since most have never encountered one, it’s more like an urban legend to them. It becomes real in a way you wouldn’t expect.
At first I felt sorry for Sarah. She lost her oldest daughter to suicide and keeps tight control over her younger daughter, Thea, fearing drugs and boys will lead her to the same end. I could almost understand her escape into the bottle. But Sarah isn’t really likeable. Every little thing has her guzzling booze until she’s practically comatose.
Thea is a young girl, ready to find herself, but her mother won’t let her do anything. She gets it. Her mother worries she’ll make the same mistakes. But Thea isn’t her sister and she’s tired of being kept under such tight control. I didn’t blame her for acting out, doing things she knew would anger her mother.
Eventually, it gets so bad you know something has to give. And when it does, all the feels come into play. A disturbing story becomes a horrific one.
Loved the ending. When I went into this I didn’t realize there was a second book. Never fear. There’s no cliff hanger. The author leaves it open for more though, and I’m curious to see where he goes.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
How far would you go to protect your child?
Vampires are real – hidden among us, concealing their lust for human blood. But monsters come in many forms. Teenage boys, drug addiction, underage sex – single mother Sarah battles to keep these demons from her daughters.
As the long nights of worry start to feed Sarah’s paranoia, she must take desperate measures to save her family.
Although sometimes, the only way to kill a monster…
…is to become one.
This book is currently free on Amazon. Click HERE to grab a copy.
So this is it. The final book in the Onyx Webb series. I was so excited to read it and sad at the same time. I very much enjoyed the books, reading what was happening with the characters and anticipating what would come next. And now I’ve found out how it all ends. I won’t go into details about events in the book. It’s the tenth one, after all, and the synopsis gives you an idea. Instead, I’ll tell you how I felt.
To be honest, I wasn’t too sure about this series. The fist book took me a while to get the hang of. But once I did, I was swept up in a story that spans generations for ten books. Yes, ten. And each one drew me further in, had me waiting anxiously for the next and the next….. So many secrets, so much horror, so much hope.
There are usually 3 episodes per book, but in this final one the authors included an extra episode. I could see why as I read them. Bringing the past and the present and the characters together at the end and answering all questions to wrap up this series right, the extra episode was needed so things didn’t feel rushed and just crammed together.
And even though there wasn’t as much horror and action as the previous books, there was enough suspense, plus my own curiosity, to make this a terrific finale. Also, with so many characters with fascinating stories of their own, I do hope the author gives them there own place to shine. Maybe their own books. There’s so much more I’d like to know about what happens to them.
I mentioned in some reviews of earlier books that Onyx Webb is addictive. I don’t see me finding a cure any time soon. An epic and often horrific saga that still lingers.
5 Stars
Thanks so much Richard and Andrea. It’s been a strange and wonderful adventure. And thanks for keeping your promise to keep the books coming!
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Synopsis
Welcome Back to the World of Onyx Webb! This is Book Ten. (Episodes 29, 30, 31, & 32) Haven’t Gotten Entangled Yet? Please Start with Book One.
Book Ten is the end of the Onyx Webb saga with the final pieces of the web sewn together.
Onyx Webb is a complex multi-genre mash-up that combines elements of supernatural suspense, crime, horror, romance, and more. The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times.
In Book Ten: The Mulvaneys deal with aftermath of the Solstice Eclipse Ball. Stan Lee and Spider Boy finally meet. Readers finally learn the fate of Onyx Webb.
A ritualistic serial killer. A cold case still open. A town steeped in superstition. All this happening in a small place called Dread’s Hand Alaska. I knew I had to try this book.
There’s something about stories set in wintry climates that appeals to me. Especially in horror and thriller stories. It’s not enough the characters have to contend with a killer, the elements also play a big part as they have to contend with bitter cold and blinding snow storms. Plus, Dread’s Hand is located in a remote area of Alaska. It’s not like you can pick up the phone and help is on the way. Nope. People have to deal with their problems on their own. Some get lucky. Some don’t.
Being a fan of horror, I can handle a lot. I guess I just didn’t pay close enough attention to the synopsis. Went into this thinking it would be a simple serial killer case. Not that any of them are simple. But this story will grab you by your innards, twisting them painfully as the killer goes about his merry business. And the suspense, whoa. It has you chewing your finger nails to the quick. Ronald Malfi is adept at keeping the pace moving quickly, shocking you over and over, and wrapping it all up in a tidy blood drenched bow.
About a third of the way into this book, I found myself thinking how great it would be as a movie. And especially as one in black and white. Grainy footage would make it even more horrifying.
In depth characterization and bloody good story telling made this one one of those creepy reads that leaves you hoping the lights stay on. When my friends ask me what their next horror read should be, Bone White will be the first words out of my mouth.
5 Stars
Narrator Charles Constant
Charles did an awesome job narrating this twisted tale. His cadence is spot on, voice pitch intensifying in the right places to build the tension and softening for the places in between. He really had a handle on how to tell this story.
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Thanks so much to Tantor Audio and the author for the complimentary copy.
My review is voluntarily given.
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Synopsis
Paul Gallo saw the report on the news: a mass murderer leading police to his victims’ graves, in remote Dread’s Hand, Alaska.
It’s not even a town; more like the bad memory of a town. The same bit of wilderness where his twin brother went missing a year ago. As the bodies are exhumed, Paul travels to Alaska to get closure and put his grief to rest.
But the mystery is only beginning. What Paul finds are superstitious locals who talk of the devil stealing souls, and a line of wooden crosses to keep what’s in the woods from coming out. He finds no closure because no one can explain exactly what happened to Danny.
And the more he searches for answers, the more he finds himself becoming part of the mystery . . .
Ronald Malfi is the award-winning author of several horror novels, mysteries and thrillers. A Bram Stoker Award nominee, he is the recipient of two Independent Publisher Book Awards, the Beverley Hills Book Award, the Vincent Price Horror Award, and the Benjamin Franklin Award for Popular Fiction.
Welcome to my Monday Minis Reviews where I share shorter reviews of books I’ve read.
For today I have another southern gem from Bette Lee Crosby.
The Loft
The Memory House Collection #2
by Bette Lee Crosby
Genre: Fantasy / Contemporary / Romance
My Review
I adored the fist book, Memory House, and had high hopes for this second book. And my hopes were met. I enjoyed being back with these characters and learning more about the memories in the loft.
This picks up right where the first book left off. But big changes are happening. Ophelia is moving on, making new friends and finally letting the memories go. Annie is the new keeper of those memories, but before she gets a chance to settle in, Oliver is injured in a car crash and his life hangs in the balance. Annie must find his most precious memories in order to save him.
It’s not often that you have a story pick up right where the last book left off. It sure was nice to find that happening in this one. I knew change was coming. Ophelia always planned for Annie to take her place as keeper of memories, and I wondered how that would work.
Annie and Oliver just got married and it didn’t seem feasible that all three would live at Memory House. How could the author make this work. She did so in shocking yet gentle ways. Guiding you through some traumatic events, giving you hope that things would work out for everyone.
With some other characters stepping in and out of the story, I knew this part of the journey might be coming to an end but saw fun possibilities for more adventures. One character in particular, I’d like to see more of. She has a sad past and I wonder if the author will give us her story now.
Another gem from Bette Lee Crosby and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Her stellar writing and engaging characters keeps me coming back for more.
5 Stars
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Synopsis
50 YEARS OF MEMORIES ARE HIDDEN IN THE WALLS OF THE LOFT…
Annie only needs to find one… the one that will save Oliver’s life.
On the day of their wedding, Annie saw nothing but happiness ahead, but when an accident calls her back to Memory House, her world is changed forever. Ophelia Browne, the woman who taught Annie to find the memories in a forgotten object, is leaving the house and she’s leaving all those powerful memories behind.
After only three nights in the loft, Annie must now find the single most meaningful memory in Oliver’s mind. If she finds it in time, she can save his life, if she doesn’t…well that’s something she can’t afford to think about.
Readers will welcome back the much-loved characters from Memory House and enjoy a few new friends!
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My Teaser for this week is from
The Nutting Girl
by Fred DeVecca
Genre: Mystery
My teaser from page 70 in the Paperback.
It was attached to the hand of a young man as tall and skinny as the still budding maple tree hovering over his head. The gleam was shiny and metallic and I hear it click. Once, and then twice, then a whole series of clicks.
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Read on if you want to know more.
My Review
What was it about this book that so captivated me? Let’s see… The main character is Frank Raven. Used to be a blind monk, a cop, and a private detective. Now he runs an old movie theater and belongs to a troupe of Morris Dancers. I had to google that to see what it’s all about. Lots of strong movements and twinkling bells on the costumes and a lively chorus. To imagine such a man’s man doing this tickled me and I warmed right up to Frank. There’s much more to this man than meets the eye.
Meet Nick Mooney, an up and coming film director. He’s charismatic and a bit self important, but there’s another side to him too. He also wormed his way into my good graces.
And then there’s Nick’s star actress, Velcro. A stunningly beautiful and talented young actress with more baggage than her young shoulders can bear. She was a surprise. Intellectual and spiritual, and a tender soul, hidden behind the glitz and glamour.
Two more character’s I want to mention are Clara and her daughter, Sarah. Frank’s been a loner for a long time and doesn’t think much about it. Something about Clara calls to his loneliness. And Sarah’s zest for life and knowledge is a lure he can’t resist. These two ladies draw him out of his shell, giving him a glimpse at what he could have. I crossed my fingers things would happen for them.
I could go on and on about the characters in this book. All of them reach out to you. You want only good things to happen to them. Alas, this is a mystery about a young woman who apparently drowns in a river. There may not be a happy ever after for some of them.
This is where the mystery gets interesting. Was Velcro pushed or did she jump? Was she dead, or maybe just lost? I honestly didn’t know the answers to any of these questions until I approached the end of the book.
The Nutting Girl is Fred DeVecca’s debut book. You’d never know it. He writes a deep mystery, taking you on a somewhat spiritual journey, with eclectic characters and visual descriptions of a small town setting. I’ll be watching for his next book.
5 Stars
Thanks so much to Coffeetown Press and Fred DeVecca for a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
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Synopsis
Middle-aged Frank Raven used to be a lot of things—a blind monk, a cop, a private detective, and a hard drinker. Now he doesn’t do much except run a funky old movie theater in bucolic Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, dance and sing with the local troupe of Morris Dancers, and record bird songs on his phone.
A lanky young wunderkind director, Nick Mooney, brings his Hollywood film crew to town and hires the “retired” Raven to protect his star: the wild, unpredictable, gorgeous, and prodigiously talented twenty-one-year-old Juliana Velvet Norcross, aka VelCro.
Reluctant at first, Raven takes on the job and slowly sees that there is more to VelCro than the troubled rebel she appears to be. She probes the former monk for his thoughts on God, love, and the soul. But Raven has renounced many of his former beliefs, and VelCro’s questions cause him to re-examine his life.
On the eve of filming, storms ravage the small village, and the river that runs through the center of town floods its banks. VelCro becomes ill and withdraws into the care of Sarah, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Frank’s girlfriend, Clara. The storm passes, VelCro recovers, and filming begins. But during the first shot, she is swept away into the river, leaving no trace.
What role did VelCro’s director play in her life? Did she fall? Did she jump? Was she pushed? Frank and Sarah are driven to find out what happened.
Welcome to My Monday Minis where I share short reviews about books I’ve read.
It’s time for some urban fantasy. Carmen Fox has a thrilling series, The Silverton Chronicles, and today I’m sharing the first two books, Guarded and Bound.
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Guarded
The Silverton Chronicles #1
by Carmen Fox
Genre: Fantasy / Urban Fantasy
My Review
This book was a blast. You have humans, vampires, werewolves, fae, demons and so on, all butting heads. There’s so much going on. So many different agendas. And a whole lot of surprises in store for you.
And then there’s the characters. too many to focus on just one or two. I can say that I really liked the friendship between Ivy and Florian. They are so opposite. Florian is a guy and he’s more concerned with fashion than a lot of women, whereas Ivy is all business. As things get going, they all get caught up in the action. The dialogue is very well written. And the snark had me snorting.
There’s some love interests too. The blurb might have you thinking there’s a love triangle, which I sometimes find annoying, but there isn’t one here. And while the romance isn’t the main focus, it sure adds some hilarious moments with Ivy and spices things up.
I think what I appreciated most was how easily the story flowed and how visual it was. It’s almost like you can see everything as it happens. I even had some idea of what I thought the characters should look like, which added to the fun.
A solid beginning to the series, and I’m on to the next one.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
When everyone’s existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn’t come easy.
Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he’s a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product. It’s time Ivy faced facts. Even with a vampire on stand-by, one gal can only kick so many asses.
For help, she must put her faith in others. A human, who might just be the one. A demon, who will, for a price, open the doors to her heritage. And a werewolf, who wants to protect her from herself.
Torn between these men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead.
I adored Florian when I met him in the first book, Guarded. He’s a bit nutty and naive, has a healthy dose of charm, and is loyal to a fault. It’s fun that he now gets his own story, his time to shine.
In the first book, Florian was quirky and flamboyant, yet at loose ends. Now he’s found his place with the werewolves, but what happens when it’s discovered he’s a vampire? The pack might make an example of him. A wicked mess, and all in the name of love.
On top of that, a pack consisting of all females enters their territory and they’ll not be bossed around by a bunch of males. Tempers flare and it takes determination and finesse for Keely, their pack leader, to get Parker and his pack to not come in and try to claim them. These female wolves have been through some horrendous treatment by male leaders and want to find their own males.
This is where it gets sticky for Flo. He’s on Keely’s side, is juggling the situation with his own pack, and his Sire has shown up wanting to reunite the family. He’s old style vampire and sees Flo’s life as nonsense.
There’s more action, romance, and some consequences in this second book. I’d recommend reading Guarded first so you have a feel for who’s who and you can dive right in and just enjoy the ride. A great follow up and I’m hoping there’s more to come.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
Bound by blood. Bound by loyalty. Bound by love.
Florian has it all: excellent fashion sense, a kickass job with his best friend, and a hard-won place among Silverton’s werewolves. When a pack of females pads into their territory, Flo’s alpha dispatches him to handle a merger. Total cakewalk. Except Keely, their alpha, has no intention of submitting her wolves to Flo’s larger pack. Worse, a single glance from her baby blues sends his eloquence on vacation and his heartbeat into overdrive. His flirtations seem welcome too, but there’s a snag. She doesn’t know he’s a vampire.
While Flo struggles with his conflicts–obey his alpha or win over Keely–his estranged sire blasts into town with a catalog of radical ideas. And hanging out with unsophisticated werewolves didn’t make the list.
With violence in the air and all sides testing his loyalties, Florian must bite back, even if showing his fangs costs him the girl.
There’s no one thing that makes me like this book. I do like a good mystery. Especially one with no real obvious suspect. I also enjoy humorous and snarky dialogue between characters. And it sure adds to my enjoyment when the scenes are visually written, putting me there in the story. And last, but not least, the surprise reveal of who did it and why. This book had all of this, and something else. This is where I wish I was a writer so I could spit it out. Something just really charmed me. Maybe the compelling prose.
Rona is finally seeing progress with her bakery and events business. When a mysterious woman shows up at Linn House asking questions and then disappearing, Rona shrugs it off. But the strangeness of it keeps niggling at her. And soon she’s thinking all kinds of things. And her fears are justified when the woman’s body is discovered drowned in the river.
Not one to sit on her hands and wait, Rona delves into the woman’s life, feeling duty bound to prove her death wasn’t an accident and see justice done. This leads to some threatening occurrences. The success of her business, and her life are now in question.
Rona is very likable. She’s kind and professional, stubborn and determined. And while she’s a bit lonely, she doesn’t feel she has to have a man to be happy. Then her ex shows up and their back and forth banter comes naturally. She’s now having second thoughts. Can’t help but like a second chance romance. Even if it doesn’t go the way you want. Won’t tell you how it goes with these two.
Lots of lovely scenery, plenty of mystery and false trails, and humor and romance, what more could you ask for. I hope you try The House On Devil’s Bar. You’ll want to read more about these characters.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
The police verdict of a woman’s accidental drowning in the Mississippi River does more than set tongues wagging in the small Missouri town of Klim; it starts a flood of cancellations that threaten to sink Rona Murray’s bakery and events business. And blacken her good name. Determined to save both, she starts her own investigation to prove she and her property are blameless. Barbara Lindborg had stopped by Linn House to consider renting it for a party. Yet, when Rona returned from accepting a delivery, the woman had vanished.
Rona’s preliminary search for Barbara yields nothing more than suggestive footprints on the Bar. Did the woman accidentally fall into the river? Was she pushed – and if so, why? A later hunt reveals Barbara’s cell phone in the woods. How did it get halfway up the hill if the woman drowned a hundred feet below? The phone’s camera holds snaps of Klim, its residents, and the Bar. Do any of these hold a clue to her death? Or did her and Rona’s earlier conversation about history and treasure have a different meaning?
Suspects and motives pop up like bubbles in yeast. Is Matt, an employee, still bitter about his and Barbara’s divorce? What about Rona’s own ex, Johnny? Is he trying to drive her out of business, or is his current girlfriend, Crystal, jealous of their relationship and trying to eliminate the competition? A bit like calling the kettle black, for Crystal seems very friendly with Frank, the bad boy neighbor. Frank isn’t lily-white, either. He dislikes Rona; is he behind the pranks on her property or mixed up in Barbara’s death? It isn’t until Rona’s life is threatened one stormy night that she learns the killer’s identity and her true feelings about Johnny.
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Excerpt
Clouds cloaked the moon, and the darkness in the woods closed around her. She increased her pace. The ground and leaves were slick, causing her to lose traction. When she slid downhill the second time, she heard the whispers.
She remained where she was, her back against a tree trunk, her palms on the ground. The wind had kicked up while she’d started back from the Bar, and it sighed as it wandered through the pines. A cricket chorus grated beneath the melody, strident and sharp, punctuating the wind’s fluid lament. A crack, like someone stepping on a branch, bore through the song, and Rona froze. Was someone walking through the woods, walking without a flashlight?
Which could only mean he was sneaking up on her.
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Author Jessie McAlan
A family trip to the Big Spring area in the Missouri Ozarks introduced Jessie to the wonders of nature. Her summer stints as a camp counselor and canoeing instructor cemented her enthusiasm. This love of the natural world and the river flows through her Linn House mysteries.
In 2001 Jessie graduated from Webster University with a BA degree and departmental honors in English.
She lives in the St Louis, MO area and spends as much time as she can camping and watching the barges on the river.
Who let the dogs out? I had to say that. LOL There be zombie dogs roaming the streets. It’s awesome. It’s horrific.
Check out Hounded and Hounded 2 by Ellie Douglas.
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
Hounded
by Ellie Douglas
Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalypse
My Review
It happens fast, with scarcely any warning. Man’s best friend changed. They’re no longer a loving pet. Now they’re dead and deadly. And humans are their favorite meal.
I do love a good zombie story, and dogs, how exciting. Never read about zombie dogs before. Zombie sharks, yes.
My favorite part in plots like this are the group dynamics. In Hounded you have Cal and his family, trying to fight off the zombie dogs and stay alive. When the daughter gets ill, they recognize the symptoms they’d been hearing about and rush her to the hospital. There, she falls into a coma, and they can’t leave. Wouldn’t be safe to do so anyway. The dogs are determined, and it’s probably only a matter of time before the hospital is overrun too.
Cal’s worries about the fate of his twin brother, Bellamy, lead him to do some stupid things. Others pay the terrible price and now he just wants to get back to the hospital. Will his family still be there? Will they be alive? He rushes to return and find out.
I enjoyed getting stories from Cal and his brother, Bellamy. Both of them are determined to find each other and both are fighting so many obstacles. It’s nerve wracking to turn the page and see what awful fate might await them. Hey, it’s zombie dogs and anyone is fair game.
Some of the things the character’s do had me snorting in derision. Why do they do that? Haven’t they watched the movies? Don’t they know the rules? Some of you may be thinking, nope, don’t want that. But, humans are flawed, we do dumb things. Only recognizing it later. The mistakes make this an edgy page turner.
Lots of gore, I mean lots. Just to warn you. Zombie fans should try this series. It’ll feed your craving and keep you on edge to the bitter end.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
When Calloway Foster woke up that morning, he never expected it to be a deathblow to life on earth.
Nothing can prepare him for one of the world’s most loved species to turn into the undead. Four-legged zombies now run rampant-hungry and intelligent, they are merciless to those still struggling to survive.
Follow Cal on a turbulent journey filled with horrific loss, new love, and unbelievably terrifying events.
Will he find his twin brother in time? Can he keep his family safe?
A terrifying surprise twist will test the survivors to the brink of humanity’s very existence.
I really enjoyed the first book and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. And I like reading Bellamy’s point of view. He’s still trying to find his twin brother, Cal, and things are more deadly than ever. It’s not just zombie dogs out there anymore. Something just as dangerous is prowling, wanting to feed. Who finds who and who survives or dies is anybodies guess as the group tries to find a safe haven with the odds stacked against them.
I’m happy to tell you this is every bit as good as the first book. The hits just keep on coming. I’ve become quite attached to many of these characters too, and that worries me. Nobody holds the golden ticket for survival.
Another action packed, zombie bash. Be prepared. The author makes it a gore fest that’ll have you cringing, trying NOT to picture the scenes. There’s more than one kind of zombie and this should please all the fans out there.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
Bellamy Foster leads his group of survivors on a perilous journey. Not only must he find a sanctuary for them all, but he is also on a quest to find his twin brother, Calloway.
Currently being stalked by raging, hungry, vicious zombie dogs, they become aware of a new, more sinister, threat. The infected SB-16 coma patients are now becoming vile, ravenous, and monstrous human zombies.
Will the survivors find a new sanctuary in time to save themselves and what remains of the shattered world around them?
Hounded 2 is an explicit horror – full of spattered slaughter, love and loss, fast-moving action, and a maze of unexpected destruction, that is sure to keep you turning pages late into the night. In this, her second novel, Ellie Douglas proves there’s plenty of rot to ooze out of the zombie genre.
I’m Ellie Douglas, and like you, I love horror, everything about horror, the goriest and most gruesome of horrors is the ultimate. I can’t get enough. So much so that I write horror. That need to be graphic, and explicit with my horror scenes makes me stand out. I give what I want to read to others, so now they can enjoy a true horror story.
I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that, I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more and becoming even better.
I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster, zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.
I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a gambling app that I designed on the apple store I’ve always got a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I love it
My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…
“Doctor Felix Bloom is a brilliant psychiatrist and pharmacologist who has
done a lot of good for humanity. But, he has a dark side as a serial
killer of some of his patients using their phobias against them. How
he gets his patients to kill themselves in some bizarre fashions
satiating his greed for death and mayhem you will have to discover.
But, nonetheless, if you love horror, you will love Dr. Bloom’s
methods and madness. Yes, he is as composed as they come, but maybe
more evil than most. He’s charming, considerate with his secretary,
Joanna, and his best friend, a doctor. But, beneath the elegant
exterior rages the thirst for blood as a serial killer.
Without going into the gory details or the method of Dr. Bloom, his patient’s
deaths are spectacularly staged (and gory) and witnessed by the good
doctor. The author does a great job telling why Dr. Bloom is a serial
killer and it may make you feel some empathy for the man. But, that
is a whole chapter worth exploring on your own. I was pleasantly
surprised at the intricate detail of the mind of Dr. Bloom. He’s
smart. Incredibly smart. The book is definitely worth your time. It
has everything a chilling horror novel should have. I would be remiss
if I didn’t mention the author’s other book about a serial killer
named Toxic Desire, which features a female serial killer. Who’s more
evil? Dr. Bloom by far. Why? I won’t spoil the novel for you. Fear
Inducer is more malevolent while Toxic Desire is erotically-charged.
Also, look for the subtlty in Doctor Bloom over the novel. He has a
lot of secrets worth discovering. Excellent book and a welcome
addition to my bookshelf.
P.S. – I forgot something. There are loads if images in the book at the
front of each chapter based on the fear the patient has. Really cool
visuals to put you in the mood for what you are about to read.
“
Who knew there were so many phobias. Some of the ones I ran into in this book were so out there. I want to say they were absurd, but I doubt the people who suffered them felt that way.
He’s the smartest man in the world and he’s not that way by accident. And there are side affects to that tampering. He’s got a dark side. One where he gets enormous satisfaction from killing. Killing a lot. Dr. Felix Bloom is a very bad boy. Supposed to help people with their phobias, he instead uses those fears against them, forcing them to kill themselves while he watches. The more he kills, the more he needs to kill. It’s a deadly cycle and he doesn’t mind doing it.
What a sick twist. And such gory deaths. The doctor comes up with some grotesque ways to get his patients to kill themselves. Are you afraid of snakes? How about clowns? Yeah, a lot of us don’t like those.
I really enjoyed the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. They start with a new patient and represent their particular phobia. The one for spiders will creep you out. As will some others. And the author was very creative with the illustration for a fear of the dark. LOL You’ll “see” what I mean.
If you like some gore and lots of killer scenes, you’ll want to grab this book. There’s enough to satisfy all your needs. Just ask the doctor. He’ll cure what ails ya.
4 Stars
.
.
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I’m Ellie Douglas, and like you, I love horror, everything about horror,
the goriest and most gruesome of horrors is the ultimate. I can’t
get enough. So much so that I write horror. That need to be graphic,
and explicit with my horror scenes makes me stand out. I give what I
want to read to others, so now they can enjoy a true horror
story.
I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the
readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside
of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment
when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have
nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino
and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that,
I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more
and becoming even better.
I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with
my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I
enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic
children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster,
zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.
I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel
often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I
love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few
things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for
other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a
gambling app that I designed on the apple store 🙂 I’ve always got
a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I
love it 🙂
My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better
myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…
I’ve always got a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I love it 
