Review: The Knight's Daughter by S.H. Cooper

 Disclaimer: I received a copy of The Knight's Daughter from author S.H. Cooper in exchange for a honest review of the book. All opinions are my own.

I don't typically read YA, but the premise of this story grabbed my attention and when the author asked for reviewers, I jumped at the chance to read it. I was not disappointed one bit. This is the type of female protagonist I wish I could have read when when I was younger and looking for one in the fantasy series I was reading at the time. I love the character of Mary, especially her strength and determination to save her father. I am so thrilled that this is the first in a series of books, because I was so sad when the book was over and it was time to leave Mary and her family.

5/5 Stars

Review: Devil's Night by Curtis M. Lawson

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Devil's Night from author Curtis M. Lawson in exchange for a honest review of the book. All opinions are my own.

I knew nothing of the tradition of Devil's Night or the folklore of the Nain Rouge or the Hobo Pig Lady, so I was instantly intrigued by the concept of this story. I was hooked by the end of the prologue Lawson wove to capture the mood of the book and knew I wouldn't go to sleep until I finished reading the whole book that night. 

The stories were scary, original, and fit together seamlessly for this book. Some were full of heart (D20) and some were truly heartbreaking (Through Hell for One Kiss).  Even when I thought I could guess the ending of the story, I was thrown for a loop. To have this many stories take place all over one city in one night, takes a masterful grasp of story telling, and Curtis Lawson has it.

5/5 Stars

Review: The House on Blackstone Hill by Antonio Ricardo Scozze

Disclaimer: I purchased a kindle version of The House on Blackstone Hill for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

On first glance at the cover, you may think this is just another haunted house book. You would be sadly mistaken. I sat down with this book one night last week and didn't put it down until I finished it the next morning. It is that good. Right up front, this wasn't a completely easy read for me. In fact, I would suggest a trigger/content warning for anyone who wants to read this book due to domestic violence, child rape, and incest. It is not for the faint of heart. The book starts off chronicling the life of Adam Long, a journalist whose career is riding high until a link is discovered to a catch-and-kill piece about Jeffrey Epstein he was responsible for over a decade earlier. This career misstep is but the first in a series of events that lead Adam, his wife Ava, and their two small children, into making the house on Blackstone Hill their new home. Adam is obsessed with possessing the house on Blackstone Hill no matter the cost, be it his sanity, the lives of his family, or even his own life. Upon more research, Ava learns the dark history of the mansion they now call home. She is determined to save her family from the darkness within the house on Blackstone Hill. Antonio Ricardo Scozze is a masterful writer. In the prologue, he gives a scholarly account of the paranormal entities that inhabit our world that are beyond our belief. As a narrator within the story, Scozze's technique changes from that of world weary scholar to match the tone of our protagonists seamlessly. In researching this novel, I decided to look up Antonio Ricardo Scozze. I couldn't find any previous works by him listed online, but I did find a blog and a YouTube channel, as well as various social media links. From the wording of his foreword to The House on Blackstone Hill, it seems we may have more stories from Scozze in the future. I am very much looking forward to seeing what comes next.

5/5 Stars

Review: Some Kind of Monster by Tim Waggoner

 Disclaimer: I received a copy of Some Kind of Monster from author Tim Waggoner for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

I was hooked from page 1!  This story is about one young woman's hunt for death after experiencing a life of loss and grief and the surprising result of when she finds actually it.  This story is a roller coaster ride from beginning to end and you will never be able to predict the ending. It had a very satisfying ending, and yet, I still want to know more about what happens to her in the future.

I would also like to add a trigger/content warning for those who are sensitive to stories with self-harm and who may have suicidal ideation.

/5 Stars

Review: The Science of Women in Horror by Meg Hafdahl and Kelly Florence

Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of The Science of Women in Horror for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

 As a fan of horror movies, I have always studied the role women play in them. The authors did their research, including numerous examples of female representation from film and television history.

Each section of the book is centered around a trope: The Mother, The Virgin, The Gorgon, The Final Girl, and The Healer. Other sections discuss themes such as sex, revenge, hysteria,  and more. The sections of the book are broken up into essays and interviews with women in the horror industry, as well as examples of tropes being depicted in movies and television like The Babadook, Psycho, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Haunting of Hill House.

I appreciated not only the opinions of the interviewees in the book, but also the authors also allowing for a different view, so that true discussions can be had about the subjects. I also enjoyed the diversity of the interviewees involved in this book. I particularly agreed with authors and interviewees in the need of an increase of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ representation in the horror industry.

The book was thoroughly enjoyable and I feel I learned a lot from the authors. I probably would have finished reading it sooner had I not stopped to watch a few of the movies they mentioned in it. 

5/5 Stars