tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91464244424384687442024-03-27T01:37:37.877-05:00Karla's Literary KornerKarla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-59043184813106562162024-03-23T15:00:00.002-05:002024-03-23T15:01:55.546-05:00The Plastic Priest by Nicole Cushing<p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsquNj-C9Syg4ZLpADiIIYcZNPcJBRJcsWLHTIOhd9KAlqHaSYFA8WFP7S2SgFHbjEiqdETjzJgBvnjmC295egvpftp6MXhkCA_woty1SksAV4uD2fdwml48QltKGdQRiicnh9PkCrIlpnRhYdHmvLz2kyuIAphWw8_vPURid4xa2WyO8z-unO2JDnLllb/s445/51iPAYNOjfL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="287" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsquNj-C9Syg4ZLpADiIIYcZNPcJBRJcsWLHTIOhd9KAlqHaSYFA8WFP7S2SgFHbjEiqdETjzJgBvnjmC295egvpftp6MXhkCA_woty1SksAV4uD2fdwml48QltKGdQRiicnh9PkCrIlpnRhYdHmvLz2kyuIAphWw8_vPURid4xa2WyO8z-unO2JDnLllb/w258-h400/51iPAYNOjfL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="258" /></a></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 108</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;">When the soul has been thoroughly poisoned, the body must abandon it. Everything feels unreal afterwards, but plastic heads shed no tears. Bram Stoker Award® winning author Nicole Cushing offers an excursion into the Weird, a quiet novella of a madwoman in a mad town.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>"Reverend Ford is not Reverend Ford. At least, not to her parishioners. To them, she's "Mother Kaye."</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Kaye is an</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span> </span></span><span><span style="background-color: white;">Episcopalian priest</span><span style="background-color: white;"> in the small town of Owlingsville. She questions her faith along with the townspeople who continually fail to attend services. She questions why she continues in her role for the people of the town are thinkers of the old fashioned ways, unwilling to accept changes or ways of life. Bigots, gossips, unaccepting, and judgemental. Kaye doesn't dare integrate new ideas for fear of more rejection. She feels stuck in a situation she can't remove herself from. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="background-color: white;">As she moves forward with her plan to try prayers in the park, she is confronted by what is seemingly a man, but turns out that was clearly not. The things she is told have settled into her mind and she becomes "The Plastic Priest." </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="background-color: white;">I can't tell you what the plastic priest is because that would be a huge spoiler. But this novella will take you on a journey of how one loses their mind, going into complete psychosis, giving into it. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="background-color: white;">Pay close attention because this is a mind bender. Makes you think and wonder, ponder and contemplate. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="background-color: white;">The imagery and writing style is captivating. Bizarre, surreal, but entirely unique, nothing like anything I have ever read. There is something very special about this that I just can't quite explain because it has to be experienced. That is exactly what this novella is, a complete experience often times causing me to reread a phrase or take pause and really think about what I just read. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3377381.Nicole_Cushing">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nicole-Cushing/author/B0049DWUVQ?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nicole-Cushing/author/</a></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Author Website:</b><br /><a href="https://nicolecushing.wordpress.com/">https://nicolecushing.wordpress.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OSIuOxfcXD_S-s4PSW107neQiaxjb1qamCdZStXXn877JVKXeRpbCFWLsrFBZbAJVPZX0hNix-KKh5Q3_1e1hL6XcyhVbYuYRgPhFwnD_PP_4GNpG3J1u6B3D-pzyzO_H8fKHtcZpEQTO8JQafoQXIPMoTHGWHGOaoZyQijo6nXAKpBW8cd_-PgRyFCp/s300/9a9atsnoetp8satsi06fb3rrv8._SX300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OSIuOxfcXD_S-s4PSW107neQiaxjb1qamCdZStXXn877JVKXeRpbCFWLsrFBZbAJVPZX0hNix-KKh5Q3_1e1hL6XcyhVbYuYRgPhFwnD_PP_4GNpG3J1u6B3D-pzyzO_H8fKHtcZpEQTO8JQafoQXIPMoTHGWHGOaoZyQijo6nXAKpBW8cd_-PgRyFCp/s1600/9a9atsnoetp8satsi06fb3rrv8._SX300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">About the Author</span></b></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Nicole Cushing is the Bram Stoker Award® winning author of Mr. Suicide and a two-time nominee for the Shirley Jackson Award.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Various reviewers have described her work as “brutal”, “cerebral”, “transgressive”, "wickedly funny", “taboo”, “groundbreaking” and “mind-bending”.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Rue Morgue magazine included Nicole in its list of 13 Wicked Women to Watch, praising her as an “an intense and uncompromising literary voice”. She has also garnered praise from Jack Ketchum, Thomas Ligotti, and Poppy Z. Brite (aka, Billy Martin).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Her second novel, A Sick Gray Laugh (2019) was named to LitReactor’s Best Horror Novels of the Last Decade list and the Locus Recommended Reading List. She has recently completed and polished her third novel.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">She lives in Indiana.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: times;"><b>Publisher Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.cemeterydance.com/">https://www.cemeterydance.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlElOo5V_aN6lpNslTd3emP5qNmsApnXtlAcNVfgK83uY6eusjl0HUqVLuVpgw5f1nmpiUxvItskvE45Xw0Loo-poswgRkpof8TvKSXpmD-pS7QbZ1gEfIpyChD_z48erOyHkF7n96JAmFuXJqquPIOmNvQeL39T2LSinfLv07_6wxEjIkgh1AHMxQRLp8/s300/mgiflqnkbkvvvjdgie49vpei3q._SX300_CR0,0,0,0_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlElOo5V_aN6lpNslTd3emP5qNmsApnXtlAcNVfgK83uY6eusjl0HUqVLuVpgw5f1nmpiUxvItskvE45Xw0Loo-poswgRkpof8TvKSXpmD-pS7QbZ1gEfIpyChD_z48erOyHkF7n96JAmFuXJqquPIOmNvQeL39T2LSinfLv07_6wxEjIkgh1AHMxQRLp8/s1600/mgiflqnkbkvvvjdgie49vpei3q._SX300_CR0,0,0,0_.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6052900942">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="Check out this review of The Plastic Priest on Fable, the social app for finding, reading, and reviewing books. https://fable.co/review/c5c0bc73-5f69-4ab2-baa6-03a49984ec5d/share">https://fable.co/review/</a><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/bf7cf21f-54bf-467b-8915-8a3889aff8f6"><span style="font-family: times;">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cW8VLC9nnTo" width="320" youtube-src-id="cW8VLC9nnTo"></iframe></span></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-49322033219891545782024-03-23T08:55:00.002-05:002024-03-23T09:04:11.117-05:00Demon's Wrath: Death in Caguas: A Michael Moretti Novel by Patrick James Ryan<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtodvxcAwwtYA05XdcG9ev1BsczIodAToTGJ4r3vIXhyQkxfNlgjJcVJ3P6DeWqwkDQSFpQ1cvOtVSL2NnHYhKBiITd1qITKQ0FBTv7_1UoPwYw8xMQLTF9dm-G71sAEta9SoVi72aYoHkInyRX249oI52_g0GrCVMzJisPoFhP1rK3fWmvzqJFogyj44D/s425/7152cVFQAFL._SY425_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="262" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtodvxcAwwtYA05XdcG9ev1BsczIodAToTGJ4r3vIXhyQkxfNlgjJcVJ3P6DeWqwkDQSFpQ1cvOtVSL2NnHYhKBiITd1qITKQ0FBTv7_1UoPwYw8xMQLTF9dm-G71sAEta9SoVi72aYoHkInyRX249oI52_g0GrCVMzJisPoFhP1rK3fWmvzqJFogyj44D/w246-h400/7152cVFQAFL._SY425_.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Occult/Thriller</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eBook</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 419</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Brutal murders have been occurring in the rural villages of Caguas, Puerto Rico. A sinister force is beginning to show its terrifying presence. Michael Moretti, a seasoned expert in these matters, is hired by the Vatican City for his greatest challenge. But as he works with his partner Roberto, he begins to doubt his Catholic faith and capacity to defeat such an abomination. He falls in love with a beautiful woman who could jeopardize his mission. While the murders continue, Michael, Roberto and their Vatican mentor Cardinal Pussilano must pursue an unstoppable ancient evil while leaving a trail of bloody Carnage and monster mayhem only author Patrick James Ryan (</span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Blood Verse</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">) can deliver!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-db653f11-7fff-88b0-e55f-3ae046b03c33"><span style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"The rain continued to pour outside, foreshadowing additional gloom in a town gripped in unspeakable evil."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Something very evil has entered into the small villages of Caguas, Puerto Rico. The deaths continue to rise as the monstrosity shows no mercy and devours everyone in its wake. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Vatican is the village's only hope for survival. They must defeat evil or risk losing many more lives. They call for the help of Specialist Michael Moretti and Demonologist Robert Giametti. They know that they are their only hope at defeating the evil. Many lives will come together to fight and many lives will be lost. The sacrifices must be made or be lost to the evil for all eternity. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Michael must stay strong and fight far more than just the evil, he must fight for his soul, and for the souls that are threatened. He must not lose hope nor faith or lose the battle between life and death, good and evil. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Read the synopsis and you will see much of what this story is about. But it is so much more. A high impact adventure with brutal death scenes. Evil itself reeking havoc upon the world is scary to even think about, it's chilling. Michaels character has strengths and weaknesses that opens a doorway of connecting and rooting for him throughout his plight. Friendship, honor, faith, and even love adds to the characters making them come to life and feel for them, especially during their times of loss. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There were some scenes that had me reeling in disgust at the thought of what was occurring, but those are just my thoughts alone, as we all as readers take from stories our own thoughts and opinions. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Religious/Occult horror, dark fantasy, and supernatural suspense.</span></p></span></span><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">This is a planned series, so more of Michael Moretti will be coming our way. He's an interesting character worth investing your time in and will hopefully want to follow as his adventures continue. </span></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Time for you to die."</span></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7394233.Patrick_James_Ryan">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></b></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Patrick-James-Ryan/author/B00DBLMZGW?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Patrick-James-Ryan/author/</span></a></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blackbedsheetbooks.com/patrick-james-ryan/">https://blackbedsheetbooks.com/patrick-james-ryan/</a><br /></span></p><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">About the author</span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Patrick James Ryan is a native of Columbus, Ohio and the popular author of the diverse short story collection, "Blood Verse" and the best selling novel at Black Bed Sheet Books ~ "The Night It Got Out." He has also written "The Maggots Underneath The Porch," a diverse collection of narrative thriller poems titled, "Blood Prose: The Poems of Blood Verse," and a collection of novellas, "Out of the Shadows. His most recent release is a sequel to the popular Night It Got Out novel titled, The Night They Got Out. Patrick has appeared in numerous radio interviews and blogs and is recognized as a popular rising voice in the horror/suspense/thriller genre. Patrick and his wife, Molly enjoy the activities of their three children ~ Colleen, Michael and Patrick, Jr. An avid sports and music fan, Patrick enjoys Football, Basketball, Baseball, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and most hard rock. In addition to writing, Patrick is a voracious reader, taking in an eclectic swath of fiction and non-fiction across many genres, with horror being a favorite. A practitioner of martial arts for over 28 years. He holds a second degree black belt and is a huge fan of Bruce Lee. He is considered an expert with Nunchakus and in kickboxing. He continues to write and is currently in the midst of eight new projects. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoPRCPniPNRPJxts-RzbOHVKcO_hiH0ZYJKg5OPT589R45mEKe3IOS2GudooVCl3OBRaaOtsPUwqdwQaNiT-YE7LqT0M_Jp2CpiNNtCigeCDX7EvXybO_DOCEFWAdJLFvuZAO5qP7Rb6JuFR3x2pu572omObgxDkvGyFYXsEZ316hWtNc2varpRjbgXMp/s500/1000694_532873993414421_113625772_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoPRCPniPNRPJxts-RzbOHVKcO_hiH0ZYJKg5OPT589R45mEKe3IOS2GudooVCl3OBRaaOtsPUwqdwQaNiT-YE7LqT0M_Jp2CpiNNtCigeCDX7EvXybO_DOCEFWAdJLFvuZAO5qP7Rb6JuFR3x2pu572omObgxDkvGyFYXsEZ316hWtNc2varpRjbgXMp/s320/1000694_532873993414421_113625772_n.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-family: times;">Publisher Link:</span></b><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blackbedsheetbooks.com/">https://blackbedsheetbooks.com/</a><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Review Links:</b></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6311795179">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show</a><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="Check out this review of Demon's Wrath: Death in Caguas: A Michael Moretti Novel on Fable, the social app for finding, reading, and reviewing books. https://fable.co/review/f3a7a1c4-baf7-4646-8eeb-64aff27c0754/share"> https://fable.co/review/</a><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/7b45b007-8d20-4334-bcf9-31b9a9e90142">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V6me8wZ0whg" width="320" youtube-src-id="V6me8wZ0whg"></iframe></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><br /></p></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-82438820532287026812024-03-09T14:03:00.003-06:002024-03-09T14:19:58.224-06:00Madness In Tandem by R.J. Powell<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpyswkN5wbeZqpIC5dVoKiTZglU2L3ausX8NLDy36lv5CpfyZcEK99umsUwiqYgj0rB-gkzGdXhhvzXfUsZ5Avi5hZG4DrTBSg6kH63s1SyYLsQ0DymitGwVs19jNQhfMYO8pmxdTDPthmPleh3FI2YpkEshMiEYkHrsOAnxXSQxifK8DwAwS5w5qMYZM/s1500/71YDLAGVz6L._SL1500_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="938" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpyswkN5wbeZqpIC5dVoKiTZglU2L3ausX8NLDy36lv5CpfyZcEK99umsUwiqYgj0rB-gkzGdXhhvzXfUsZ5Avi5hZG4DrTBSg6kH63s1SyYLsQ0DymitGwVs19jNQhfMYO8pmxdTDPthmPleh3FI2YpkEshMiEYkHrsOAnxXSQxifK8DwAwS5w5qMYZM/w250-h400/71YDLAGVz6L._SL1500_.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Erotic Horror/Extreme</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 105</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: times;">TRIGGER WARNINGS: This book contains graphic violence, gore, sex, vomit, and other acts that some may deem offensive. Reader discretion is advised.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;">Adam and Tilly, a recently married couple, vacation to a peaceful cabin situated by a serene lake to spend a week of relaxation. The trip offers Tilly a chance to work on her latest book while enjoying the tranquillity. However, their plans are disrupted by a series of strange events that occur shortly after their arrival.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Are they being driven into madness, or are they victims of something much more sinister?<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />As they struggle to grasp their new reality, their resilience and commitment to each other are put to the test, determining whether or not they can truly sur</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;">vive.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Review: </b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>"Do you think we'll always be like this?" he asked, looking down into the green eyes of his beautiful wife."</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>"I sure hope so," whispered Tilly, pressing her hips into his and kissing him hard once again."</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;">Imagine yourself at a peaceful cabin, alongside your love, just hoping to relax and enjoy each other. That is the goal for Tilly and Adam. Things start out fantastic, erotic sex, relaxation, and serenity. Seems perfect. Until something is just not right. Little things start happening that don't make sense and it all quickly turns into a confusing mess for this poor couple. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;">Things turn up missing, creatures start dying, and it's as hot as hades.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;">What was a hopeful love fest becomes "Madness in Tandem." </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: times;">The author really dives into her character development and swiftly takes the story into madness between the couple. Things are open to interpretation as it's hard to figure out what the hell is going on. Clearly, they are losing their minds, but we don't know why, and the abhorrent things they do to each other are absolutely repulsive.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: times;">For fans of the extreme, I think you will really like this one. It's a novella done well and packs a punch. It's a nasty, tasty little morsel, and the ending is sinister and surprising. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/48658903.Ryan_J_Powell">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Ryan-J-Powell/author/B0CWFD2F8Q?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.rj-powell.com/">https://www.rj-powell.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGI0w8dOmfT6E1VY2r7oRWK9cxkeXJ_8VrL9ehkqhOLR0tooiXoccCksfoXJMTnUfGEtIOc6-dpkCSXfQzT1AfXCanWIq9dE0JnulGQ3_Cjq2tAuogs6jPrqE_lprC11dnLuModF97-FYsFyLBo_RhJcbsktUxwYB9uZPeMp3KNE0ut5wIxpQqHNKOq9c2/s1125/Screenshot_20201207-084749_Messages.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGI0w8dOmfT6E1VY2r7oRWK9cxkeXJ_8VrL9ehkqhOLR0tooiXoccCksfoXJMTnUfGEtIOc6-dpkCSXfQzT1AfXCanWIq9dE0JnulGQ3_Cjq2tAuogs6jPrqE_lprC11dnLuModF97-FYsFyLBo_RhJcbsktUxwYB9uZPeMp3KNE0ut5wIxpQqHNKOq9c2/w266-h400/Screenshot_20201207-084749_Messages.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">About the author</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.4136px; text-align: justify;">R.J. Powell's illustrious writing career began at the ripe old age of seven, when she unleashed her creative prowess upon an unsuspecting elementary school. Little did she know that her tale featuring a jack-in-the-box </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.4136px; text-align: justify;">would catapult her to literary stardom within the school walls. Her masterpiece was broadcasted over the </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.4136px; text-align: justify;">intercom, leaving her classmates a tad bewildered.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.4136px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.4136px; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4136px;"><span style="font-family: times;">R.J. continued to pen quirky yet dark tales and poems, most of which found a safe haven in her grandmother's possession. Rumor has it that Mawmaw was both awed and slightly terrified by the dark undertones of R.J.'s narratives, as they’ve been under lock and key ever since. </span></span></div></span><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4136px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.4136px; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4136px;"><span style="font-family: times;">By the age of fourteen, R.J. enlisted in summer writing programs, proving that her dedication to the written word knew no bounds. Despite her knack for weaving captivating stories, she took a slight detour, embracing the world of law as a Paralegal. It seemed that even legal documents couldn't escape the charm of her eloquent prose. Here is where she learned graphic design in designing custom events for lawyers and charities. </span></span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.4136px; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4136px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Today, R.J. Powell embraces a life filled with the delightful chaos of children and pets, sprinkled with copious amounts of writing. A maverick in her own right, she continues to pen her whimsy and ingenuine dark stories. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4136px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4136px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4136px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6308491310">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.4136px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/722ca24d-1a6a-4d24-b6da-a1911052de23">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BnSkt6V3qF0" width="320" youtube-src-id="BnSkt6V3qF0"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-20815464813147471002024-03-02T12:47:00.003-06:002024-03-02T12:47:14.902-06:00Conjuring the Witch by Jessica Leonard<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgea4Q6gktJEMj-W8a5KYA073EDwS067RfSfBdGOUGERzgdrldUQO8X6ykfzzFVwh8EGW7LVehQM8G8tRz-yFUZTH-3GdglHfPCrYlCSJEE22bxaCo_Hgwt3WmDeWS4pVkY8q9tZEi-cNVBBufTkls2Zw2o7q3UwRw8ScHfHtF0lLNjCFTDksTl4QVE-2hm/s1083/6106htXW8ML._SL1083_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="680" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgea4Q6gktJEMj-W8a5KYA073EDwS067RfSfBdGOUGERzgdrldUQO8X6ykfzzFVwh8EGW7LVehQM8G8tRz-yFUZTH-3GdglHfPCrYlCSJEE22bxaCo_Hgwt3WmDeWS4pVkY8q9tZEi-cNVBBufTkls2Zw2o7q3UwRw8ScHfHtF0lLNjCFTDksTl4QVE-2hm/w251-h400/6106htXW8ML._SL1083_.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Occult Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eBook</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 190</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">There are witches in the woods. These are the words the reverend of the Lilin Assembly of Our Lord repeats to his parishioners each week. Steve and Nicole Warby think it's just a metaphor, until Nicole takes a walk in those woods and comes back changed. Something came out of them with her, and the simple small-town life they've always known is forever altered when they discover the dark secrets buried deep and those intent on keeping them there. Fearing for his wife's sanity, and his own comfortable status in the church, Steve is unsure if he wants to help or ignore the problems. The reverend believes there are witches in the woods, and he thinks Nicole is only the most recent.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important; font-weight: 700 !important;"><span style="font-family: times;">Conjuring the Witch</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;"> is a dark, haunted story about what those in power are willing to do to stay in power, and the sins we convince ourselves are forgivable.</span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Review:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><b><i>"There is a house in the woods, covered in moss and time. It is a cursed place, and it hurries. There is a house in the woods where not even crickets will chirp. It is hurrying."</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Deep in the woods, there is a lingering. It is ever watching and waiting. It calls to those who listen and see. It waits for the moment it can exact its revenge, but it will forever live within the darkness. Lost to the pain and suffering it has had to endure for a lifetime. There are witches in the woods and there they will forever stay. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Religious horror can be very complex and disturbing. Not only are we experiencing the foreboding of the woods, not knowing what is exactly haunting within, but we are also experiencing the control of the church and the involvement of the men in the community. Submission of the women is their main desire and they have done evil upon evil deeds to obtain their status as the ones who must be in control. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">There is guilt that is layed upon the women that has them believing they are not godly enough and that they must work harder at being submissive to their husbands. But when the women discover what is truly happening, they do what must be done to punish the men. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">There is an atmospheric darkness that comes to life with the descriptive prose and setting. There is a melancholy that is unsettling as the story unfolds, it takes us deeper into the reasons behind all the strange occurrences. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">There is an eeriness and some moments that are chilling, not only by what lingers in the woods, but by the priest who demands submissive wives. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Witches for the win!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8346115.Jessica_Leonard">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jessica-Leonard/author/B00J53JBQW?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jessica-Leonard/author/</a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: times;">Bookbub Author Link:</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jessica-leonard">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jessica-leonard</a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb6OhSWmhyTErhQPswGuiMdL2HkczgxXxSDwnuJSyHa1F5CuMLUX0GASzXMheKe1Xn7OgN4BtIZploZZ8K2AspFd4k0_LjzuX4KBFRPvjzmLD86LBb19CKRNNm__K5l2PvGMxc2EDZhWysKhm_RQ5iLkPmM2ic6mk_9A3VfslTceLGfRhyH0vDoAYBOzc/s300/bjiibglkg8sdifv7ik4js4440e._SX300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb6OhSWmhyTErhQPswGuiMdL2HkczgxXxSDwnuJSyHa1F5CuMLUX0GASzXMheKe1Xn7OgN4BtIZploZZ8K2AspFd4k0_LjzuX4KBFRPvjzmLD86LBb19CKRNNm__K5l2PvGMxc2EDZhWysKhm_RQ5iLkPmM2ic6mk_9A3VfslTceLGfRhyH0vDoAYBOzc/s1600/bjiibglkg8sdifv7ik4js4440e._SX300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>About the Author</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Jessica Leonard is a horror author who loves ghosts and that felling you get when you think someone is watching you, She was born in a small town that may or may not exist and still lives there to this day. She lives with her husband, son, and two dogs. She has two published novels. <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Her work has appeared in Counterexample Poetics and Menacing Hedge, as well as in the Solarcide anthologies Nova Parade and Solarcidal Tendencies. Antioch is her first Novel. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Jessica Leonard is the writer of stories about people and the things they do.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Publisher Link:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://ghoulish.rip/">https://ghoulish.rip/</a><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszlL52AQnLhaooMRk6sv8AqTaRUrYons8nUc4fBRQUQsrluuj2yegf-OIX7Zuzt4s44kfupLT-thk8S2SeFPF3p-wKApQUEL2CzWXzk6uthZn8HAt7_-Px_ZWYt_tbruwRRSfiOh_bjWVgiSN1bbeSv-ID-4MpZXImgPLm8KfBOM1dcC7XHSYkhKQphbP/s1280/ghoulish-eye-balls-max.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1280" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszlL52AQnLhaooMRk6sv8AqTaRUrYons8nUc4fBRQUQsrluuj2yegf-OIX7Zuzt4s44kfupLT-thk8S2SeFPF3p-wKApQUEL2CzWXzk6uthZn8HAt7_-Px_ZWYt_tbruwRRSfiOh_bjWVgiSN1bbeSv-ID-4MpZXImgPLm8KfBOM1dcC7XHSYkhKQphbP/s320/ghoulish-eye-balls-max.webp" width="320" /></a></div>Review Links:</div><div><a href="https://booksirens.com/book-review/198081/edit">https://booksirens.com/book-review/</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6267396061">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1379337403">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/3a453ca0-e666-4ea7-b2e3-a121fcf6d7b0">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uM0KL6pibCM" width="320" youtube-src-id="uM0KL6pibCM"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-83975400292375890682024-02-23T18:31:00.005-06:002024-02-24T10:12:06.514-06:00The Sleepy Hollow Gang: Shivers #1 by Robert P. Ottone<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxFVWLcYOh9lh8keZ8ebIVoKUwDkvvXWPWhQHrNNnbN3sGPQYbFTWfDyp4Zd0uOJht8Z_DDCylt4Z3FF77FVWg4PSxsaIK2YU9MQb3FOwCcApc9nUJDX3cHqbmUg9pmTYLNTTXEtNNsi1pDDAxau3MJi-faJjjgpOMIxTyA79nGc4cmR3kAWXE4QHXOpQ/s1080/IMG_20240210_102007.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxFVWLcYOh9lh8keZ8ebIVoKUwDkvvXWPWhQHrNNnbN3sGPQYbFTWfDyp4Zd0uOJht8Z_DDCylt4Z3FF77FVWg4PSxsaIK2YU9MQb3FOwCcApc9nUJDX3cHqbmUg9pmTYLNTTXEtNNsi1pDDAxau3MJi-faJjjgpOMIxTyA79nGc4cmR3kAWXE4QHXOpQ/w400-h400/IMG_20240210_102007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Middle Grade Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 152</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis: </b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Headless Horseman is back!</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">A gang of middle school misfits. An occult ritual. A legendary spirit from America’s past.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">What could possibly go wrong?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">On Halloween night, Derek Houseman, recent arrival to the Sleepy Hollow region of upstate New York, joins a group of classmates for an evening of trick or treating. They also have plans to perform a ritual that’s gone viral online. A ritual that just might work …</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">When the Headless Horseman rises from the grave for his annual ride across the countryside, empowered by the gang’s spiritual meddling, it’s up to Derek and the rest of the Sleepy Hollow Gang to stop him.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">Can they survive the night or will they lose their heads?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>"To turn and fly was now too late; and besides, what chance was there of escaping ghost or goblin, if such it was, which could ride upon wings of the wind?"</b></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">When Derek Houseman moved to Tarrytown, the Sleepy Hollow region of New York, he never expected to make new friends that loved spooky horrors as much as he does. As Halloween approaches he is invited to a night of trick or treating and shenanigans. They perform a ritual to awaken the dead not expecting it to be an infamous ghost. Now they must figure out how to stop him as the town is now at the mercy of the "Headless Horseman."</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">This is such a great spooky tale. Kids who love dark spooky reads will surely enjoy this. Halloween night, ghosts, and a mystery to solve right along with the gang. They may also get those shivery spine tingles while also learning about acceptance, what it means to be a good friend, working together as a team, helping each other be strong and caring for each other. A great cast of characters to connect with while being entertained as the gang solves the mystery and tries to save each other and the town.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">I really enjoyed reading this and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">I highly recommend this for any age, but especially for those looking for books for young spooky readers. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;">*This is the first book in a planned series. The Sleepy Hollow Gang will be returning this year. "The Sleepy Hollow Gang 2: Invasion of the Purple People Eaters."</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20571915.Robert_P_Ottone">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robert-P.-Ottone/author/B07Y5FGHQK?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robert-P.-Ottone/author/</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Bookbub Author Link:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/robert-p-ottone">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/robert-p-ottone</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.spookyhousepress.com/">https://www.spookyhousepress.com/</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZa-jsOKwmgrSLQkxoYocS1ZhQComuBnyy1lge6soly56ayjmm4m6PAuRIjzD_A_bvOqq5bH0gh516YH0fwblzBCVp7JSrtCeek1gB9iwTypwRVc0V4EjX-IS7R0K6fTiBgoT2nk5ua_RkN0enPWzg99j3EbwgP6NFYAeFXIwG_HEHI9iPmnlCFhMl2Dv/s300/egmiqvv12niperl22b95htuuos._SX300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZa-jsOKwmgrSLQkxoYocS1ZhQComuBnyy1lge6soly56ayjmm4m6PAuRIjzD_A_bvOqq5bH0gh516YH0fwblzBCVp7JSrtCeek1gB9iwTypwRVc0V4EjX-IS7R0K6fTiBgoT2nk5ua_RkN0enPWzg99j3EbwgP6NFYAeFXIwG_HEHI9iPmnlCFhMl2Dv/s1600/egmiqvv12niperl22b95htuuos._SX300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">About the author</span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Robert P. Ottone is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE TRIANGLE and is also the best-selling author of CURSE OF THE COB MAN, THE SLEEPY HOLLOW GANG, THE VILE THING WE CREATED and NOCTURNAL CREATURES.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">His short fiction has been collected in WRAPPED IN PLASTIC AND OTHER SWEET NOTHINGS as well as HER INFERNAL NAME & OTHER NIGHTMARES. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">He holds two master’s degrees in Education, as well as an MFA in Children’s Literature.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">A bagel-loving fabulist of spooky absurdity, Ottone enjoys cigars, cocktails and time with his wife.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Publisher Website:</span></b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://weirdhousepress.com/">https://weirdhousepress.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT25ULAG7AOipwJwrzQAsE0Ovc0UzlNWQ74D2QUxGJMqra1gDeapw9FOrqEER4LFzXpX1SPhepx3WFE_w3iP4HMz-NVs9ttKFGey64zgGv_CZsV2gOWMkoulYPISXXsnL3CzxCGbHJZNvq6MYd9w2Evea7EVwgj5-gCr2-Z2VWEoqOMNue1gV1wNJxFRMG/s2000/homepage-banner-2000px.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="2000" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT25ULAG7AOipwJwrzQAsE0Ovc0UzlNWQ74D2QUxGJMqra1gDeapw9FOrqEER4LFzXpX1SPhepx3WFE_w3iP4HMz-NVs9ttKFGey64zgGv_CZsV2gOWMkoulYPISXXsnL3CzxCGbHJZNvq6MYd9w2Evea7EVwgj5-gCr2-Z2VWEoqOMNue1gV1wNJxFRMG/s320/homepage-banner-2000px.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://tbmhorror.com/the-sleepy-hollow-gang-shivers-1-by-robert-p-ottone/">https://tbmhorror.com/</a><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6104982248">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/a57e033d-eb90-4f97-b093-3949194578a0"><span style="font-family: times;">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</span></a><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OimgcXf_Aj0" width="320" youtube-src-id="OimgcXf_Aj0"></iframe></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><br /></p></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-92093483855925170532024-02-04T07:55:00.005-06:002024-02-09T16:31:04.951-06:00What Happened at the Abbey (The Strathbairn Trilogy Book 1) by Isobel Blackthorn<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qQQXQvwwdNM4wcAXaKLBU97o2YH-zSwE-_RWdl-XODArycbKNh7bxwso1GrFxd68yDPqwgqpxhweeDzqIavpOw8Ki70lZxH5l042LC6bV0F3_RAXrdkn7hHbcYic5leYa86GBbNr700KHSa027YuoqNPAWxa1xqWy869AV8xV-l66RtLOQZUanWlXtXH/s2700/WhatHappenedattheAbbey_Cover%20(1).png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qQQXQvwwdNM4wcAXaKLBU97o2YH-zSwE-_RWdl-XODArycbKNh7bxwso1GrFxd68yDPqwgqpxhweeDzqIavpOw8Ki70lZxH5l042LC6bV0F3_RAXrdkn7hHbcYic5leYa86GBbNr700KHSa027YuoqNPAWxa1xqWy869AV8xV-l66RtLOQZUanWlXtXH/w266-h400/WhatHappenedattheAbbey_Cover%20(1).png" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Gothic Fiction</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 326</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7aea211d-7fff-8949-6a3f-d3dc263f6d43"><span style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Synopsis: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When Ingrid flees a violent husband to become a housekeeper in the Scottish Highlands, she discovers the family she works for has a much darker history than her own.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Who haunts Strathbairn? Why are the adult McCleod children at each other’s throats? And why does the youngest sneak off at night? As Ingrid searches for answers, she grows ever more fearful that her husband will track her down.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Set in late 19th century Scottish Highlands, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ABBEY is a gothic mystery brimming with intrigue, ghostly drama, and family secrets.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Review: </b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i><b>"Oh, to be a bat. To fly off when most of the rest of the world sleeps, and feast on other, lesser, creatures of the night. The freedom. The quiet. Away from the clamors of the day. Away from judgements and condemnations, and so many inquisitive eyes."</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When Ingrid flees with her daughter from an abusive life, her hope is to start a new life. Going back to her homeland of Scotland, taking a position as housekeeper for a prominent family, she must protect herself and her daughter. Little does she know that she has stepped into a family that holds many dark and disturbing secrets. As the secrets are slowly revealed, each one becomes more disturbing and Ingrid realizes how dysfunctional this family truly is. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Putting her trust in another has proven to be a mistake, but in doing so has also provided her with an unexpected freedom. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This story has so much mystery and intrigue that it is quite surprising as each one comes to light. Ingrid and her daughter Sarah are the light of the story that shines in the darkness that is deeply seated within the walls of Strathbairn. The McCleod family are so filled with dark hearts and disturbed souls, such unlikable characters, and yet one could not help but feel some pity for their plight. A past that forever haunts them. So much dissention and mistrust abound between them that leads them on a continuous dark path of doom. The past forever has a gripping hold, shattering their lives throughout their many years. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The atmosphere is foreboding as the setting is in an isolated area in the highlands of Scotland. An old farm not far from an abandoned Abbey. A mire that holds a dark secret. Gloomy days and dark misty moonlit nights with seemingly voices on the wind. Haunting in the gloaming of the night.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A very captivating gothic story sure to entertain fans of the genre. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gEoSKnLZmFFPjuLP4KHCU0sseGYTyEg2csyeJWVENbxYXhWMMVLnxtMSQM_tmlz2Y0m6hN9iSZ2DG07-FALMTSLShriGZUfT4CTG6-OcmPbYJcPUR3PojgRJb2gN8JGol0jxWFPgKcW2L1MXEiSN82qwjXK1qCFUJosiHYJ7W-BtzQ_CYUlf4sGUYLgj/s1003/Top%20Review%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1003" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gEoSKnLZmFFPjuLP4KHCU0sseGYTyEg2csyeJWVENbxYXhWMMVLnxtMSQM_tmlz2Y0m6hN9iSZ2DG07-FALMTSLShriGZUfT4CTG6-OcmPbYJcPUR3PojgRJb2gN8JGol0jxWFPgKcW2L1MXEiSN82qwjXK1qCFUJosiHYJ7W-BtzQ_CYUlf4sGUYLgj/w200-h193/Top%20Review%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p></span></span><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5768657.Isobel_Blackthorn">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Isobel-Blackthorn/author/B005JGLS74?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Isobel-Blackthorn/author/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://isobelblackthorn.com/">https://isobelblackthorn.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wENcr1ZhlO5lOVMMgF7HydyQfYJHL9XEi7YZzI4pBBwRL2TIuBReLrdGuB6mLIi0Vo3bQnXqIueTLNnRG1k4vKtsCiloJPO2yutyb4KG0pYsBRqzq4s1NBLSDL7QPl1XsjPS2tQbQ5y-BuqwQPfWG6bUMwStD4LLA30GHk42iZDrGeXD7-mMMz53sh6d/s225/What%20Happened%20at%20the%20Abbey_Author%20picture%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wENcr1ZhlO5lOVMMgF7HydyQfYJHL9XEi7YZzI4pBBwRL2TIuBReLrdGuB6mLIi0Vo3bQnXqIueTLNnRG1k4vKtsCiloJPO2yutyb4KG0pYsBRqzq4s1NBLSDL7QPl1XsjPS2tQbQ5y-BuqwQPfWG6bUMwStD4LLA30GHk42iZDrGeXD7-mMMz53sh6d/s1600/What%20Happened%20at%20the%20Abbey_Author%20picture%20(1).png" width="225" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f5496; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></span></h2><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f5496; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Isobel Blackthorn is an award-winning author of unique and engaging fiction. She writes gripping mysteries, historical fiction and dark psychological thrillers. Her Canary Islands collection begins with The Drago Tree and includes A Matter of Latitude, Clarissa’s Warning and A Prison in the Sun. Her interest in the occult is explored in The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey and the dark mystery A Perfect Square. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Her dark thriller The Cabin Sessions was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award 2018 and the Ditmar Awards 2018. Isobel’s biographical short story ‘Nothing to Declare’ which forms the first chapter of Emma’s Tapestry was shortlisted for the Ada Cambridge Prose Prize 2019. A Prison in the Sun was shortlisted in the LGBTQ category of the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2020 and the International Book Awards 2021. And The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey received an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Reader’s Favorite Book Awards.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Isobel writes non fiction too. She is the author of the world’s only biography of Theosophist and mother of the New Age movement Alice Bailey – Alice A. Bailey: Life & Legacy.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Isobel’s first work, which she wrote in 2008, is Voltaire’s Garden. This memoir is set in the mid 2000s and tells the story of building a sustainable lifestyle B&B in Cobargo on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia, which gained international attention when a firestorm razed the idyllic historic village on New Year’s Eve 2019.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Isobel’s writing appears in journals and websites around the world, including Esoteric Quarterly, New Dawn Magazine, Paranoia, Mused Literary Review, Trip Fiction, Backhand Stories, Fictive Dream and On Line Opinion. Isobel was a judge for the Shadow Awards 2020 long fiction category. Her book reviews have appeared in New Dawn Magazine, Esoteric Quarterly, Shiny New Books, Sisters in Crime, Australian Women Writers, Trip Fiction and Newtown Review of Books.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Isobel’s interests are many and varied. She has a long-standing association with the Canary Islands, having lived in Lanzarote in the late 1980s. A humanitarian and campaigner for social justice, in 1999 Isobel founded the internationally acclaimed Ghana Link, uniting two high schools, one a relatively privileged state school located in the heart of England, the other a materially impoverished school in a remote part of the Upper Volta region of Ghana, West Africa.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Isobel has a background in Western Esotericism. She holds 1st Class Honours in Social Studies, and a PhD from the University of Western Sydney for her ground-breaking research on the works of Alice A. Bailey. After working as a teacher, market trader and PA to a literary agent, she arrived at writing in her forties, and her stories are as diverse and intriguing as her life has been.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Isobel has performed her literary works at events in a range of settings and given workshops in creative writing.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-160d9e9c-7fff-d23d-0bd9-14696eb93fd5"></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">British by birth, Isobel entered this world in Farnborough, Kent, She has lived in England, Australia, Spain and the Canary Islands.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzRCec5LBrLsOWrBLQuQrevYHt_QnwgcTfXWGtOjWMnWWdM0tN49NZaz2WFaQPWXVx9NwSSwPHIKopEJJ_G8A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: times;"><div><span style="font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Coffee & Thorn Book Tour</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Coffee and Thorn Website Link:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://coffeeandthorn.com/">https://coffeeandthorn.com/</a><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-family: times; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Review Links:</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6104982303" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/ee408562-501b-4872-99eb-96ec7559f874">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1812648628">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dT-zoLFeJis" width="320" youtube-src-id="dT-zoLFeJis"></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-48677779634478615972024-01-22T22:05:00.004-06:002024-01-30T07:00:10.809-06:00Between Days: A Collection of Dreams by Nick DeWolf<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGQ6fxFwKu1FQq58FuEu-5LJpdcbyjC3GZyvXnpLzlvclXMgT2s4N3zchB9XuHq1eO7iFFyqmDj6oh2xNzwXjW9sk1nEl5iHbJHOk7frHfcvtuZAy6fA2zAh5B0LtDK9YDwkDI7-u7SzeAG00ij_gQczYtyA_8tj9gO_3JLkmmoNTf8Z89L8A4b0a5dga/s2700/Between%20Days%20eCover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGQ6fxFwKu1FQq58FuEu-5LJpdcbyjC3GZyvXnpLzlvclXMgT2s4N3zchB9XuHq1eO7iFFyqmDj6oh2xNzwXjW9sk1nEl5iHbJHOk7frHfcvtuZAy6fA2zAh5B0LtDK9YDwkDI7-u7SzeAG00ij_gQczYtyA_8tj9gO_3JLkmmoNTf8Z89L8A4b0a5dga/w266-h400/Between%20Days%20eCover.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Multi-Genre</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eARC</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 299</span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times; font-size: 10.5pt; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Synopsis:</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-69e1c184-7fff-e1ba-54e5-9b566be37038" style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 11pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"The thing is, I know it’s a dream.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">... but there’s nothing I can do."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -14pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Biblically accurate seraphim with southern accents. An ancient forest goddess, ready for revenge. Pirates, stranded at sea. A hunter, chased by nameless things. A city built on the stories of those who lived there. A loyal dog, separated from her family. A general, ready to bathe the land in blood. A woman traveling to the end of the universe.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Living shadows.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lost souls.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">And Kari, who just invited Death to dinner.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Different worlds, fresh horrors, and new stories all found in the dark hours between days. From the author of FRIGHTFULLY EVER AFTER, PULLING STRINGS, and VILLAINS NEVER DIE comes a unique collection of short stories.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Review:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I have been following Nick's writing for many years. I have read all of his books and I have found a uniqueness in his writing that in my opinion is like no others. I chuckled through "Frightfully Ever After", was chilled by "Pulling Strings", and entertained by his reverse superhero story "Villains Never Die." His debut collection is based on his dreams and his author's voice shines through each story. Prose that had me stopping and pondering my thoughts at the beauty that lies within the words. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">16 short stories that will take you into a mind of dreaming in the night, written onto a page that include a mixture of genres.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dream a Little Dream: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Your love, stranger, still exists. Your story is not gone. The joy you felt in the moment of walking into that room, seeing your love unpacking, asking them where the books should go and watching them smile as they think about how to arrange the things of your life together, is not lost."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In a world of dreams, anything can happen. One can try to change the path, but it always creates its own and we are taken where it wants us to go.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Silent Sky:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Walking the streets is like strolling between shelves in a library. This road here? Science fiction. There's Self-Help Avenue. The alleyways, cut with shadows and jagged light, soaked with scents of cooked meat and garbage, are horror stories. I only dare enjoy them during the day."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Nothing is as it seems and everything is a test of time and belief. Everyone has their own stories as they navigate life and eventually those stories come to an end.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"If the city is a collection of human stories, everyone here is an author in their own tale, and a character is someone else's."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">What the Mountain Has to Offer:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">He told them he knew they spoke with stolen tongues, that the stories of his people still lived within him."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Ancient folklore, shapeshifters deep within the forest, native hunters, and the destruction of an ancient pact of peace and the broken promise of untouched lands. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My Favorite Little Spot in the Middle of Nowhen:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Right now is now, but it's the same now for everyone who comes here. It is current, past, and present, all at once. It is all of time, and none of time, at the same time."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dreams often take us to our favorite places. Places that linger in our memories. Places that provide comfort and happiness. But there are times when one misses what they are looking for as if life has already been written for them.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Sometimes people just exist on different hands of the clock."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Along New Lines:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"This was a new station. She'd never ridden this line."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Just rolling along, trying to get where one needs to go. Trying to figure out the best way possible to get there in the least amount of time. But does it ever go as planned?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rusty's Run:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Strawberries and apples and dirt."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pets are amazing, aren't they? This is Rusty's story, the undying loyalty and love she has for her owner. Her journey to find her owner after being separated during a disastrous event. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Harsh Lessons:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"We are who we are because our lives are hard. Our seas are rough and our land is unforgiving."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A harsh lesson learned by a hard hearted general. Not careful enough to keep his mouth shut, he learns quickly of betrayal.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Trouve:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"International company looking for able-bodied students willing to perform grueling manual labor in exchange for meager lodging and a pittance of a stipend. Come spend your summer in the cultural capital of the world, working hours which will leave you virtually no time to enjoy it. Work yourself to the bone in order to appease our stuck-up employees moving across the sea to work at the company's new France headquarters. Apply today, not because spots are limited, but because we’re desperate!"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A bone chilling ghost story. Memories held onto from the harsh life of a child, longing for release.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Vine:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"He didn't usually feel anger, yet it lived with him all the time. A tiny, smoldering pile at the back of his heart. It was always lit, but little in his life made it burn. Not other people. Not the world around him. Only himself. His own mistakes. His flaws. That was the fuel his anger needed."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">An allegory. The unrelenting vines in the garden of life that grow and grow and never want to let go. It takes root and burns there for many years until one day... let's go.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Between the Ropes: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">An homage to a beloved coach. Cherished memories of boxing days gone by. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Wheresit:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Coins which tasted like need. Paperclips, rich with the hint of useful. Bits of paper, green and white, warm from their pockets, sweetened with greed."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I am not even sure how to describe this little creature. It's an interesting character with an interesting concept of all that is gathered in a home full of life. But also, lost items left behind to be gathered within the walls of a home that is lived in by different families and left behind, leaving emptiness and loneliness, only to be filled once again. Some things only have value for short periods of time and other things are cherished for life.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Goddess of the Forest:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A Kamiho, a character in Korean Folklore: A goddess of the forest and the night. A devourer of souls.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Called upon by one who has come to ask for help to rid her life of the man who is among the worst of men. One who takes and takes but never gives back. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"You are a collection of stolen dreams." </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">His evil deeds are now being visited upon him and he will now give back everything he has taken. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Threshold Intergalactic Cruise Services:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Threshold Intergalactic Services is proud to present their latest venture; a voyage greater and grander than ever attempted. Join us...for the trip of a lifetime."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A highly exciting and anticipated trip through the universe does not go as planned and now everything hangs onto survival. (The ending of this one was chilling, I loved it!)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Witch's Eye:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"That is because I am a member of Her Majesty's Navy, and not a flea-ridden, jolly rogering pirate who don't know his aft from his stern."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pirates are among ye, aye they are, but there is more than meets the eye. Deep secrets threatened to be revealed that would change the loyalty of the sailors beholden to their captain. Some secrets are best kept as they are.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Behind the Hidden Door:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Things that go bump in the night. Creepy closets where monsters dwell. From childhood to adulthood, some things are best left alone.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Death at the Table:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If Death came knocking at your door, would you invite it in? Knowing that it may be the end or a change in the course of your life. No bargaining can make a difference. It has been invited in and now it will be answered to. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Everything has a consequence in the end.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: -3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p></span><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14024747.Nick_DeWolf"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/</span></a></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nick-DeWolf/author/B078XR95ZS?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nick-DeWolf/author/</span></a></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsyJzDvZw4V1YGnKtD7LIHQWQREZz3nTfCugiYeg2bsHl8fXa1UJNGufv9WspTGRn8fAoncFfJQ0y4K_JFTMo29z11j-myFxUPBmZuS8IAR30uMmlLCeMJGhHje9j1FJbtawzrK_9lO3CUAg9K9ZWExjLevZ6dHceGhaOtDTUgQi7diA9sqE6NbAMiACm/s1079/IMG_20240122_185533_617.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1079" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsyJzDvZw4V1YGnKtD7LIHQWQREZz3nTfCugiYeg2bsHl8fXa1UJNGufv9WspTGRn8fAoncFfJQ0y4K_JFTMo29z11j-myFxUPBmZuS8IAR30uMmlLCeMJGhHje9j1FJbtawzrK_9lO3CUAg9K9ZWExjLevZ6dHceGhaOtDTUgQi7diA9sqE6NbAMiACm/s320/IMG_20240122_185533_617.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">About the author</span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Every story Nick DeWolf has ever written that's any good came from a dream. Clearly, he doesn't sleep well. </span><span style="font-family: times;">He's a father, a worker, a beer brewer, and cooks a half-decent stir-fry. He waited until the age of 37 to both get a tattoo, and learn to ride a bike. He loves his five kids, hates prejudice, believes in science, and sometimes gets uncomfortably excited about well prepared food.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yam5uK6e-bQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="Yam5uK6e-bQ"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span><b>Review Links:</b></span></span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6196368433">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/fe9366d2-4178-4ec9-97eb-6bddd89615c5"><span style="font-family: times;">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</span></a><br /></p></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-60765897948770020502023-12-03T10:41:00.003-06:002023-12-30T13:06:44.983-06:00The Dead Pennies by Robert Ford<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKeLiLi31Y3cVIX55hQahmKgFv0x2CqPBWucZy4Bc4xQMyn5uO5XKDrLjHPrhbTZYs5vTB7DgWPkHnpBP5sFz2RsMCw0xRPo_syFKXxP3DcIMm1kSPvG-MOLkF3VkMsae7Vijul3qYJzYIh5BIt1wGbmgwl9hlGMy7QCjBCF7oXJ7LpsD4sYRBpS7X3MW/s1656/Collage_2023-12-03_10_32_34.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1656" data-original-width="1640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKeLiLi31Y3cVIX55hQahmKgFv0x2CqPBWucZy4Bc4xQMyn5uO5XKDrLjHPrhbTZYs5vTB7DgWPkHnpBP5sFz2RsMCw0xRPo_syFKXxP3DcIMm1kSPvG-MOLkF3VkMsae7Vijul3qYJzYIh5BIt1wGbmgwl9hlGMy7QCjBCF7oXJ7LpsD4sYRBpS7X3MW/w396-h400/Collage_2023-12-03_10_32_34.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 346</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Synopsis:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">After leaving an abusive relationship, Abby visits an old friend on her way to her mother’s in Florida. Hayden’s Uncle Jack is renovating a building into high-end apartments in town, and with the lure of living rent-free in a beautiful loft, Abby becomes the caretaker with the entire building all to herself. Abby hears strange sounds in the building. Shadows move as if they’re alive. Led to believe the structure was previously a school, Abby is told by the last living employee of Harper’s Grove that the building used to be a home for the infirm and unwanted children, the Dead Pennies of society, unfit for circulation.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Abby and Hayden search for the cause of the strange events at Harper’s Grove, and find out why the spirits of the dead children won’t sleep until they get vengeance.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">But there’s also another evil at play—this one of a human nature. Abby’s ex-boyfriend, Nick, finds out where she has run off to. He won’t stop for anything until she’s back in his clutches, but Nick doesn’t expect to come up against the raging spirits of the Dead Pennies.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Review:</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">"That's the first and last black eye I ever get because of a man."</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Abby has had enough of living in a rough relationship. She makes the decision to leave and head to her mothers house to start a new beginning for herself. But things change on her way there when she reconnects with a longtime friend. Knowing that she really does not want to stay with her mother, she decides to take an offer from her friend to live in a new loft that has been recently renovated. This decision begins a series of events that affect her life and those that also become involved. As the darkness surrounds her, she searches for the reasons behind all the mysterious occurrences. As the unusual noises, dark shadows, and perplexing events continue to disturb, Abby and others' lives are hanging in the balance between life and death. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">This book is written in three parts, with the first part introducing us to all the characters and the build to what is to come about in all of their lives. Part two brings us back to the past and reveals to us the reasoning behind the disturbing hauntings. Part three intertwines all the parts together, revealing hidden secrets, and the rage of the vengeful souls.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Creepy and haunting, we are not only given a disturbing and heartbreaking story from the past, but we are given a story that involves abuse in different forms. It haunts the mind and the soul. It lingers and the memories are never forgotten. It's not the person that does not let go of the past, it's the past that does not let go of the person. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">"You feel it in these places, feel the sadness, the grief, a sense of mourning, but sometimes, you feel the anger, too. Enough bad things happen in the same spot, and the shadows begin to gather, and sometimes the pain, that...rage, starts up some sort of engine, makes the place itself come alive."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">An engaging and haunting story. Robert Ford's writing craft shines through with some wonderful prose and a few plot twists that add elements of surprise and suspense. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">A ghost story that may just haunt your dreams, chill your mind, and give you those spine tingling chills!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/258046.Robert_Ford?from_search=true&from_srp=true">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robert-Ford/author/B004TA252S?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robert-Ford/author/</span></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website:</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="http://robertfordauthor.com/">http://robertfordauthor.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6Knp1vfmULlcO42kmA89P9Gr8OrJM0swX71YmrzmA_4QS6cqdfErBZrhia36cNxSMMXo9_GrYGUql6A1aRXQCRHkTiLl__jFt2qgdQllAPyZaiF4bNdI8WS8aq-D-g19-s_J7aBkCi2NLTRaRKfitR4qJGS9mrNgivIBAw1i89N598tWNVjI6Rjgmo5l/s452/5sameanlejvpqff5lvk0mgq6e9._SX300_CR0,0,0,0_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6Knp1vfmULlcO42kmA89P9Gr8OrJM0swX71YmrzmA_4QS6cqdfErBZrhia36cNxSMMXo9_GrYGUql6A1aRXQCRHkTiLl__jFt2qgdQllAPyZaiF4bNdI8WS8aq-D-g19-s_J7aBkCi2NLTRaRKfitR4qJGS9mrNgivIBAw1i89N598tWNVjI6Rjgmo5l/s320/5sameanlejvpqff5lvk0mgq6e9._SX300_CR0,0,0,0_.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">About the author</span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Robert Ford has written the novels Burner, The Compound, No Lipstick in Avalon, and Blood Roses, a horror-western. He also has a collection of his short fiction The God Beneath my Garden, a novella collection, Inner Demons, and the novella Larva Me Tender.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">He collaborated, with John Boden, on the novellas Rattlesnake Kisses, Cattywampus, and Black Salve, in the Knucklebucket Thang series.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">With author Matt Hayward, Robert co-wrote the novel A Penny for Your Thoughts.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Robert lives in Central Pennsylvania, and is usually hard at work on at least two projects at a time. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Publisher Website:</b></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.cemeterydance.com/">https://www.cemeterydance.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAkmlXSMQ80u2_s8KNPlVCYAzB1K-ddUjm-Vx_uS3S40EY98IGEImYdLLI1oqnCZtH7tP8lVfQ2uWiZAQxYnvbvOknEDj2WlGg8h8w47dNr7cUur5tTB5uUQ0IhkhbzI2YdL4oMysCiOCUL0jPXOH58sclOvYAW4aVqo3uWL27Nmu0GbcqA-lnmI2G_yZ/s300/mgiflqnkbkvvvjdgie49vpei3q._SX300_CR0,0,0,0_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAkmlXSMQ80u2_s8KNPlVCYAzB1K-ddUjm-Vx_uS3S40EY98IGEImYdLLI1oqnCZtH7tP8lVfQ2uWiZAQxYnvbvOknEDj2WlGg8h8w47dNr7cUur5tTB5uUQ0IhkhbzI2YdL4oMysCiOCUL0jPXOH58sclOvYAW4aVqo3uWL27Nmu0GbcqA-lnmI2G_yZ/s1600/mgiflqnkbkvvvjdgie49vpei3q._SX300_CR0,0,0,0_.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://tbmhorror.com/the-dead-pennies-by-robert-ford/">https://tbmhorror.com/</a><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5812658973">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/389e0faa-7215-4723-9d1b-9edc2f77f56b">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><b><br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Z3h0T-LJAM" width="320" youtube-src-id="5Z3h0T-LJAM"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-44820778812445485832023-12-02T14:54:00.006-06:002023-12-30T13:07:32.165-06:00GRANNY by Simon McHardy & Sean Hawker<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0x3C-aw_kXMPBT12WZUD9P3zzHtq2263bGZQo_-Zill384ERZd6IQBUjv8uNYdISUksL_yGU0rptExJye0-b8pYUpWXMWra9GW1MXiIdGyRS81AjXn3Zn5LODShNGy9KBG9xmjusn60JdtCpCLF5VFwZ9nawLRAI_wu9Mi_Y0AFqTqamPJV4zEGzG_QKN/s445/41lCMb+NCuL._SY445_SX342_%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="279" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0x3C-aw_kXMPBT12WZUD9P3zzHtq2263bGZQo_-Zill384ERZd6IQBUjv8uNYdISUksL_yGU0rptExJye0-b8pYUpWXMWra9GW1MXiIdGyRS81AjXn3Zn5LODShNGy9KBG9xmjusn60JdtCpCLF5VFwZ9nawLRAI_wu9Mi_Y0AFqTqamPJV4zEGzG_QKN/w251-h400/41lCMb+NCuL._SY445_SX342_%20(1).jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eBook</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 71</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">There’s something not quite right about GRANNY.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">She may appear sweet and innocent but harbors an unusual secret, a secret that dwells deep within the crawl space beneath her house and churns in the blackened chambers of her heart. No one is safe as she stalks the schools and bingo halls around town.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Fast-paced, mischievous mayhem abounds in this bizarro splatter masterpiece from the twisted minds of McHardy & Hawker.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f67a9703-7fff-0e59-e4ca-9beab32c0593"><span style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"These lonely, old f*cks will do anything to feel wanted again."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Granny is not your typical, sweet little old grandma. She is not as she appears to be as she is hiding a dark and sinister secret. She will befriend you. Make you want to take her home and love her. Then when you least expect it, she will show you who she truly is and make you regret that she has darkened your doorstep. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">She is not a happy granny, she despises happiness and wishes to only torture and destroy. She's a total b*tch!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I always know when I open a McHardy book, I am going to be entertained. Highly disgusted, but nonetheless entertained. This being a collaboration with Hawker, I can only imagine the fun they had writing it. Sickos! I chuckled a few times, but one particular chapter made me gag a little...ewww...nasty! Then there is the chapter with all the little kittens at the shelter...ripped my heart out. The ending, well let me say it was truly karma and well deserved. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Did you have to write about old, wrinkled poonannies? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Chuckles galore, but equally nauseating, what's not to like? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you are a fan, then you do not want to miss out on this one!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads and Amazon Author Links:</span></b></p></span></span><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b><i>McHardy:</i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14901633.Simon_McHardy">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Simon-McHardy/author/B01BHGO93E?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Simon-McHardy/author/</a></span></p><p><br /></p><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; padding-bottom: 20px;"><span style="color: #373e3e; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryeB9Tqhzz1OR5aOcyqrh2qsFePosxRVmfbsIounJ1fy91UQvNTx7VAN84ero2NSjMUVVW6_ifF5lvHy0_YurrmkjkZwVtQpczb_SlwUMKAR5ienTnjv-DZhmWNlGC79MywK4_eJuGcMx-dNjQJ_1pzDWgbaBmFIoKtRPG_PolSkGQmxjA-uGdlYAjada/s720/Main_65a74a0b-8deb-4a17-9566-888e1dadbca4_720x.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryeB9Tqhzz1OR5aOcyqrh2qsFePosxRVmfbsIounJ1fy91UQvNTx7VAN84ero2NSjMUVVW6_ifF5lvHy0_YurrmkjkZwVtQpczb_SlwUMKAR5ienTnjv-DZhmWNlGC79MywK4_eJuGcMx-dNjQJ_1pzDWgbaBmFIoKtRPG_PolSkGQmxjA-uGdlYAjada/s320/Main_65a74a0b-8deb-4a17-9566-888e1dadbca4_720x.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: times; font-weight: 700;">About the author:</span></div></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #373e3e; font-family: times; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Simon McHardy is the author of the infamous MOTHER MAGGOT. He lives a reclusive life in Tasmania Australia.</span></b></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span style="font-family: times;">Hawker:</span></i></b></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; padding-bottom: 20px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21448385.Sean_Hawker"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</span></a></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; padding-bottom: 20px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sean-Hawker/author/B0967XBZTM?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sean-Hawker/author/</span></a></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; padding-bottom: 20px;"><span style="color: #373e3e; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mPp7KE3CoO6iqYnlfo29jF0-wRuh8RHB9dpK7XEHjBJz1CHoIcvpYORQlbb5Lp7qkYvAFLayVRA9D4zLnswx257Pnh4-IG9jsmizAVMMG77mQ46DTjcYDMSjb1qOq7XPMifdElUYyoefbyyM-AetMySnJeviFq0VeNlORRPbBKYFf8tI8hn92QrxvH2M/s456/21448385.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="455" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mPp7KE3CoO6iqYnlfo29jF0-wRuh8RHB9dpK7XEHjBJz1CHoIcvpYORQlbb5Lp7qkYvAFLayVRA9D4zLnswx257Pnh4-IG9jsmizAVMMG77mQ46DTjcYDMSjb1qOq7XPMifdElUYyoefbyyM-AetMySnJeviFq0VeNlORRPbBKYFf8tI8hn92QrxvH2M/w318-h320/21448385.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; padding-bottom: 20px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>About the author:</b></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-weight: bold; padding-bottom: 20px;"><span style="color: #373e3e;">Sean writes depraved splatterpunk novellas, novelettes, and short stories. He's won a couple awards for his literary filth. He lives in Gloucestershire, England with two albinos and a midget. </span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-weight: bold; padding-bottom: 20px;"><b style="color: #373e3e;">Publisher Website:</b></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; padding-bottom: 20px;"><a href="https://pottersgrovepress.com/">https://pottersgrovepress.com/</a></div></span></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLazfKmWRE35uERpMQw1ZkdvlxuZRBSujEaSJOpLK1X_jBnvkArWx_GBViwM8F5nJUSekFppccdMy12i1gMwYsXlBI6HcqGUACVVfMZ48ejAnIoWfd3So6Mm1jnMcgitgxCVJl4Jxp6gofhDUEpGASYFsl8z6b_7ad745CdGNAo8y1_rwwjDwFcladjZRI/s720/PottersGroveLogo_720x.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLazfKmWRE35uERpMQw1ZkdvlxuZRBSujEaSJOpLK1X_jBnvkArWx_GBViwM8F5nJUSekFppccdMy12i1gMwYsXlBI6HcqGUACVVfMZ48ejAnIoWfd3So6Mm1jnMcgitgxCVJl4Jxp6gofhDUEpGASYFsl8z6b_7ad745CdGNAo8y1_rwwjDwFcladjZRI/s320/PottersGroveLogo_720x.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #373e3e; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; padding-bottom: 20px;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5819111959">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a></span></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; padding-bottom: 20px;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/0d558bd7-5e22-4f61-ab30-d8f5c1cf3577" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: times;">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fiZryWRFzD8" width="320" youtube-src-id="fiZryWRFzD8"></iframe></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-25346444438111515472023-11-23T12:37:00.001-06:002023-12-30T13:09:40.938-06:00Coffin Shadows by Mark Steensland & Glen Krisch<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_rHjzntxjdrV_Ue303crK_RmdkjiOrNIfuo9GrRwYEyHD8IEUKqxoEp6NvUG2L75WxfVvYyZy5soNmxtEIUcdcPM3_zK4pIYHCpDmQuy9GU-dy3twhFGmgeXm_QhJtTkpkc_jyDasH2AprS9UvHiu_e5XhKRFpC_eoEDqfcAE0ImAAZAONWTqgXiFRmj/s425/91YQ3a-DpKL._SY425_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_rHjzntxjdrV_Ue303crK_RmdkjiOrNIfuo9GrRwYEyHD8IEUKqxoEp6NvUG2L75WxfVvYyZy5soNmxtEIUcdcPM3_zK4pIYHCpDmQuy9GU-dy3twhFGmgeXm_QhJtTkpkc_jyDasH2AprS9UvHiu_e5XhKRFpC_eoEDqfcAE0ImAAZAONWTqgXiFRmj/w265-h400/91YQ3a-DpKL._SY425_.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Occult Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 117</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-08c52d7b-7fff-67d0-db6a-e477e49f4b77"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Synopsis:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">12 years ago Janet Martlee’s infant son died under mysterious circumstances. Consumed with grief and anger, she ran away to start again...</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Yesterday, a 12-year-old boy with dead eyes appeared in her classroom, begging for help. But Janet doesn’t believe in ghosts...</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Today, her psychiatrist tells her she must return home to confront her past and uncover the mystery of what happened...</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Only some questions don’t want to be answered. And some answers hide in the shadows...</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Review:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"The treasure you seek is in the cave you fear to enter."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">When Janet Martlee begins to see what she believes is a ghost, her whole world turns upside down and leads her in a direction she has avoided facing. She must return back to the home she ran from many years before to try to restore her memories from the past. What she learns is secrets and lies have led her to believe what was never true. She learns the truth behind her infant son's death, and the truth of dark practices that have been performed for many years by some of the townspeople. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">A collaborative novella focusing on the main characters' circumstances of her past life and decisions that she has to choose to make to be able to move forward in her present life. A short journey through a life of unknowns and lost memories, unlocking the mind as all the elements come together, revealing dark and disturbing truths. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">I can imagine the thought it takes for two minds to blend a story together. Working together to complete a cohesive story and one that has to engage the reader in a few short pages. One of my favorite elements of a novella is how it leaves some interpretation for the reader to take away from the story itself. Not everything needs an explanation or a packaged ending. That's what sparks imagination and keeps us wondering. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">A mystery to uncover with some chilling and horrifying secrets.</span></span></p></span><p><b><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12.5pt; font-style: italic; white-space-collapse: preserve;">~</span><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12.5pt; font-style: italic; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mark Steensland</span></b></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</b></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/190110.Mark_Steensland">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mark-Steensland/author/B0034PTJMI?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mark-Steensland/author/</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Author Website:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.marksteensland.com/">https://www.marksteensland.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJyuu6n4UoymOpb0iGp44xxrFZ826xKZUiWs8mS93Qcy0YZzunNJWuG23rQ6zZWXC0LxC_25R_zDYSXxKflaeFuPDcTehKBmLq-WqHuWr-nJCsmAlHQ3U5gpecGnd9HjWbxHrOi0g3aaR60qBk_sDc42HmjUMr7OsynsAys0o3G6riPfOfXGmZIr9kMRx/s283/SteenslandAuthorPhoto.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="200" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJyuu6n4UoymOpb0iGp44xxrFZ826xKZUiWs8mS93Qcy0YZzunNJWuG23rQ6zZWXC0LxC_25R_zDYSXxKflaeFuPDcTehKBmLq-WqHuWr-nJCsmAlHQ3U5gpecGnd9HjWbxHrOi0g3aaR60qBk_sDc42HmjUMr7OsynsAys0o3G6riPfOfXGmZIr9kMRx/s1600/SteenslandAuthorPhoto.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">About the author</span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-63aba943-7fff-8f18-e9dd-b230b436142b"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mark Steensland self-published his first book while in fourth grade and has been telling stories ever since—some of them true. He became a professional journalist before graduating high school, writing about movies for such magazines as Prevue, Millimeter, and American Cinematographer. He holds a bachelor's in film studies from UC Santa Barbara, a master's in creative writing from CSU Sacramento, and an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman University. His award-winning films (including Peekers and The Ugly File) have played in festivals around the world. His first novel—Behind the Bookcase—was published in 2012 by Random House. A movie based on The Special, a novella co-written with James Newman, was released in October 2020. He most recently wrote Jakob's Wife, starring Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, and Bonnie Aarons.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 9pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>~Glen Krisch</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 9pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 9pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4525598.Glen_R_Krisch" style="font-family: times; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a></p></span><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Glen-Krisch/author/B004HC1K4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Glen-Krisch/author/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJfJjbkXCZssacFYyLjyIMKahN0RXKFTfZrjl0qW_FM_BiGPYsk6MXGV1R0rEy5zeCwaPFzYDosY39dVCYMZ0on8GFiIsn_p62KJ6wOH_KktCH_OGUd4SN1g3Kf6ovg7HWZ1iC3PYru5VQdmJ4-ca0cjuT2XduI9AspPs81jgPL0A_sAMreyh8gsG6zox/s696/oijtd2sjbddkl7dvj28r119lh._SY696_CR15,0,696,696_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="696" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJfJjbkXCZssacFYyLjyIMKahN0RXKFTfZrjl0qW_FM_BiGPYsk6MXGV1R0rEy5zeCwaPFzYDosY39dVCYMZ0on8GFiIsn_p62KJ6wOH_KktCH_OGUd4SN1g3Kf6ovg7HWZ1iC3PYru5VQdmJ4-ca0cjuT2XduI9AspPs81jgPL0A_sAMreyh8gsG6zox/s320/oijtd2sjbddkl7dvj28r119lh._SY696_CR15,0,696,696_.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #373e3e; font-family: times; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><span style="font-family: times;">About the author</span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">A native of the Chicago suburbs, Glen Krisch hopes to add to his list of ghosts he's witnessed (two), as well as develop his rather pedestrian telekinetic and precognitive skills. His novels include Amazon Bestseller WHERE DARKNESS DWELLS, THE NIGHTMARE WITHIN, NOTHING LASTING, ARKADIUM RISING, ECHOES OF VIOLENCE, and LITTLE WHISPERS.</span></p></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Publisher Link:</span></b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.cemeterydance.com/">https://www.cemeterydance.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57HbJJVykFIs3_qtizqvrLDjLCM-HPntV7OK24TeYd1yU7Di0Cj0WICL6q-uW2XhRkk-8FeO-65Gp2WHeu4Au94Y1I5WWHG_vHoKevnSJGQ2OY5dS4VTSzb2nQqGs56jjg_OnyjFNMdcs0-EKxYmw7aiAzzYqnvYj3xI-fZysNkKKHYGPKArUjcSwz3b2/s300/mgiflqnkbkvvvjdgie49vpei3q._SY300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57HbJJVykFIs3_qtizqvrLDjLCM-HPntV7OK24TeYd1yU7Di0Cj0WICL6q-uW2XhRkk-8FeO-65Gp2WHeu4Au94Y1I5WWHG_vHoKevnSJGQ2OY5dS4VTSzb2nQqGs56jjg_OnyjFNMdcs0-EKxYmw7aiAzzYqnvYj3xI-fZysNkKKHYGPKArUjcSwz3b2/w200-h200/mgiflqnkbkvvvjdgie49vpei3q._SY300_CR0,0,300,300_.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><h1 class="AuthorSubHeader__author-subheader__name__HkJyX" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 28px; line-height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 28px 0px; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><span style="font-family: times;">Cemetery Dance Publications</span></h1><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span>Founded by Richard Chizmar in 1988, Cemetery Dance Publications is a specialty press and small press publisher of horror and dark suspense. We've published Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Ray Bradbury, Peter Straub, William Peter Blatty, Clive Barker, Gillian Flynn, Scott Smith, Daphne du Maurier, Justin Cronin, Frank Darabont, Mick Garris, Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, Max Brooks, Joe R. Lansdale, Norman Partridge, Richard Laymon, Michael Slade, Graham Masterton, Douglas Clegg, Jack Ketchum, William F. Nolan, Nancy A. Collins, Al Sarrantonio, John Skipp, Michael Koryta, and many other horror writers, both classic and contempo</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Ember, amazon_ember, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">rary<span style="color: #373e3e;">.</span></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EwjJBR9ZE84" width="320" youtube-src-id="EwjJBR9ZE84"></iframe></span></div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Ember, amazon_ember, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Review Links:</b></span><p style="color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px;"></p></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Ember, amazon_ember, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5997489108">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Ember, amazon_ember, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/538682830">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Ember, amazon_ember, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/8b891ca9-36df-41bd-9437-cf1c7762edec">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-7207636379381730972023-11-20T16:47:00.003-06:002023-12-30T13:09:53.048-06:00Hellweg's Keep by Justin Holley<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdJgsj6lvuieZFM7KFWSCNcNznzYU1TfZSOll3EY2SmucTAe5o7uvr1bbxb22OJZqxVhhU5lW7xEMWzRTxUeQQHvyRimMY335668eBDpUKVN1cnfXLpF1ZRoyeKouV_sSqUUDcsr7ea9v8ZPBnZcCQbwzndwVb4d1a8bnKx0vfMbPHG7hNp9Y1jgLmjtf/s586/1920x1080%20copy~2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="586" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdJgsj6lvuieZFM7KFWSCNcNznzYU1TfZSOll3EY2SmucTAe5o7uvr1bbxb22OJZqxVhhU5lW7xEMWzRTxUeQQHvyRimMY335668eBDpUKVN1cnfXLpF1ZRoyeKouV_sSqUUDcsr7ea9v8ZPBnZcCQbwzndwVb4d1a8bnKx0vfMbPHG7hNp9Y1jgLmjtf/w400-h400/1920x1080%20copy~2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rating: ★★★☆</div><span id="docs-internal-guid-4c1a4f86-7fff-4d25-33da-be1684477aa8"><span style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Format: e-ARC</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pages: 283</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Synopsis: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Thirty-seven miners disappear without a trace within a Titanium mine, Hellweg’s Keep, deep within Zeta One, a moon orbiting the planet, Terra. When FBI agent Kendra Omen arrives via the spaceship Marietta, strange phenomenon begins to manifest…suicides, shadows a shade darker than the shadows they move within, disembodied whispers, and Kendra would swear she catches a glimpse of her own deceased daughter walking the dimly lit halls of Hellweg enterprises. But that’s impossible. Isn’t it? As evidence of occult practices at the mine emerges, Kendra realizes the answers they seek, and hopefully the thirty-seven miners, will only be found underground in the claustrophobic labyrinth of shafts and natural caverns within Hellweg’s Keep.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Review:</span></p></span><span style="font-family: times;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: "Roboto Serif", serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-weight: 700;">"It rippled with power, like something beneath it disturbed the event horizon."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When FBI agent Kendra is hired to fly into space to investigate the disappearance of miners at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hellweg's Keep</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, she is on a mission to find out what happened to them and hopefully rescue them. What she finds is many unanswered questions, strange occurrences, and disturbing occult practices that affected many lives. As the crew she has helping her descends into the deep caverns, they must not only search for the missing, they must also protect themselves from what lurks beneath. Haunting whispers, apparitions, and creatures from beyond that will devour their existence. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hellweg's Keep</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is science fiction with a mix of horror and paranormal elements. Deep in the caverns the claustrophobia can be clearly felt as the darkness surrounds and the tunnels narrow, all the while knowing that something monstrous is lurking within. Whispers and orbs floating in the abyss, trying to tempt the mind into dark places. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This is my first endeavor into the writing of Justin Holley. I do not know quite yet what his writing style is like. With that being said, I did feel that this wasn't as cohesive as it could have been. I felt there were a bit of repetitive statements from or about the characters, an overuse of similes, and an ending that left me a little underwhelmed. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I also feel that the majority of books have redemptive qualities and there was quite a bit to like about this one. As with all books, they need the right audience and I feel that this can be enjoyed by those that are into sci-fi/horror.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">A very kind thank you to Flame Tree Publishing and Justin Holley for sending me a complimentary copy. Much appreciated!</span></p></span></span><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2986988.Justin_Holley">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: times; font-size: 14px;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: times; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Justin-Holley/author/B00UNG9PKM?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Justin-Holley/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://justinholley-author.com/">https://justinholley-author.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQYOZaspESbH4lcBbYvreBN7O9ZGOxBQoVz0ZKJNftjuvzeETj3wW_blaNXO9DfGtsfYVLuN2nlPza3UF013or7YsUFMhpiZzcwmi2bpWgDYzPNv9J4Ah0P4iR3AOnYPVONYxMW7HaTY89TqT7I82IlnzoeZIVOvl-nk4kQMtLI17cgIWquTVjNqYlqsO/s200/2986988.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOQYOZaspESbH4lcBbYvreBN7O9ZGOxBQoVz0ZKJNftjuvzeETj3wW_blaNXO9DfGtsfYVLuN2nlPza3UF013or7YsUFMhpiZzcwmi2bpWgDYzPNv9J4Ah0P4iR3AOnYPVONYxMW7HaTY89TqT7I82IlnzoeZIVOvl-nk4kQMtLI17cgIWquTVjNqYlqsO/w320-h320/2986988.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"> About the author</span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Justin lives somewhere on the Cass Lake chain of lakes with his wife, and also a rather large Daneiff named Nu and a clever but tiny Devon Rex named Jinx. Justin is the author of the novels, Hellweg's Keep, Blood from the Stars (3-book serialized novel), Tethered to Darkness, Seven Cleopatra Hill, the 3-book Bruised series, and several short stories. Bruised was mentioned in Brian Keene's "Top Ten Books of 2015". Correspondence from his fans is most welcome.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Publisher Website:</b></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.flametreepublishing.com/">https://www.flametreepublishing.com/</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14oJjzhXrqcCuCckPT9v2eS_ebGW7-xApt9GyK3FYJz_Zr3l86pdvtQXYnaDrF-ZOHkctrYY25pT6hHHE_YgV5S0Vx2tA5XLpRxo94Gw0Lrae_TelYnwaWIVpQODLOFMLTtclKW4YTjfhcYt_z8Eem5wap3Puv2MH8p0JTZ_WKnSbTAGtUSVGOC5LMtar/s177/flameTree_logo.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="177" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14oJjzhXrqcCuCckPT9v2eS_ebGW7-xApt9GyK3FYJz_Zr3l86pdvtQXYnaDrF-ZOHkctrYY25pT6hHHE_YgV5S0Vx2tA5XLpRxo94Gw0Lrae_TelYnwaWIVpQODLOFMLTtclKW4YTjfhcYt_z8Eem5wap3Puv2MH8p0JTZ_WKnSbTAGtUSVGOC5LMtar/s1600/flameTree_logo.png" width="177" /></a></div><br /><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></div><span style="color: #373e3e; font-family: times; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Review Links:</b></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5991325936">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><br /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/736140669">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/23198423-e256-49fb-82d4-c436b141d2f3">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g7h5eT3X_XU" width="320" youtube-src-id="g7h5eT3X_XU"></iframe></div><br /><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-33029799687315091592023-11-04T20:42:00.003-05:002023-12-30T13:10:15.302-06:00Research Randy and The Mystery of Grandma's Half-Eaten Pie of Despair by Tom Lucas<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-hVZsmjoLVq3OSX1tCiMfB4_1Re43yWfEFKBmSUWpVw6MRIsV9CdlUkoNcVbhg2FPmElCrxaoj0BzpyTSSExfjcGXX5PhmILWHm3CwNVLcsRvu6cx81gb_D5xJZ8s6ehGZBt1X9uPxc_9yGJXjFAf4PHY5S_wpqb-lG8Sq1wPuxgMGscZz72djyNsQN_/s1080/Research%20Randy.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-hVZsmjoLVq3OSX1tCiMfB4_1Re43yWfEFKBmSUWpVw6MRIsV9CdlUkoNcVbhg2FPmElCrxaoj0BzpyTSSExfjcGXX5PhmILWHm3CwNVLcsRvu6cx81gb_D5xJZ8s6ehGZBt1X9uPxc_9yGJXjFAf4PHY5S_wpqb-lG8Sq1wPuxgMGscZz72djyNsQN_/w400-h400/Research%20Randy.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rating: ★★★★</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Genre: Occult Fiction</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Format: Paperback</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pages: 172</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""Comic Sans MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis: </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Research Randy</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"> reads like YA, and can be if you want it to be. It’s also a weird mash-up of cosmic horror, eldritch terrors, nostalgia trip and a meta love letter to Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />The stars of a beloved series of children’s books, the clever Research Randy and his supernaturally sensitive sister Charlie, solved many cases in the idyllic coastal town of Serenity Bay to the delight of many readers over the last 30 years.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />But now, suddenly transported to the creepy hamlet of Effingmouth, they find themselves in a bizarre place where nothing is what it seems, people are strange and secretive, and something awful lurks in the shadows.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />This might be a mystery they don’t want to solve.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-07a889e2-7fff-ff4a-531f-a9205a524fa9"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: Comfortaa, cursive; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"When you look in the mirror...</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: Comfortaa, cursive; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Whom do you see? Not WHAT, mind you. WHOM. This visage before you, that which you consider to be your identity, what is its value to you? Are you content?"</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: Comfortaa, cursive; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"For all of humankind is but a trifle. An experiment only meant to amuse those far beyond our comprehension, those whose visage goes beyond our very ability to perceive."</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Randy and Charlie have recently moved to Effingmouth, where everything is strange and unusual. Randy and Charlie are not only trying to fit in, they are finding many mysteries to solve. As each mystery unfolds before them, they become more bizarre and dangerous to their existence. There is something sinister lurking in the dark, waiting patiently to reveal itself. He has awoken and "HE SLEEPS NO MORE!"</span></span></p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">The author's writing style brought to mind the way Daniel Handler writes as Lemony Snicket, immersing himself into the story, interacting with the characters. Very creative and adventurous. Mysteries and mayhem truly abound throughout as the kids work to unveil the truths of the strange happenings that surround the town. The adventure evolves as the author has you turning pages to read how Randy solved each mystery or not, immersing the reader into those, as well. There are really great illustrations that add to the overall uniqueness. A really fun nod to Lovecraft and the Cthulhu mythos. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">When I first started reading this, I felt it would be a great book for middle grade kids, but further into it I changed my mindset and really feel it does fit more to the young adult and adult audience. Fans of Lovecraft and mystery will surely appreciate and enjoy reading this. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">A truly rollicking adventure!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Thank you Mar at TBM Horror and Tom Lucas for sending this one my way, appreciated!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6855923.Tom_Lucas">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tom-Lucas/author/B00AIRTPDS?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tom-Lucas/author/</a><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b>Author Website:</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://room1331.home.blog/">https://room1331.home.blog/</a><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2i58Lag_EqnZxHpBnhqI1qlFCcvMMu6GSHfqWs9IjE9n5hPAn4GgYeLw4xMPLjVNQAiy6XxkLapbJmvUJ9EMwUefbBahoYfWbAmJqUPO6Y3sxbUHXzbl3ix2RCNI4cpqEjmQ0el0jnDaFU-RcYbwv4EjBGnHPjIUDDeBd82acE-PAn4vnN6Mr6gwHoGC2/s1360/47792680_2484657061761361_717705514951114752_o-e1548100633635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1360" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2i58Lag_EqnZxHpBnhqI1qlFCcvMMu6GSHfqWs9IjE9n5hPAn4GgYeLw4xMPLjVNQAiy6XxkLapbJmvUJ9EMwUefbBahoYfWbAmJqUPO6Y3sxbUHXzbl3ix2RCNI4cpqEjmQ0el0jnDaFU-RcYbwv4EjBGnHPjIUDDeBd82acE-PAn4vnN6Mr6gwHoGC2/s320/47792680_2484657061761361_717705514951114752_o-e1548100633635.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: times;">About the author</span></span></p><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Tom Lucas was born and raised in Detroit, and although currently enjoying the lack of snow and ice in Florida, remains a son of the post-industrial apocalypse.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">He is a college professor, author, and spoken word performer. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Tom has been published in The Orlando Weekly, Writer's Digest, The Writer's Monthly Review, The South End, The Oakland Press, The Macomb Daily, Orbit, Anthropomorphic, and U. Magazine. He has also been featured in literary journals such as The Write Place at the Write Time, Graffiti Rag, F*cked Up Fairy Tales, and Dark Fire Fiction. He has performed on the Lollapalooza stage as well as guest spots on CIMX, WDET, and WJR.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">When not writing, Tom likes to drive fast and take chances.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">For more information visit: http://room1331.com</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TomLucasAuthor</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Insta: @TomLucasAuthor</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Twitter: @readtomlucas</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Slasher: Tommygunn (TomLucasAuthor)</span></p></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://tbmhorror.com/research-randy-and-the-mystery-of-grandmas-half-eaten-pie-of-despair-by-tom-lucas-2/">https://tbmhorror.com/</a><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5816727195">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/84d15fc1-437f-465b-95f4-2f9b2f634563"><span style="font-family: times;">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p></span></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-65289979358140261662023-10-28T00:09:00.008-05:002023-12-30T13:10:29.778-06:00Sisters of the Crimson Vine by P.L. McMillan<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGto0O0M0BxhETmeZcVGjgENcYeux8PV6EAAHdL36ztUaBYNTjCmf2XusFjVq56yy3yrDop-oeOg-2QEy4okWVz-uW_2VQaxg6HT4TEISAlSo7VRDdXUOGj5IneajcXKj95Oob0XAZzl8g3xoYcxCu7lEfuwJZyJXMwQUnU7mx-XPiqo2F_5I1ajRloBs/s2400/Sisters%20of%20the%20Crimson%20Vine%20cover.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGto0O0M0BxhETmeZcVGjgENcYeux8PV6EAAHdL36ztUaBYNTjCmf2XusFjVq56yy3yrDop-oeOg-2QEy4okWVz-uW_2VQaxg6HT4TEISAlSo7VRDdXUOGj5IneajcXKj95Oob0XAZzl8g3xoYcxCu7lEfuwJZyJXMwQUnU7mx-XPiqo2F_5I1ajRloBs/w250-h400/Sisters%20of%20the%20Crimson%20Vine%20cover.png" width="250" /></a></div></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Horror/Folklore</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eBook</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 114</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Synopsis:</span></b></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;">John Ainsworth nearly died in that car crash. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Soon he'll learn there are worse fates. After a brutal accident, John awakens in the dilapidated Crimoria Convent under the care of thirteen unconventional nuns. Grievous injuries trap him within the borders of the ruined sanctuary and its strangely successful vineyard. When his body starts healing faster than nature allows, John's questions quickly pile up. A pair of Church auditors arrive to look into the convent's finances. It's obvious the pair are unwelcome guests, but John has bigger concerns. The order's annual ritual draws near and John begins to discover things that make him wonder if any of them are truly safe in the hands of the Sisters of the Crimson Vine.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">“Old wounds heal and the scars remain to remind us,” she said. “It’s important to remember and appreciate each and every day.”</span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">John Ainsworth is an auditor traveling to a convent. On the way there, he has a car accident and becomes debilitated. The sisters are welcoming and take care of him, but there are many occurrences that have him confused and questioning. There are seemingly many secrets and an underlying strangeness that surrounds the sisters and the convent. As the secrets are revealed, Mr. Ainsworth must make a difficult decision that will affect a life and all the lives of the sisters. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">In the vein of cosmic horror and folklore, this is an atmospheric novella where the unknown is dark and menacing. The sisters are the heart of the story as they are shown to be strong in their convictions and powerful in their commitments to each other, the convent, and the preservation of the land. They hold strong in their yearly sacrifice that is paramount to their survival. They follow the ways of the old and timeless. They are the "Sisters of the Crimson Vine."</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Grim and foreboding. Isolating and unnerving. The dread is quietly built which leads to some shocking and horrifying details. It's ominous, uncanny, and has an evocative quality within the storytelling. </span></span></p><p><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">“Year after year, the grapes are nourished in the soil that our sisters died on. Their blood fed the earth and, in turn, the earth feeds us,” Agatha said.</span></b></p><p><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O27nYtKSvitItyrfK8Wq4WD5razfRaVzpF3GIZbTHnmGlSdVRN939kBR5RrP5zyOeYmk2oGF-DqAAz5gp9HJfopMO9q0XAKJ5rmduoPr_OqrI9Vk53oCjI3yVrEoJK30MBMMylqm18SKpyVGCRsuLj9QK7QdKUzMiUwpoivucs_1D86GUOhk6jvRxPEg/s1003/Top%20Review.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1003" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O27nYtKSvitItyrfK8Wq4WD5razfRaVzpF3GIZbTHnmGlSdVRN939kBR5RrP5zyOeYmk2oGF-DqAAz5gp9HJfopMO9q0XAKJ5rmduoPr_OqrI9Vk53oCjI3yVrEoJK30MBMMylqm18SKpyVGCRsuLj9QK7QdKUzMiUwpoivucs_1D86GUOhk6jvRxPEg/w200-h193/Top%20Review.png" width="200" /></a></b></div><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14159052.P_L_McMillan">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/P.L.-McMillan/author/B089459GG6?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/P.L.-McMillan/author/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.plmcmillan.com/">https://www.plmcmillan.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMa_z0Q2C57KPC8KLp64uF5UavP1qcPs-Db3jnVzf9au0e50BaGeSgSJOX_IeyzPGSrF4Lpq0C6oq4cjGMFD4ZRvxeAXrB0OOFCtvoj6SbA0fX6HfHD5UVfG9Um3Zww-WKEUQTQGEIARiTvw6h4wFdn6wC6aoqf5RQ1VTyMG1VeqkRqgs5zdUNoSS7aKB/s765/Sisters%20of%20the%20Crimson%20Vine_Author%20picture.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="735" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMa_z0Q2C57KPC8KLp64uF5UavP1qcPs-Db3jnVzf9au0e50BaGeSgSJOX_IeyzPGSrF4Lpq0C6oq4cjGMFD4ZRvxeAXrB0OOFCtvoj6SbA0fX6HfHD5UVfG9Um3Zww-WKEUQTQGEIARiTvw6h4wFdn6wC6aoqf5RQ1VTyMG1VeqkRqgs5zdUNoSS7aKB/w307-h320/Sisters%20of%20the%20Crimson%20Vine_Author%20picture.png" width="307" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">About the Author:</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">P.L. McMillan is a writer whose works have been known to cause rifts in time and space itself…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Well, not quite. But writing often makes her feel that powerful.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">P.L. McMillan is a Canadian expat living in the States, after having taught English for three years in Asia. With a passion for cosmic horror and sci-fi horror, P.L. McMillan sees every shadow as an entryway to a deeper look into the black heart of the world, meant to be discovered and explored. Infatuated with the works of Shirley Jackson, H.P. Lovecraft, and Ridley Scott, her dream is to create stories of adventure, of chills, of heartbreak, and thrills.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Her short fiction has appeared in a variety of anthologies and magazines such as Cosmic Horror Monthly, Strange Lands Short Stories, Negative Space, and AHH! That’s What I Call Horror, as well as adapted to audio forms for podcasts like NoSleep and Nocturnal Transmissions. In addition to her short stories, McMillan’s debut collection, What Remains When The Stars Burn Out, and debut novella, Sisters of the Crimson Vine, are available now.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Besides being a fiction writer, PLM has experience as an editor (Howls from the Dark Ages and The Darkness Beyond The Stars: An Anthology of Space Horror), hosts PLM Talks on Youtube (interviewing peers and professionals in the horror industry), and is the co-host of a horror writing craft podcast, Dead Languages Podcast. On top of all that, PLM does digital illustrations and artwork for anthologies and her merch shop.</span></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dylsnETHC-qUebBOdUMl9oXAATJxSF9CgLiKn1mpQqqQmuwy0r_9DJ2-TFLkNxceAuyE9sp8IM7cLCbJoH79A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">A Coffee and Thorn Book Tour</span></i></b></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"> Coffee and Thorn Website Link:</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"> <a href="https://coffeeandthorn.com/">https://coffeeandthorn.com/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5925256129">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/3870805098">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/cbdf6cbb-4158-41b0-a357-232717710fb5"><span style="font-family: times;">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="272" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FAXST1C9hmY" width="327" youtube-src-id="FAXST1C9hmY"></iframe></span></div><p><br /></p>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-31010922090550479302023-10-14T18:32:00.005-05:002023-10-14T22:26:23.049-05:00Stitched Smile Publications: Stitched Box by Lisa Vasquez<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoxoa4OivPNUlZZIK2hPjAV93j03t9qv4KXPyusmEjZV2e2VIYkVJHiTriZf3xU-6pFM2b_BoWw5FrprPnYgUsVy880nbBOZE6NO6CVF6pK9OBSoBeCOmSjswr8J0fO397vn7K0ZRPBXwG9xtq3c51MZ5jUj1V44GMvlUMnodATxypF4ihGHE3WqYJ3dp/s434/573EB4A9-2635-45A7-BF14-06FA450685F1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="434" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoxoa4OivPNUlZZIK2hPjAV93j03t9qv4KXPyusmEjZV2e2VIYkVJHiTriZf3xU-6pFM2b_BoWw5FrprPnYgUsVy880nbBOZE6NO6CVF6pK9OBSoBeCOmSjswr8J0fO397vn7K0ZRPBXwG9xtq3c51MZ5jUj1V44GMvlUMnodATxypF4ihGHE3WqYJ3dp/s320/573EB4A9-2635-45A7-BF14-06FA450685F1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">*This box was created specifically for review purposes. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">*It is a VIP influencer box to show the quality of items.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="4096" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Pa6TlVF3TWd0G6zh3K9GfgVP1QZY7mBxsAvfQ-eCK8CEUpTJxgQRjMFkrvpSJFbm87z_vMTm96BmrJB-JHi5usg4Ag-2pxWByhmrNDu-ULaKZmaP6padxp28-d0FshqqMr1QlWcwZaimJ7SsCsyW_F__9gufA-g0NJgQVh6BgGPaeknZp8v1DT3JD06q/w400-h400/GridArt_20231014_135048329.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;">*Books included: Signed by the Authors</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>The Horror at Pleasant Brook</b> by <b>Kevin Lucia </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><i>At the edge of the Adirondacks, an ancient malevolence descends upon the quiet town of Pleasant Brook, setting the stage for a chilling battle between the forgotten and an unstoppable evil.</i></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Standing resolutely in its shadow is an unlikely alliance—the remnants, the forgotten, the outcasts, and the underestimated. As the malevolence swells, they emerge as the town's last bastion of defense, its only hope against an ancient, remorseless force that brooks no resistance.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Yet, how can they hope to prevail against a power so ancient, so pitiless, so inexorable? The town of Pleasant Brook becomes the battleground for a confrontation between humanity's resilience and an evil beyond imagination.</span></span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixq5j9nWSby-mnjef8UwWahGCdo7A-7FhxmxCcALAsfKrxLp5I-qW7OYvJW_4VNYc6-3tRzEh1KugH3Yi8xYCh-RcLo56uQTsY2nHi0WXIcUufd1bMw8l3TsBHgtJSXoRrU7uz4vZAq4PsfYfdvnBR7xQ9hEL9Ntnpl9yMHXg0CFcBD6bfF3DM4DG3WcOT/s973/7ED26A91-8D15-4C03-BE44-109ABA81F498.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="973" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixq5j9nWSby-mnjef8UwWahGCdo7A-7FhxmxCcALAsfKrxLp5I-qW7OYvJW_4VNYc6-3tRzEh1KugH3Yi8xYCh-RcLo56uQTsY2nHi0WXIcUufd1bMw8l3TsBHgtJSXoRrU7uz4vZAq4PsfYfdvnBR7xQ9hEL9Ntnpl9yMHXg0CFcBD6bfF3DM4DG3WcOT/w200-h176/7ED26A91-8D15-4C03-BE44-109ABA81F498.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.crystallakepub.com/"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.crystallakepub.com/</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>The Other (1997): A Violent Indulgence</b> by<b> Joshua MacMillan & Megan Stockton</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">It was supposed to be the perfect Halloween...</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">On Halloween 1997, evil descends on the quiet town of Brookhaven in the shape of a 13-year-old boy.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Edward Glenn is possessed with the power and compulsion of a dark entity known to him only as The Other, which drives him to unleash a horrifying spree of violence that will haunt the town for decades to come.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">After a night of trick-or-treating and horror movies, the best night of Jamie and Ronnie's collective lives is about to be shattered...red...</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Independantly Published:</span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Other-Violent-Indulgence-Joshua-MacMillan/dp/B0BYRDXBWP/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1697316786&sr=1-1">https://www.amazon.com/Other-Violent-Indulgence-Joshua-MacMillan/dp/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>The Unfleshed: Tale of the Autopsic Bride </b>by <b>Lisa Vasquez</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Young Morrigan, the daughter of a local aristocrat, is full of innocence and life. Angus Wulfe is an eccentric and devious doctor who stalks her while he cultivates a plan to win her affection. Their two worlds collide in a grisly twist of fate when the Plague arrives on the shores of their town. With no cure in sight, and bodies dropping incrementally every day, the doctor uses his influence, along with his reputation in medical advances - stemming from his clandestine and macabre experiments-to manipulate Morrigan’s father. In return for her hand in marriage, the doctor would save her life. Clinging to life, Morrigan begins to feel a change. Has the doctor cured her, or did her father make a deal with the Devil?</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQlNmjMkbpKI3-KQ9pG3-VnYPqU9YLNPmEmpVIHuJLYH1bFfTyzqeJ3v3Dop3BXwdRfC8Tw5Jb469W3iGAaBaw2U2ImUbIUXGxku8pcf0uH6O8zdj8ZEaBEqCXokwu-j9ByoSKZa-Jigcxza0A3wOt9ICfc9KTZASgKNSqQY0XmLzweXNl8tZIdssyXRX/s417/STITCHED_v4_outlined%20&%20expanded_white%20background-01.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQlNmjMkbpKI3-KQ9pG3-VnYPqU9YLNPmEmpVIHuJLYH1bFfTyzqeJ3v3Dop3BXwdRfC8Tw5Jb469W3iGAaBaw2U2ImUbIUXGxku8pcf0uH6O8zdj8ZEaBEqCXokwu-j9ByoSKZa-Jigcxza0A3wOt9ICfc9KTZASgKNSqQY0XmLzweXNl8tZIdssyXRX/w192-h200/STITCHED_v4_outlined%20&%20expanded_white%20background-01.webp" width="192" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><a href="https://www.stitchedsmilepublications.com/about"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.stitchedsmilepublications.com/about</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">All quality choices! I am thrilled to have them and look forward to reading them in the future.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Next up, all the swag:</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="4096" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya8EDS-qJXSbZsPQoEkm1ilxfpIrRfvz4CkmBcQ4qtAqRYtfmBN-fKzomOaOpi8ZTB58auHTIs6ZRGZ-Hgl-xaGvQHeulLrIe6Q5KfRtZtr9Viq1OUq1dh1rBgjmanMejNp1kAX2KS0l3YUeFoOguxqyFaXkC645aop96WmKlfMNl21DUgjkhEoNH9I8H/w400-h400/GridArt_20231014_142202415.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-Limited Edition DnD movie poster</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">-Stickers</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">-Book Marks </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">-Magnet</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">★★★★★</span></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">All of these items are mentioned quite often in book groups, they are a big hit in the reading communities and well received. It makes our hearts happy to get these items with our book purchases. It adds a wonderful, personalized quality.</span></span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RnaibAwfGiVzpeWuA0dUTnwSVkVipjNxgCHyTwEC76BriI3MnzReLxpNkSxTGPnQThxVRrhHPU6lJqRHdodEYXDusmWXtOBXZkMgKxrG_ZIBBgMluX2zFXn92gZAQUnD2fRMo59T2OsGG9eSeBWxHgbrMjbnzN_4VITBDJ32hYErHZ8DfcWPGWp_Bg8z/s4096/GridArt_20231014_144004741.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RnaibAwfGiVzpeWuA0dUTnwSVkVipjNxgCHyTwEC76BriI3MnzReLxpNkSxTGPnQThxVRrhHPU6lJqRHdodEYXDusmWXtOBXZkMgKxrG_ZIBBgMluX2zFXn92gZAQUnD2fRMo59T2OsGG9eSeBWxHgbrMjbnzN_4VITBDJ32hYErHZ8DfcWPGWp_Bg8z/s4096/GridArt_20231014_144004741.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="4096" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RnaibAwfGiVzpeWuA0dUTnwSVkVipjNxgCHyTwEC76BriI3MnzReLxpNkSxTGPnQThxVRrhHPU6lJqRHdodEYXDusmWXtOBXZkMgKxrG_ZIBBgMluX2zFXn92gZAQUnD2fRMo59T2OsGG9eSeBWxHgbrMjbnzN_4VITBDJ32hYErHZ8DfcWPGWp_Bg8z/w400-h400/GridArt_20231014_144004741.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-Keychain from</span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i> Killer Cords</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-22e220a0-7fff-d833-f37e-3ff064c2c880"></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Handmade, glow in the dark art from </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Darque Pixie Designs</i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9dff609f-7fff-1def-f33a-aa8a342ac6f5"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-Hand crocheted eyeball keychain by </span></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>Larissa Bennett of Darque Pixie Designs</i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>-</i>Tealight by <i>Waxing Moon Scentsations</i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9108497f-7fff-00f4-4cf6-abc52f74d31f"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">-</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Tarot themed pendant</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2ff7c82d-7fff-f019-e633-7008536627c4"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">-Horror themed enamel pin (The Nightmare Before Christmas)</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">-Horror themed rubber wristbands</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">-Pen/Penlight</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">-Homemade crafted themed card</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">-Pennywise hanging ornament</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt; text-align: center;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">-Treats</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">I also know that Lisa has partnered with Nerd Emporium, so look for these items in future boxes, they are fantastic.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">★★★★★</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">I love all the items included! Unique and well crafted, as well as useful!</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>As you can see from all the books and items, Lisa put her heart and soul into putting together a well crafted book box. Every purchase will support indie authors and artists. I love that Lisa is offering many purchase options; such as one time purchases and add ons, which you will see when you click those links to find out more. I also feel the prices are very reasonable as it takes dedication, lots of work, and time to prepare these boxes to ensure quality products are sent to customers. </b></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAitK7vXzy2sDKXF0XL6Oj50dAmwypph7w4t-FBKBbg2kfeJvmeMBslz0e2bdM0KEdHEWOFcg2S_e4riOSRrz_HkZKV6cw25775r5-Pb6-iOvruDeTud12bWUo03BRdzkUtjieA14gQ_MTVTa2bPgBGisXFjGOlqyNe3XoDoUS1k0hbGUT-eWiSMGBWtS3/s620/265B4F29-2094-42A8-BCDD-A60EF9ADF3A1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAitK7vXzy2sDKXF0XL6Oj50dAmwypph7w4t-FBKBbg2kfeJvmeMBslz0e2bdM0KEdHEWOFcg2S_e4riOSRrz_HkZKV6cw25775r5-Pb6-iOvruDeTud12bWUo03BRdzkUtjieA14gQ_MTVTa2bPgBGisXFjGOlqyNe3XoDoUS1k0hbGUT-eWiSMGBWtS3/s320/265B4F29-2094-42A8-BCDD-A60EF9ADF3A1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><b style="font-family: times; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Link to the quarterly box:</b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.stitchedsmilepublications.com/product/stitchedbox/55?cs=true&cst=custom">https://www.stitchedsmilepublications.com/product/stitchedbox/</a><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you choose this option you will be charged prior to the quarter release and the box will contain two signed books and 3-5 items which will be curated from as many local artists as possible. It will always include amazing author swag. There are additional add-ons if you want, which can be purchased when you check out.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;">Click the link for more info.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><b style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Link to the monthly box:</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><b style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.stitchedsmilepublications.com/product/stitched-n-chill-monthly-subscription/58?cs=true&cst=custom">https://www.stitchedsmilepublications.com/product/stitched-n-chill-monthly-subscription/</a></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;">The “Stitched N Chill” monthly book club is one signed, hardback exclusive and the author’s chosen swag. It is charged the month prior to the release. It will start in December 2023 and Lisa will be making announcements for which author is chosen for the box. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;">Click the link for more info.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><b style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><b style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Link to the mystery box:</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><b style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.stitchedsmilepublications.com/product/Whats-in-the-box/59?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=true">https://www.stitchedsmilepublications.com/product/Whats-in-the-box/</a><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">The mystery “What’s in the Box!?” Is a one time purchase and it will have 3-5 random items and a mystery gift, also dipping into the indie community as often as possible. This box may contain </span><i style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">any</i><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"> dark fiction genre! It could dark sci-fi, dark poetry, dark fantasy, etc.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;">Click the link for more info.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Linktree:</span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://linktr.ee/houseofstitched">https://linktr.ee/houseofstitched</a><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: -7pt; margin-top: 8pt;"><br /></p>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-9655056242535007512023-10-13T20:21:00.032-05:002023-12-30T13:13:13.367-06:00Pentagrams by J.D. Allen<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjistBuy6d5k8w15phrf7EXJ65e99if5uFlEqZAH0AFo_5GEANs8J285FcOq1ckceDJiK-vCkPsnydDX1nrCfRv_bsWdoQIz7zZFn2ADc3B-eDTpnyBwiAepYOAyO46SVox6HWNq5ryrEkj2K8HF7HPVU7TTo_0OXF_BPuh36pTpB6PvlLX8ExygjCetQx8/s443/413rN0DvU7L._SX342_SY445_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="342" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjistBuy6d5k8w15phrf7EXJ65e99if5uFlEqZAH0AFo_5GEANs8J285FcOq1ckceDJiK-vCkPsnydDX1nrCfRv_bsWdoQIz7zZFn2ADc3B-eDTpnyBwiAepYOAyO46SVox6HWNq5ryrEkj2K8HF7HPVU7TTo_0OXF_BPuh36pTpB6PvlLX8ExygjCetQx8/w309-h400/413rN0DvU7L._SX342_SY445_.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Occult Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 487</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">A young girl named Heaven struggles to survive on the cold, damp streets of foggy San Francisco with her dying mother who was kicked out of her family's home as a pregnant teenager after a miraculous Immaculate Conception.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Now, as a demon-summoning serial killer stalks young homeless girls in the City by the Bay, and a gang of teenaged, devil-worshipping thugs terrorize the denizens of the streets, Heaven and Hell clash in an unholy war over the soul of an angelic child.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">With the help of a handsome priest and a dedicated homicide detective, Heaven stands toe to cloven-hoof against the evil entity that desires to possess her immortal soul. From the haunted piers of Fisherman’s Warf to the dark alleys of the skyscraper canyons, evil runs rampant.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Araziel is coming! Heaven help us!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="font-family: times;">"Evil feeds on the suffering and despair of the human spirit in torment."</span></i></b></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Jango Death, a product of his upbringing, he longs for the acceptance and presence of the evil one. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Detective Harwood, a good man working relentlessly to try to solve the murders that are occurring. Young, homeless girls with carvings of a Pentagram, showing the work of evil that stalks among them.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Little Heaven, a homeless 10 year old who loves her mama, both trying to survive the streets. When her mama dies, she is left alone, at which time her battle begins against not only the evils of the world, but an evil from the depths of beyond. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Father Cherato, a man of faith struggling to stay strong in his beliefs. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">As their lives intertwine, they come to know their purpose in life. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">The battle has begun! Will good overcome evil and will faith and balance be restored?</span></span></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="font-family: times;">"Help me return to your light."</span></i></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">In the beginning we are introduced to the main antagonist, a glimpse into his past life. We learn how difficult and unpleasant his upbringing was and the darkness that settles within him as he chooses the path of evil.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">The character development was very well written as we are given a good understanding of each of their inner struggles, their strengths, and a foundation of things to be revealed as the story unfolds. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">We enter into a world of dark city streets where the homeless dwell and the evil feeds. Where the main protagonist begins her journey of survival. She is a child of angelic qualities, an endearing character, and one whom is easy to want to protect. Her strength and love leads her as she follows the path she has been given. She is "Heaven".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">As it states on the cover, this is a novel of demonic possession. It is also religious horror and a battle between good and evil. Not one overshadows the other as there is a well written balance.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">I personally enjoy possession horror/religious horror, so I really enjoyed reading this. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">A recommended read, but be prepared to walk beside Heaven because she will capture your heart and you will be rooting for her until the end. </span></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21387572.J_D_Allen">https://www.goodreads.com/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></b></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/J.D.-Allen/author/B08M14R1BR?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.amazon.com/stores/J.D.-Allen/author/</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYy0969CzuNw5pVWyEZcfRLiNsJO_CnspyMdfBEteq9g0e3XVBxHLUkTDKp_nUrWLASF5kMmn2UQpcLPs5ASCeefs-jOO-vBee3dGmncKBhypQY2trIYYbGBYr6WLXvJ65rcyo09qhsE_3-V90gQ9IkdyBbMZcz9EgUi_cqFeEQMq_g5E_qQYpqKv8ofH/s2048/176165327_244597944117977_4309566484746600045_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYy0969CzuNw5pVWyEZcfRLiNsJO_CnspyMdfBEteq9g0e3XVBxHLUkTDKp_nUrWLASF5kMmn2UQpcLPs5ASCeefs-jOO-vBee3dGmncKBhypQY2trIYYbGBYr6WLXvJ65rcyo09qhsE_3-V90gQ9IkdyBbMZcz9EgUi_cqFeEQMq_g5E_qQYpqKv8ofH/s320/176165327_244597944117977_4309566484746600045_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times;">About the author</span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__author-biography__WeqwH" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Born after midnight on the evening of Halloween, 1963, Joseph Dean Allen stalked the foggy enclaves of the San Francisco Bay Area, by moonlight, for much of his youth. Currently he haunts the rainy Pacific Northwest with his husband, Kyle, and the two gremlins, disguised as house cats, with whom they live.</span></p></div><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4642388692">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/133b582f-139c-4032-b158-83daa88024f8"><span style="font-family: times;">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</span></a></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Other books by J.D. Allen:</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioP-OoLaWac4yvMP1-_enWMd8WklZ3KNvYAnjKk_9JZzJnfedW32UPjL07Sid-JehuhW2m2-mXLEBIDxv0ypVBWug5kpE66vakZI9tYgUN1DVkgYvh4M34Nnqj7MUF4TCVlpNaeusxD3dfZVHVfgAQik4WT9YlXD22Y0xDlqdSB_TLmeh8slriZoXTouNg/s1056/FB_IMG_1697160333322.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1056" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioP-OoLaWac4yvMP1-_enWMd8WklZ3KNvYAnjKk_9JZzJnfedW32UPjL07Sid-JehuhW2m2-mXLEBIDxv0ypVBWug5kpE66vakZI9tYgUN1DVkgYvh4M34Nnqj7MUF4TCVlpNaeusxD3dfZVHVfgAQik4WT9YlXD22Y0xDlqdSB_TLmeh8slriZoXTouNg/w400-h309/FB_IMG_1697160333322.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JJXFabSljWo" width="320" youtube-src-id="JJXFabSljWo"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLkujUaMqSegRiARWdfsXEOSKzeXJUAYXf6bhtGxjxxTN1Qr6CpLnfuyAMAHP3n_a_kKQYLfu_juXTyqkVHfdSgEdA9wrFTvmhxoRBNiLvHiXyE9Q2RMAiVhBB6Ccw0BWsrSjhYuBwOhYJR2rKp1Q0Mm4VWMQZF0P_qFIr3P89JQaQrG-9ozY8PknFObD/s4037/GridArt_20231013_204127605%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4037" data-original-width="3262" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLkujUaMqSegRiARWdfsXEOSKzeXJUAYXf6bhtGxjxxTN1Qr6CpLnfuyAMAHP3n_a_kKQYLfu_juXTyqkVHfdSgEdA9wrFTvmhxoRBNiLvHiXyE9Q2RMAiVhBB6Ccw0BWsrSjhYuBwOhYJR2rKp1Q0Mm4VWMQZF0P_qFIr3P89JQaQrG-9ozY8PknFObD/w518-h640/GridArt_20231013_204127605%20(1).jpg" width="518" /></a></div><br />Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-90709594428929878922023-08-27T17:05:00.004-05:002023-12-30T13:13:25.054-06:00Purgatory by A. Lopez Jr.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89pOnO1jRjHrje3dTMjUtAUjzz_Zn698l8feN7vkVJvQzHBvcmzgKWJyzlo3S6t6qHxXbHyJmICLE889MXdLo-7_XK1dfSJrUSAiOO4IMK8UdbQsJPkhFXLe0CLGKF3iwX7JrXPyrT1Me9AKlLwSflZXftVtosbuvZmhpxPZc2UzkSijrZJuVhBAobxqO/s346/51pumuo4TpL._SY346_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="228" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89pOnO1jRjHrje3dTMjUtAUjzz_Zn698l8feN7vkVJvQzHBvcmzgKWJyzlo3S6t6qHxXbHyJmICLE889MXdLo-7_XK1dfSJrUSAiOO4IMK8UdbQsJPkhFXLe0CLGKF3iwX7JrXPyrT1Me9AKlLwSflZXftVtosbuvZmhpxPZc2UzkSijrZJuVhBAobxqO/w264-h400/51pumuo4TpL._SY346_.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Single Author/Horror Short Stories</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 336</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Synopsis:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Purgatory is said to be a place where dying souls go to be punished for sins. For the superstitious, the number 13 symbolizes suffering and death. When the two are combined, it leaves us with this question: Is death the end or is it only the beginning?</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />In the spirit of the dark masters of horror, King, Laymon, Little, and Keene, comes a collection of short stories of the bizarre and the macabre.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />One story begins in the name of research when a world-famous horror author spends the night in one of the most notorious haunted houses in America - </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Ritter House</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"> - only to discover that reality is much more horrific than fiction.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />In </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Road Trip</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">, a man must travel across state lines to identify his brother’s dead body and drive him home in the back of his car to a mortuary run by a dead man.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />In </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Tic Toc</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">, a man has two hours to prevent a catastrophe in the building where his wife works, only he can’t recall how or why. His only clue is the nightmare he had hours earlier.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Christmas will never be the same for a little boy in </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Santa Claws</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">, and an old wooden box in a warehouse carries a story all its own in </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">The Crate</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Each tale will hold each person accountable for their actions and ultimately lead them to a dark and unforgiving place much worse than the bounds of Purgatory.</span></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review:</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">"For those who believe, proof is not needed."</span></b></p><p><i><b><span style="font-family: times;">"Is death the beginning, the end, or does it take us to a place somewhere in between?"</span></b></i></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">These <i>13 Tales of the Macabre</i> are all uniquely written and entertaining. The authors voice clearly shines through his writing craft. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Take a drive on <i>Evergreen Road </i>and find out what may just be waiting there as the darkness descends. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Go on a <i>Road Trip </i>that involves a dreadful mission to transport a deceased family member to a mortuary. Old, dark, and something sinister waiting within. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Meet a curmudgeonly old man in <i>Mind Games </i>as he journeys through his daily life. People, everywhere there are people, getting on his last nerves. Until, there is something that is just a little bit different. Something very unexpected that changes everything.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Tic Toc, </i>time is ticking by, life is hanging on the edge of disaster and the reaper is waiting in the shadows. Is it all just a nightmare or a reality?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Weekend Visit., </i>we all have them. Trips to spend time with family or friends. We often look forward to them, keeping in mind that we never know what to expect. A good time is expected. Relaxation wanted. Just watch out for the odd family member and the strange occurrences that are happening in the backyard. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Floor Four, </i>the beginning introduction to "The Mangler". He will haunt your dreams!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Purgatory,</i> utterly claustrophobic! Deep within where there is no light, no air, and no chance of escaping. I cannot breathe!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Try to take a ride in the 2009 Cadillac DTS Sedan, once owned by Mildred Clarice Stone, her <i>Prized Possession, </i>now bequethed to one David R. Slater. Once you enter you may be surprised at what occurs within, especially in the back seat. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Do not, I repeat, do not open <i>The Crate. </i>Walk right on by and ignore it. Stop being so curious of what lies within. What lurks inside is not where you want to go. Resist the temptation, repent or there may be no escape.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">When visiting a haunted house, one must always be prepared and tread carefully. Once the spirits have been disturbed there is no turning back from what has been unleashed. So enter if you dare into the dark corridors of<i> Ritter House</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Kids will be kids and will not always make the best decisions, right or wrong. No matter what, all decisions have an outcome whether good or bad. And...sometimes what once was believed to be delightful may just be something entirely different.<i> </i>So my little lovelies, be good, or you may be visited by <i>Santa Claws</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Everyone should always be wary of <i>Strangers.</i> One never knows what their intentions may be or if they are something more than what they appear to be. One must never tempt fate. Someone may be following you, and that someone may just be from another world.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Don't Bug Me. S</i>tay away from me. You don't belong here. You're driving me mad and I can't get you out. No one believes me, why won't they listen? I have to get you out. <b>"This is going to hurt." </b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">"Death is something no one gets used to, and unfortunately, death will find us all when it's time."</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">With all short story collections, there are always going to be some that resonate with the reader more than others. I have learned to often look deeper and find that one special something that lies within each story. By the title alone, it is clear of the themes that all of these stories are centered on. No doubt that death and what lies beyond is something that crosses our minds at some point. It is easier to let it go and not dwell on it. These 13 tales provided my horror loving heart an escape into the fearful dark places and realms of purgatory. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">I very much enjoyed reading this collection! Recommended, but it's up to you to decide.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Goodreads Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5327972.A_Lopez_Jr_">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/A.-Lopez-Jr./author/B0063N7M3Q?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/A.-Lopez-Jr./author/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website: </span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://alopezjr.com/">https://alopezjr.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLo5SWYcvjjcLBBf6fwdmzSFpsGi_f7iteZ681R6PX6VNw0NkmrlNT-fye-UuIEDzS00wupIFNPKLyTL9ITePd8q3v8rp7u79tAYxGsoQ_YRRMOpqL4xS3MEbLgB-nHi9ycmRt5Nka0tvUP79NKQ6eU14q-Txz2RP7RoLbBoMoSDDXOLFuTtLF3Aj1R6-v/s444/60538459294__a8bbd79c-919e-40f0-bf9d-9960af8de71a.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="355" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLo5SWYcvjjcLBBf6fwdmzSFpsGi_f7iteZ681R6PX6VNw0NkmrlNT-fye-UuIEDzS00wupIFNPKLyTL9ITePd8q3v8rp7u79tAYxGsoQ_YRRMOpqL4xS3MEbLgB-nHi9ycmRt5Nka0tvUP79NKQ6eU14q-Txz2RP7RoLbBoMoSDDXOLFuTtLF3Aj1R6-v/w160-h200/60538459294__a8bbd79c-919e-40f0-bf9d-9960af8de71a.webp" width="160" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: times;">About the Author</span></span></p><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><span style="color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;">Born and raised in Texas and now residing in Arizona. I am an avid reader and big Houston Sports Fan. I play chess everyday when I'm not squeezing in a little time for writing. I published my first work Purgatory - 13 Tales of the Macabre and Floor Four - A Novella of Horror, an Amazon Bestseller in Occult Horror. Also completed is Night Dreams, an episodic series in seven parts that can be read separately or in one complete novel. My column, ‘Ask AJ’, appeared in All Authors Magazine online and I have had short stories published on Dark River Press, The Sirens Call eZine Issue #14 and the anthologies, State of Horror Illinois published by Charon Coin Press and Concordant Vibrancy published by All Authors Publishing. You can connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and my website, alopezjr.com.</span></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><span style="color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Publisher Website:</b></span></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><span style="color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://ace-hil-ink.com/">https://ace-hil-ink.com/</a><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEVR8Rc-456JzgLSv04_erHNKNRWSr-kX7VSxWUYnPgmBR9WJh7OjspTdCEnWZDUPxCjmM8yWqONAj7zrUz0FUNuscyDQ0wjJ1kAP6g-EDAA2QExukI6ibOzPDK95G2F6YtGNlmGu8Vi1MiTXR8Tc1YnR-gzInvR57ZsU--qgKJ-USI_X7u6LyViP7gLq/s250/ahi-logo.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="250" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEVR8Rc-456JzgLSv04_erHNKNRWSr-kX7VSxWUYnPgmBR9WJh7OjspTdCEnWZDUPxCjmM8yWqONAj7zrUz0FUNuscyDQ0wjJ1kAP6g-EDAA2QExukI6ibOzPDK95G2F6YtGNlmGu8Vi1MiTXR8Tc1YnR-gzInvR57ZsU--qgKJ-USI_X7u6LyViP7gLq/w200-h154/ahi-logo.webp" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="color: #373e3e; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="AuthorBio__author-bio__title__CO2Dr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; padding-bottom: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><b>Review Links:</b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3457777606"></a></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3457777606">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/</a><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/4268590037">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a><br /></p><p><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/c80e19c9-554d-4e92-97dc-32090c94862f?redirect=true">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qhlt4td3bZQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="Qhlt4td3bZQ"></iframe></div><p><br /></p>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-60290319848019711822023-08-17T19:35:00.005-05:002023-12-30T13:13:51.948-06:00 Empire's Daughter (Empire's Legacy Book 1) by Marian L. Thorpe<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXd5YXudo6oftAR_Z0-I9doNdyhbDn5X0p5nlJrtz68jJmCgcoR4kjLMaPzhYrGiPJBxUCMicl1TbP3hy9whcgoTUkTQM4U6dEOB8iKQFeibPu27V2jlLSnoi9U2jRlGIsIC3AAXOQZGSQrpFF1_P3gE3Sc-uPlC_5MmctLEH6aXVH-rU86SxkreLl72q/s1157/EmpiresDaughter_Cover.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1157" data-original-width="753" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXd5YXudo6oftAR_Z0-I9doNdyhbDn5X0p5nlJrtz68jJmCgcoR4kjLMaPzhYrGiPJBxUCMicl1TbP3hy9whcgoTUkTQM4U6dEOB8iKQFeibPu27V2jlLSnoi9U2jRlGIsIC3AAXOQZGSQrpFF1_P3gE3Sc-uPlC_5MmctLEH6aXVH-rU86SxkreLl72q/w260-h400/EmpiresDaughter_Cover.png" width="260" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Historical Fantasy</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eBook</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 347</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Synopsis:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Lena of Tirvan has a choice to make: in the face of invasion, does she help defend her country, or choose banishment with her lover? Women have never fought in Lena's world: they farm and fish, make cheese and wine, and raise children. All men and boys, from the age of seven, are part of the military. But when the Emperor asks women to defend their villages against the catboats of Leste, Lena must decide where her loyalties lie. A unique blend of historical and speculative fiction, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Empire's Daughter </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">can be read as a standalone, or as an introduction to the epic saga of </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Empire's Legacy.</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />A B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree; Eric Hoffer Finalist, 2021; BBNYA 2021 Semi-Finalist; Silver Medal, Historical Fantasy Box Set (2019), Coffee Pot Book Club Awards; Readers' Favorite 5-Star Award, 2021 (as part of Empire's Legacy: The First Trilogy)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">"Women of Tirvan," she began, "we are once again a village of women. Four months ago, our lives consisted of farming and fishing, and our thoughts and our skills were given to these pursuits. We are something more now: a military unit, trained to fight. And we have paid a price, both personal and collective.”</span></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Separated by the Empire's rule of the Partition Agreement, the world that these men and women live in is one of steadfast devotion to their villages. The men live as a separate entity among the military for the empire starting at a very young age. The women live as one in their villages, farming and fishing, and providing for the military men as needed. It is an agreement that is well respected and most everyone lives in contentment. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">When the empire and the villages are threatened, they all must come together to fight for the safety of their lives. This will change their way of living and will also bring change to how the Emperor will continue to rule the lands. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">The world building and customs the author developed are maticulously explained in detail, setting a clear visual of the lands in which we are immersed into a unique lifestyle. The characters are well developed with strong personalities. I especially felt the women were strong protagonists as they lived in unity and took well care of each other. When asked to step into their new roles, accept for a select few, they accept it knowing they must protect their villages with a possible new hope for the future. Their voices are heard and not just set aside by the men even though they have lived separately for hundreds of years. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">There are also themes of love and heartbreak as some choose to separate and bind themselves to the old ways of living. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">The story ends strong as it opens up a continuation into the next book in the series. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Quite complex but very effective in developing a journey into the lives of these men and women of the Empire.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">“But we cannot shape the circumstances to fit our lives only our lives to fit the circumstances. What defines us, as men and women, is how we respond to those circumstances.”</span></b></p><p><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>"The swallows gather, summer passes, The grapes hang dark and sweet; Heavy are the vines, Heavy is my heart, Endless is the road beneath my feet. The sun is setting, the moon is rising, The night is long and sweet; I am gone at dawn. I am gone at day, Endless is the road beneath my feet. The cold is deeper, the winters longer, Summer is short but sweet; I will remember, I'll not forget you, Endless is the road beneath my feet."</i></span></b></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>*Alternative History</i></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>*Historical Fantasy</i></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></span></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13526863.Marian_L_Thorpe"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Author Link</b>:</span></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marian-L-Thorpe/author/B015YQYKKK?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marian-L-Thorpe/author/</span></a></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Bookbub Author Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marian-l-thorpe">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://marianlthorpe.com/">https://marianlthorpe.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHKcb7YFacwCioTmS54OPL9gu5ZXpyJfmgJ45pxn3q-s5XGtYdBToakckYxmt9kx8kRWL03PEb3nmWOPBaKmNON7jZmu9yX1Qicd6lrKBHmurk4Fw4KDqgwkefNVAD6Alb-jrcw8aWeX9kHASb1nuP5he6j2GQhf97QyY9mRay8CuCBhVQ9gCqXhLRC4L/s257/13526863.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="200" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHKcb7YFacwCioTmS54OPL9gu5ZXpyJfmgJ45pxn3q-s5XGtYdBToakckYxmt9kx8kRWL03PEb3nmWOPBaKmNON7jZmu9yX1Qicd6lrKBHmurk4Fw4KDqgwkefNVAD6Alb-jrcw8aWeX9kHASb1nuP5he6j2GQhf97QyY9mRay8CuCBhVQ9gCqXhLRC4L/s1600/13526863.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 2pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f5496; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">“My books are historical fiction of an imagined world, one that is close to Britain, Northern Europe, and Rome, but isn’t any of them. A world where a society evolved differently after the Eastern Empire left, an Empire on the edge of history.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-75dfced9-7fff-5587-a318-718c5b8e394d"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;">"After two careers as a research scientist and an educator, I decided it was time to do what I’d always really wanted, and be a writer. As well as my novels, I’ve published short stories and poetry. My life-long interest in Roman and post-Roman European history provided the inspiration for my books, while my other interests in landscape archaeology and birding provide background.”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Publisher Link:</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://arboretumpress.com/">https://arboretumpress.com/</a><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3KizOmLWoyruuDsSSYU-_cYQRl1bIaXLo_ZE9Tc8Rn9sqPEOLEIMVzVYjcqUCMc00ininQINk27rzr2gwKNzbr_kFDCmtXgxUVvY-KJiRhjtLUS3YLLmRmg-jOzG_r-9ioVP8jzwCml3kUThQ87-obZuSrMb0CSdMc3A_yctKPLYIawQQrNOncAfOSss/s350/oaktree-mono-2400px.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3KizOmLWoyruuDsSSYU-_cYQRl1bIaXLo_ZE9Tc8Rn9sqPEOLEIMVzVYjcqUCMc00ininQINk27rzr2gwKNzbr_kFDCmtXgxUVvY-KJiRhjtLUS3YLLmRmg-jOzG_r-9ioVP8jzwCml3kUThQ87-obZuSrMb0CSdMc3A_yctKPLYIawQQrNOncAfOSss/w174-h200/oaktree-mono-2400px.webp" width="174" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxrlne9rU2_rEiFE3SyP-ujjoqLtCvGofz6hy5MNVayWm18SkMVxSRmapfMXy2hWVJAs3oKybkauEX3vexBNw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Review Links:</span></span></b><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5582510073">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/</a><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/8bc20dfc-c66b-48e5-9525-64a314addfb2">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews</a><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1738930854">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wnjB7GvO-Q4" width="320" youtube-src-id="wnjB7GvO-Q4"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><br /></span><p></p>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-24270532886081137632023-08-09T19:05:00.150-05:002023-12-30T13:18:48.620-06:00 Before the Devil Knows You're Here by Autumn Krause<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEh_PedzWANU4PF8yFEFLBRQM2-1JkT5-MlK8RBpAVVA7GMtUIW79R2KC6_iDruGMmGF2iRnbojYA8z1QPwVN2wPqd1VLfOhsxeugVIBflwaBz9fxgB43EWkLyIiV6XmgjQATw7_ZYJbkAex8z8m_rA2nFOHrfiv8FqrASxg561PHR0JJ_Ftdb53B7pP-/s346/51PFl-w6GwL._SY346_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="226" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEh_PedzWANU4PF8yFEFLBRQM2-1JkT5-MlK8RBpAVVA7GMtUIW79R2KC6_iDruGMmGF2iRnbojYA8z1QPwVN2wPqd1VLfOhsxeugVIBflwaBz9fxgB43EWkLyIiV6XmgjQATw7_ZYJbkAex8z8m_rA2nFOHrfiv8FqrASxg561PHR0JJ_Ftdb53B7pP-/w261-h400/51PFl-w6GwL._SY346_.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★☆</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: YA Dark Fantasy</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eBook ARC</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 352</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Part dark gothic fantasy, part journey into the bizarre, this delicious blending of tall tales and Latin American surrealism will haunt you as you devour it!</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />1836, Wisconsin. Catalina lives with her pa and brother in a ramshackle cabin on the edge of the wilderness. Harsh winters have brought the family to the brink of starvation, and Catalina has replaced her poet's soul with an unyielding determination to keep Pa and her brother alive.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />When a sudden illness claims Pa, a strange man appears—a man covered in bark, leaves growing from his head, and sap dripping from his eyes. He scoops up her brother and disappears, leaving behind a bird with crimson wings. Catalina can’t let this man—if that’s what he is—have her brother. So, she grabs Pa’s knife and follows the bird.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Along the way, she finds help from a young lumberjack, who has his own reasons for hunting the Man of Sap. As their journey takes them deeper into the woods, they encounter strange beasts and tormented spirits. The more they uncover about the Man of Sap, the more they learn how deeply Catalina’s fate is entwined with his, planted long ago in cursed seeds.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />An enchanting mixture of American tall tales and Faustian elements, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Before the Devil Knows You’re Here</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"> centers a fierce Mexican American poet on a quest to save her brother. Autumn Krause’s vivid, haunting prose and rich symbolism make this a must-read for fans of Maggie Stiefvater and Erin Craig.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: times;">A deliciously dark folk horror for fans of Maggie Stiefvater and Erin Craig, blending the tall tales of Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan with Faustian elements, and centering a fierce Mexican-American poet on a quest to rescue her brother.</span></span></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times; font-size: 14px;">Review:</b></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b>"Sowing seeds of sin, he grows apples of ash."</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b><i>1836 Wisconson, Deep in the Wilderness</i></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Young Catalina and her little brother, Jose Luis, live with their Pa, deep in the forest in a dalapidated cabin. They live a humble and simple little life, but Pa warns them to always be aware. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: times; font-size: 14px;">Considered to be a dangerous creature, the <i>Man of Sap, </i>that roams the forest realms, plants his apple seeds, growing trees across the lands. But there is something different about these apples and the trees they grow upon. The trees whisper to the souls of anyone nearby to come and eat upon its glorious fruit. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: times; font-size: 14px;">This whole story weaves together a tale of family bonds, lost love, and the battle of good versus evil. Temptations abound when wants are desired more than ones needs. </span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Told through two points of view, we are given the story of the <i>Man of Sap, </i>his tale is treachorous and heartbreaking. His character had me feeling so many emotions. The story through the eyes of Catalina brings to life the bonds of family, devotion, and new love. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">The atmospheric setting is detailed, providing a sense of the dark and foreboding that lingers within the forest realm, as the creature roams. Planting, watching, and waiting. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">The prose was captivating and has a beautiful quality that lingers long after reading. Sometimes needing to read passages again, to get lost in the world of words.</span></span></p><p><b style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times; font-size: 14px;">"Life was cruel, certainly. It was filled with bright, ravaging horrors that stun you like a sun flare and secret, quiet wounds that fold against your ribs. It took loved ones from your arms so you breathed hurt like air. But it was also full of mysteries. And there was room in mysteries. Room for things to be different. For them, despite the pain, to be all right."</b></p><h1 class="pdp-header-title text-lg-left text-sm-center mr-md-l ml-md-l mr-sm-l ml-sm-l" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #21282d; font-family: Poynter, Georgia, serif; font-size: 2.08rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px; outline: 0px;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">"<i>Te amo más que nada."</i></span></h1><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Haunting and mesmerizing, I would recommend this gothic, dark folklore to any fan of the genre. Be prepared to let it take you away to a new world. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">(Grab an apple for a snack, thank me later.)</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><ul class="categories expand" style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: Poynter, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">★ "Mesmerizingly told through the eyes of both Catalina and the monster, the book invites readers to travel with characters who are reckoning with greed, fear, and love as they consider what makes a monster—and whether monsters can be redeemed. Highly imaginative and powerfully affecting."—</span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: Poynter, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">Kirkus Reviews, </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-family: Poynter, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Starred Review</span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Poynter, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></li></ul></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><ul class="categories expand" style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 13px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li>*Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy <a class="toggle icon-drop-up-icon-01" href="https://www.edelweiss.plus/#" style="font-size: 10px; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;" tabindex="-1"></a></li><li>*Young Adult Fiction / Fairy Tales & Folklore</li><li>*Young Adult Fiction / Historical / United States / 19th Century</li><li><br /></li></ul></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18061797.Autumn_Krause" style="font-size: 14px;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></div><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Autumn-Krause/author/B07KLHS11X?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Autumn-Krause/author/</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mysterious Galaxy Purchase Link:</b></div><div><a href="https://www.mystgalaxy.com/devil-knows-youre-here-preorder-campaign">https://www.mystgalaxy.com/</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Barnes & Noble Purchase Link:</b></div><div><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/before-the-devil-knows-youre-here-autumn-krause/1142908063?ean=9781682636473">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/</a><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Author Website:</b></div><div><a href="https://autumnkrause.com/">https://autumnkrause.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB3GiTZDnLOf6llPY4eo2FgltWH1BoCjUEnCKLTJca6uvTy3Q1atQjQx6KYlx8X3TvtenjBFYY8NbZQ9QTRQ37z97fn2gofLXby48_w3uEaxoo2PsajhShugq-egkP2oUyGxv6lzOhV7Z2zyIpY1qJyU5ZntlOh1Hpon5ndrEpvPECqWOb0GCipJPy3zx/s200/18061797.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB3GiTZDnLOf6llPY4eo2FgltWH1BoCjUEnCKLTJca6uvTy3Q1atQjQx6KYlx8X3TvtenjBFYY8NbZQ9QTRQ37z97fn2gofLXby48_w3uEaxoo2PsajhShugq-egkP2oUyGxv6lzOhV7Z2zyIpY1qJyU5ZntlOh1Hpon5ndrEpvPECqWOb0GCipJPy3zx/w320-h320/18061797.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Publisher Link:</div><div><a href="https://www.peachtreebooks.com/peachtreeteen/">https://www.peachtreebooks.com/peachtreeteen/</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHvuvxHEtohKR4AjFEL7nPy_ouWra39tH-RjxozWTsbj6fekaMJgGoBVmIyfDRRp3eDVNyqpr_KKUz3r3pOmIrTMGHZH6I6FCoX9oAiNiwD7qB3uJsB3rVtRmzGe1Hm1TlAqR_TQxZkbXRf8N9kK5ctumjo5v7nSS3f9EEbfmYtVeQfBbMBmBqZ4Zojz1/s400/C3SD-fmt_400x400.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHvuvxHEtohKR4AjFEL7nPy_ouWra39tH-RjxozWTsbj6fekaMJgGoBVmIyfDRRp3eDVNyqpr_KKUz3r3pOmIrTMGHZH6I6FCoX9oAiNiwD7qB3uJsB3rVtRmzGe1Hm1TlAqR_TQxZkbXRf8N9kK5ctumjo5v7nSS3f9EEbfmYtVeQfBbMBmBqZ4Zojz1/w200-h200/C3SD-fmt_400x400.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Review Links:</b></div><div><a href="https://tbmhorror.com/before-the-devil-knows-youre-here-by-autumn-krause-dark-gothic-fantasy/">https://tbmhorror.com/</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5703476166">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2256467067">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a></div><div><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/71cbf3e2-cc4d-4a57-9010-2ecfb3a1312d">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a></div><div><a href="https://www.edelweiss.plus/#sku=168263647X&page=1">https://www.edelweiss.plus/</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZC62W0V9I3M" width="320" youtube-src-id="ZC62W0V9I3M"></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-71581556913427347332023-07-30T13:38:00.002-05:002023-12-30T13:18:58.989-06:00Mind Descending by Timothy Friesenhahn<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQlAmdeBaa2X72tH7Ih24OAhLkyKcyc-gAaQU47WF6DwUeLocInnHtZxcH2tmXxObJF9ZcazmwqYpWf68qFK0LM8sfWMSba_RAFWON2TIuhjVYF7E22phdBmpS_8ItakP9jgvU0f-yhfP4jFpPMYtct3WkL_EFL0KA3pTTc66Q8r-XA5NmtM0Ww3PYu-S/s293/21blQyv9x-L._SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="184" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQlAmdeBaa2X72tH7Ih24OAhLkyKcyc-gAaQU47WF6DwUeLocInnHtZxcH2tmXxObJF9ZcazmwqYpWf68qFK0LM8sfWMSba_RAFWON2TIuhjVYF7E22phdBmpS_8ItakP9jgvU0f-yhfP4jFpPMYtct3WkL_EFL0KA3pTTc66Q8r-XA5NmtM0Ww3PYu-S/w251-h400/21blQyv9x-L._SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.webp" width="251" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eBook</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 160</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Mental health issues often go unnoticed, especially by friends and family. Sometimes, tragic outcomes stem from this neglect. Sometimes not only does neglect play a role in the tragedy, but so does past trauma. More times than not, when someone takes their own life, it was from being unheard.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">For Dane it was trauma that aided in his calamity. His own self hatred as he struggled to find himself in a world full of hate. His pain became unbearable after the death of his mother. The guilt ate at his mind and his heart.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Vernon Briggs is an old man, living out the remainder of his golden years. After his wife's death, he is murdered and savagely violated. In death he meets a figure called The Ferryman. The Ferryman requires payment, and Vernon is presented with a second chance. In his second chance he sees life as he never had before.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Dane's guilt and struggle with his sexuality gives birth to his self-hatred. Self-hatred is a demon no one wants to tangle with.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Dane and Vernon's paths intertwine many times as one searches for a chance to reunite with a loved one and the other grapples with a personal demon.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">This is a story of love, a story of pain and violation. This is a story of how quickly one's mind can descend. This is a story that offers a chance of redemption. This is Mind Descending.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">"Feeling his right pocket he thought 'A woman and a boy.' For the boy he loved so dearly was just a boy, in society's eyes. But, in reality, he too was just a boy. A very troubled boy, but one, nonetheless. Life had been hard on him."</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Dane is just a boy. A boy struggling with his emotions, his identity, and the death of the ones he loves. His journey is filled with hidden secrets, heartbreak, and fear. He is filled with self-hatred and suffers trauma that delves him into those dark places of the mind. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Although Dane is the main character , the other characters are interconnected in Dane's life. His mother, his stepfather, his neighbor Mr. Briggs and the one he loves. They are all struggling with their own demons. Illness, depression, loss of life, and sexuality. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">There is also a story within where we are taken to meet the Ferryman. Where second chances are offered and a new look into humanity is presented. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">As the lives are introduced and each unfolding occurs, we are given a heartbreaking story of pain, love, and redemption. And in the end there is found peace.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">"True love has no boundaries. True love doesn't bear the weight of time."</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Hard hitting and heartbreaking, what Tim has written is truly dark, emotional and easily a connection to real life. The inner demons that many struggle to face or confront and keep hidden in the deep recesses of the heart and soul. Those that often cause pain and suffering and causes the mind to descend into the darkest places. But he reminds us that there is love, there is redemption, there is peace and hope. There is light in the darkness and it shines!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">A warning from the author: Respectively: </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">This book contains content not suitable for readers under 18. This book contains triggers. Please be advised that this book contains extreme horror content. Reader discretion is advised.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16265629.Timothy_Friesenhahn">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></span></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Timothy-Friesenhahn/author/B09G988WXZ?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Timothy-Friesenhahn/author/</span></a></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Godless Links:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://godless.com/collections/vendors?q=Timothy%20Friesenhahn">https://godless.com/collections/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://godless.com/products/mind-descending-by-timothy-friesenhaun?_pos=1&_sid=6537e4f2e&_ss=r">https://godless.com/products/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicolsrNV5N2pUQ976KR2ICHYvfq9yVmLh-7W4un5melcbdQ-QeCGRC9k7JceB3rSftRxLOIpC4PXLTtyQyVbSd_MICMnY4Yxni-lx07Jepaz-7zChpDazmjKIFLElaP_vdlG7Cd_-r7HHU19H7sgydTTo5RSrKmD0j5dBerxjQYvSITduGjzyHmKDsdPzX/s960/332374711_3474175379483701_8722680283026021906_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="952" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicolsrNV5N2pUQ976KR2ICHYvfq9yVmLh-7W4un5melcbdQ-QeCGRC9k7JceB3rSftRxLOIpC4PXLTtyQyVbSd_MICMnY4Yxni-lx07Jepaz-7zChpDazmjKIFLElaP_vdlG7Cd_-r7HHU19H7sgydTTo5RSrKmD0j5dBerxjQYvSITduGjzyHmKDsdPzX/s320/332374711_3474175379483701_8722680283026021906_n.jpg" width="317" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5730279158?book_show_action=false">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/b1735f94-e84c-4152-93b7-0f1064ce13da">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://godless.com/products/mind-descending-by-timothy-friesenhaun">https://godless.com/products/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ERAwSIr818o" width="320" youtube-src-id="ERAwSIr818o"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-83382116409143826112023-07-26T15:24:00.012-05:002023-12-30T13:19:10.900-06:00I'll Tell You My Secrets: Camila's Memoir by A. Lopez, Jr. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy6rU4EKnSjKs11BRXLN8DMg_a6hJ6U7bSk3cx6d7pI5wSLm3WjNThGelr2TiUd2RlcivYsaQ9sWZ4ycMqFXnuvVQS0vfTa6S2qgPqwm_mFaFajsVk_waXotU_5dSaA_y27nZ9P6BG008TrJVAsf_E6gwrEx5ZEi5rFfaB6VBIcF1B70yzPROFeyJs8Oz/s499/41I0tq6knDL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy6rU4EKnSjKs11BRXLN8DMg_a6hJ6U7bSk3cx6d7pI5wSLm3WjNThGelr2TiUd2RlcivYsaQ9sWZ4ycMqFXnuvVQS0vfTa6S2qgPqwm_mFaFajsVk_waXotU_5dSaA_y27nZ9P6BG008TrJVAsf_E6gwrEx5ZEi5rFfaB6VBIcF1B70yzPROFeyJs8Oz/w251-h400/41I0tq6knDL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Occult Fiction</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 369</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Synopsis:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">The complete series novel is here!</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />When Camila approached horror author A. Lopez Jr. in 2019, she had no idea that her life was about to change forever. Over the next two years, she shared her family's haunting story, and now, her chilling autobiography is finally here.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">Growing up in a traditional Mexican-American family in Arizona, Camila was an ordinary girl with an extraordinary gift that would ultimately lead her down a dark and sinister path. In this gripping memoir, Camila shares her harrowing journey of coming to terms with her paranormal abilities, as she grapples with the shadows that lurk in her family's home and the malevolent presence that seems to have taken hold of her devout Catholic mother.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: times;">As Camila uncovers the truth behind her family's sinister secrets, she takes readers on a terrifying journey, filled with twists and turns, as she battles to rid herself of her debilitating curse. But with the fear that she may pass on her gift to her young daughter, Camila is left wondering if she will ever be truly free.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">I'll Tell You My Secrets</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"> is a haunting tale, steeped in deeply rooted Mexican-American culture and beliefs, that shines a light on the shadows that exist just beyond the edge of reality. In this work of fiction inspired by true events, this gripping memoir will challenge everything you thought you knew about religion and science, leaving readers with a frightening glimpse into the dark forces that hunger for our souls.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span>Review:</span></b></span></p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">Haunting and heartbreaking, "I'll Tell You My Secrets" by A. Lopez, Jr is a book that will give you spine tingling shivers, have you looking around corners, asking what that noise was, and unsettle you in the best possible way!</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600;">"We live inside her in the darkest of places. This is where souls go to die.”</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">Camila's stories are honestly not easy to read as her life was one of confusion and fear, it is only natural to feel her fear along with her as her stories unfold. To be one so young and to witness such disturbances in her family along with receiving the sight, she grew up in much turmoil. Her father and mother keeping their secrets from her, thinking that it would protect her, only made it much more difficult for her. Feeling isolated and alone, not knowing what she could do to gain some understanding.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">All the darkness she endured lasted throughout her whole childhood and into her adult life. Always being haunted by an evil and sinister presence. Never truly finding a way to escape it. Her mother called it a "curse" and Camila is trying everything to lay it to rest in the hopes that it will not pass on to her daughter and to finally be free.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">Junior sat beside her through her journey of telling her story, giving us insights to their meetings as he recorded and wrote her memoir. It truly took strength to do so, as this is a path through lingering and unrelenting darkness. Utterly chilling darkness! There is no doubt that this would affect anyone. It had an affect on me and I was just the reader! My heart truly broke and it is still lingering. It is not a story I will ever forget as it is seated into my heart and soul.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">I fell in love with Junior's writing a few years ago after reading "Night Dreams: The Complete Series". </span></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: times; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: times; font-size: 16px;">I will say it again.....This. Book. Broke. My. Heart!!</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">Any fan of horror and possession stories, I highly recommend reading this one. This is one that is on my top 10 of 2023.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">"As an authentic story based on true events, I’ll Tell You My Secrets is a gripping autobiography that transports you into a world where demons are real and one girl’s soul hangs in the balance. As a must-read for anyone who believes in the paranormal, this book will challenge everything you thought you knew about religion and science."</i><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;" /></span><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600;">Some things can’t be changed. Some things don’t want to be changed.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b style="color: #181818;">Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5327972.A_Lopez_Jr_">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/A.-Lopez-Jr./author/B0063N7M3Q?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/A.-Lopez-Jr./author/</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://alopezjr.com/">https://alopezjr.com/</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdURGyHvF6h5-NXAo6sGhkdYD5Pt97XpdDV3wkcCaSnmIe8azFbpB5_cY_YWApifLvYGQfi-ud7PjJNw8aAGO_dYEdyApw6r8BG1BcvwQWTdfUZKi6brSr57yKVLRNAIO8n7S0umDRMvW6kqfSIv_qAV26SnuEyKyIjp4cWfBV2xsNyK97JzHEfKOEwI8z/s340/a-lopez-jr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdURGyHvF6h5-NXAo6sGhkdYD5Pt97XpdDV3wkcCaSnmIe8azFbpB5_cY_YWApifLvYGQfi-ud7PjJNw8aAGO_dYEdyApw6r8BG1BcvwQWTdfUZKi6brSr57yKVLRNAIO8n7S0umDRMvW6kqfSIv_qAV26SnuEyKyIjp4cWfBV2xsNyK97JzHEfKOEwI8z/s320/a-lopez-jr.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Publisher Website:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://ace-hil-ink.com/home">https://ace-hil-ink.com/home</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBBYcyiqrBhQmVAdq_vYBwtGQNgrmu-pDS4zSceyFtZcwhtflR0QNCPGL8xX9YO531t04xQc_0wARB5qhrcUMKdzQpzgGcupZ2iZGlt-M4RCr_OD0X9gmhIkVbxC6PtNmV6SMe8A8m1lbmHX4Ks3EvpH_qFtBlQMI3hQMe905OCXMwAxkBpc83rFh9A/s400/rs=w_400,cg_true.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="400" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBBYcyiqrBhQmVAdq_vYBwtGQNgrmu-pDS4zSceyFtZcwhtflR0QNCPGL8xX9YO531t04xQc_0wARB5qhrcUMKdzQpzgGcupZ2iZGlt-M4RCr_OD0X9gmhIkVbxC6PtNmV6SMe8A8m1lbmHX4Ks3EvpH_qFtBlQMI3hQMe905OCXMwAxkBpc83rFh9A/s320/rs=w_400,cg_true.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Link to Book Trailer:</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh3WADZJA1A">https://www.youtube.com/watch</a><br /></span><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bh3WADZJA1A" width="320" youtube-src-id="bh3WADZJA1A"></iframe></span></div><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review Links:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5648279880">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/3148507705">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/1d14624f-f728-4155-81ce-dc86cd68821d">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://tbmhorror.com/ill-tell-you-my-secrets-camilas-memoir-published-by-ace-hil-ink/">https://tbmhorror.com/</a><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Purchase Link:</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ill-Tell-You-My-Secrets/dp/B0C7F51Z96/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">https://www.amazon.com/Ill-Tell-You-My-Secrets/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0yJed_72ypl_gGTFkPjt89eNHw0lA4Jt_cLcdQ4N6svPDeq1ID5dK8VGzn-AKFShnLcXt_O_SLp4vn2E86qIuCj0SwHSt5HnQUD76ATuCBvP20jT39laiVjEgJqcNpRgjEtDmwMva7SUPUnlSWHiE8VBfDUsZTooRLMLENJ8nAMh0YmcAfEKKuqVaeBQ/s1440/361608903_668281205358159_761736282136653069_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0yJed_72ypl_gGTFkPjt89eNHw0lA4Jt_cLcdQ4N6svPDeq1ID5dK8VGzn-AKFShnLcXt_O_SLp4vn2E86qIuCj0SwHSt5HnQUD76ATuCBvP20jT39laiVjEgJqcNpRgjEtDmwMva7SUPUnlSWHiE8VBfDUsZTooRLMLENJ8nAMh0YmcAfEKKuqVaeBQ/s320/361608903_668281205358159_761736282136653069_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: -4px 0px 14px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u9WsZoceais" width="320" youtube-src-id="u9WsZoceais"></iframe></span></div><br /></div></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-84624213489385113042023-07-18T20:17:00.004-05:002023-12-30T13:21:12.820-06:00The Gentleman's Choice by Blake Rudman<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ1ncNgeGsa2cjgwvwU94ZxnZeUpXcnDXEYjD-9bw2U7bSLI0JUhN7B2BpC9ZHV3Cv_8x77XvhsQGx-uW-Zv_Mv9sEm8ZeQ8hg6cFFZf02q_8dLGh-ekrmW7jfNw8iAVfTQ4RR6qQTi2hq9PHrT4T5TLlqyI5tc-8y6Yhmhb3Fv53cZOu5I_sA8Qe8TRb/s425/71ORH-6DZkL._SY425_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ1ncNgeGsa2cjgwvwU94ZxnZeUpXcnDXEYjD-9bw2U7bSLI0JUhN7B2BpC9ZHV3Cv_8x77XvhsQGx-uW-Zv_Mv9sEm8ZeQ8hg6cFFZf02q_8dLGh-ekrmW7jfNw8iAVfTQ4RR6qQTi2hq9PHrT4T5TLlqyI5tc-8y6Yhmhb3Fv53cZOu5I_sA8Qe8TRb/w250-h400/71ORH-6DZkL._SY425_.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Noir Crime/Erotic Suspense</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eBook</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 369</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Read: 07/15/23</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><h4 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Caught in a whirlwind of adverse publicity following a viewer’s death, the streaming show, </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">The Gentleman’s Choice </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box;">becomes the target for a sadistic killer – and it’s up to PI Vanessa Young to put a stop to it before more young women are murdered.</span></span></span></h4><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">A sleazy internet dating show blamed for a viewer’s death, a host with a dark, secret past, and a killer with a sadistic grudge…</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Someone is kidnapping and murdering previous contestants from the popular streaming show </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">The Gentleman’s Choice </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">– a strictly-for-adults hybrid of </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">The Bachelor </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">and </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Love Island</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">. Private Investigator, Vanessa Young, is hired by a victim’s family to infiltrate the show as a contestant to expose and capture the killer.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Vanessa and Cole Gianni, the show’s charismatic star, begin to fall romantically for each other, until Vanessa’s plan goes terribly awry when they’re drugged and taken to a remote location to take part in their captor’s own brutal, ultimately fatal, version of The Gentleman’s Choice.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />With the clock ticking toward their fateful final night, Vanessa and Cole are forced into a battle of wills to survive their tormentor and escape with their lives before it’s too late…</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">"The vibrator looked much smaller than it did on the show, but for Tracy Hickersley, that wasn’t the most important thing at all."</span></b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">"...<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">every single one a man, all middle-aged or older; she’d guessed most of them to be married—made their way to what was purported to be a whole different, unpleasantly grubby world of glory holes and anonymous mutual relief."</span></span></b></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><i>The Gentleman's Choice, </i>an underground streaming dating show. 5 nights with the star of the show, where the sex flows freely, and the contestants want to be voted in to achieve that last night with the star. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">The creator of the show is always looking for ways to up the ratings and gain more viewers, he incorporates what he believes the viewers want to see. He makes it spicey, but the man is also very dicey. He does not really care about the contestants, he only wants the viewers and the money. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">When the contestant's start showing up brutally murdered, he also sees this as an advantage. More controversy, more viewers, more money, that is his ultimate goal.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Cole is the star of the show, he is hot, sexy, and the women want to be the pick for the last night with him. As much as Cole loves being with the women, he is not truly happy, he has dreams for something bigger but is unable to achieve it. He also wants to find love and everytime he gives his heart away that also seems to fail. When he and a contestant are drugged and kidnapped, their lives hang in the balance. They must fight to survive or become the victims of the murderer. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">The premise is so unique and creative. The detailed descriptions throughout awakens the senses of the mind, delving into a spicey and very dark atmosphere. The characters are well developed along with some of them being likable and others detestable, irksome characters. The underbelly of society is a very dark, seedy place, and this story depicts it very well. It also being a noir thriller adds the element of excitement and an adrenaline rush. Dark secrets revealed along the way that adds to the mystery of the characters. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Edgy and suspenseful with intense body horror, graphic scenes of gore, and a thrilling build up to the satisfying climax.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/34188335.Blake_Rudman">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Purchase Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C3S722G1/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/</a></span></p><p><b>Author Website:</b></p><p><a href="https://blakerudman.com/">https://blakerudman.com/</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbVnN0Uvdq6XKpaiRKPeYyWSs0PpuafFxAlav5hhllhRrMHOgsV1bqQDLWJLfKyk7GlfMiAuYYr5ISyXmzzYR0OzMnhSpekE1tXhsr50alp1enULMMfLBu1XrmYjV4u7GsOsB8Bg_w_esRQL4NTwRC1G5IU8RDJvKfcIHci4EK7XsDW-n3P4Yj3hyJefO/s640/RUDMAN.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="640" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbVnN0Uvdq6XKpaiRKPeYyWSs0PpuafFxAlav5hhllhRrMHOgsV1bqQDLWJLfKyk7GlfMiAuYYr5ISyXmzzYR0OzMnhSpekE1tXhsr50alp1enULMMfLBu1XrmYjV4u7GsOsB8Bg_w_esRQL4NTwRC1G5IU8RDJvKfcIHci4EK7XsDW-n3P4Yj3hyJefO/s320/RUDMAN.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Page on Hellbound Books Website:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://hellboundbookspublishing.com/">https://hellboundbookspublishing.com/</a><br /></span></p><p><b style="color: #181818; font-family: times; font-size: 14px;">Publisher Website Link:</b></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://hellboundbookspublishing.com/index.html">https://hellboundbookspublishing.com</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfEsjfqDrAUjZYE-tV2pTCNWxWkm7y2ArSEpKo1nND7Odk3svYDe3pyn3CGEGBKkprbe2Op_2FS0jj0NEVKIRRlyV4bb9_axYAOaVHt-f8MiinC67B5LTgDWLZnC9u8I_e-cdbyjAE69YGyu5Ij9DK0k4rAq8jlgWC1p6M9HMbs96d5cCiOX7TM3k_1B0/s820/343510522_787234056313010_1614945617153126215_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="820" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfEsjfqDrAUjZYE-tV2pTCNWxWkm7y2ArSEpKo1nND7Odk3svYDe3pyn3CGEGBKkprbe2Op_2FS0jj0NEVKIRRlyV4bb9_axYAOaVHt-f8MiinC67B5LTgDWLZnC9u8I_e-cdbyjAE69YGyu5Ij9DK0k4rAq8jlgWC1p6M9HMbs96d5cCiOX7TM3k_1B0/s320/343510522_787234056313010_1614945617153126215_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review Links:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5600903784">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/4020438773">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: times;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/56db463d-51cd-4236-9841-b62c0a6446d3">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #181818;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lDtEMUv5i1U" width="320" youtube-src-id="lDtEMUv5i1U"></iframe></span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><p></p>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-11054441957124342602023-07-09T23:12:00.006-05:002023-12-30T13:21:23.321-06:00Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35RPXM-rc-nxjoPkZ_TRtc1hkRt7PSMpBCA8HTTicfvltvBtO040Fc7jRtLc-1vTtGZ2R84-mP-Su4vsaTRISLPU6wCmfoASv_WUYA6dQu8fc9KkeQAf1vxkFidtIj-UuyNwc0fDvEyywux_qPxWP-Qb84tESYQsc1CoZZtEB20AEdmb7Jy4EAkodFXf4/s425/91BnJ-5qEYL._SY425_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="277" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35RPXM-rc-nxjoPkZ_TRtc1hkRt7PSMpBCA8HTTicfvltvBtO040Fc7jRtLc-1vTtGZ2R84-mP-Su4vsaTRISLPU6wCmfoASv_WUYA6dQu8fc9KkeQAf1vxkFidtIj-UuyNwc0fDvEyywux_qPxWP-Qb84tESYQsc1CoZZtEB20AEdmb7Jy4EAkodFXf4/w261-h400/91BnJ-5qEYL._SY425_.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Occult Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback ARC</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 352</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Red: 07/08/23</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">St. Vincent's Orphanage for Boys.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Turn of the century, in a remote valley in Pennsylvania.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Here, under the watchful eyes of several priests, thirty boys work, learn, and worship. Peter Barlow, orphaned as a child by a gruesome murder, has made a new life here. As he approaches adulthood, he has friends, a future...a family.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Then, late one stormy night, a group of men arrive at their door, one of whom is badly wounded, occult symbols carved into his flesh. His death releases an ancient evil that spreads like sickness, infecting St. Vincent's and the children within. Soon, boys begin acting differently, forming groups. Taking sides.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Others turn up dead.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Now Peter and those dear to him must choose sides of their own, each of them knowing their lives ― and perhaps their eternal souls ― are at risk.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>"All of life is a great gift," he says. "Not because of what it gives us, but because of what it allows us to give others."</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><i>Harris Valley, Pennsylvania, 1898</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">We are introduced to Peter as a nine year old boy. A time when he lives through a childs worst nightmare. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><i>St. Vincent's Orpahanage, Deleware County, Pennsylvania, 1905</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Peter is now 16 years old and has been living in an orphanage with many other young boys. They are being cared for and raised by the priests who run the orphanage. Their life is hard as there is lack of care and food. They must follow the order of rules or they will suffer harsh and brutal punishment. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">As winter is approaching with a harsh winter storm, some unexpected visitors arrive late in the night, one of which whom is wounded and upon death. As the priests fight to save not only his life but his soul, his death was imminent and it causes an ancient evil to be unleashed. It now becomes a fight for survival and a fight for their souls. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Peter is the MC and his character is phenomenal. A young boy struggling with the decision between priesthood or following his heart for young love. He is a protector of all the other young boys and a true friend to all. The boys easily worm their way into ones heart as they struggle through their daily life and when it all starts to fall apart, it becomes so heartbreaking. The boys are very fragile and impressionable and many are affected by the evil. Will they lose their souls?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">The beautiful prose is captivating, the characters engrossing, and the atmosphere foreboding and chilling. From the begining there is a sense of dread and it builds throughout with d</span><span style="font-family: times;">isturbing moments that unsettle the mind and shreds at the heart. The ending broke me as my tears flowed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Darkly macabre, absolutely ingenious!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/701084.Philip_Fracassi">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Amazon Author Link:</span></b></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Philip-Fracassi/author/B000APLIRE?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true"><span style="font-family: times;">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Philip-Fracassi/author/</span></a></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://pfracassi.com/">https://pfracassi.com/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9scsM6yO0Ls9ISNfRFC2TgZXqid9x_9udKthyenCUtITi_H_Y2-lPdLtQlAPSRqMPUa28az7P17C8j6dKr_75cVbQiHOizDH3uxGLI5hqjWv7GkOjN3jvIcsL9BOKoVz1BADtATp4StdL633kjp0vi8_rhAhp_5pUPvtGSbNiKaSFv6eC354xLPd9Y_uq/s1080/6usn1t6fk7q36ik4kvnt90njvo._SY1080_CR0,0,1080,1080_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9scsM6yO0Ls9ISNfRFC2TgZXqid9x_9udKthyenCUtITi_H_Y2-lPdLtQlAPSRqMPUa28az7P17C8j6dKr_75cVbQiHOizDH3uxGLI5hqjWv7GkOjN3jvIcsL9BOKoVz1BADtATp4StdL633kjp0vi8_rhAhp_5pUPvtGSbNiKaSFv6eC354xLPd9Y_uq/s320/6usn1t6fk7q36ik4kvnt90njvo._SY1080_CR0,0,1080,1080_.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Publisher Link:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://tornightfire.com/">https://tornightfire.com/</a><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLgogNzgyKcNAj7-_f87Nu0S7Ohr4jE5Sw_o1Wzn5L3cZp3tz_HDmxH0XinnDS1ypzoJOo62MLyssieEoU9qocJa2j7xpcvGhacw9jIkrBrwjNJ5ONZ436y5OOIgTDNLO03iAuo8pzS9lzUSS2YLk-CQQngiEWwDI2TRQUv8-1HOdCswTDzDZp05iSupf/s280/215915008_807074713503430_133370201054820779_n.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="280" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLgogNzgyKcNAj7-_f87Nu0S7Ohr4jE5Sw_o1Wzn5L3cZp3tz_HDmxH0XinnDS1ypzoJOo62MLyssieEoU9qocJa2j7xpcvGhacw9jIkrBrwjNJ5ONZ436y5OOIgTDNLO03iAuo8pzS9lzUSS2YLk-CQQngiEWwDI2TRQUv8-1HOdCswTDzDZp05iSupf/s1600/215915008_807074713503430_133370201054820779_n.png" width="280" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Review Links:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4336357948">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/802015817">https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://www.theboldmom.com/boys-in-the-valley-by-philip-fracassi/">https://www.theboldmom.com/</a><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/c251a8e1-9fd7-46c3-a8d0-64365bca0963">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZL1LBle8rTI" width="320" youtube-src-id="ZL1LBle8rTI"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6g0kjWb2tWLZiMGzfNM8Ee6q8njblRaa2__qM5EYujBOMf5oSzXWeiuPxTud1ZQUrtxQNRjyNwVySEjnVZph_n72OkLmSorsqXQ81KpDVrxiURGj6R96Nys5n2KQdx-E5I_jIBxz64BuvWYp2DzntEy0eUTCHMlZtmgL2R1EBjFFozgkm9j3gzfqDJOXp/s4191/20230701_133114.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4191" data-original-width="3451" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6g0kjWb2tWLZiMGzfNM8Ee6q8njblRaa2__qM5EYujBOMf5oSzXWeiuPxTud1ZQUrtxQNRjyNwVySEjnVZph_n72OkLmSorsqXQ81KpDVrxiURGj6R96Nys5n2KQdx-E5I_jIBxz64BuvWYp2DzntEy0eUTCHMlZtmgL2R1EBjFFozgkm9j3gzfqDJOXp/s320/20230701_133114.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-2672893734741354992023-06-30T17:30:00.003-05:002023-12-30T13:21:34.675-06:00Sweet, Sour, & Spicy by Bridgett Nelson<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAHbYmrefymkoxpjooaeREYXrFjb44FHmZt-E-I-XTKc9KtQ5HO1bwsAHw0d2SPNQfZRAUHLEEgBhC7_8hOFejQ9lHRquvBMZe7HUxrUmNDmH4kDKWKRlLaGnYKTiawfZzxv7iebcW_VMgIwbCWSOhFcu_XU9Q8cgXz23PSpChlHDGg0MQ1lAJgNqgjRU/s500/51BEvY29LVL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAHbYmrefymkoxpjooaeREYXrFjb44FHmZt-E-I-XTKc9KtQ5HO1bwsAHw0d2SPNQfZRAUHLEEgBhC7_8hOFejQ9lHRquvBMZe7HUxrUmNDmH4kDKWKRlLaGnYKTiawfZzxv7iebcW_VMgIwbCWSOhFcu_XU9Q8cgXz23PSpChlHDGg0MQ1lAJgNqgjRU/w250-h400/51BEvY29LVL.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Horror Short Stories</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 145</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Read: 06/28/23</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">From the two-time Splatterpunk Award-nominated author of the breakout collection </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">A Bouquet</span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;"> </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">of Viscera</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"> comes three grisly new tales—one </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">sweet</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">, one </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">sour</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">, and one </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">spicy</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Sweet:</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"> In “Bark Off,” Arlo must battle an angry, vengeful spirit, but gets some surprising help from his lifelong best friend…Clyde the pug.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Sour:</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"> “Giggly,” tells of a deranged serial killer on the loose, who has a special affinity for a unique—and heinous—weapon.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Spicy:</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"> In "Rewards," Brad and Ty are thrilled by the completely unexpected sexual games their girlfriends Oaklyn and Isla want to play...until things go much too far.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Dive into this macabre literary buffet from Bridgett Nelson! It’s sure to satisfy every craving…</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>"I have some new friends I'd like you to meet."</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">A fantastic collection of short stories that will have you feeling all the emotions!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">"Sweet"~ Softening you up...A vengeful, haunting ghost appearing from the realms of the dark. She is out for revenge from a past of unsettling occurrences. When she threatens a family, their sweet little pug protects them with all of his might. (I may have teared up a little!)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">"Sour"~ Brace yourself...A serial killer with a heinous desire for extracting a womanly body part. (This one had me squeezing my legs tightly together!) Brutal and exciting read with a surprise ending. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">"Spicy"~ Now some sex you can enjoy! (At first...) Two girls. Two guys. A weekend getaway with expectations of lots of sex and summer fun in the sun, but the girls have some very unexpected plans for their boys. These girls mean business and their boys will suffer through their darkest desires. ( Erotic and savage!) If you're not blushing, you'll be cringing!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">From "oh so sweet to holy shit" these three short stories are super entertaining and darkly disturbing!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Sweet, vile, disturbing, and bloody disgusting. A book of horrific delights!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Bonus: Striking cover, wonderful illustrations, great formatting, and the included story notes.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b>Goodreads Author Link</b>:</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20514027.Bridgett_Nelson">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bridgett-Nelson/author/B08D36NFNP?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bridgett-Nelson/author/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b>Author Website:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://bridgettnelson.com/">https://bridgettnelson.com/</a><br /></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40NmnO_I2yqGFcqE5t-YpCuf7hzFvEftV9PVh0V7hs9MpH0zTfU4xC9-8UHzlJuWRa_taO8RIV_JMalUX5EMhBn_ejUSRbO0knhtP3KM7iT6dCQVCjkVIekeYaO-x0lnGVemvDPy_Jautm0-ZalHMz87OGpMZ7qdhxo7ER5qGHm6N8AwoT0Jbtx9Gdhi_/s933/20514027.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="502" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40NmnO_I2yqGFcqE5t-YpCuf7hzFvEftV9PVh0V7hs9MpH0zTfU4xC9-8UHzlJuWRa_taO8RIV_JMalUX5EMhBn_ejUSRbO0knhtP3KM7iT6dCQVCjkVIekeYaO-x0lnGVemvDPy_Jautm0-ZalHMz87OGpMZ7qdhxo7ER5qGHm6N8AwoT0Jbtx9Gdhi_/w171-h318/20514027.jpg" width="171" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><b>Review Links: </b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5657350247">https://www.goodreads.com/review/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/52425730-a197-4287-aa1d-39b46745d57e">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v2AC41dglnM" width="320" youtube-src-id="v2AC41dglnM"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4oDeYxeA-HxWIxmGMZ89_ues95Ww0y9l5hZ2m6RHBKf6SjL5udowRTaS4HRbboGv5gHBbu_gF8jAtR4Q3wGAmUkrVyLsqZz2IgNucXtvsmpBar8LYOdJO7k37Obj_ippZTH0KTcjbct-PXAVOor1bLQW7hLGh6JZlxZmkn62sl3GWkECbwXq_D0DCxQe/s3350/GridArt_20230630_130617527.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3350" data-original-width="3020" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4oDeYxeA-HxWIxmGMZ89_ues95Ww0y9l5hZ2m6RHBKf6SjL5udowRTaS4HRbboGv5gHBbu_gF8jAtR4Q3wGAmUkrVyLsqZz2IgNucXtvsmpBar8LYOdJO7k37Obj_ippZTH0KTcjbct-PXAVOor1bLQW7hLGh6JZlxZmkn62sl3GWkECbwXq_D0DCxQe/w360-h400/GridArt_20230630_130617527.jpg" width="360" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><p></p>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-27413175365246494672023-06-26T11:29:00.004-05:002023-12-30T13:21:44.875-06:00What The Fuck Was That? by Bridgett Nelson<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWavSTvbNjxFQutogy72UCF0Zxhgf_u8OuUeUH2UWur_9su0rhVisr2_ndI_xlIE4iKWcCqzGLpMc2lZudut6J9pvSmuft6ujJAylOeO_7h5YskOgZ70-b1YdHZrcE5gzRh8M-umuK0rJr1my1mP8eXEd91c5sr6kF-gmHseDqV8PJtu8rz80_aB3r3CWr/s293/51ZRzqyy0KL._SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="184" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWavSTvbNjxFQutogy72UCF0Zxhgf_u8OuUeUH2UWur_9su0rhVisr2_ndI_xlIE4iKWcCqzGLpMc2lZudut6J9pvSmuft6ujJAylOeO_7h5YskOgZ70-b1YdHZrcE5gzRh8M-umuK0rJr1my1mP8eXEd91c5sr6kF-gmHseDqV8PJtu8rz80_aB3r3CWr/w251-h400/51ZRzqyy0KL._SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.webp" width="251" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Horror Short Stories</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: Paperback</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 158</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Read: 06/24/23</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Bridgett Nelson, the two-time Splatterpunk Award-nominated author of the hugely popular </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">A Bouquet of Viscera</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">, has three deranged stories to tell that all you freaks are sure to love!<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />In </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">“Getaway,” </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">four college friends go on a beach house vacation in an Outer Banks town. The allure is that it’s off-season and the town is completely deserted...so why is there a loud knock on the door in the middle of the night?<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />In </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">“Scars,” </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">a famous author holds a contest to have characters named after his biggest fans. But after the book is published, the fans begin to die in the same way as their characters...<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />In “</span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Belong</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">,” Briony has dealt with an obsessed stalker her entire life. Just when she thinks he’s finally gone, all hell breaks loose…and Briony is no longer the only victim.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />So enjoy! But if you share this book with the normal people in your life, be prepared to hear “What the fuck was that?”</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">These three excellent, short stories will have you reeling in anticipation to find out the endings. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">"Getaway" will take you on a dreamy vacation. Friends spending time together, enjoying their youth, sharing memories, and creating new memories. There purely for enjoyment and a good time. Strange things begin to occur and everything turns into a nightmare. A great slasher with a surprising, horrifying ending!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">"Scars". The readers dream contest, chosen to be characters in a book written by their favorite author. Little do they know it was a huge mistake to enter. A myterious whodunit will want you figuring out who the killer is and the reasons why.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">"Belong". Lifelong friends since kindergarten, their friendship bond is strong until those teenage years arrive. Those awkward years of trying to fit in, make new friends, and hormonal changes. Feelings change and friendships fall apart. What once was, no longer exists, life becomes a lifelong nightmare and a fight for survival. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b>"We'll always be together, and do you know why? Because you belong to me."</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">These were all so great and so well written. Each with there own unique story inside with shocking twists and surprising endings that were absolutely perfect. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Terrifying, darkly sinister, disturbing, and horrifyingly delightful in all the best ways!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Bonus: Fantabulous covers, wonderful illustrations, and excellent formatting!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20514027.Bridgett_Nelson">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bridgett-Nelson/author/B08D36NFNP?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bridgett-Nelson/author/</a></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Author Website:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://bridgettnelson.com/">https://bridgettnelson.com/</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwiQNjUqdh1dxT2AYGzyb4vbeYvNGoUGTHE7UroyT4vRIokJ6jq6XURw6ZRkD2hgXJv0CSO7wEL4h1mYObFnXKZnNZQGBLTr6NjQRg_Sfdo3qTJz_Bumqk6SwyjY3OWrb8gh326BKFx-VTlMBzBsHnekFxyH9M1cr2jUqT7o5alDF5_EBPFx51lgJIKu2/s993/tv65pievb2khqq1j08a6rqgk1l._SY993_CR0,0,993,993_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="993" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwiQNjUqdh1dxT2AYGzyb4vbeYvNGoUGTHE7UroyT4vRIokJ6jq6XURw6ZRkD2hgXJv0CSO7wEL4h1mYObFnXKZnNZQGBLTr6NjQRg_Sfdo3qTJz_Bumqk6SwyjY3OWrb8gh326BKFx-VTlMBzBsHnekFxyH9M1cr2jUqT7o5alDF5_EBPFx51lgJIKu2/s320/tv65pievb2khqq1j08a6rqgk1l._SY993_CR0,0,993,993_.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b>Review Links:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5611271242">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/73307a63-9a7a-4d7d-b2e5-d745ed44afb2">https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/</a><br /></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JLddPX2ViL4" width="320" youtube-src-id="JLddPX2ViL4"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYu6RL4RIZ7SvmgmKUr56JprbCoFUY6adXVX_USRx3dbfyIYlmb0KlUXhpQMBWevOxmuULs9B-KE0frC6uC9rdqtMMvOnBCn15np7twX8yHtBT8yOmBS-V19Ruv2ooZISAwyYPPpMkuVGqN_TVhZWJwE42iFa4MUryjzD-zXV6lAVwr4NXv68jJ0abziG/s4149/20230625_111707%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4149" data-original-width="3468" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYu6RL4RIZ7SvmgmKUr56JprbCoFUY6adXVX_USRx3dbfyIYlmb0KlUXhpQMBWevOxmuULs9B-KE0frC6uC9rdqtMMvOnBCn15np7twX8yHtBT8yOmBS-V19Ruv2ooZISAwyYPPpMkuVGqN_TVhZWJwE42iFa4MUryjzD-zXV6lAVwr4NXv68jJ0abziG/w334-h400/20230625_111707%20(1).png" width="334" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146424442438468744.post-51078032461239222702023-06-25T13:53:00.002-05:002023-12-30T13:21:53.830-06:00Feel Her Pain by Nat Whiston<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmL5eHpKKJ-SeF4W3WJYp07DCITCmFDfrrneWL_41SFIpzMr9GrM4k2aZaVrzBh93qNnXGC5aaVLr-_OJvucrPq-Po6D1iDzLkKOP_t1xgPGZXLyhjMYiddsO_Yi2VoqV6Y0F4TYU8-CFeuizAb-JIQbtE64oN-BoWJiZKudChyWatsREDvjIjvbStuj8F/s346/41-MUKAN93L._SY346_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="230" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmL5eHpKKJ-SeF4W3WJYp07DCITCmFDfrrneWL_41SFIpzMr9GrM4k2aZaVrzBh93qNnXGC5aaVLr-_OJvucrPq-Po6D1iDzLkKOP_t1xgPGZXLyhjMYiddsO_Yi2VoqV6Y0F4TYU8-CFeuizAb-JIQbtE64oN-BoWJiZKudChyWatsREDvjIjvbStuj8F/w266-h400/41-MUKAN93L._SY346_.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Rating: ★★★★★</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Genre: Psychological Horror</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Format: eBook</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Pages: 77</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Read: 06/24/23</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: times;">Synopsis:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">What would you do if your body started to communicate with you after years of pain if it gave you the option to make it stop? Would you take it? This is the choice Calico Roberts has to make, after years of brutal torment from her own chronic health condition. If you were in this much pain, suffering this much...would you accept that this is your life?</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">A shocking body horror from the Author of 'What's Eating You,' and 'The Wilderness'. Comes a horror based on real-life event.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><b><span style="font-family: times;">Review:</span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Witness a story about living with debilitating pain. The kind of suffering that no one can really understand unless they are going through it. It keeps a person from truly enjoying life as it holds the control over ones body. Never knowing when it is going to rear its ugliness and the hopelessness takes over. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">The fight to get through it and not let the darkness take over. Longing for relief from the pain. Desperately imploring for help, feeling as if no one is truly listening or hearing the painful cries deep from within.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">There is much to be admired for someone who pours their heart and soul into sharing a story of ones own suffering. It takes bravery and strength. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">With that being said the story is fictionalized, as well. The character giving into the darkness, wanting nothing more than relief from the pain. Listening to the voice telling her to commit atrocious acts of violence and other disgusting, horrifying things. Longing for release from the pain, but paying a hefty price in the end.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><b>"All I wanted was to be free of the pain and live a normal life. Find love, have children, be like everyone else."</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: times; font-size: 14px;">Truly heartbreaking! </span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">My heart is with you, always!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b>Goodreads Author Link:</b></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21816011.Nat_Whiston">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/</a><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><b>Amazon Author Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nat-Whiston/author/B09D8P3XXK?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nat-Whiston/author/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RfwU3ejGYAeRdPZRbr2gU8urSnOVncgWrXvpygQdHhHSoqa42Ll11cP45nV4GiWFeNlVXtqOu6ytaQh76S2RHC-4TYjx_fan93OIhqUQr4lFA99MbyKCMahaTSpEaCoo-bnibi_BfUf9TjZMLU18dZg7Z5xgxFpVZw2ngsWt4frgssiuqAGCUaRlyJ_v/s1080/mte9qms5rd7ighvrdk6t6op0de._SY1080_CR0,0,1080,1080_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RfwU3ejGYAeRdPZRbr2gU8urSnOVncgWrXvpygQdHhHSoqa42Ll11cP45nV4GiWFeNlVXtqOu6ytaQh76S2RHC-4TYjx_fan93OIhqUQr4lFA99MbyKCMahaTSpEaCoo-bnibi_BfUf9TjZMLU18dZg7Z5xgxFpVZw2ngsWt4frgssiuqAGCUaRlyJ_v/s320/mte9qms5rd7ighvrdk6t6op0de._SY1080_CR0,0,1080,1080_.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><b>Review Link:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5540774515">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/</a><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3YxaaGgTQYM" width="320" youtube-src-id="3YxaaGgTQYM"></iframe></span></div><p><br /></p>Karla's Literary Kornerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18299240972517449760noreply@blogger.com0