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Book Review: In Hell by L. Marshall James

In Hell by L. Marshall James

Highwater Publishing, 2013

ASIN: B00E5MWIRC

Available: Kindle

 

Paul is just your average young American guy living in Pittsburgh; he loves his family, but spends little time with them. He has a decent job that he automatically dislikes. He tries to eat healthy, but usually goes the route of fast food and beer. He enjoys guns, sports, women, and one hobby that borders on childish obsession: Zombies. He grew up watching legions of zombies terrorize the earth in countless movies. He collected posters, action figures, undead memorabilia, and amassed a small weapons stash, preparing for the imaginary possibility of defending himself and his loved ones from the brain eaters. It was all good fun until he wakes one day to discover his fantasy is now real; zombies are everywhere.

The basic premise is good; an escape-to-a-better-place survival story. The characters have distinct voices, and I didn’t have trouble following them. The action is well described, very graphic and “in your face”, and I liked the twist at the end, which got me thinking a bit as I neared the finish. James has a good way of explaining how the Zombiepocalypse started and what the implications of it would be.

Unfortunately, the first person point of view, with so many sentences starting with “I,” became tiresome and actually got in the way of the story. There were also some typographical errors scattered throughout– not the worst I’ve read, but noticeable. In Hell was an okay read.

 

Contains:  Graphic Gore and violence, sexual situations, profanity.

Reviewed By:  Aaron Fletcher

 

A note from the editor: If you are curious about this book PLEASE use our link to find it. Searching Amazon for the book by title did not, for some reason, pull it up.

Posted on July 16, 2014 by , Reply

Book Review: Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters

Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters
Hyperion 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4231-2198-5
Available: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle

The sight of ghosts has become commonplace to Veronica and her friends since the “Event”. Ghosts are everywhere–walking about in classrooms, standing on street corners, going to the mailbox, and even reading books in the local library. Veronica also sees the ghost of her father sitting at the table reading the newspaper every morning, while the ghost of a teenage boy named Brian hangs out in her bathroom. These days though, it seems the ghosts are gaining power.

It’s not long before Veronica realizes maybe it’s not the ghosts she should be quick to step around, but the living instead, as Mr. Bittner, one of her teachers at Montcreif High, begins to stalk her in the creepiest of ways, like popping up at the coffee shop when she stops in for a quick cup of tea, and staring at her a little too long in class. Why is he following her?  What does he want?  And why does the ghost of Mary Greer appear on his front steps every morning?

Fans of author Daniel Waters, who also wrote the Generation Dead series, will likely sink their teeth into this stand-alone supernatural story filled with paranormal suspense, ghostly chills and fast-paced action.

Recommended: YA Ages 12 to 18

Contains: Minor Violence

Reviewed by Tina Mockmore

 

Posted on July 9, 2014 by , Reply

Book Review: Huntress Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff

Huntress Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013

ISBN-13: 978-1491046883

Available: Paperback, Kindle, Audible Book, Digital Lending

 

For those fans of Alexandra Sokoloff’s supernatural gems, such as The Harrowing, The Price, or The Unseen, this thriller (book 1 of The Huntress/FBI Thrillers) will illuminate another facet of this talented author’s skills. For those who are tired of the serial killer novel,  give this one a shot and be prepared to shed preconceptions of the subgenre.  The concept of a female serial killer is relatively untouched territory, with only a couple of other quality entries in modern literature. Sokoloff creates a killer who is complex enough to be real, rising above any tropes, but is stone cold in her methods. Peeling away the layers of this character is worth the price of the book itself, but like any of her novels, Sokoloff presents quite an enjoyable story, as well.

With her background in screenwriting, one might be quick to worry that her books might be static, or lack the three-dimensional quality necessary for a knockout novel. Sokoloff, however, also has a background in theater, and her ability to emote from the point of view of  any of her characters is uncanny. She truly is ‘inside their heads’. To live within the killer’s head is chilling, yet, at times, touching and thought provoking.

The story itself? FBI Agent Matthew Roarke watches a fellow agent become a hood ornament for a passing bus– just a moment after he appears to hear a woman say something to him. The woman disappears into the crowd, leaving readers with the feeling she is somehow familiar. The hunt is on, and it’s far from cliché.

We find the “Huntress” wandering on a beach, where she meets a recently divorced man and his young child. What ensues is unexpected, and ratchets up the suspense to that intense level readers expect of Sokoloff’s horror. While Huntress Moon is not, strictly speaking, a horror novel, terror like this should be found in any psychological thriller worth its salt. The cat and mouse game is nothing new, but Sokoloff’s lean writing mesmerizes the reader; her style quickly captivates and intrigues. Her settings are vividly painted in a manner usually reserved for books that spend many more pages on scenery development. If  a reader’s tastes run towards dark thrillers with fully fleshed-out characters, and stories that keep the neurons firing long after the covers have shut, then this series is for you.

Highly recommended for high school to adults

Reviewed by David Simms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on July 3, 2014 by , Reply
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