They Move Below by Karl Drinkwater

They Move Below: & Other Dark Tales by Karl Drinkwater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 398

Publisher - Organic Apocalypse

Blurb from Goodreads

Horror lives in the shadows.

It exists under the earth’s surface in ancient caves; below the vast sea’s undulating waves; under dense forest cover; within a storm’s thick, rolling clouds; downstairs in our homes, when we hear the knife drawer rattle in the night. Even our minds and bodies harbour the alien under the skin, the childhood nightmares in our subconscious.

In this collection of sixteen tales Karl Drinkwater sews flesh onto the bones of our worst fears whilst revisiting some of horror’s classic settings, such as the teen party, the boat in trouble, the thing in the cellar, the haunted museum, the ghost in the machine, and the urban legends that come true. No-one is safe. Darkness hides things, no matter how much we strain our eyes. And sometimes those things are looking back at us.


My Review

I never pick up short stories as a first choice, it is very rare I like them although master King is always the exception. However, I read a Drinkwater novella before, a few years ago, and as he is horror/spooky this collection fits perfectly for my October reads so I thought I would give it a whirl.

Sixteen creepy short stories that will have the hair on the back of your neck standing, holding your breath and listening out for things that go bump in the night. I didn't love all sixteen, one or two I found only ok however the majority of them left me creeped out and back to how I felt back in the days when I first read horror. I love when an author recommends or mentions another author's work within a story, he did this with Koontz and I bought the book as I want to know the rest of the tale.

I would be had pushed to pick a favourite however of the lot I think "Just Telling Stories" two 'friends' in a hotel room freaking each other with scary tales which is something we used to do as kids. And "Claws Truth Forebear" a story that will have you feeling claustrophobic whilst the characters struggle through enclosed spaces and examining the consequences of ones actions. Some of the others are quite dark too but these two stuck out for me.

Drinkwater has the knack of creating a tense and terrifying atmosphere that draws in the readers and creeps them out almost from the get go. Some of the stories are only a handful of pages long whilst others have a bit more meat. I have read this author before and I will read him again, if you like a bit of freak and a good scare this is the book for you, 4/5 for me this time.

View all my reviews

Second Chances by Connie Stephany

Second Chances by Connie Stephany
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - <5 hours

Pages - 163

Publisher - Lulu

Blurb from Goodreads

A year after being dumped on her wedding day, Abby Simon was still left wondering what had gone wrong. It made Adam almost impossible for Abby to get over. Since then, Abby had been on a series of dates that usually ended in disaster, and she was ready to just give up on men entirely.

When Abby unexpectedly runs into an old crush she hasn’t seen in thirteen years, she can’t help but notice he’s hotter than ever. Max wouldn’t give her the time of day back then, but to her total surprise, he seemed very interested in her now.

Just as things are heating up with Max, Adam shows up claiming he still loves Abby and leaving her was the biggest mistake of his life. Adam finally gives Abby answers as to why he left and is asking for another chance.

Abby must now make the biggest decision of her life…which man deserves a second chance?


My Review

Abby Simon is our main character, left one year ago by her fiance Adam, on the day of their wedding she is now getting her life back to normal. She has her own cafe called "Dessert first", proud to call her own and mouth watering desserts made by her own hand. Kept busy with the job, surrounded by good friends and family, things are going well despite being talked into a blind date by well meaning loved ones. The last thing Abby is expecting is a blast from the past and someone who makes her considering dating again. Just as things warm up nicely with Max, her out of reach teen crush, when Adam shows up and may be finally ready to tell Abby what happened to break her heart and cancel the wedding!

It has been a while since I have had a book from a self published author, due to time constraints and education commitments, as well as being burned in the past from it. I picked up this book with trepidation, you never know what to expect with a new author, self published or otherwise. However Mrs Stephanie was lovely from the first contact and I could do with a change so accepted.

It isn't the norm for me to comment on the cover however, I feel I must. Pink loving girlies, you will love the cover, it is screaming pink and has a wee fabby cupcake, one on the front and one on the back cover. The book is chick lit, fluffy and fairly light so the cover is a good representation of this, I believe the author also created it herself which is something to be commented on.

The story itself goes from mostly present time, to back in time to either Abby's younger years or meeting Adam or the wedding morning. The time jumps are done well, clearly signposted and relevant to the chapter you are reading when it goes back. Second Chances is about a woman broken hearted, left with lots of unanswered questions, now one year Abby is moving on and a blast from the past is just what she needs. Typical, just as things are going good and moving on, Adam is back on the scene and Abby may get the answers she has wanted to hear for so long, but how will this impact on her new relationship?

Oooh I always say chick lit is not my genre at all, I would much rather horror, crime, gore and thrillers. However, this is yet another chick lit I have devoured and really enjoyed! For a debut author and self published without a professional editor, Connie Stephany has done really really well with this book. The characters are really easy to get on board with and for the most part, like, although I dislike Adam!

I would definitely read this author again and look forward to her next book in the series, 4/5 for me this time. Thanks so much to the author for introducing me to her work and sending me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review. This book is available to buy from Amazon or directly from the author.

View all my reviews

ARR - The Visitors by Rebecca Mascull

The Visitors by Rebecca Mascull
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 247

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Blurb from Goodreads

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 56 ratings · 19 reviews
Imagine if you couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't speak... Then, one day, somebody took your hand and opened the world up to you.

Adeliza Golding is a deaf-blind girl, born in late Victorian England on her father's hop farm. Unable to interact with her loving family, she exists in a world of darkness and confusion; her only communication is with the ghosts she speaks to in her head, whom she has christened the 'Visitors'. One day she runs out into the fields and a young hop-picker, Lottie, grabs her hand and starts drawing shapes in it. Finally Liza can communicate.

Her friendship with her teacher and with Lottie's beloved brother Caleb leads her from the hop gardens and oyster beds of Kent to the dusty veldt of South Africa and the Boer War, and ultimately to the truth about the Visitors.

Rebecca Mascull's first novel is the tale of a wonderful friendship, but it is also a thrilling adventure, a heartbreaking love story and a compelling ghost story.


My Review

The story opens with our main character, Adeliza (Liza) Golding and takes us from the moment she is born up to and throughout her adult life. After birth she describes seeing the visitors, which turn out to be ghosts although she doesn't cover too much detail here. We are then told about how she comes to be deaf and blind and how this affects her behavior as she is growing up. She is angry, aggressive and almost feral in her frustration and loneliness until she is 6 years old and a chance encounter with Lottie changes everything. Lottie teaches Liza how to communicate which impacts upon her quality of life and opens up a new world for her. The book is then focused upon her becoming an adult, the war and how this affects her life and relationships.

The first part of this book moved me, if you have a family member or friend who is blind or deaf I think you may feel the same. Having someone who is so isolated and being helpless to do anything about it, I could appreciate how that must be for Liza's father although that isn't heavily featured in the book. How Lottie manages to change Liza's whole life, with patience and giving her the means to communicate was beautiful. Her experiences and how everything changes through having access to talk to others and seeing the character bloom was just wonderful.

The next part focuses on her interactions as an adult, her character growth, war and the visitors. As a child she meets and is taken with Caleb, Lottie's twin brother. As war is coming he is caught up in that and writes home to Liza and Lottie about what he sees and experiences which takes the novel down a darker path. Whilst the letters gave a stark look at the horrors seen whilst out in the field during war and they were interesting, they were a world away from the style and theme of the beginning of the book. I think some readers may like this contrast however for me I would have preferred it to be delivered maybe in a different format?

The ghost aspect is quite different, Liza isn't sure how she can see them when others cannot. What is the purpose to it, why her? Some questions are answered but not all and whilst this generally irks me when I am reading, I didn't mind the unanswered questions as you discovered answers along with Liza and accept her view point on it all, well I did.

I think this is a well written debut novel and can't describe how, on a personal level, watching the beginning of a new world opening for Lottie warmed me. It was a delight to read and I don't think I have read anything like it before. This writer has so much more to share with the reading world and I hope she continues to write, I will certainly be looking for any new material from her, 4/5 for me this time.

View all my reviews

A.R.R - Loving Terese by Ju Ephraime

loving teresa by Ju Ephraime
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 2 days

Blurb From Amazon

A steamy contemporary adult romance novel set in the French Caribbean island of Martinique. Step into a world of jealousy, intrigue and passion as Ju Ephraime takes us to the French Caribbean island of Martinique, where the men are passionate and the women equally so. Where passion for breakfast is the rule rather than the exception....

My review

Despite the blurb, I thought this was going to be an island romance type with some mystery - maybe something like a Jackie Collins however it is an erotic novel. The story is set on the beautiful French Caribbean island Martinique. Whilst holidaying with her friends Terese falls in love with the stunning Foxx, athletic soccer player and all out hottie. However she leaves him behind in a state of anger and confusion with no explanation, only to return two years later. Why did she leave, why has she come back and even more important - what will Foxx do.

There is a lot of descriptive sexual content in this book, mostly in graphic descriptions about how Terese's body is responding to something Foxx says or does. Her effects on him and to be honest a huge portion of the book is dedicated to their yearnings and contact. There is a small story underneath it all with some violence and double crossing but all in all the majority of the books focus is on the physical side of their relationship.

The twist with the bad guy I saw coming from very early on in the book and to be honest there wasn't any surprises (for me anyway) as the story progressed. I am not sure if the book was written in english first so maybe a lot got lost in translation or if this style of writing just isn't for me. I am sure this will be a huge hit with many people but it just wasn't for me, thank you so much to the author for giving me the chance to read their work though - 2/5 for me this time.

View all my reviews

A.R.R - The Forsaken by Estevan Vega

The Forsaken by Estevan Vega
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 2 days

Blurb From Goodreads

DON'T LET IT IN.

The first victim has no natural wounds. No prints left behind. No lacerations. But the life has been gruesomely drained from the corpse, and a broken cross is now imprinted inside the skin.

Left for dead a year ago by his former partner, reckless and medicated Detective Jude Foster now endures mindless therapy sessions in order to be given another chance at his life.When the chief of police discovers the first victim strangely killed in this sadistic fashion, Jude enters a dark world all-too-familiar. He knows he’s seen this method of murder before, but he never caught the killer.

Could this be a copycat, or is it the one that got away?

Forced to take on a new partner for the case, Jude must come to terms with the fractured memories of his past, attempt to keep his younger brother safe, and chase down a ghost killer who is collecting human souls. But time is against him. How many more victims will there be before the killer is satisfied? And will Jude Foster be able to survive this new hell or in the chaos, will he risk becoming something else entirely?

My Review

Where to start! Detective Jude Foster is our main character and in a bit of an emotional state. He is back on duty after being left for dead by his partner and a whole mystery surrounding the partners disappearance. Bodies are turning up at an alarming rate and have a distinct link to a series of killings that previously went unsolved. Is it the same killer or just a copy cat? the bodies seem to be drained, a shell of their former selves and something supernatural is involved. Jude just needs to find the what, how and why and stay.

I actually liked the start of this book and some parts of it throughout but a lot of the time I found myself having to reread parts as I felt I was missing out on key parts of the story. It jumps around a fair bit too, some of the characters visit their past and why they are the way they are now but the chapters aren't headed so it takes a bit of getting used to it to figure out what has happened.

The supernatural aspect of it is original and some of it is explained, however for me there was so many parts I was left wondering actually how did that happen, where did it come from and the way of it all which isn't explained(sorry it is vague but I don't do spoilers). I know plenty of people will love this, it has a bit of everything - intrigue, murder, mystery, religion and demons. I found it interesting but hard going with it jumping around so 2/5 for me. Thank you so much to the author for introducing me to their work and giving me the opportunity to review this book.

View all my reviews

ARR - Ugly Beautiful by Seanpaul Thomas Cairns

UGLY beautiful by Seanpaul Thomas Cairns

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Time Taken To Read - 3 hours

Blurb From Amazon

Jason, a tormented soul and small town, womanizing gangster, double crosses his only friend and does a runner with a suitcase full of drug money, disappearing into the heart of the gorgeous Scottish highlands to lay low in a secluded cottage and start a new life.

On his second day of hiding out Jason discovers the mysterious body of a young and hauntingly beautiful woman lying unconscious at the bottom of a nearby hill. The woman though has no memory of who she is or how she even ended up there. So Jason carries the beauty back to his cottage, tenderly nursing her back to health and gradually gaining her trust and friendship by confessing his own past crimes, misdemeanors and infidelities, while also coaxing the woman to unravel her own forgotten past and tormenting mad visions... But doing so without the hindsight of the chilling, terrifying and sickening horrors which are about to be unleashed.


'Strong language and graphic scenes of violence in parts.'

My Review

First thing I have to say this novel starts with some pretty bad language and the theme stays for most of the book (I felt this was overdone and didn't really add to the story to be honest). Jason is a thug, a small time gangster who basically screws over his partners and does a runner with the money. Whilst hiding out he finds what he thinks is a dead body only to discover a beautiful woman who has no memory of who she is or what has happened. what follows is a journey of self discovery for Jason and an abundance of horror you couldn't imagine.

The book goes along at an ok pace but your sitting not sure of which direction it is going to go or if your going to like it. The skin crawling, stomach turning side of the book comes out well over the half way mark and if you liked movies like the hills have eyes, hostel etc you will love what follows.

I did like that your not left hanging and most of everything is explained for you. I didn't like the overuse of bag language which doesn't normally bother me but in some parts it just felt overdone and not required. The writing itself is easy reading and the story whilst it has undertones of something else going on isn't hard to follow which is always a bonus. Overall it had it's moments but if you like gore and graphic scenes this is the book for you and at only £0.99 on amazon.co.uk (kindle) it is definitely worth a read, 3/5 for me.

Thanks so much to the author for introducing me to his work and giving me the opportunity to review this book. I would be tempted to read something by him again.

View all my reviews

ARR - What Were Once Miracles Are Now Children's Toys by Ira Nayman

What Were Once Miracles Are Now Children's Toys by Ira Nayman

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Time Taken To Read - Around a month, dipping in and out of it

Blurb From Goodreads

Without fear, favour or the faintest connection to a universe that makes sense, Alternate Reality News Service reporters strive to bring you the most interesting, informative or least expensive news from the multiverse. This new collection of science fiction journalism includes news articles about: -a world in which the best way to cure cancer may be to negotiate with individual diseased cells; -a project to collect, rebuild and reanimate the atoms that made up Albert Einstein's body (so far, they have most of his ankle ); -China avoiding a war with the United States (without firing a shot) by repossessing the American military in payment of the country's debt; -a woman suing General Motors for palimony, claiming that the corporation, legally a person, was the father of her child. This volume also contains a seven-part behind-the-scenes look at the Alternate Reality News Service called "The Weight of Information." What Were Once Miracles Are Now Children's Toys: because, now, more than ever, if you don't like this reality, choose another one Praise for the previous Alternate Reality News Service book, Alternate Reality Ain't What It Used To Be "T]his is a great little volume to leave lying in the bathroom. Or on the coffee table. Anywhere people might pick it up to leaf through. And if you do, you won't be able to stop at just one entry." - Charles de Lint, Books To Look For, Fantasy and Science Fiction "Thanks for the terrific book I love it." - Andrei Codrescu, author of The Posthuman Dada Guide: Tzara and Lenin Play Chess Ira Nayman has written radio plays, film and television scripts, produced a short film and is the creator of the offbeat humor website Les Pages aux Folles. Mr. Nayman received his M.A. in Media Studies from the New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. in Communications from McGill University. He grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. When he is not being funny all over the place, Mr. Nayman teaches New Media at Ryerson University. Publisher's website: http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/WhatWereOnceMiraclesAreNowChild...


My Review

I have been on this book for the best part of a month, dipping in and out of it as I couldn't read it continuously. The book consists of one chapter dealing with the head office at the alternate news headquarters and alternates between that and a chapter of random newspaper articles.

Their is no introduction, you are just thrown right into the story(s) - the newspaper articles you don't need to have read any of the others as they are unconnected (from what I remember). The headquarters does have a few characters that you get to know briefly along the way but there is no real story.

It is a tongue in cheek book with silliness pretty much being the theme which will strike a cord with a lot of people but it just wasn't for me. I just couldn't get into it. I like to know how things came to be and what the point to it is - you don't get this with this book. I am sure it will be popular with readers who like randomness and silliness but I personally need some kind of context in my books. Sadly there was nothing I liked about this book at all so can only give it a 1/5 rating. Thanks to the author for giving me the chance to try and review his work.

View all my reviews