Unique with lots of shivers--both natrual and supernatural
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When Theo Grayson, a writer who has recently moved back to his hometown, visits one of his old high school haunts--the graveyard--and sees the ghost of  his best friend, Jonothan, who was murdered nearly ten years ago, he is shaken to his core.  The ghost "speaks" but his voice is so faint Theo can't make out the words.  Jonothan is obviously trying to tell Theo something, but what? His murder is unsolved; is he trying to tell Theo the identity of his killer?  But why now, after all this time? Unable to decipher his friend's message, Theo calls on two other friends. Steven "Mondo" Allen, now a police officer, and Roberta Crockett, Jonothan's girlfriend.  The plot thickens when a stranger, Lee Collins, contacts the trio searching for information about Jonothan. Theo soon learns that Ronnie and Lonnie Grant, wealthy and powerful brothers (also ex-classmates) are determined to run Lee Collins out of town.  Despite their alibis Theo has always suspected the Grants of Jonothan's murder. Does Lee have knowledge about Jonothan's murder? It seems unlikely since Lee has never been to Ashton before now.

Murder and attempted murder, legends, mysterious artifacts and believable characters had me holding my breath, guessing, then guessing again as I read this hard to put down ghostly and very satisfying tale.  But I won't give away the plot or the ending. For that, you'll have to read the book.
354096
Susan Dennard has created an incredibly unique book that I will fondly look back on time and time again.  With its paranormal aspects and lovely steampunk imagery, this story grabbed my attention from the start and held it until the very end.

Though the dead rising is becoming a little more common at this time and place, there's no way that our heroine, Eleanor, can ever get used to the sight and smells of a rotting being shuffling among the living.  For some reason, her brother hasn't been able to make it home again, and she has reason to believe that he's being held hostage by the necromancer that started it all.  Eleanor seeks help from a motley crew of Spirit-Hunters in order to get to the bottom of it and slowly uncovers the truth, maybe even before it's too late.

This entire story is packed with important events and information, which will keep you turning the pages.  Eleanor is one tough cookie, and the determination within her is beyond belief.  It's easy to say that she truly cares for her family, and she'll go to great lengths to make sure that they're taken care of.  Another strong and oddly charming character is Daniel, one of the Spirit-Hunters that arrive in town just days after the dead have risen.  The relationship that develops between the two is enough to satisfy my need for romance, but not enough to overpower the actual plot.

Something Strange and Deadly is full of excitement, pleasing visuals, imaginative inventions and characters that stand out from the rest.  It's even turned me onto a new genre that I was a little hesitant to jump into.  The author did an amazing job with describing the Eleanor's world.  It's so packed full of action, which makes the entire story move at the perfect pace.  Though the end of the story doesn't leave the reader hanging, I'm anticipating the release of its sequel, just because I loved these characters and the stories each of them had to tell.

Review from The Hollow Cupboards- (thehollowcupboards.blogspot.com)
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I'm so glad Shannon gave me this book, because I hadn't even heard of David Mitchell before reading it- and now I want to pick up more of his books! His writing is very visceral and evocative, with layers of depth (you know when an author refers to something you can't possibly know, but does it in a way that intrigues you instead of isolating or frustrating you? That thing).

This story is the kind of horror/supernatural tale you hear at campouts. It has an ending (which reminds me- I like my endings a bit more sinister and open-ended), but the lead-up was so suspenseful I finished this book in 3 days. There's a host of characters, and you really feel in the head of each one, as a distinct, real individual. Including the monsters, which took the tension down a notch, but also supplied some much-needed background info.

I now know that David Mitchell has another book, The Bone Clocks, which is in the same supernatural world. So this has been a delightful teaser to whet my appetite for that one.

I recommend this one for fans of Neil Gaiman and generally creepy mystery supernatural stories set in modern day, especially if you like creative prose, tension, and a world of imagination before the curtain. It's a great book for Halloween, especially if (like me) you prefer spooky and creepy to outright horrifying.
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I have thoroughly enjoined some of David Mitchells previous work (e.g., Bone Clocks, Black Swan Green), so I couldn't wait to start his latest, Slade House. In many ways, this is a spin-off of his highly successful and very unique Bone Clocks. The latter kind of jolted the literary upper crust when Mitchell embarked on a journey with extensive fantasy, horror, and supernatural themes. This was fine with mewhich is why I loved Bone Clocksbut for those expecting a literary effort akin to Cloud Atlas, well, lets just say they didn't know what to make of it.
Mitchells Slade is about a haunted house that mysteriously appears within a labyrinth of back alleys once every nine years. The inhabitants, fraternal twins Norah and Jonah Grayer, are soul vampires who must partake in the digestion of souls from unwitting victims in order to maintain their immortality  and the feasting must occur on a nine-year basis. Five different accounts spanning five decades comprise Slade House, with the last in 2015. The tales, while interrelated for the plot line, are strikingly different in terms of content. The targets of the haunted house include a young teenager, a detective, a college student and her older sister, and a psychiatrist. The forays of these characters into the house are riveting, and I found the narratives deliciously spooky. The stories are beautifully told in chilling detail. The impact is frequently creepy and often startling.
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I didn't think Bound would be all that great of a book considering 1) it was free, and 2) I've never heard of the author before.  But I started reading the first chapter, because, let's face it, the synopsis sounded creepy and full of spooky things...and I do love supernatural books.  Besides, the setting is in New Orleans, and what other city could invoke that instant feeling of mysteriousness?  Add in the fact that the main heroine hears voices swirling in her head, and it's a book you definitely want to know more about.

The story begins with Arelia, a young girl living with her gran-mere, barely making rent, who decides to head off to the Darkwood plantation house out in the boonies with her rich best friend, Sabrina.  A special invitation only request given to her friend lets both of them work for a large amount of money at the plantation by helping guest.  And Arelia could use every little bit she can get.  She could also use a set of ear plugs. Apparently, Arelia can hear spirits all around her, and has been able to her whole life.  She's learned by her grandmother's example to respect the spirits, but it's difficult to do when they drop enigmatic one liners intent on making her head explode as she tries to unravel their meaning.  For Arelia, her job should have been incredibly simple; however, simple is word out of her dictionary, because one look at the handsome plantation owners son, Lucus, and she knows she's in trouble.  He's polite, suave, definitely easy on the eye's, and unfortunately for Arelia, her best friend also has her sights set on him.  To make matters worse, because really, what could be worse than hearing spirits, having to tamp down your feelings for a guy you like, having to do your work plus your lazy best friends work, and meeting family members you never knew you possessed, Darkwood has a secret curse that only she can solve.  Arelia is used to hard work in life, but this mystery is on a whole new level.  Especially as she realizes she was blessed by the spirits, and could be a powerful voodoo queen...if only she could get the hang of it.  Plus one of the workers within the Plantation, Ivan, seems to know more than he is letting on.  With the curse looming over her head, Arelia must figure out who to trust and quickly.  Because if things are left as they are, so many people she has come to care about could be lost forever.

Bound was actually, and I hate to say this, not the best book ever, but for a free book it really did capture my attention.  The plot was pretty cool, and I did like the writing....but sometimes it did feel just plain silly.  Like spirits are talking to her, and she doesn't really question it. She finds out she's a voodoo queen, but it's all good.  No shocker.  And at other times what is painfully obvious to the reader, she just doesn't get.  Floats right over head.  That was actually horribly annoying.  But the characters were pretty well thought out (side note...I despise Sabrina...that is one spoiled, rich, uncaring loose female).  I would totally recommend Bound to anyone who likes YA supernatural romance and I will also say I did read book 2, and am almost done with 3.  By this point I am in love with the villain. Just saying.  If you do pick this book up, please go ahead and read the second one too, because the writing, while sometimes annoying, does get better!  I am completely enthralled!
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I happened to come across this book on a list of the scariest books ever written, and while I did not find it scary at all really, I'm so glad I decided to give it a try. This is such a unique sci-fi story that is at times creepy, gloomy, hopeful, gross, and more, sometimes all in one paragraph. I wish I could explain the feeling it gave me while reading, or the many feelings I should say. It gets you to wonder what exactly it is to be human and how important it is to be human as well (at least for me anyway). I don't know what else to really say about it that isn't said in the description. At around 250 pages long, there is no reason to not give it a try and see for yourself.
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In some ways this book is a standard YA paranormal fantasy novel, but the author added enough fresh elements to keep me turning the pages.

Angie Dovage is something of an outcast in her high school due to being abducted as an infant and being raised rough by her druggie mother. When a handsome guy moves in next door, she is instantly attracted, but some things about Reese Hernandez seem a bit strange, like the fact that he seems to attract crows. Theres also the guy with shifting facial features, Rafette, who seems to be following Reese around. Eventually Angie finds out that Reese isn't a normal teenager, but a human cursed to become a harbinger of death. Hes come to her town because a major tragedy will soon occur, and many people will be killed. Beyond that looming danger, Rafette, who is another cursed being, has his own menacing plans for Angie.

The conventional elements are definitely here. Unpopular teen girl meets handsome guy with paranormal baggage, and love almost instantly ensues. Both of them are in danger from a wicked supernatural being and have to find a way to save themselves. And, yes, Angie does turn out to be special, different from other human beings. About the only thing thats missing is a love triangle, which the author flirts with but dismisses fairly quickly.

However, the author twists all these elements just enough to keep me reading. Yes, Angie is special, but not so much because of a paranormal power as because she is musically talented. Reese is a cute paranormal guy, but his attraction to death is still treated as being obviously creepy. Rafette is equally creepy (really, I could see that character in a scary movie) and his actions are evil, but hes not a one-dimensional baddie. Neither of them is quite like any other supernatural creature Ive encountered before in a book. Angie does eventually save the day for Reese and her friends, but she does it almost accidentally, and theres still a high body count overall.

The only false note for me was Reeses instant and overwhelming feelings for Angie. I had trouble believing that a being who is over a century old and who has lived a life filled with suffering and death would be attracted to teenage girl quite that quickly. The author does attempt to justify it, but it still didn't quite work for me.

Readers who aren't turned off by encountering typical YA paranormal tropes are likely to enjoy reading this novel. I did, enough so that Im going to keep an eye out for future books by Meg Kassel.

An eARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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There are a 1001 thoughts racing through my mind about this book. I cant, for the life of me, get my S together.

What drew me into this book was obviously, the premise, and Nikkis synesthesia. Its quite extraordinary yet scary. I couldn't even imagine. So I loved that Nikki had something so different, so rare, and I do feel like her struggles are very similar to those that do have synesthesia.

Now, Nikkis character as a whole is one that I love to read, and respect. She was Different. She has a foul mouth, is stubborn, has a serious attitude, open about her sexuality, and just does her thing. While it didn't make her character always likable, she was relate-able and real.  Admittedly, I felt things were easy for Nikki when it came to solving the mystery. Maybe her character portrayed it as too easy, but I felt like everything fell into her lap.

As for the mystery itself, I thought it was well done and thought out. Sure, Nikki seemed to get the clues pretty fast, but I loved how intricate it all was. I was only slightly surprised by the resolution, simply because well, spoilers. Part of me feels its over the top, while another part of me finds it all to make a hell of a lot of sense.

Thoughts = Jumbled = moving on.

As far as the romance goes? Well, hmm. I wouldnt call it a romance, per se but its something. And YES for not having the romance consume EVERYTHING. However. I have a feeling her relationship with someone specific will develop into.. something, as the series continues. It had this weird, awkward undertone throughout the book, creating this nagging sensation that things are not what they seem.

I also applaud the ending. Its unconventional in a way that tells me Jennifer Brown is not loyal to her characters, which I love. It also opens up so much more for the next book. There are many questions left unanswered, which typically grates on my nerves, but it was well written and well done it didn't in the slightest.

All in all  I really enjoyed Shade Me. It may not be a read for everyone  but I do recommend it. Especially if you love mystery/thrillers with a side of unconventional characters.
4482555
Neil Gaiman has a way of writing fantasy that I have yet to see matched by any other author I've read. While this story is no exception, it is unique among his novels as being his most personal. And something about this tale wears that intimacy well. The characters are interesting and well developed. Their adventure is quietly bizarre and dreamily scary. Gaiman's imagination in this novel reminds me so much of things that I'd imagine as a child. Not so much the imagery itself, some of which is very weird, but the tone and strangeness match.

There is a quote in this book that I think sums up how I feel about it pretty well:
"Adult stories never made sense, and they were so slow to start. They made me feel like there were secrets, Masonic, mythic secrets, to adulthood. Why didn't adults want to read about Narnia, about secret islands and smugglers and dangerous fairies?"
Why, indeed?
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Malus Domestica by SA Hunt is a masterful tale of supernatural horror told with an ensemble cast. The mythology/setting that hes created is fantastic, deep, and creepy as all hell. This author has a gift for description that paints vivid (often disturbingly so) images in the mind. One caveatif you are a cat lover, this book is going to be quite disturbing. Some parts were hard to read.
The description on the jacket makes it sound like Robin is the "main" character, but in the beginning of the book she feels more like an equal part of a large cast. At about the 70% mark, she takes a more prominent role as the story brings the multiple characters together as all of them are affected in one way or another by an ancient and powerful coven of witches who dwell in Blackfield, GA.
Robin is a witch hunter. The Blackfield coven killed her mother prior to the events of the story when Robin was still a child, an event that has left deep emotional wounds. After years in a psychiatric facility (child Robin made the mistake of telling the authorities witches did it), an enigmatic occultist finds and trains her to do one thing: kill witches. Problem is, killing things that are already dead is often a tricky (and painful) task.
Increasing hallucinations of a strange creature, dreams of her mother, and an inexorable pull to return draw Robin back to her childhood home. It is time for her to face her demons once and for all.
This book has a lot of characters, but unlike what can often happen with such a large cast, I never felt as though I got lost as to who is who. Each character is portrayed vividly, from the minor characters (like the child that decides to hide in the wrong car) to the primary characters like Robin, Wayne, Joel, and Kenway - and of course the witches. You know you are reading the work of a gifted author when you have been shown how awful and evil the primary antagonist can be - yet in a quiet moment where they are talking to Robin, you start to wonder if the old woman has a point... maybe it is Robin who's misguided. Maybe they could bury the hatchet... and you almost want them to. THAT is a great story.
I don't, as a general rule, read a lot of novels classified as 'horror,' but I decided to jump on this one based on his previous Outlaw King books. I'm glad I did. This is a long book - and I still got so caught up in it that I finished it one day. Hollywood needs to stop with the remakes and start reading some of SA Hunt's books.
This book will make you change your mind on self-published authors. The formatting and editing were near perfect. If I had been unfamiliar with SA Hunt's prior work, and someone told me this was from a major publisher, I wouldn't have doubted. Malus Domestica is a near-flawless foray into a frightening world of dark thaumaturgy, mystery, and evil that will haunt you for quite some time.
If I had to say something critical, it would be that some of the scenes (where new characters are brought in) may feel extraneous at first... You've been reading about one character and then the action jumps to someone new that doesn't seem related to anything going onbut it all winds up tying together and making perfect sense by the end. (That and I felt bad for the cats.)
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This book surprised me. I picked up it and figured I'd read a chapter before bed, but it quickly hooked me. I was sucked in by the nightmarish imagery and descriptive passages, especially the rituals and physical transformations. The hallucinations were especially vivid and convincing. Making the mold the group smoked a sacrament of the local Indians was a nice touch: at times it feels like a twisted version of Carlos Castaneda, which is something I've never seen before. All of the characters were real and believable: they feel like people I know, which really adds to the read. I really liked it. It is long, but worth finishing: it was intense and at times actually scary.  A weird but cool book!
2508313
Night Sea Journey by Paula Cappa is an evocative and sometimes frightening book that combines the supernatural with religion into one very interesting book. Nightmares  and sometimes even vivid dreams  can leave us shaken and edgy as we remind ourselves that what we had dreamt was only a dream; no easy feat considering that some dreams and nightmares are so vivid that we wake up with pounding hearts and our bodies drenched in a cold sweat. Now imagine knowing you're going to have that same nightmare over and over again to the point where you dread falling asleep, the lines between reality and subconsciousness blurred as you're forced to chop up and bury serpents and battle the dreaded Firehawk, the manifestation of your worse nightmares. Welcome to artist, Kip Livingstons world, as she battles her demons at night and paints them during the day in her house by the sea. Despite seeking medical help, Kip sees no improvement in her mental well being and is desperate for some answers. Enter Father Raymond Kera, a disenchanted priest who is questioning his faith and has been sent to Horn Island as a carpentry manager to oversee construction of St. Gregory of Nyssa Church. Both vulnerable, the two protagonists are drawn to each other as Kip seeks out Father Keras help. However, Father Kera soon realizes that helping Kip will come at a huge price. Night Sea Journey is a well-paced story fraught with psychological twists that culminates at times into a frightening adrenaline rush.
2001781
The Prey of Gods combines futuristic South Africa with hallucinogenic drugs, ancient demi-goddesses, and AI revolts. Its an eclectic collection that makes for a truly unique science fiction story. The best comparison I can think of is Neil Gaiman crossed with Lauren Beukes.

Sydneys a demi-goddess who thrives off of fear. Whats a demi-goddess to do when theres not a lot of fear around? Obviously, shes got to make some. Mostly this has meant murdering individual people, but then she gets an idea for how to level up big time. Standing in her way are a young Zulu demi-goddess, a queer teenage boy trying to figure out what it means to be a man, a pop singer who uses the facade of a bitchy diva to cover up the pain of her MS, a robot just gaining self awareness, and a politician who moonlights as a drag queen.

As you can probably tell from that line up, The Prey of Gods has a wonderfully diverse cast. These six different characters come from wildly different backgrounds and occupy different positions in society. I also didn't know this going in, but two of the six POV characters are queer. Muzis fallen in love with his (male) best friend, Ellkin, and is generally dealing with a lot of coming of age type stuff. Felicity realizes over the course of the story that shes not a drag queen  shes a trans woman. If anyone knows of reviews of The Prey of Gods by trans women, please send them my way. Im cis and cant really talk about Felicitys portrayal in terms of trans representation. Also, a spoiler regarding the queer characters: <spoiler>none of them die.</spoiler>

Felicity and Riya (the pop star) were my favorite characters, although the main focus was on Muzi, Sydney, and Nomvula. Honestly, I never cared as much about those three. Sydneys the villain of the story, so in her case its not that surprising. With Nomvula, it is a surprise. Shes an abused and neglected little girl who suddenly discovers that shes a demigoddess with immense power. I think I will grow to like her more if I read the sequel  I have the feeling shell be gaining agency as she gains in self confidence and knowledge. As for Muzi, I think my main problem is that I hate his love interest. Ellkin is so annoying! He throws a fit when a celebrity refuses to sign his bong. Urgh. I knew that sort of guy in high school, and Im still not impressed.

I do like how The Prey of Gods mixes genres together. It takes a science fiction setting and throws in paranormal and urban fantasy aspects. I could almost describe it as an urban fantasy novel set in the future, but there is some science fiction story tropes happening too, especially the potential robotic uprising. As unusual as it is, Drayden makes it work, and her futuristic South Africa is easy to visualize. For whatever reason I loved how pesky dik-diks played a role in the plot.

On the negative side, I struggled with the pacing. I ended up wandering away from the book for an entire day, reading other things instead. I had trouble keeping my focus on it. I especially had trouble with the last third of the book. When the narrative should have been getting even more riveting, it instead felt like it was slowing down. In particular, I had trouble with the after life sequence. I could also feel like there was just a bit too many things going on in the last third, some of it really bizarre. For instance, Felicitys penis turning into a snake. Did this ever get an explanation? It also felt sort of strange that it happened to the only trans character.

I don't know if Ill read the sequel to The Prey of Gods, but I know Ill read more by Nicky Drayden. In particular, I think I should check out some of the short stories shes already written. After seeing how imaginative The Prey of Gods is, Ill bet she has some impressive ideas. I also look forward to seeing what she writes in the future. While my experience with The Prey of Gods was mixed, I still think its a relatively strong debut novel.

I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
2269479
Stephen King wrote PET SEMATARY, a horror novel about a father's determination to bring his son back from the dead, in 1983.  Jennifer McMahon's THE WINTER PEOPLE is, in some ways, a retelling of King's story, drawing on ancient folklore and our very human obsession with outwitting death.  In King's novel, the resurrection magic lies in an old graveyard and stories passed down for generations.  In McMahon's, it lies in the spells of an old Indian sorceress.  What would happen if it were really possible to conjure up the walking dead?  How far would we go to hold our lost loved ones in our arms again?  Too far, probably.  McMahon's eerie and disturbing novel is a literary ghost story, lyrical, mesmerizing, and surprisingly believable.  It's also chilling and terrifying and very difficult to forget.

McMahon's story shifts from that of Sara Harrison Shea, a young woman whose daughter dies mysteriously in 1908, to modern-day characters living in the same town in Vermont.  In 1908, Sara's daughter Gertie's body is found at the bottom of a deep well, and Sara is inconsolable.  What her husband Martin doesn't know is that Sara is in possession of a letter written to her years before by an old Indian woman, a sorceress who was a mother to Sara when she was young.  The letter contains instructions on how to awaken a "sleeper" - in other words, how to bring the dead back to life.  Sara's decision, in her grief over Gertie's death, will have a long-reaching impact, not only on her own life but on the lives of the generations that will come after.

The present-day part of the story focuses on the Washburne family (Alice and her daughters, Ruthie and Fawn), who live in Sara's old house in West Hall, Vermont.  When Alice suddenly disappears, Ruthie is determined to unravel the mystery.  What she finds are clues to a much older mystery, a mystery that seems to involve her mother.  At the same time, Katherine, a woman from Boston whose husband and son have recently died, comes to West Hall to find out why her husband visited the town on the day of his death.  What is the connection between Katherine's husband and Alice Washburne?  And how is what happened to both of them connected to Sara and Gertie and what transpired in 1908?

THE WINTER PEOPLE is beautifully written, and cleverly plotted to suck the reader in slowly and inexorably.  I found myself quickly drawn to these characters, whose loss is palpable.  Sara has lost her beloved daughter, Katherine has lost both her husband and her son, and Ruthie has lost her mother.  All of them are suffering, all of them are in pain . . . but is it enough to justify an act of sorcery that is ultimately more dark and dangerous than any loss or suffering?  Maybe.  And maybe we want so much to keep those we love with us that it doesn't matter how dark and dangerous the results are.  That's what makes this novel so gripping and so terrifying.

I highly recommend THE WINTER PEOPLE - it reminded me a bit of Peter Straub's wonderful 1979 novel GHOST STORY (both novels are set in New England in the dead of winter, shrouded with snow and darkness).  McMahon and Straub are both literary writers who understand that real horror comes from our own weaknesses, and from our own fears.  If you like ghost stories and don't mind being scared out of your wits with a good book, THE WINTER PEOPLE will not disappoint.
1610795
4.5/5 Stars

I received this as a gift in exchange for an honest review

Sometimes you read a book and are so completely blown away by it that you cant help but think, why have I not heard this title shouted from the rooftops or at least seen it in my Facebook feed? Then you go on Goodreads and it has so few ratings you're floored. As a blogger, this pains me and hopefully, this review will piqu your interest enough to give it a try.

The Empath is an unsupecting and virtually hidden gem that deserves to be loved and cherished by fans of tarot, seances, magic, and things that are so spooky they make your skin crawl.

PROS:
Character descriptions are flawlessly executed. Erica Crouch analyses her characters with a psychological precision that is captured with concise, poetic nuances. I found myself nodding my head, easily imagining each character from clothing to internal dialogue.

The sance scenes are terrifying. Theres an air of uncertainty and foreboding that resonates throughout the story. You can feel the veil between worlds slipping into something much more sinister and frightening. Odessas fear is a rabid, raw thing that consumes and overwhelms better than a creepy horror film.

Erica Crouch creates a magical setting that like a time machine, transports to an older time, one with caravans, wealth, and village atmosphere. The hysteria and excitement that comes with the rise of mediums and the parties of the upper class elite is realized in bouts of fainting, shrieks, and murder.

THIS: My neck, my shoulder, he skims his fingers over my collarbone and moves in closer. I forget everything around us because now he doesnt smell like winter, but like fiction, ink and parchment, and hes so close I can measure the pulse in his neck. SWOON. OMG. Up until this moment, book boyfriends were measured in sarcasm and muscle but this has got to be the sexiest description of a love interest Ive ever read. Its probably the book nerd in me but he smells like fiction and ink? Melts.

Odessa is calculated, smart, and talented but cowers and caters to her mother. Odessa diminishes herself because of her mothers psychological taunts and harsh words. Its heartbreaking how poorly shes treated by her mother because she has a gift that her mother envies. Odessa is in awe of her spiritual connection and she respects it, always tentatively easing in and taking precautions. I appreciated that Odessa treated her craft with such reverence. As the story progresses, Odessa comes in to her powers and with that fights for the strength to stand up to her mother. Odessas blend of insecurity in relationships but confidence in her spiritual abilities is a believable mix.

Ghosts, demons, wraiths, and others that come through from the other side are presented in a way that is not hokey or too paranormal and that makes the encounters seem all the more real.

CONS:
This book is so short. Practically a novella.

Because of the length, the romance felt too fast to build an emotional connection and the demonic incident was resolved in a way that felt like a summary.
376757
I was asked by the author if I would be interested in reviewing his new book,  4 Years Trapped In My Mind Palace. The title is quite a mouthful!  But the book was unusually special. So different and unique. I really did enjoy it. The premise behind it was why it was so different but it is more what the author DID with it that will stretch your minds. There are many layers to the narrative and you need to really think about the situation this young boy and his parents are stuck in to see them. I love that there is bit of romance, a bit of hocus pocus  and a lot of supernatural thrown in. The writing is quite good and I didn't see any editing error that I noticed. I cant not imagine the horror of being stuck inside your own body with no way to communicate to get some sort of outside stimulus for your self. Frightening beyond belief and yet it has happened and probably will continue to.
 Loved the characters, especially Solomon with his belovedBetty. They are warmly drawn and I think how his parents responded to his situation would not be too unusual. As they thought their boy Aaron was not inside that body any longer. It took a lot of hocus pocus to get things straightened out but what an interesting ride it was.
 One should also read the comments by the author at the back of the book. VERY interesting indeed and entertaining to see how he worked the interwoven timelines.  This is a book I would highly recommend but just remember, this is not a Beach Read . It is full of substance although there is a dash of magic throughout.
1229683
Problem is, the house is haunted...and not necessarily by ghosts. And as for the grandfather, let's just say he has some issues.

Though I'm a fan of Shea's work, what most drove me to read this book was the fact that it was inspired by true events that are beyond chilling. Shea took that glimmer of an idea and turned it into a haunted house tale that is truly unique, which isn't easy to do.

Imagine you're living in a place where someone always seems to be watching you--when you're in the shower. When you're in bed. And especially when you do something The Guardians don't like. I couldn't put this one down. Even writing about it now gives me the shivers.

Highly recommended!