A review of Sharon Stevenson's "Blood Bound" by Matt Holgate
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First off, if you like urban and modern fantasy, read this book. Second, if you don't like fantasy but want to give it a chance with a new author and a new series, read this book.

Other reviewers I've seen have immediately pointed out that fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will like this book. And while I agree, it was not the first thing that occurred to me. The more I read about the sister and brother team in Blood Bound, Sarah and Shaun, the more I was more inclined to link it to a current show on the air, Supernatural, and for all the right reasons. Stevenson wields her writing, action and sarcasm skills with bravado.

The pacing is fast - Stevenson gleefully throws you into the action and hopes you can swim - as you fall into the middle of the twins' monster hunting lives. Stevenson wisely assumes you will get the gist of her world, explaining only what needs to be explained, even in the  moments where she deviates into one of her own creations or an interpretation of other lore (vampires, demons, etc.), in much the same manner an author like Terry Brooks would do. What the characters can do and why they do it evolves with the story as needed. It helps keep the plot moving, the narrative fresh, and the characters and their struggles front and centre.

These books are going to catch on. Glad to see that - at the time of this review - Book 2 in her Gallows series, Demon Divided, has just become available.

4/5
(If you're a big fan of Buffy-like stories, which is why I assume you're here, you can probably rate it a 5.)
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Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian, is a compelling yet haunting exploration into domestic violence. Told from four different profound voices--a town shaken by a tragedy of one woman. Secrets. What could have been done to prevent such a violent action?

Set in Vermont, Alice Hayward (a woman of many secrets) is being baptized by her minister Stephen Drew; however, this was the beginning of the end for Alice. She would be murdered shortly thereafter, before her new spiritual life could begin.

George, a controlling, violent husband, and father. An alcoholic. A daughter, who lives in the midst of seeing her mother beaten constantly and a father who has two sides. Good and evil. Mostly evil.

Stephen, the minister is haunted by Alices death. What could he have done to save her life. Now he feels his own faith slipping away. He meets Heather, the author of inspirational books about angels. She also has a story of violence with her own parents and becomes a welcome support for both Alices daughter and Stephen.

When Stephen and Alice are found murdered, at first everyone thought Stephen killed her then committed suicide. A murder suicide. Could someone else have killed the husband after he murdered his wife?  We also hear from Katie, now fifteen year old orphan---her thoughts about her mom, dad, Heather, and Stephen. The bullying from her dad, and the wife beating. The deputy state attorney Catherine, is suspicious when the minister leaves town and his close connection to Alice. .

A riveting literary murder mystery thriller! I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Mark Bramhall, Susan Denaker, Rebecca Lowman, Kathe Mazur, delivering a suspenseful performance for each respective voice.

You are hooked from the first page to the last, hanging on every word. Each character brings something different to the story, as it moves forward. Ordinary people, faced with extraordinary circumstances. I liked how the book was broken up into four parts which made it easy to follow via audio.

Heather is charismatic, Stephen is cynical, Alice is complex, and Katie is torn---A realistic account of abuse and domestic violence, and how it effects all the lives involved. Bohjalian delves into the profound mysteries of human existence in all his books I have read thus far--each book is unique.

So excited about Christ Bohjalian's books (I have only newly discovered this extraordinary author--a blend of literary and contemporary).

I am quickly making my way through his back list via audio, playing catch up. I fell in love with The Double Bind first (ahhh), Midwives, The Law of Similars (this past week) and now Secrets of Eden . I have purchased the remaining ones on audible; however, before I begin,I am jumping to:

The most anticipated upcoming release: THE GUEST ROOM. Christmas came early-- just received the best gift......an advanced reading copy from NetGalley (approval happy dance)!

My second Christmas unexpected gift came from Chris Bohjalian, a short story: Nothing Very Bad Could Happen to You There. What a great idea and a lovely gift! I wish more authors would do this type of promo. Really creates interest for the upcoming new release. A prologue to the novel--The Guest Room about Alexandra, the woman at the center of the novel, with a special note about the book from the author.
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I am dropping all my other scheduled books to get to The Guest Room. Dying to see what goes down and how . . . in the meantime folks, read all his books...spellbinding!
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I can control myself. Look, for Gods sake. Look at everyone. Everyone represses everything. Do you think any of these normal human beings really do exactly what they want to do all the time? Course not. Its just the same. Were middle-class and were British. Repression is in our veins.

The Radleys is the third adult novel by British author, Matt Haig. Another novel featuring abstaining teenaged vampires? Well, yes, but this is Matt Haigs creation, set in a North Yorkshire village: a world away from Twilight.

Seventeen years ago, Peter and Helen Radley became abstainers. They now eschew human blood, surviving on animal products, even if it means a reduced life expectancy, continual migraines, depression and low energy levels. With their two teenagers, Rowan and Clara, they try to live a normal, middle-class life in Bishopthorpe.

Despite their efforts to blend in, not everyone around them is convinced. Their next-door neighbours sense something, and Claras new friend, Eve Copeland, is recently arrived from Manchester with her ex-CID father who is casting a suspicious eye on the Radleys.

Rowan and Clara are themselves completely unaware, knowing only that something is not quite right: theyve no energy, get skin rashes from sun exposure, cant sleep, animals avoid them and the kids at school think they're weird. Recently, Clara has undertaken to become a vegan, exacerbating the chance of an attack of OBT (Overwhelming Blood Thirst), a condition to which she has no idea she might be prone.

Then circumstances place her in a field on a Friday night with an insistent and very drunk young thug, and the inevitable happens. And when Peters older brother Will, a charismatic, practising vampire with an insatiable and indiscriminate bloodlust, turns up to help deal with the familys crisis, things really get complicated.

In this tale, Haig gives the reader an original plot that showcases his talent for portraying everyday characters facing not-so-everyday situations. He describes the English village life to a T, even if Bishopthorpe only thinks it is: A place which fools itself into believing it is the epitome of a quaint English village but which, like most places, is really just one large fancy-dress shop, with more subtle costumes.

The narrative, taking place over four days in May, is from multiple perspectives and is supplemented by quotes from The Abstainers Handbook. Theres plenty of dark humour, including the irony of a vampire who would be most peoples nightmare, actually having nightmares himself. Haigs cops monitoring vampires (the Unnamed Predator Unit) though, are chillingly pragmatic when it comes to vampire kills.

Haigs characters develop and mature under the pressure of events, and he gives them some insightful observations: The kind of thrill people get when something devastating happens, a thrill they never admit to, but which dances in their eyes as they talk about how bad they feel. and It felt strangely grown-up too, as though thats what being an adult was  the ability to know which secrets needed keeping. And which lies will save the ones you love. are examples.

Certain Australian beer drinkers will be delighted to learn that VB (in this case, Vampire Blood) is a revered tipple in vampire society. Another brilliant offering from Matt Haig, this one is intelligent, clever and blackly funny.
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I was reading a list of detectives and private detectives some where and since I love the genre, I noted Joe by from Charlie Huston.  Found the first book and just bought.  Then imagine my surprise, Joe Pitt is a Vampyre, in a world where there are lots of them! We get a map of New York City so the reader can see the portions of NYC the various Vampyre clans control.  Now I like fantasies, so I jumped right in.  There are over one hundred reviews here of the story so I will be brief.  I will read the next Pitt book and see how that goes, that said, This Book was better than average.  Violence, bloodletting, sex, interesting characters are all here.  This books and the story read very well for a first book.  You know how many times the first book just sets up later books, well here it gets a little confusing sometimes but the author keeps it moving.  RECOMMENDED
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I watch a lot of crime programmes. On Saturdays here in the UK, there are a batch of them on television, FBI Files, Solved, Murder Shift, Couples Who Kill, Born to Kill and so on.

Being a peaceful person, I don't have a healthy interest in killers in themselves, but I am interested in why they do what they do, and the detectives who resolve to capture them.

This book, like Chene's review said, required me to shift focus as I haven't read a book like this in a while. It was gory on a level of the horror 'Screamscapes' which I am also reading, and enjoying.

The book has gripping characters which has already been commented on. As a thriller, it works brilliantly and shows the powers of recommendations from friends of books. You can decide if it is for you or not, but the style (literally 'letters' which explain much of the plot) is engaging, different, and enjoyable.

It was a hard read at times, simply because of the gore factor. Things were happening so brutally and explosively I had to take a break sometimes to take it all in.

But any story about a 'Ripper' style killer has to be gory. It kind of reminded me - loosely - of the film 'From Hell' starring a marvellous Bilbo-free Ian Holm.

Thoroughly recommended. It's also possible if I had my 'horror' hat on, I would give it five stars instead of a strong four out of five. I just didn't adjust to the gore too well. If you can get past that, and it is worth the effort, you will love this book.
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A great first novel by a promising new writer. I don't usually read horror novels but couldn't help being intrigued by the amazing cover when I met Mr. Tavares at a convention during one of his writing panels. The blurb on the cover says it well: "Terrific...a thrilling return to classic horror.". There's no sex or nasty swearing, some gore, of course, since you cannot have a werewolf novel without some blood and body parts transforming, but the emphasis is on telling a good, solid story with compelling, well-rounded characters. I'm not familiar enough with Louisiana or the other places in this decade, late 1880s, to determine if the period details are all accurate, but the author has a knack for writing enough compelling detail to paint the scene, but not too much to slow down the action. I really enjoyed it till the last few chapters, when some paranormal events occurred which were not foreshadowed earlier in the novel, catching me by surprise and breaking my immersion in the story world he created; I took one star off the review for this reason. However, it is a well-paced, professionally-executed story and I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading a sequel, if he writes one, utilizing his characters. This story will satisfy in either book or e-book format.
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The Vampires: If you have read my blog ([...]) about vampires you know I am wanted to see vampires as monsters depicted in novels again. Or if they want to hold onto their humanity, I want to see a struggle. This book gives me both is spades. Though the vampire mythos is standard, because they are depicted as monsters makes it even better.

Voice/Writing Style: One word comes to mind: elegant. It flows so easily that my eyes devour the next sentence and the next. I can never call my style elegant, but I truly admire those that can achieve this.

Characters: This was defiantly a character focused story and not plot focused. Every character is well defined, even the tertiary characters. I could see their own motivations and. even though the story was in first person, I felt that each character acted like they were the hero in their own story. Peter takes me down to the pit of depravity and then brings the light with his quest for redemption. Monica was sassy and smart and I loved Robin.

Point of View: The story is really a psychological journey of Peter, so I like that is is written in first person. I takes so deep into Peter that we can feel his struggle. Though, i'm a big fan of First Person anyway.

Themes: This book really explores humanity, and the struggle of one's self. Peter struggles reconciling the man and the monster throughout most of the book. Also, on a more subtle level is the question of freedom. Are you responsible for the deeds you have done if you were manipulated? The author presents both of these theme beautifully.

Action: Vampires fighting vampires. Let me just say that this is not a book you should let your kids read. It is dark and it is violent. I love it.

The Bad: I really don't have much to say about this. Yes, the beginning started off a little slow, but it built up to the end, which was well worth it. When I got to the last few pages I wanted more.

Overall: You should buy this book! Seriously this is a hidden jewel that needs more light.
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I've bought and read a lot of first-books by new authors, and have to say that I was really impressed with Matthew Marffy's The Serpent Sword.  I have made a lifetime study of the Viking Age, and love ancient history in general.  Those who have read my reviews know that I can be brutal on an author in reviewing their books.  I don't give out Five Stars easily.  I want a historical fiction that is written in that order history + fiction.  It must stay true to the times of which it covers, and the fiction itself needs a reason to exist, a well developed story, and hopefully, some good grammar beyond simply running it through a spell-checker.  This book has it all.  You begin liking the main character, you start to think you are going to hate him, then you begin to root for him as he matures.  Even though I began reading this book at a time when I was heavily burdened with work, I could not help but breeze through this book in an amazingly short time, considering my workload.  I won't give away the story-line any more than the author has, but will say this book covers a very interesting point in British History when everything was in flux, and the very fabric of the country and people were undergoing constant change, and while that turmoil would not have made for a good time to be alive, it is the stuff that good stories come from.  Matthew Harffy has a good grasp of the times, and the people who lived then, and it shows in his writing.  Many people rave about Bernard Cornwell.  Personally, I think he is much overrated.  He is competent, to be sure, but the last couple books of his that I read, had me yawning.  Quite frankly, I think that Matthew Harffy is a better writer.  If I had to compare him to another writer, I would say perhaps Giles Kristian or Robert Low earlier in their careers would be a better comparison.  It is with great anticipation that I look forward to reading Matthew Harffy's next book.  Mr. Harffy, my hat goes off to you, and thank you for a great read!
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Kendra C. Highley's Matt Archer: Monster Hunter is a young adult novel that follows fourteen, soon-to-be fifteen, year-old Matt as he navigates a supernatural world full of monsters and a mysterious life-altering prophecy. With a hint of teenaged angst towards young love, and spine-tingling descriptions, Highley's novel is a book that will make the reader both giggle with anticipation, and squirm with what Matt encounters.

I loved the characters of Will, Matt's best friend, and Matt because they help each other navigate the difficulties of growing up. Will's wit matches well with Matt's increasing strength as the protagonist. Will is the sidekick to the still growing and learning hero, and he fits the description of best friend, confidante, and unrelenting support throughout the whole novel.

When I first started reading Highley's novel, I wrongly assumed that since Matt was only fourteen at the start this would be a naive and slightly adorable story. Let me warn you, however, if you have a weak stomach, perhaps you should steer clear of this one. The story gets increasingly harder to stomach as Matt progresses deeper into his monster hunt, but it is well worth it. Highley doesn't save us from any of the disturbing descriptions and I applaud her for that. Her novel has a certain originality thanks to her fearless attempt at creating a successful horror story for the young adult audience.

Highley also has a great sense of pacing in her novel. Very rarely is there a lull in the story. The only instance where the reader might pause is during the explanation of why the monsters exist and the part Matt plays in the hunt for evil. The rush of information is a bit overwhelming, but is useful for later on in the story. Highley weaves a story that is easy to follow and is hard to put down.

If you're looking for an exciting book with tons of action and a slightly original monster story, then you might like this one. Highley offers the reader an insight into an imperfect protagonist that is growing as the story progresses, metaphorically and physically. He is also someone who isn't emotionally impervious to his surroundings, which makes him very relatable and realistic, despite the fictional situation.
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Title: Being Human
Author: Patricia Lynne
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Paranormal
Length: around 284

Tommy and Dan are twins that are connected in a level only twins would understand. Patricia Lynne does a heck of a job in describing such a connection. I would have loved a twin to feel such connection.  Tommy will forever be a teenager and will have to watch others change, grow old and die.  Dan will always be there for him and Tommy will be there for Dan when they need each other.  Dan will have to teach Tommy how to remember to be human and never gives up on him.  Even after Tommy does the unthinkable.

Tommy reminds me of an innocent child always asking why.  He will have to learn how to survive and act like a human if he wants to survive.  Once he is a vampire he only does thing for surviving and is confused with the complicated humans and their lives.  When he's hungry; he eats, when its time to rest; he finds a cool dark underground place and settles in and awaits the night.  They say that vampires have no feelings but Tommy will prove that is wrong.

It's so hard not to give the story away.  I found it slow in the beginning however I see the necessity of it.  I like books with romance and love, this story had some but it was toward the end.  Being Human had another type of love, a unique love a twin shares with the other. Without it he would be no different than any of the other vampires in the story.  The story starts to pick up at the half way mark and I couldn't put it down after that.  I enjoyed the book once Rissa, Mackenzie and Jamie came into the picture. I would have loved to see Fallen get what she wanted but I think Tommy knew that it was not a life.  The ending is sad but good and I will have to go back and re-read it just to make sure I read correctly and if I did then I loved the ending.
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I enjoyed this novel from the very start. Matt Hilton's fast paced narrative drew me in and hooked me immediately. The banter between the main characters Joe Hunter and Jared Rington was humourous and fun. However, at times it was a little forced but never enough to turn me off.

I believe this was Matt Hilton's debut novel and for a debut it's very accomplished. The action scenes worked very well and anyone who has ever tried to write an action sequence will know that it's tougher than the reader would believe.

Hilton did an excellent job in getting us into the depraved mind of the character known as the Harvestman. Although the action thriller genre is not known for its strength in chacterisation I felt that Hilton scored points here. I saw great potential in this area. Hilton's descriptive writing, especially in the build up to the final scene, was top notch. Stark imagery that suited the grave situation perfectly.

 A book not without it's flaws but a very enjoyable page turner none the less. I will be following the exploits of Joe Hunter from now on.
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I wrote the following blurb for this book, and it appears on the cover, but it's not part of the metadata about the book here, so let me add it as a review:  "Marie Bilodeau knocks my socks off.  She's got an amazing eye for detail and a sumptuous narrative voice.  Destiny's Blood is a winner -- another home run from one of Canada's best new authors." -- Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of HOMINIDS
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Blood is thicker than water, unless you stab a relative, then it needs to be washed off with water.

Tess and Po have stumbled upon a potential murder victim and are all set to investigate this puzzling crime when Po receives a call. His dying mother wants to see him. His mother's husband swore an oath to kill him. The rest of the family is ready to help. Except his sister, who has just gone missing near a new oil pipeline development, who Po has just been tasked to find.

Having been a long time fan of the Joe Hunter series by Matt Hilton, I was keen to read this new series from Matt. Much like the Hunter series, Matt has given us a solid crime thriller with plenty of action. The hard moulded Po is a lived in character, and Tess feeling like someone who is still trying to adjust to her new life as an ex-cop. They feel like good characters to follow for more adventures.

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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This book was a good read for me.  It had a great plot with bizarre, gory scenes and a shocking ending.  It had a mysterious, blurry feel to it where the reader doesn't know anymore about what's going on than the character.  The author is raw and has a unique style of writing that doesn't follow traditional literature.  I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is into f***ed up novels and unhappy endings.

"May the Matt Danza be with you"
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Summary:

When Alice and George Hayward are found dead in their home in Vermont, the people of the town they lived in are saddened and shocked.  They knew that George had been abusing Alice physically for some time - in fact, they were separated, but recently had gotten back together - but no one thought it would come to this.  On first appearances, it appears to be a murder-suicide - George strangled Alice and then shot himself.  Upon closer examination, though, details surface that make the police question their initial interpretation of events.  Told through four different narrators, Secrets of Eden is the story of Alice and George and the effect their deaths had.

Review:

I really enjoyed Chris Bohjalian's The Double Bind, though I haven't picked up any of his other books.  However, I thought Secrets of Eden sounded really fascinating, especially with the mystery kick I've been on lately.  Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down - I had to know the outcome of this deftly written novel.

Secrets of Eden has four well-established and developed narrators.  Each time I saw the voice of the novel would be changing, I was disappointed - usually, in novels with multiple narrators, one voice is much more interesting than the others.  However, Bohjalian manages to make each narrator unique and compelling.  They each have their own story, their own version of events, and with each telling, the reader gleans new details about the murders.  However, you also can't completely trust any of these characters - they all have their own agendas when discussing the deaths and the aftermath.  As a result, the reader is scrambling to figure out which of these narrators is unreliable, and what each of their goals are.

I also appreciated how Bohjalian gave the readers subtle clues and hints as to what happened that are interspersed through the novel.  Yes, the reader does find out the truth at the end, but it's fun to take these details as they are delivered and try to piece together what happened.  It gives the novel a sense of adventure and makes it very difficult to put down.

I really enjoyed Secrets of Eden; I expected it to be a heavy, slow novel, but instead it was easy to read and utterly engrossing.  This is a book you'll want to read in one sitting, so don't pick it up unless you have some time!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5
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BOUND IN BLOOD is a metaphorical glimpse into the struggles of a man cursed by a secret and driven by an uncontrollable need for pleasure, love and revenge.
Jean-Luc "Jack" Courbet is a cultured, charismatic and intellectual being who must conceal his true identity in order to protect both himself and his secret life.
After arriving from France, hoping to escape a haunting past, Jack blends auspiciously into the unwary and hedonistic world of the Greenwich Village nightlife.  And, like so many of his victims, Jack becomes the hunted being stalked by a merciless predator from the past that will stop at nothing to destroy him.
BOUND IN BLOOD brings an alternate lifestyle into the mainstream horror genre and illustrates that love, lust, need and fear are emotions that do not discriminate...even against the undead.
David Thomas Lord writes with the proactive intensity needed for such a heady plot.  He teases the reader's imagination without going overboard.
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Frederick Louis Richardson's debut novel includes evil versus good, African vampires, and governmental paid killings across the globe. The story begins in 1750 as the William George slave ship transports its load across the Atlantic. A distant relative of the slaves slips onboard to wreak havoc on the all-European crew. Siata Quattarra brutally kills several crewmembers, which leads to freeing of the slaves stored below. The horror that unfolds eventually leads to the ships demise as it shipwrecks on the outskirts of an island in the Caribbean. The sole survivor is a vampire who eventually begins to reside in Washington, D.C.

Fast-forward 100 years; Henry Cheeks masterminds the blood and plasma industry in Africa. This blood cartel is equal to drug trafficking in Cuba. In Africa, the locals discuss vampire activity but nothing is confirmed until an American journalist stumbles upon the truth. The vampires are in for the fight of their life with Isaish "Black Rush" Zacharias as their leader. Black Rush, Night, Netty Boo, and Aisha function much like a gang as they stalk the streets and suck the blood out of unsuspecting Americans. They are producing horror and hundreds of unexplained deaths in our nation's capital. They have a way of enticing individuals into escapades of sex and love that end in bloodletting and death for the human.

Richardson truly impressed me with this rendition of vampires living among humans. He carefully adds his African American heritage in this tale of vampires, witchcraft, and threat to America's blood supply. He uses vivid descriptions, which produces a story that is somewhat believable. It had me looking over my shoulder and checking the teeth of my neighbor. This is definitely one to read especially if you are a lover of vampire stories.

Reviewed by Monique Bruner of Loose Leaves Book Review