tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14128167100415746252024-03-08T22:22:37.507-05:00Buttonholed Book ReviewsYou may be accosted into some great reading; thereupon, I welcome you to Buttonholed Book Reviews ~ ranging from the ghastly literary fiction of mystery, thrillers & suspense to contemporary literary writings ~
You might find your next author to enjoy & uncover your next treasured readJeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-69274523414916066262023-12-31T21:04:00.000-05:002023-12-31T21:04:52.108-05:00What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman ~ 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNFBILW3iRX59JyqaIhvXi8Hui4nzjpWoTXtec26mTRixVOzWMQIXIr69OJj-BJQqwnPLeVjFudtM5QFnAWBY49HVtlUFXqcxtizrAca-EZ2u2Xw1hyphenhyphenTopCrddv7_P-HvihmInbP0QGqZbzY_I6n4trun8nvRbf56VWr2DsO7E7iGS3D9IkuIsL8UKtgB/s400/whatkindofmother.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNFBILW3iRX59JyqaIhvXi8Hui4nzjpWoTXtec26mTRixVOzWMQIXIr69OJj-BJQqwnPLeVjFudtM5QFnAWBY49HVtlUFXqcxtizrAca-EZ2u2Xw1hyphenhyphenTopCrddv7_P-HvihmInbP0QGqZbzY_I6n4trun8nvRbf56VWr2DsO7E7iGS3D9IkuIsL8UKtgB/s320/whatkindofmother.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sometimes, all the time,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">all you need is a mother's love.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: Clay McLeod Chapman</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publisher: Quirk Books (September 12, 2023)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publication: September 12, 2023</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pages: 304</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Language: English</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">ISBN-13: 978-1-68369-380-2</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Designed by: Elissa Flanigan</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Production management by: John J. McGurk</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cover photography credits: Shutterstock/studiovin; Shutterstock/Simon Annabelle;</span></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Shutterstock/neitbrucewillis; Shutterstock/Karelian; Shutterstock/Christin Lola</span></div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Interior photography credit: Shutterstock/Bokeh Blur Background</span></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /> </div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">5 Stars</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFCxCEjpg5zrQ-mx5AzTdbkmAF4o9A4rLFCi4Aoz66y1lWXCO6bzuDGpzmoWigzsnDCv9N9rO3MXcP8uRLYWXJyb-HbYLNbVBfJqr-pt1u115mpk3DgNf6f3B44MeB66zP4mYS_-gxx_rsBpu393V4mpOm0E3tChePdkJT7YoucU3tfkGqwDr-mPYYUcB/s474/Clay1.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFCxCEjpg5zrQ-mx5AzTdbkmAF4o9A4rLFCi4Aoz66y1lWXCO6bzuDGpzmoWigzsnDCv9N9rO3MXcP8uRLYWXJyb-HbYLNbVBfJqr-pt1u115mpk3DgNf6f3B44MeB66zP4mYS_-gxx_rsBpu393V4mpOm0E3tChePdkJT7YoucU3tfkGqwDr-mPYYUcB/w200-h200/Clay1.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Clay McLeod Chapman</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sat down yesterday and read this little gem of a read and thought, you know Jeff, I think I'll stop writing book reviews. Instead, start a blog for book recommendations.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, Clay McLeod Chapman's latest novel is a horror story disturbing enough to cringe any seasoned horror reader. A missing child is at the heart of this tale, and you can feel the power of love radiating off these pages in the quest to find an end to what happened.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">A short synopsis for you:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">After Madi Price is thrown out of the house by her father because of an unplanned pregnancy and a slammed door in her face from Donny, the baby's future father, she embarks as a single mother. Later, she is forced to return to her hometown of Brandywine, VA with her seventeen-year-old daughter Kendra, to start a life she really wasn't expecting.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Madi becomes a palm reader at the local farmer's market, where you meet my favorite book characters. Auntie Millie, Charlene, and Mama May are the town's most resourceful wellhead of gossip. I pictured them so well, talking the talk so well cemented as truth according to them, their dialog made me smile every time their names popped up. She is also reintroduced to an old high-school flame, by the name of Henry McCabe.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Henry, a reclusive fisherman nowadays has a son, Skyler, who went missing 5 years ago, and is bound and determined to find him. He has been handing out and pinning up posters of his child believing Skyler is not dead, but everyone in town thinks differently. His belief solidifies when Madi reads his palm.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">That particular reading changes Madi's life and everyone she loves—permanently. The visions are powerful, and she starts to wonder, does she really have psychic abilities? Is Skyler really out there needing to be found? This whole tale is filled with dynamics of broken families and the need to reassure themselves that, in the end, all will be okay. Keeping hope alive, trying to put substance in that word - okay.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>Folks, this is a supernatural horror tale done with vivid depictions you can taste right off the pages. </span>The tale starts off in a light air and turns dark. Very dark. This is a five-part read, with the point-of-views done alternating between the main characters of Madi and Henry. As the story moved to the end, the body horror writing was exceptionally well done by the way. The epilogue caged up the one missing loose thread I had in the back of my mind with a dedication and a beautiful poem. Let's just say it was touching, okay? Okay.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The tone of this tale was one of suspense and horror that would burrow itself into one of your orifices and feed. In fact, the prose and the nursery rhymes that peppered the tale were exceptionally well done. From beginning to end, the writing will keep you turning pages. That is not meant as a cliche.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">During the whole read, I kept asking myself, what kind of mother? What really happened to Skyler's biological mother, Grace? Where is Madi's mother? Is Madi a proud mother to Kendra? Is Kendra happy and content with her mother? Then, there is the father's role. Both mother and father could take their turns bathing the child, changing the child, putting the child to bed, holding the child when he's teething/crying, and let's not forget the child's feeding times. You know, parenting can be very exhausting.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">And do things happen in threes? Is three a magical number? Why is the number three throughout this tale? All these questions were answered and, I was satisfied. In threes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">There is so much more between the lines of this tale, that you the Reader will be having your own inter-monologue with yourself. You might feel some distance from some of the choices these characters make, compared to what you might have done. There are instances that I would have done differently. You might have your opinion on psychics or even believe what my favorite characters say is true and indeed fact. All in all, there is so much more in this tale than what is written. You'll see. Or, feel it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, read this tale. Get scared. Get spooked. It is one of the best of 2023 IMHO</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div>I recommend it folks. Highly recommended.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>✒ ✒ ✒</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>What Kind of Mother</i>:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-Kind-Mother-Clay-Chapman/dp/1683693809/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2738FVNBVGWJB&keywords=what+kind+of+mother&qid=1704044061&s=books&sprefix=%2Cstripbooks%2C3904&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $18.60 ~ Paperback $16.99 ~ Kindle $12.99 ~ USD</li><li><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-kind-of-mother-clay-chapman/1142833344?ean=9781683693802" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardback $21.99 ~ Paperback $16.99 ~ eBook $12.99 ~ Audiobook $19.95 ~ Audio CD $36.95 ~ USD</li><li><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local bookstores</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">About the author:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlarJNnROL3rui52Tp7hE1qd6y5RcP9wwOyHT8vlJ-NC0zJhA1a1QJFcvuFWvdUp2OCrth-TAlTb0f1WD0ziFl0zS9OVRwryKbUnvA9Hg0_C3GDgIdD8UegwRmqsQOBXoHb2dadNtnaFD8sWE-2Tm9i2mVe_dhyphenhyphenE1NnYTNdRNoBZBSu6vGzmlTCEvlkWv3/s474/Clay2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="474" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlarJNnROL3rui52Tp7hE1qd6y5RcP9wwOyHT8vlJ-NC0zJhA1a1QJFcvuFWvdUp2OCrth-TAlTb0f1WD0ziFl0zS9OVRwryKbUnvA9Hg0_C3GDgIdD8UegwRmqsQOBXoHb2dadNtnaFD8sWE-2Tm9i2mVe_dhyphenhyphenE1NnYTNdRNoBZBSu6vGzmlTCEvlkWv3/s320/Clay2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Connect with Clay</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/claymcleodchapman" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/claymcleod" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.claymcleodchapman.com/">https://www.claymcleodchapman.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>“Like a demonic angel on a skateboard, like a resurrected Artaud on methadrine, like a tattletale psychiatrist turned rodeo clown, Clay McLeod Chapman races back and forth along the serrated edges of everyday American madness, objectively recording each whimper of anguish, each whisper of skewed desire. This is strong stuff, intense stuff, sometimes disturbing stuff, but I think the many who admire Chuck Palahniuk will admire Chapman as well.”—Tom Robbins, author, of Still Life with Woodpecker</div><div><br /></div><div>Clay McLeod Chapman is the author of the novels Ghost Eaters, Whisper Down the Lane, The Remaking, and Miss Corpus, story collections Nothing Untoward, commencement, and Rest Area, as well as The Tribe middle-grade series: Homeroom Headhunters, Camp Cannibal, and Academic Assassins.</div><div><br /></div><div>Upcoming projects include Quiet Part Loud, a 12-part horror podcast series from Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions, written by Chapman and Mac Rogers, exclusively on Spotify beginning on November 15, 2022.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chapman’s story Late Bloomer was adapted into a short film, directed by Craig William Macneill. An official selection at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, the short won Best Short at the Lake Placid Film Festival and the Brown Jenkins Award at the 12th Annual H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival.</div><div><br /></div><div>Their second short, Henley, based on the chapter “The Henley Road Motel” from Chapman’s novel Miss Corpus, was an official selection at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. It won Best Short at the 2011 Gen Art Film Festival and the 2011 Carmel Arts and Film Festival. The Boy (SXSW 2015), a feature-length adaptation of Henley, co-written with director Macneill, was produced by SpectreVision (Elijah Wood, Daniel Noah, and Josh C. Waller) in 2015.</div><div><br /></div><div>In comics, Chapman is the writer of the Marvel series Scream: Curse of Carnage. He has written Absolute Carnage: Separation Anxiety, Iron Fist: Phantom Limb, and Typhoid Fever, as well as for Edge of Spider-Verse and Venomverse, The Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man, American Vampire, Scream: King In Black, and ORIGINS among others.</div><div><br /></div><div>He is the creator of Self Storage (451 Media) and Lazaretto (BOOM! Studios).</div><div><br /></div><div>Chapman is the creator of the rigorous storytelling session The Pumpkin Pie Show. In the twenty years of its existence, it has performed internationally at the Romanian Theatre Festival of Sibiu, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, New York International Fringe Festival, Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Edmonton Fringe Festival, Minnesota Fringe Festival, Dublin-based thisisnotashop art space, IGNITE Festival, Women Center Stage Festival, and Impact Theatre Festival.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chapman wrote the book for Hostage Song (music & lyrics by Kyle Jarrow). He is the author of such plays as Commencement, The Cardiac Shadow, and Volume of Smoke. His story monologues Birdfeeder, Undertow, and The Wet Echo have been featured in The Best American Short Plays anthologies.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chapman was educated at the North Carolina School of the Arts for Drama, the Burren College of Art, and Sarah Lawrence College. He currently teaches writing at The Actors Studio MFA Program at Pace University.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✒ ✒ ✒</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-83707524886242163392023-12-27T21:41:00.000-05:002023-12-27T21:41:18.552-05:00101 HORROR Books To Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie "Mother Horror" Hartmann ~ 2023<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdkI30Yz76DHw8k0PR7CWSxl3P_PRshRX9khiHq69lmTPUn-lpcXyEcadZPBVw1-TH0UMBASURw8QGBSMdC0-A9OAEzkqoqnofDZ1h7wTP5Gn3CxpGOUZ14QeisGW0xm_KJ7jErCzl8ZbSDpAOXgtQVqTVOZPV50EH8mkpLSQ6VCnE6YR8eItrS7r8S_j/s609/101horrorbooksSadie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdkI30Yz76DHw8k0PR7CWSxl3P_PRshRX9khiHq69lmTPUn-lpcXyEcadZPBVw1-TH0UMBASURw8QGBSMdC0-A9OAEzkqoqnofDZ1h7wTP5Gn3CxpGOUZ14QeisGW0xm_KJ7jErCzl8ZbSDpAOXgtQVqTVOZPV50EH8mkpLSQ6VCnE6YR8eItrS7r8S_j/s320/101horrorbooksSadie.jpg" width="249" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">For horror fans of all ages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">new to, and, old to</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">modern horror writers of our time</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Author: Sadie "Mother Horror" Hartmann</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Publisher: Page Street Publishing (August 8, 2023)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Publication: (August 8, 2023)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Pages: 168</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Language: English</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">ISBN-13: 978-1-64567-780-2</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">ISBN-10: 1-64567-780-X</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Forward by Josh Malerman</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Illustrations by Marco Fontanili</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Cover and book design by Rosie Stewart for Page Street Publishing Co.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">101 Stars</div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0NLjMKGjab37oYF-sF3pIDpInQvJrNkKG8k9OdvBa_M__pFWETnwl0HBmp-y4mTgg945Mb_L7GW8c4EVNc4J7beN1JI6PZuFElcdhqXNj69rgUlfZM1b8rtPhx1r-wZ9j0YDoZXlHXmWHeEElAn7uQbaC2TCCm26-eAkYSNaPKzcLYtYDF6eJFfC-VR1/s600/Sadie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0NLjMKGjab37oYF-sF3pIDpInQvJrNkKG8k9OdvBa_M__pFWETnwl0HBmp-y4mTgg945Mb_L7GW8c4EVNc4J7beN1JI6PZuFElcdhqXNj69rgUlfZM1b8rtPhx1r-wZ9j0YDoZXlHXmWHeEElAn7uQbaC2TCCm26-eAkYSNaPKzcLYtYDF6eJFfC-VR1/w200-h200/Sadie.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sadie Hartmann<br />a.k.a.<br />Mother Horror</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;">An absolutely phenomenal must-have for all horror fans of the supernatural and paranormal reading genre. Including monsters of the unbound imaginations of these authors, you are in for a treat, once your fingers start to turn these pages.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">You might have read many of these authors. Might be, you have read all of them. Might be, you have read a handful. Hell, might be, that you have only heard of a few and never gotten around to tasting their work. No matter the case, these are the books Mother has for you if you are willing to do the reading before you're murdered. Just sayin'.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank her when you see her.<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Opening the cover, Josh Malerman welcomes all horror readers to Sadie "Mother Horror" Hartmann and her spectacular bibliography condensing thousands of reads of modern horror writers, down to 101 (before you're murdered) with such an air of subtle finesse, just as Sadie welcomes you on how she came about on <i>how</i> she wrote this book—This book was written with you in mind, dear Reader.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank her when you see her.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sadie explains with clarity this 5 part book is filled with honest recommendations, along with a handy-at-a-glance reference guide. She mentions a few reads that are well-known in the horror genre, but, there not in here. She doesn't like them. Period. This book is filled with honest recommendations of books she likes. She also throws caution to you readers that not all horror is suitable for all readers as she mentions you can research content warnings before you begin a new book. Mother Horror keeps you in mind, dear Reader.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank her when you see her.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Her Table of Contents covers 5 parts:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Paranormal - Haunted Houses, Ghosts, Creatures and Cryptids.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Supernatural - Demons & Possession, The Occult & Witchcraft, Cosmic Horror.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Human Monsters - Coming-of-Age, Grief, Loss & Death, Cults, Slashers & Serial Killers, Body Horror, Creepy Kids, Crime & Investigation.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Natural Order Horror - Apocalyptic, Dystopian & Sci-Fi, Eco-Horror</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Short Story Collections</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: georgia;">Including ten Author Spotlights, you can't go wrong. This is a hell of a book. I've been there and got that ripped T-shirt, and with my head slowly nodding back and forth, had a shit-eatin' grin on my face page after page. This is a hell of a book, and so glad I have a copy. Authors I have heard of and yet have not tasted their work have made it on this list. Hunger has set in.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">My palette needs to be sated.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm going to thank her when I see her.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I highly recommend it folks. Highly.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>101 HORROR Books To Read Before You're Murdered</i>:</span></div><div><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Horror-Books-Before-Youre-Murdered/dp/164567780X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2W57DV6HRCHSM&keywords=101+books+to+read+before+you%27re+murdered&qid=1703719172&s=books&sprefix=101+books+to+read+berfore+youre%2Cstripbooks%2C7031&sr=1-1" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Paperback $18.28 ~ Kindle $11.99 ~ USD</span></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/101-horror-books-to-read-before-youre-murdered-sadie-hartmann/1142008136?ean=9781645677802" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble </a>~ Paperback $21.59 ~ eBook $11.99 ~ USD</span></li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local bookstores</span></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">About the author:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDQJUXEZlrFH2ietgA2y0Dl1FY2K1ckiaYd69fteXzKZj7Y53WaXjC8ze2DG4sRSI_iXEa5j1b91nVtVzI4_RjsNb-perNTyNFS1-8kFqa9Wfw88MvHthfOOOxIjJH0-3N3GLKAFpIWr20ioMzSVGO3KE856ealv3xP3cWIVHpaRdPfRoaYLFM37lUBJB/s534/sadie-hartmann-_mother-horror_-post-author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDQJUXEZlrFH2ietgA2y0Dl1FY2K1ckiaYd69fteXzKZj7Y53WaXjC8ze2DG4sRSI_iXEa5j1b91nVtVzI4_RjsNb-perNTyNFS1-8kFqa9Wfw88MvHthfOOOxIjJH0-3N3GLKAFpIWr20ioMzSVGO3KE856ealv3xP3cWIVHpaRdPfRoaYLFM37lUBJB/s320/sadie-hartmann-_mother-horror_-post-author.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Check out Mother Horror</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">@</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://nightworms.com/" target="_blank">Night Worms</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">&</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://darkmattermagazine.shop/pages/dark-hart-books" target="_blank">Dark Hart</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sadie Hartmann is the co-owner of the horror fiction subscription company Night Worms, and the editor-in-chief of her own horror fiction imprint, Dark Hart.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Born and raised in the small town of Grass Valley, CA, she now makes her home with her husband of 20+ years in the Pacific Northwest where they celebrate cloudy days, stare at Mount Rainier, eat street tacos, and hang out with their three kids.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">They have a Frenchie named Owen.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div></div><div><p></p></div></div></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-79642330537755786972023-10-25T13:22:00.001-04:002023-10-25T14:29:04.782-04:00Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar ~ 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPiwD-IxdvHtxT8fp-hAfGXM81fW3EQIeaUDUDMPw7tZkqUyUqpGXROF6vhzifPMXdeHW2GOocPIZ_-GvsEL-cLh-nlEu23XtExwF1gHLzT3X4XfQhsw8c7y8NMyd6Xbea9chnoc8Xhp_Pt3p3DRvPD7FFt10Du0REzBt3euqhk3tcBIABYmkxuvMkm6hy/s425/BecomingtheBoogeyman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPiwD-IxdvHtxT8fp-hAfGXM81fW3EQIeaUDUDMPw7tZkqUyUqpGXROF6vhzifPMXdeHW2GOocPIZ_-GvsEL-cLh-nlEu23XtExwF1gHLzT3X4XfQhsw8c7y8NMyd6Xbea9chnoc8Xhp_Pt3p3DRvPD7FFt10Du0REzBt3euqhk3tcBIABYmkxuvMkm6hy/w264-h400/BecomingtheBoogeyman.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Spectacularly phenomenal </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><br /></div><div>Author: <a href="https://richardchizmar.com/" target="_blank">Richard Chizmar</a></div><div>Publisher: Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.</div><div>Publication: Gallery Books (October 10, 2023)</div><div>Pages: 448</div><div>Language: English</div><div>ISBN: 978-1668009161</div><div>Jacket design by Anna Dorfman</div><div>Jacket illustrations by Adobe Stock</div><div>Author photographer: Carly Albright</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>5 Stars</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcAyS1jcz--MKSeNdIN2zPWm-JIqvfX9y6Z7GjOxMC6b9xyJTJ1wVtR9yk0LJDh10-LtGcH9p7kXc4vQQsQ5zWDqfmYbJ4sVdM5r2pe0h190tfjy1ABYCVrtr0N8Qn7wJq9_6rY1vymXnOlkGGqI3bACfiyuHBjDp2BZHvjCot_fvzo8KmA8OpkJGPYVvq" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="241" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcAyS1jcz--MKSeNdIN2zPWm-JIqvfX9y6Z7GjOxMC6b9xyJTJ1wVtR9yk0LJDh10-LtGcH9p7kXc4vQQsQ5zWDqfmYbJ4sVdM5r2pe0h190tfjy1ABYCVrtr0N8Qn7wJq9_6rY1vymXnOlkGGqI3bACfiyuHBjDp2BZHvjCot_fvzo8KmA8OpkJGPYVvq=w241-h320" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard Chizmar</td></tr></tbody></table>After reading this sequel to <i>Chasing the Boogeyman</i> I sat this book down and smiled. I've been telling folks, that the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Richard Chizmar has a dynamite gig going on with his Boogeyman. Or, the fear of <i>his </i>Boogeyman he had in his youth;</div><div><br /></div></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="text-align: left;">or still has.</div></span></div></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I enjoyed how he took his family, his pups, and close friends on a dangerous ride with his Boogeyman and his followers. And the price he paid for it. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">All unintentional, of course.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, this highly anticipated horrifying novel from Gallery Books could be a stand-alone read if you have not read <i>Chasing the Boogeyman</i>, but, I do highly suggest that you read them in order to maximize the effect you'll receive when reading the last pages of each.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The 'gig' Chizmar has going on is the epitome of how you can create fictional characters and real-life characters and envelope those characters into real-life events surrounding the narrator's </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">nostalgic</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> childhood memories, his love for true crime stories, his current life as a best-selling author, and fiction.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Chasing the Boogeyman</i><span style="font-family: georgia;">, Joshua Gallagher was convicted, through DNA, of committing four horrific murders and imprisoned for life. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">After writing his sensational best-selling novel, Richard Chizmar is getting a taste of what life is like as a celebrity. And all the while, thinking he is helping law enforcement and the public as a whole by conducting interviews with a serial killer that only wants to talk with him. Trying to get Gallagher to open up and quite possibly admit to other victims will be a road Chizmar might not have wanted to travel.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The tale opens up 30-some years after, Joshua Gallagher, a.k.a. T</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">he Boogeyman, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">has been imprisoned for the grisly murders he committed back in the eighties with a copycat killer picking up right where Joshua had left off. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Out walking his dog one morning, Richard finds a black garbage bag closed with duct tape.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">You guessed it, the bag has a body in it, or parts thereof, now, the front of his house is a crime scene.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And as it begins . . . </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The crime and the subsequent murders throughout the story are all connected to the first murders, but, then they start pointing to Chizmar. Why is the copycat killer targeting Richard? Or, is he?<br />Did Chizmar go off the deep end and into the abyss of being a madman? Is he doing the deeds of murder?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">As in the first installment of The Boogeyman, this too, is complete with excerpts of media posts from social platforms, message boards, interviews he had with Gallagher, and black-and-white photos of the crime scenes, buildings, and victims all to deepen the enigma of what is actually real from what is fictional. </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div>With sublime writing, Richard takes you on a journey where you cannot decipher real from unreal. Period. You'll be asking yourself throughout the book many questions, and you'll be Googling many addresses and places. Yep, I did.</div><div>Loved this format he created: metafiction with a twist. What an enjoyable read.</div><div><br /></div><div>The conclusion in this second installment is wrapped up satisfyingly with a definite promise of a third book.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>✒ ✒ ✒</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Recommend?</div><div><br /></div><div>Not only do I recommend, but I also highly suggest ~</div><div><br /></div><div>I also highly suggest joining our Zoom meeting with Richard on<br /><br /></div><div>October 26th at 6:00pm EST</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In part of the <a href="https://www.henderson.lib.oh.us/" target="_blank">Henderson Memorial Public Library</a> in Jefferson, Ohio<br />and myself</div><div><br /></div><div>Click the link and join!</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Join the Zoom Meeting</div><div><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89707337922" target="_blank">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89707337922</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Meeting ID: 897 0733 7922</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>✒ ✒ ✒</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Becoming the Boogeyman</i>:</div><div><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Boogeyman-Richard-Chizmar/dp/1668009161/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZFZW4WAZA3C3&keywords=becoming+the+boogeyman&qid=1696705057&s=books&sprefix=becoming+the+boogeyman%2Cstripbooks%2C116&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $26.09 ~ Kindle $14.99 ~ Audio CD $39.99 ~ USD</li><li style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/becoming-the-boogeyman-richard-chizmar/1143030243?ean=9781668009161" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble </a>~ Hardback $28.99 ~ eBook $14.99 ~ Audio CD $39.99 ~ USD</li><li style="text-align: left;">IndieBound ~ Support your local bookstores</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">About the author:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><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/a/AVvXsEiz9pOObSkq7cPTevJVYKuxO4C-5QoHfv3sV_SYOEE83X3GM8xuqXJedUaa1g9xlLXOu1HbvI6jYkBcV-lQGoklizI6TN9l1zhR3fxYsxr2L8RBgfb9Il5pWjxkQleyhPd4fuGruIZVTO7ypVmkf6wMXc0Y9Bwr3lf-B_Gbh35bu_5folwwSkUOs4Fc7BQM" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="216" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz9pOObSkq7cPTevJVYKuxO4C-5QoHfv3sV_SYOEE83X3GM8xuqXJedUaa1g9xlLXOu1HbvI6jYkBcV-lQGoklizI6TN9l1zhR3fxYsxr2L8RBgfb9Il5pWjxkQleyhPd4fuGruIZVTO7ypVmkf6wMXc0Y9Bwr3lf-B_Gbh35bu_5folwwSkUOs4Fc7BQM=w216-h320" width="216" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Game on</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Connect with Richard</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/richardchizmar" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardChizmar" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/Richard_Chizmar/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://richardchizmar.com/cemetery-dance-publications/" target="_blank">Cemetery Dance Publications</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://richardchizmar.com/">https://richardchizmar.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2144918599065279/about/" target="_blank">Richard Chizmar Fan Page</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(set up by his readers)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.stephenkingrevisited.com/" target="_blank">Stephen King Revisited</a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">RICHARD CHIZMAR is a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Amazon, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He is the co-author (with Stephen King) of the bestselling novella, Gwendy’s Button Box, and the founder/publisher of Cemetery Dance magazine and the Cemetery Dance Publications book imprint. He has edited more than 35 anthologies, and his short fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including multiple editions of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA’s Board of Trustees award.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chizmar (in collaboration with Johnathon Schaech) has also written screenplays and teleplays for United Artists, Sony Screen Gems, Lions Gate, Showtime, NBC, and many other companies. He has adapted the works of many bestselling authors including Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Bentley Little.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chizmar is also the creator/writer of the online website, Stephen King Revisited. His fourth short story collection, The Long Way Home, was published in 2019. With Brian Freeman, Chizmar is co-editor of the acclaimed Dark Screams horror anthology series published by Random House imprint, Hydra.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">His latest book, The Girl on the Porch, was released in hardcover by Subterranean Press, and Widow’s Point, a chilling novella about a haunted lighthouse written with his son, Billy Chizmar, was recently adapted into a feature film.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chizmar’s work has been translated into more than fifteen languages throughout the world, and he has appeared at numerous conferences as a writing instructor, guest speaker, panelist, and guest of honor.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Before you run off:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSuOsTqhxZ__AodHtAeYMm0NqImjBxt2k5YaJEl16TkATqezeNj0ePGLdF2bHiv_1-rXAKDByZdxH4osBLL4KlO3ZN9LZNv73R14iFvMWtd1NcoIZsB66srG2pbTbtHC7o4PvGMZj4ScfoUdVWarT6I9bHwuX8yWngXIN80fFht6Kc3dVxggPnCXKlfJoB" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSuOsTqhxZ__AodHtAeYMm0NqImjBxt2k5YaJEl16TkATqezeNj0ePGLdF2bHiv_1-rXAKDByZdxH4osBLL4KlO3ZN9LZNv73R14iFvMWtd1NcoIZsB66srG2pbTbtHC7o4PvGMZj4ScfoUdVWarT6I9bHwuX8yWngXIN80fFht6Kc3dVxggPnCXKlfJoB=w212-h320" width="212" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2021/09/chasing-boogeyman-by-richard-chizmar.html">Read my review</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✒ ✒ ✒</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></span></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-66316450133644183752022-11-26T10:20:00.007-05:002023-05-21T11:25:04.975-04:00The Dismembered by Jonathan Janz ~ 2022<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRbJk3fjtOkx_RKUTgSQclyqy22r5xoF0WZz9oWT_I8LUfEtn4kAADiV9mbrQI1UtkdsxGJoec9PPHO1fjQA2gkpj8NZBZZQyQKTj5t8tVhFbCQkDn2wmCGzow516QBl4n_BxDA7gVryo8RugP1IOM--3s5aby8Aqr5HrtW1PMW3at6T7oo7onfEB3Tg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1078" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRbJk3fjtOkx_RKUTgSQclyqy22r5xoF0WZz9oWT_I8LUfEtn4kAADiV9mbrQI1UtkdsxGJoec9PPHO1fjQA2gkpj8NZBZZQyQKTj5t8tVhFbCQkDn2wmCGzow516QBl4n_BxDA7gVryo8RugP1IOM--3s5aby8Aqr5HrtW1PMW3at6T7oo7onfEB3Tg=w259-h400" width="259" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">With unbelievable penmanship,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Janz delivers gothic horror romance,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">expertly done, to my doorstep.</span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: <a href="https://jonathanjanz.com/" target="_blank">Jonathan Janz</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">Publisher: </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">Cemetery Dance Publications (November 18, 2022)</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publication: November 18, 2022</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pages: 174</span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">ISBN-13: </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">978-1-58767-843-1</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">Front Cover Artwork </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">© 2019 by Matthew Revert</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">Digital Design by Dan Hocker </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A digital copy was sent to me from <a href="https://www.cemeterydance.com/" target="_blank">Kevin Lucia</a>, ebook and trade paperback editor for Cemetery Dance Publications ~</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">5 Stars</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizWXYx16zbtfhpVg6tn_VMfac-zwDE0Jbs22N8g61KUzLs1SE6r9gTtAEUGF6V7meF1ZlQGAF9IsMvHH8rqOTGaC6CgVTALPZC14FhYt_gRSKFQqvPMD4GlCFw74V2tNYtyv9jue_M-B-uLP41fu_Fu23fLBpp7rV3OLYHkqwr-UAYuYlC4MMgarEZ4g" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="185" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizWXYx16zbtfhpVg6tn_VMfac-zwDE0Jbs22N8g61KUzLs1SE6r9gTtAEUGF6V7meF1ZlQGAF9IsMvHH8rqOTGaC6CgVTALPZC14FhYt_gRSKFQqvPMD4GlCFw74V2tNYtyv9jue_M-B-uLP41fu_Fu23fLBpp7rV3OLYHkqwr-UAYuYlC4MMgarEZ4g" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jonathan Janz</td></tr></tbody></table>Man, I enjoyed the hell out of this one. Right from the get, I was hooked and I love that in a new read!</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, you're looking for a great intense Gothic Horror read. Yes, yes you are. Period.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Quick synopsis ~</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This twenty-four-hour tale in 1912 starts off with mild and meek Arthur Pierce, an American writer, on a train saving the day from a brute who is trying to bully his way onto a young woman.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">After a quick side step, the brute is on the ground and he is introduced to this young woman by the name of Sarah Coyle.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">After Sarah and Arthur had been acquainted during the train ride he agrees to accompany Sarah to her family's estate, Altrabrook. After all, he could head that way, estranged Arthur is running from a highly public affair his wife displayed/pronounced on him. And, besides, Sarah was eye candy I believe he said to himself. Not in those exact words, I'm just sayin'.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">Here's what's going on, folks:</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">Older than dirt but kept his looks through the years, Count Richard Dunning </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">who is rumored to dabble in bizarre religious rites and experimental medicine </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">is to wed Sarah's younger sister, Violet, who had just turned of age. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">Sarah's plight is to stop this before the month's end. Yet, her father, Hubert, is eager to marry off his daughter to the wealthiest landowner because of his own financial strain.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">Arriving at Altrabrook, we the readers are introduced to pretty much the slew of main characters and Arthur, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">being transfixed on Sarah's older sister Lizzie, let's say, charisma, this tale continues at a pace where you're fingers are turning pages. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">A must-be-there gathering at Count Dunning's estate, Castle Magnus, is established, and right off the rip folks, Janz keeps this pace alive and flowing onto the next set of events. Getting some understanding of history and back-story while at the gathering, The story moves. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And during this time, you get to read some of the best gothic horror telling you could read. Depicted on paper and ink, visually the events are graphically displayed in your mind's eye as colorful as you could smell the atmosphere the characters are going through. The characters' dialect with one another was from an era I am personally not familiar with, but I'm telling you, the enjoyment I had, as I listened to them and watch them go through their horror was worth my time. </span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">After the must-be-gathering, we eventually are on the top floors of Castle Magnus where all the wrinkles get ironed out and all the pretty ends get sewn together, so we as readers, get the jest behind everything. People falling in love, out of love, bug-eyed from gasp of reality setting in, smiles, frowns, hanging on to last words, tears, and even laughter were abundant on the upper floors. This story of a young couple enveloped in a nightmare and their perseverance so they could put an end to this horror they were living through, you are hooked. Rooting for them and wishing for God's speed would come naturally if you have an ounce of humanity in ya.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">In the end, the whole reason for Count Dunning's panache in wanting Violet's hand in marriage, the reasoning behind dad's (& mom's[they're married]) financial strain, Sarah's beliefs, the town folk's thinking of the local lore and gossip of Count Richard Dunning's age and his shenanigans? and all about Lizzie and Arthur are answered satisfyingly. You will definitely love this read folks.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">The ending almost comes to a fairy-tale ending for some, almost.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px;">Really a quick read folks, so, I highly suggest reading this and bypassing your tbr.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div>Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>The Dismembered</i>:</div><div><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dismembered-Jonathan-Janz/dp/1587678624/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1668879157&sr=1-1-ef9bfdb7-b507-43a0-b887-27e2a8414df0" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Audiobook $14.95 ~ Paperback $16.99 ~ Audio CD $21.95 ~ USD</li><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local bookstores</li></ul></div></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">About the author:</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNgojsKVsRLdFtfdrj4UiolNXDMq_QiACQDabHjTkyuV2kj0V9MfjffVm9Q8DNclyblO_yYxAsfLs13zcv9gHAkLeL2_RTjDdv77DptU6DDVAYcs2p1cuSbpTBa4o-E1r4xSgx3buEh70U0e6DD7fYovkxaTjO68d9TIt2swVNQy65PIzAS1L6pXZmIA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNgojsKVsRLdFtfdrj4UiolNXDMq_QiACQDabHjTkyuV2kj0V9MfjffVm9Q8DNclyblO_yYxAsfLs13zcv9gHAkLeL2_RTjDdv77DptU6DDVAYcs2p1cuSbpTBa4o-E1r4xSgx3buEh70U0e6DD7fYovkxaTjO68d9TIt2swVNQy65PIzAS1L6pXZmIA=w229-h320" width="229" /></a></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Connect with Jonathan</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><a href="https://jonathanjanz.com/" target="_blank">https://jonathanjanz.com/</a></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15.84px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">Jonathan Janz is the author of more than a dozen novels. He is represented for Film & TV by Ryan Lewis (executive producer of Bird Box). His work has been championed by authors like Josh Malerman, Caroline Kepnes, Stephen Graham Jones, Joe R. Lansdale, and Brian Keene. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">His ghost story The Siren and the Specter was selected as a Goodreads Choice nominee for Best Horror. Additionally, his novels Children of the Dark and The Dark Game were chosen by Booklist and Library Journal as Top Ten Horror Books of the Year.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He also teaches high school Film Literature, Creative Writing, and English. Jonathan’s main interests are his wonderful wife and his three amazing children.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✒ ✒ ✒</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-63250299857410803982022-11-15T18:16:00.004-05:002022-11-18T05:51:41.120-05:00Angel Falls by Julia Rust & David Surface ~ 2022<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD7uv_9L8GTVN0We8w6FPIr7yLFrwBGVTcjoO5cWcpM98KX66D2x3LGBqdKPxocPwVPIYxiziCczPDnSQJLEHvulleSDMZrSJmwu4B_u0VM5H4CLgZ0pA0RYXOC4X27SnJoFsdsK0PmbMtetKmVcIUOEG7Dqq_0zSD5VsW91J7ONUADKotEea5loNaVw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="334" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD7uv_9L8GTVN0We8w6FPIr7yLFrwBGVTcjoO5cWcpM98KX66D2x3LGBqdKPxocPwVPIYxiziCczPDnSQJLEHvulleSDMZrSJmwu4B_u0VM5H4CLgZ0pA0RYXOC4X27SnJoFsdsK0PmbMtetKmVcIUOEG7Dqq_0zSD5VsW91J7ONUADKotEea5loNaVw=w213-h320" width="213" /></span></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>... In a way, Jared thinks, it's like he and Jessie</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>are the last two people on Earth ...</i></span></p><div style="background-color: white;"><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: <a href="https://www.juliarust.net/" target="_blank">Julia Rust</a> & <a href="https://www.davidsurface.net/" target="_blank">David Surface</a></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publisher: <a href="https://haverhillhouse.com/published/young-adult-publishing/" target="_blank">YAP Books</a>, an imprint of Haverhill House Publishing LLC</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publication: October 16, 2022</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pages: 352</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">ISBN-13: 978-1949140330</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span style="color: #333333;">ASIN-10: B0BDVNBQY3</span></div></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cover design & setup: © 2022 Errick Nunnally</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A digital copy was provided by award-winning author John McIlveen<i> (Hannahwhere</i> 2015) for an honest review alongside my proffered thank you for asking ~</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">4 Stars</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqM4gZAs4kCl-GdlRNpeTUrMJdJvu4C5R3qt6TF2pVw6TWKjPLstwMA6Q8kEXViazy_Mj2tpHXEGWvu9VgRtWlS7JQjRbjii5tuh0CfpWDzf8zbEhupeZyREuMhHmnmX11BiYjw0tsHaQRVDc0pc0Mm3_ygdWI-YyYG5Q2nGk-BTSmoCuWIEVM-uVamQ" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="159" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqM4gZAs4kCl-GdlRNpeTUrMJdJvu4C5R3qt6TF2pVw6TWKjPLstwMA6Q8kEXViazy_Mj2tpHXEGWvu9VgRtWlS7JQjRbjii5tuh0CfpWDzf8zbEhupeZyREuMhHmnmX11BiYjw0tsHaQRVDc0pc0Mm3_ygdWI-YyYG5Q2nGk-BTSmoCuWIEVM-uVamQ=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julia Rust</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">John McIlveen had asked me to review this tale from Julia Rust and David Surface somehow knowing it had been a while since I have read a coming-of-age tale.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Glad he did. I have not read any works from these authors and I found out this story is full of mystery, family love, soul searching, and secrets.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, this tale from a</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">lternating point-of-view chapters from the characters, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">these authors will have you engrossed on a journey for fifteen-year-old Jessie Reed, as she discovers the consequences of wanting and needing, and trusting their gut. And, she's not the only one discovering things as the characters get introduced through this reading.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">Sure, every young teen would want to have her parents stay together till the end of time, sure. Jessie is questioning her parents' marriage and is on the road with her dad to take care of an inherited house from Cousin Dorothy in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">seaport village of Beauport while her mother stays behind in New York City.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">She gets her hell scared right out of her at the end of chapter one ... though</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"> Angel Falls just might be the place she's looking for after all. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Angel Falls is a place governed by a strange and mysterious history of power that made it seem to me it held the town and its people hostage. Those who have actually experienced its powers and know first-hand are being taken care of by loved ones. Loved ones who dare not go into the wood that holds the falls. Jessie also finds out the falls are also governed by another enigma. Sixteen-year-old Jared Younger. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Those are his stompin' grounds.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jared and Jessie meet one day, after (summer) school for Jared and from a bike ride for Jessie, Jared gives her the low-down on the falls and tries to cement the notion - DO NOT COME BACK HERE, you don't know your way around. It's just a heads-up. Yet, Jessie takes her own stance and will do what she wills. She tells the, "Boy."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Between these two characters' dialogue and their inner monologues, you can't help but enjoy them throughout their experiences. Especially with each other.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">They both have their own personal family problems they're dealing with, trying to figure out how to fix things and have everyone happy and content. Especially them, so they don't have to work so damn hard on trying to feel normal. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">If you had the power to fix your family, wouldn't you? Jessie fixing her parents' marriage; Jared fixing his dad's depression?</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In comes Mr. Chris Delany. Jared's summer school teacher.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGCVUPkNdaVgfTqNMKALTtQCcFQ3CMCGwBstp5dDwfTYeRGjIH7QoXkCyZANWeT8113TcxD8QWIFnFk88ZX7mM_XfmGAZLyDSVeWxR3ec_n22EUPvixyom9KMyNz4lkA1gvPvGKxTxPIehhnI36Y56Uchhske6KzWdkK5_9fvJSHVdWfNNs545dAKug/s700/david%20surface.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGCVUPkNdaVgfTqNMKALTtQCcFQ3CMCGwBstp5dDwfTYeRGjIH7QoXkCyZANWeT8113TcxD8QWIFnFk88ZX7mM_XfmGAZLyDSVeWxR3ec_n22EUPvixyom9KMyNz4lkA1gvPvGKxTxPIehhnI36Y56Uchhske6KzWdkK5_9fvJSHVdWfNNs545dAKug/w200-h200/david%20surface.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">David Surface</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The character of Mr.Delany folks, I mean, Mr.Delany meant good in all aspects of trying to see if one can actually come to the bottom line. Throughout the years, he taught Jared to read, and well, I'm figuring if he is going to give up his summer to these kids that have to go to summer school, I'm going to like this guy.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He loves putting Jared on the spot in class. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">After an unexplained event at school that made Jared's eyes bulge, then another event, then another as the story continued, Jared starts to realize he might possess a power to make things happen. He fought with thoughts of not trusting Mr. Delany, but, Delany was laying out the evidence. It was looking like two and two are four. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tale continues with Jared starting to realize he might be in possession of such power and trusting his notion that, Jessie, also, just might possess this power.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">Jessie's visceral feelings of not trusting Chris Delany are on full alert. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">Does Chris really want to help Jared or is there some type of payoff for him in the end? </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">Was he vetted for his position? Does he really understand the falls power? </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">Ah yes, the bottom line. As Jared and Jessie uncover secrets that lead to satisfying answers, Delany was a character I enjoyed reading.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">As they persue their answers, supernatural ghosts make their decision making harder. Just as those characters grew through the tale, they also grew together on their quest. Folks, it was a dark path they traveled.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">Folks, this a great read with real teenage compassionate characters and the growing up they do. The inner turmoil they went through with their feelings was expressed point on. Great writing describing such emotions, I'd say. As you read some of these passages you'll catch your head nodding up and down in agreement. Just as their self-reflections did in this tale. And, their Moxi is second to none in dealing with this supernatural force alive in the falls and the decisions they decide to make. Very good enjoyable read.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">Speaking of characters:</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">Chris Delany's character was drawn in my mind as a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">Snidely Whiplash image. Every time he spoke, or looked, or ... I could see that grin of his. </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jared's dad seemed so far out there in time, I pictured him as a mad painter even as if nothing else was going on in his life. Sitting there beside the ocean painting some vision he sees. A Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future gaze image. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The lot of secondary characters were drawn out for me as that, secondary. For me, not really getting any flavor from them. Couldn't really see them, smell them, etc., though, they worked well for their role. The main characters were spot on as growth and color throughout, especially, at the end where they all bloomed. Even the characters that were called from the falls. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The p</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">acing/timing was at a great speed for me once it got going and with the alternating chapters being melded together effortlessly, it was a read you wanted to know what was coming next. And those last few sentences at the end of the chapters, I applaud you both, Julia and David. Thank you. The story moves ~</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The dread you guys produce for Jared and Jessie throughout this story was spot on and the</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> atmosphere you created: the b</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">othersome unease you created when they visited Miss Gardner and Pete, around the school, and the woods, I loved it, folks!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There are a lot of issues in this read that were touched on; pending divorce, falling in love, trust, self-reflection, lost love, family bonding, and horror, to name a few. A delicious tale to enjoy yourself with one weekend and find out how Jared and Jessie fair.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Damn right it gets one of my 4 Stars.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Shoot, I have a pocket full of them if the writing keeps me ~</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Again, thank you YAP Books for this enjoyment </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="color: #333333;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Angel Falls</i>:</div><div style="color: #333333;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Angel-Falls-Julia-Rust/dp/1949140334/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1668306680&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $12.95 ~ Paperback $15.95 ~Kindle $6.99 ~ USD</li><li><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local bookstores</li></ul></div><div style="color: #333333;"><br /></div><div style="color: #333333;"><br /></div><div style="color: #333333;"><br /></div><div style="color: #333333;">About the authors:</div><div style="color: #333333;"><br /></div><div style="color: #333333;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdS6wud9V-beUpbhtXi6ESYXjxMcBergu6KsaEem-ZYvQIuYWjf1fMsOcCwbkqA7OAj6g7fALt9PLCYPaFCFLreGCvutGS1ezHg7HTSLK9FKJoa5ZcFpqctZ9bxmBiTrWTURhJ2mmbk4dnoBP05m0Ck77opygb8IICH1Oi5_0B9KqD25n7rRIk6yh24g/s159/jrust-biopic.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="159" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdS6wud9V-beUpbhtXi6ESYXjxMcBergu6KsaEem-ZYvQIuYWjf1fMsOcCwbkqA7OAj6g7fALt9PLCYPaFCFLreGCvutGS1ezHg7HTSLK9FKJoa5ZcFpqctZ9bxmBiTrWTURhJ2mmbk4dnoBP05m0Ck77opygb8IICH1Oi5_0B9KqD25n7rRIk6yh24g/w200-h200/jrust-biopic.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /><br /><br />Connect with Julia</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.juliarust.net" target="_blank">https://www.juliarust.net</a></div><div style="color: #333333;"><br /></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333;">Julia Rust is a writer and teaching artist from the Hudson River Valley in New York. With David Surface, she runs Veterans Writing Workshop, bringing free workshops to U.S. veterans and active duty military in the metro-NYC area.</span></div></div></div></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">She is the principal instructor for On the Homefront which offers memoir workshops for veterans’ family members in partnership with Poets & Writers and the White Plains Public Library and has served on the board of the Hudson Valley Writers’ Center.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">She is also an actor, and Buddhist and can often be found stuck to the couch by a cat in her lap.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8JmpWlhiRGZJoW8tYQ_Yn8m8-oIG82eunj7VlTHex8HM5zybDxASqcGi-EDh5Y2sQDkYTqunp8CaktVPi98ICGnUEFFJCJr-xwtGp3sjx9h1FzM7y0EMU7OGZ_-HRy5a46SYgpJ_XDgi5OKuBC1bRBoaQ4A81FgbR72hvbYk52firY67V18HHiCVSw/s256/daid%20surface2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="256" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8JmpWlhiRGZJoW8tYQ_Yn8m8-oIG82eunj7VlTHex8HM5zybDxASqcGi-EDh5Y2sQDkYTqunp8CaktVPi98ICGnUEFFJCJr-xwtGp3sjx9h1FzM7y0EMU7OGZ_-HRy5a46SYgpJ_XDgi5OKuBC1bRBoaQ4A81FgbR72hvbYk52firY67V18HHiCVSw/s1600/daid%20surface2.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Connect with David</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.davidsurface.net/" target="_blank">https://www.davidsurface.net/</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">David Surface lives in the Hudson Highlands in a 160-year-old brick house that he shares with his wife, the author Julia Rust, and two cats, Howl and Greebo (named after Dianne Wynn Jones and Terry Pratchett characters).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">David is the author of 'Terrible Things', a collection of short stories published by Black Shuck Books, and is co-author with Julia Rust of 'Angel Falls', a YA supernatural suspense novel from YAP Books, an imprint of Haverhill House Publishing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">His stories have appeared in genre publications including Shadows & Tall Trees, Supernatural Tales, Nightscript, Morpheus Tales, Twisted Book of Shadows, The Tenth Black Book of Horror, and Best Horror of the Year Volume 13, as well as literary journals such as North American Review, Crazyhorse, Fiction, Marlboro Review, and Doubletake.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">A story co-authored with Julia Rust, ‘TallDarkAnd’, appears in the Swan River Press anthology, Uncertainties III. His stories have received long-list Honorable Mentions in Ellen Datlow’s Best Horror of the Year, Volumes 7 and 8, SFEditors Picks, and have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize in fiction.</span></div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-18840199250780811322022-03-27T21:33:00.007-04:002022-03-29T05:44:44.235-04:00Do Not Weep For Me by Tony Tremblay ~ 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF30BdhE3MwtvWThot6pBQ_v8JMU8K8MZ7kRpiS9VCnxno2O0F3gxAcW-waMMDTUY9yeWvjhr_hEbBbRi80g0WUtLPbNkr7XCHpnItlEoT_kmQG3SBrVtyiJojndSVXtUVK3SXzomnvvwSI0sIPsExUoPuBm6CllXZMThU-NrBTfGrUojuznmDtSju0g=s600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF30BdhE3MwtvWThot6pBQ_v8JMU8K8MZ7kRpiS9VCnxno2O0F3gxAcW-waMMDTUY9yeWvjhr_hEbBbRi80g0WUtLPbNkr7XCHpnItlEoT_kmQG3SBrVtyiJojndSVXtUVK3SXzomnvvwSI0sIPsExUoPuBm6CllXZMThU-NrBTfGrUojuznmDtSju0g=s320" width="213" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When you're looking for a light lull into Hell ... of a read.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: </span><a href="http://www.tonytremblayauthor.com/" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank">Tony Tremblay</a></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publisher: Twisted Publishing, an imprint of Haverhill House Publishing LLC</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publication: January 31, 2022</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pages: 248</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">ISBN-13: 978-1-949140-11-8</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cover design: © 2022 David Dodd & Errick Nunnally</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author photograph: Chris White</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Read from my TBR list</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">A cup of 5 Blue Stars</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTJm0YjLOFAt3l-zS60n3NXIIl-SQWyWzA08Rauo2Z8GT0uGyjQLDZe1dY3YqkVgQqMYvnJ4jKm2jVPcbb2g1J5yTeLZvzlS81_hoYCUhchI3aOoX6dhp8xBrrv8eHJkBpMMA3-usOrwi0fxovAslyGMbtpSnDfnm5vZCN1ORmEBkmjbgOutE7fPCqCA=w320-h320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony Tremblay</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;">Wanted to sit down and get into a fantastic horror read. Something to get entertained with without having to go through a lot of pages to get there. Scrounged around my tbr pile and found this gem.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Gem?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Have you ever been to Goffstown, New Hampshire? The quaint little town of neighborly folks and smiles. Just south of Castle Rock. Ah yes, Goffstown, the town I picture as one of those Norman Rockwell portraits. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">A tranquil little spot in the world. It is where Tony Tremblay, one of the nicest guys in horror resides</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">. Yes, you heard me right, horror.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bram Stoker Finalist Tony Tremblay had put Goffstown, New Hampshire on the horror map with his debut <i>The Moore House</i> (2018) where </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Father MacLeod and t</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">hree excommunicated nuns, Nora, Agnes, and Celeste</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> investigate a purported house in Goffstown that might have supernatural forces. An unrelenting horror story that sticks with you. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This tale of Tony's starts off with a woman having a story to tell. An off-the-wall epic tale that the editor of the local newspaper the </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Goffstown Times</i><span style="font-family: georgia;">, Manuel Chance, wears nothing but a dubious visage as she spins the yarn? As she went on and on he wore this doubtful demeanor only until she shows proof of what she is saying, by taking off her clothes. Seeing the evidence, he is now at attention.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">After Manuel learned of the woman's name, the woman who had been kidnapped the year previous, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Irene Delaney told</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> the editor </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">she has reason to believe she knows the person kidnapping recent missing children. She wants Manuel to investigate her husband to determine if he is behind the disappearance of the children.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Paul Lane is one of the parents along with Lynne Carole whose children are missing. Their children, Cindy and Lisa respectively, were found folks so no worries right? Well, they brought someone with them. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">(Damn, this book was good)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The heart of this story is set inside <i>The Goffstown Pawnshop. </i></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Across the street from the pawnshop straight from Colby, Kansas is a vehicle with two decomposing bodies wrapped up in a blue plastic tarp. Their transporter, a woman on a mission, possessed by the need to procure an item from the pawnshop makes her way to the doors. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">(which, personally folks, I would love to visit. Wait till you find out about its treasures and the pawnshop itself)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">After Tremblay sets things in motion you're wrapped, folks. Yep, like those decomposing bodies are. The atmosphere is thick with horror and the visual effects he describes are unreal and with unrelenting action happening, well, the reading absorbs you. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The afflictions he puts his characters through are ghastly entertaining and downright page-turning. The torment he puts a few through and the torment that still awaits others are depicted as horrifically captivating. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">And folks, this is a forewarning: you disregard the reality of the present time. You'll turn another page. Just sayin'.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tremblay herds them all together at the pawnshop where he has his way with them. Irene and Manuel, Paul and Lynne, and w</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">hen it came to the kids, in the back of mind - "How is Tony gonna dance with the devil with those two?" Well, he did. Sorry folks, that's as far as I'm going with that. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Seemed all of his characters had to go through hell save one. During all the hell breaking loose in the pawnshop and </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">where he is tying up all the loose ends of this story, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">even in this ending, not sure that one will find peace. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Maybe he already has. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tremblay does display hope. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The whole novel was super entertaining for a religious-themed horror read. His writing flows pleasantly through hell and then before you know it hours have passed. Escaping reality and taking a horror ride with Tremblay is enjoyable as all get out. Yeah, one of those.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">There are those heart-warming moments where characters that pull through the chaos, you can feel smiles inside you as you read. Or, where the anticipation and suspense are happening it also awaits on the edge of your fingertips to turn the next page. Never mind the thump in your diaphragm from gasp. Which best describes how an author on his game pulls you in. The unspoken words Tony is telling you. Fears I should say.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tremblay wraps up the ending smoothly. The chaos that breaks out inside the pawnshop is descriptive and second to none for horror writing. Barriers trying to separate Good vs. Evil is on full display. (color included) </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Who's gonna win? </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Will the children live through this? </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Or did Tremblay throw in another option? Is there another option? Sure, this is horror. And you know, o</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">n the back cover of this novel folks, it does say </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">God isn't the one on their side.</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Is there a loser? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A delicious tale of horror, ghosts, sex, evil at its best, and hope within reach? Those of you who have read Tony's debut <i>The Moore House</i>, you know he puts hope within reach. Those of you that have not, no worries, this sequel to his debut stands on its own horrifying you.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">* Just a note for you folks that are squirmish on graphic sex scenes - they're there in their devilish colors ~</span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">On a side note, T</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">ony is well known to throw friends' names in his stories. As well as mentioning great reads from fellow authors. For example, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tom Piccirilli, a 4-time Bram Stoker winner, and Bracken MacLeod, a Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author. Matt Bechtel, who anyone would tell you sees the world a bit differently. (Monochromes and Other Stories (2017) is proof his mind is twisted and I love it.) Father Golden at the Vatican. Also, James Moore, the incarnate devil Himself.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, there are others. There will always be others ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I applaud and proffer a bow to authors who throw their friends into Hell. I really do.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tony's 'sitting beside the campfire telling you a gut-wrenching horror story where you won't be able to sleep writing' was introduced to me </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">a few years back </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">from award-winning John McIlveen (</span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Hannahwhere</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> 2015)</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">. He's to blame.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Do Not Weep For Me</i>:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1949140113/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1643484844&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $26.95 ~ Paperback $16.95 ~Kindle $7.99 ~ USD</span></li></ul></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">About the author ~</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbXsG9QGqqDo7fJF7JVsUHh2_jNmukN4yo7C5g9C6uqGk4iHRg2HaE6OKWMAqZXDlTCBT9KxVvkU-FIb31Dxbmyy0cxiqnTh6WX4bXyJqAq194TSlphO6iJjuAAOL6OPnQuhrOWzNn6eUiE2mG2TdRyDdy-lU2PYk9l3CBk9FCow3mm-KIkl6AaoNATQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony Tremblay</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Connect with Tony</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">and see what he's up to</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/tony.tremblay.75" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tonytremblayauthor.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia;">http://www.tonytremblayauthor.com/</span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tony Tremblay is the author of The Seeds of Nightmares, a collection of his short stories from Crossroad Press that made the Bram Stoker Awards Recommended Reading List.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Seeds of Nightmares debuted at number two on the Amazon Hot Horror Chart and made the top twenty in the Amazon Horror sales listing. His horror and noir-themed tales have been featured in anthologies, magazines, and websites on both sides of the Atlantic.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">In addition to his print work, Tremblay is the host of The Taco Society Presents, a cable T. V. show on G-TV based out of Goffstown, NH ( it can be viewed on YouTube ) that features discussions on horror as well as guest interviews with horror authors.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">In addition, he has worked as a reviewer of horror fiction for Cemetery Dance Magazine, Beware The Dark Magazine, and the Horror World Website. He (along with John McIlveen and Scott Goudsward) founded NoCon, a horror convention held every September in Manchester, New Hampshire.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Also, Tony Tremblay is the writer of numerous short stories that have been published in various horror anthologies, horror magazines, and webzines under his pen name, T T Zuma.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">He lives in New Hampshire with his wife Paula.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Before you go off to another site -</span></div></div></div></blockquote><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJkCMrSKMuX3Ur9jSukv9QjO3UKD6X1Dv6ulOfbYZZZBzqc9x_xoxZszRd4YQ4BNue4Yk45ugZkyYOC84_lQCO4qgpSEu-xfiZEmSDiEmFxHIYSL17hW2aVha6DMMnh5ftbrkr5MxCFFFkFOoEG_9nRrMcGSBsJsx2jiyhfElMySq1Ik7MwKIud_iB3w" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJkCMrSKMuX3Ur9jSukv9QjO3UKD6X1Dv6ulOfbYZZZBzqc9x_xoxZszRd4YQ4BNue4Yk45ugZkyYOC84_lQCO4qgpSEu-xfiZEmSDiEmFxHIYSL17hW2aVha6DMMnh5ftbrkr5MxCFFFkFOoEG_9nRrMcGSBsJsx2jiyhfElMySq1Ik7MwKIud_iB3w=w213-h320" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">About Tony's, Bram Stoker nominated debut novel</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Moore House</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Think of all the scary stories you've read about demonic possession<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Remember all the horrible scenes you have seen in horror movies</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This will be worse</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-moore-house-by-tony-tremblay-2018.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-moore-house-by-tony-tremblay-2018.html" target="">My review</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Deep within Tony's dense imagination:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-dXfylSF_Edt7DVFV_e-lMQ7KnVQMLFhfWvtiQjfa_f3aD1oI289CbxAyJxajZtcIDIN2Or609t1iwQII7j48DJhB1T9LqSFRjCL-CPdtvCcV4ehJXmfUtI-b0BfXYIeIHyJZryBDK-OGE-lmvQx2zOCAyrM2IEqgFvIB8dTw-s8t1eDvAQ9tmd1kqA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="213" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-dXfylSF_Edt7DVFV_e-lMQ7KnVQMLFhfWvtiQjfa_f3aD1oI289CbxAyJxajZtcIDIN2Or609t1iwQII7j48DJhB1T9LqSFRjCL-CPdtvCcV4ehJXmfUtI-b0BfXYIeIHyJZryBDK-OGE-lmvQx2zOCAyrM2IEqgFvIB8dTw-s8t1eDvAQ9tmd1kqA=w213-h320" width="213" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Seeds Of Nightmares did not bring the reader into the story,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">it brought the story into reality for the reader.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-seeds-of-nightmares-by-tony.html" target="">My review along with his interview</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">&</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This link is what I had to say on one of his many short stories, one</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">that is part of a three-part series The Terror Project, titled <i>Steel</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj71Nwx-BczvYb7hLxnjPUYFaOMa3BQomP3EryHUpwUQYhbXtrRw1-krdObjzHn4Cual8BRnzpo30OSgwIOk9f04M_AwyTdlX_t3csZd6IDJAOfQfc7SPmpYD7YREEVC7N2gkpq0CS1lpTtTC9JfsRcK4cFCLPA9BJuA-WMtXaWpMMc4s5r2AY68Rfjaw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="208" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj71Nwx-BczvYb7hLxnjPUYFaOMa3BQomP3EryHUpwUQYhbXtrRw1-krdObjzHn4Cual8BRnzpo30OSgwIOk9f04M_AwyTdlX_t3csZd6IDJAOfQfc7SPmpYD7YREEVC7N2gkpq0CS1lpTtTC9JfsRcK4cFCLPA9BJuA-WMtXaWpMMc4s5r2AY68Rfjaw=w208-h320" width="208" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Go ahead, pick a story, any story</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">you'll be glad you did</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/12/triplicity-terror-project-vol-1-by.html" target="">Triplicity: The Terror Project Vol. 1</a> by Stacey Longo / Tony Tremblay / Rob Smales ~ 2016</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> ✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">And for a beautiful cause folks, you'll find his short story Blue Stars appearing in <i>Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep</i>, a charity anthology benefiting the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Now-Lay-Down-Sleep-Benefitting/dp/154863915X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1545696703&sr=1-3&keywords=now+i+lay+me+down+to+sleep" target="_blank">Jimmy Fund / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiEAw7jywU47qjBmfW80E81IigDqloTBA-OCDGuO74lxDjRJykdBzXDfewSNhpenZfm2_ZQGOgFOXfJppnESLRQT3RqQGtZD1ENOeS9uZlHnwOxeGNsbghL_oGJLzvAVNd1VjEYVLFrOLOTChW-bIoDVNiIoVEGH0Thl7WRGMkXU7D02uPvW8oqEK8mQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="213" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiEAw7jywU47qjBmfW80E81IigDqloTBA-OCDGuO74lxDjRJykdBzXDfewSNhpenZfm2_ZQGOgFOXfJppnESLRQT3RqQGtZD1ENOeS9uZlHnwOxeGNsbghL_oGJLzvAVNd1VjEYVLFrOLOTChW-bIoDVNiIoVEGH0Thl7WRGMkXU7D02uPvW8oqEK8mQ=w213-h320" width="213" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Speaking of Blue Stars</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXJsBCiZboLCNpYqgk7bH8otiwythqgVQJAk8If3_jSnn43ieqmGyFJKjGTvalRvyomQymiYw6cHoAToBSM-ADHpZDYxcIEUvwydRN6hOQ7SN_LR872ZGdCApCEjSne6ueXpGAzrn3cSBa7kpQlyqmHq0o2ofLlI6eHQ9owtDDFVw53fCiJdsfT2U-pw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXJsBCiZboLCNpYqgk7bH8otiwythqgVQJAk8If3_jSnn43ieqmGyFJKjGTvalRvyomQymiYw6cHoAToBSM-ADHpZDYxcIEUvwydRN6hOQ7SN_LR872ZGdCApCEjSne6ueXpGAzrn3cSBa7kpQlyqmHq0o2ofLlI6eHQ9owtDDFVw53fCiJdsfT2U-pw=w213-h320" width="213" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2019/08/blue-stars-and-other-tales-of-darkness.html">My review of Blue Stars </a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2019/08/blue-stars-and-other-tales-of-darkness.html">and Other Tales of Darkness</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tony's short-story <i>Fake News</i> appears in <i>The Dystopian States of America</i>, a charity anthology benefitting the ACLU Foundation</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK1wfnVdnX1IM6272PJgvKx4_jsEM9bp3auSuVFKDpS22WlkygYCcwKwk6XdbdvxSnQgX9H98Lxxrg6tLpD7ohpPbkos6bk-p0soSh80LTQhKnopuXGGrQEUsr0I2_TApdeeFiRN4fiCVFy2N8Jk0kmKMSVOGcMKmVQgLdb5pyYa2aViNYZRdTKAitBQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK1wfnVdnX1IM6272PJgvKx4_jsEM9bp3auSuVFKDpS22WlkygYCcwKwk6XdbdvxSnQgX9H98Lxxrg6tLpD7ohpPbkos6bk-p0soSh80LTQhKnopuXGGrQEUsr0I2_TApdeeFiRN4fiCVFy2N8Jk0kmKMSVOGcMKmVQgLdb5pyYa2aViNYZRdTKAitBQ=w213-h320" width="213" /></a></div><br />Wanna be intrigued?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-dystopian-states-of-america-by-matt.html">Here's my review</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, do enjoy ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> ✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-38803279635930550412022-02-23T21:26:00.020-05:002022-03-13T14:45:59.919-04:00Road of Bones by Christopher Golden ~ 2022<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXi9AaEMGRSL4O8dQRMBBVHpnPV-bfX-fL_wQKeqPgPlJ0JyLG6JFlHF5IaZvpWkI3T11HII47E2gpvZcSiE24rywbvIsigwRAdPLu_cmy2qXQ0RfyMqbyREnA0CAgt63N_Pz3f4Q9ex6gfb0Mz9sU-ArtfbNLgCnN14d7tuJuP5aorZ66o56R-N1DJA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="289" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXi9AaEMGRSL4O8dQRMBBVHpnPV-bfX-fL_wQKeqPgPlJ0JyLG6JFlHF5IaZvpWkI3T11HII47E2gpvZcSiE24rywbvIsigwRAdPLu_cmy2qXQ0RfyMqbyREnA0CAgt63N_Pz3f4Q9ex6gfb0Mz9sU-ArtfbNLgCnN14d7tuJuP5aorZ66o56R-N1DJA=w231-h320" width="231" /></span></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Golden takes words and blows the chill down your spine.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: <a href="https://www.christophergolden.com/" target="_blank">Christopher Golden</a><br />Publisher: <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250274304/road-of-bones" target="_blank">St. Martin's Press</a>, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers<br />Publication: January 25, 2022<br />Pages: 230<br />Language: English<br />ISBN: 978-1250274304<br />Jacket design by Johnathan Bush<br />Jacket art: snowy landscape © merc67/Getty Images ; <span>snow © Liyao Xie/Getty Images</span><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author photographer: (Courtesy) Shivohn Kacy Fleming<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br /><br />4 Stars<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><br /><br />Read from the ever teetering TBR list ~</span></p><p><br /><br /></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="900" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpwPMeu0_zZXViSDP4ypaLPahIm4WnKL9lHb73auVA6v8VOhhZwskbLxIVFKls5JJsC66iAnfvc0ymTXjAO0zhE4N1OMt64lQtNxaPBmlkuOc9wP-17nQCulYh6LOfoBmNIRd3H7prsJkA8MqLEBpv5z7lp4TURXS4yFukRK8Uf6k9qnix5OOMGsSXzg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christopher Golden</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; text-align: right;">Seriously, folks, I've always wanted to visit Siberia. Experience first hand the grueling frigid temps and get a taste into an austere, I would believe, lifestyle. Catch a glimpse of some wildlife and enjoy some local cuisine. Truly be in Siberia. To visit, I repeat.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, my latest adventure ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">As a winter storm was brewing and temperatures dropping, then the impact of snow being so dense my hometown was mentioned on the national news (which made me raise an eyebrow) I cracked open a tale quite appropriate to my actual settings.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">New York Times best-selling author Christopher Golden (<i>Ararat</i> 2017) introduced me to a couple of characters by the names of Felix Teigland and Jack 'John' Prentiss and we all took off to Siberia. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Since Mr. Golden already knew how this tale would end, it was only Felix, Jack, and I who took off. To Kolyma Highway (R504), stretching from Magadan to Yakutsk.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">A highway constructed by prisoners of Stalin's gulags. As they worked themselves to death, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">their dead bodies were deposited where they dropped and helped form Kolyma Highway. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Road of Bones to be more precise.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The reason being for this trek, (besides me always wanting to visit Siberia) Teigland is a reality TV documentarian and he started to believe his future was looking a bit bleak. He needed something to cement his future paychecks. Covering the Road of Bones and its history with Stalin might be the hitch he'll need to have his company run for years on the networks. He owed people, Prentiss owed Teig, and I owe myself a great read.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I climbed to my mental loft and peered below, as I often do during a read, and watched Teig and Prentiss get on their way to pick up their guide, Kaskil. T</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">heir guide is from the northern Yakut tribe, known as reindeer herders who will guide them to <i>... the coldest place on Earth... </i></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">to the town of Akhust.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Along the way, Teig and Prentiss listened to local legends and ghost stories. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, the three of them were drawn with such personalities, I couldn't help but grin through their ordeals? with each other. Another, is Nari, a woman they rescued from the roadside. Now she is a character all on her own.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Alright folks, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">when they get to Akhust, they find the town empty of life, save one catatonic nine-year-old girl, Una, ― in the library. (Love how authors plug libraries) The way Golden explained why they looked in the library, was the most obvious. It would be exactly what I would have done. A</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">s empty as the town was, the town wasn't actually void of all life. Shadows that became wolves with hunger seemed to be abundant. Not your ordinary pack of wolves, rather, they were other wolves' mentors, I might want to say. And these damn things? they were persistent as hell.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">And their local Parnee.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">High tail it out of there? Teig and his entourage do. Not without casualties and close calls and Holy Shits! and running into more characters that added flavor to this mix of being chased by ... what? They're not from this world, or, is this real? And, where is everybody!?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Is the answer secretly hidden in this nine-year-old?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, the setting and the atmosphere are tense. The scenes of how cold it is there were graphic and picture-perfect. The</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> handful of characters were drawn vividly appreciative. Each had their own persona and beliefs and attitudes. Some attitudes were shown more than others which gave the story more of a realism feel. Teig and Prentiss show their 'brotherly' relationship to each other just as I would see in others around me. The writing made me feel I was with them throughout their ordeals. Loved how all the characters grew with their time together.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">As they were running into more characters, one reminded me of some 1960'ish Flower Child by the name of Ludmilla. This character was a character. She would go out onto the highway and pray for the lost souls that made up the Road of Bones. She has done it for years. <i>"Bless you all," she intoned. "Cast off the deeds of life that bind you here. The Lord awaits."</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">In this tale, Teig runs into people alongside this highway where you could find yourself freezing to death if you don't have enough gas in your vehicle and yet his destination, not a soul. (</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">I enjoyed the juxtaposition of people on the highway and no one there in town. Life is a highway ~) </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">All Teig wanted at the moment was to get everyone to safety. They were being pursued by beasts that were smarter and faster than normal wolves he is aware of. He was also being pursued by a memory from earlier in life. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Throughout the book, you're gonna be cold. There's no room for doubt folks. You'll be wrapping yourself with your throw, and literally, you will be glued to the pages. Golden takes words and blows the chill down your spine. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">This story held me pretty damn good and I did enjoy freezing my ass off with Teig, Prentiss, Nari, and Una and the others, and those ... shadows, wolves, spirits, and ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I scratched my elbow on a couple things, for those of you that have read it:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~ There was something that popped out at me o</span>n page 195, how did Prentiss aim that rifle?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">~ Una's name was mentioned earlier by Nari, so in the end?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">~ The reason for the pissed-off monsters was vague to me</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">But you know, all </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">destinies have their own fate. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The ending to this story wrapped up nicely for a few and was quite vicious for others. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">After reflecting back, it s</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">eemed as if every character in this tale had something to protect in the end, even dignity.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I really did enjoy the hell out of this one, folks. I was after sentences that hit me and leave me glued to the pages. This was eerie and horrifically satisfying. Sentence after sentence. It delivered what I was looking for and somewhere somehow a part of me is still in Siberia freezing my ass off. I am not wondering why,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have read some of Golden's short stories that have appeared in such anthologies as <i>One of Us: A Tribute to Frank Michaels Errington by Kenneth W. Cain, Stephen King, +8 more</i> ~ 2020</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> and an extreme horror short story along with the great author James A. Moore titled <i>Bloodstained Oz </i>2006 and I'm telling you if you have not read any of Golden's works you're missing out in being in the element with Christopher. You're missing out.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, Christopher Golden's writing is quite smooth in making you slip into a few hours into horror and making you turn the page, for example in this read,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>She looked to Teig like something out of a dream. In his imagination, </i></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>he could still see the cherry hue of her hair, but in the dark, it turned black. Nari swept across the snow in a monochrome wave, all black, color leached from the world. Only her face seemed to reflect any light, a pale gleam punctuated by the pinpoint terror in her eyes.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Colorful.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Read on.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Recommend?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I highly do</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here's where you can get fingers on <i>Road of Bones</i>:</span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Road-Bones-Novel-Christopher-Golden/dp/1250274303/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1643477672&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $25.19 ~ Kindle $14.99 ~ USD</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/road-of-bones-christopher-golden/1139212103?ean=9781250274304" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardback $27.99 ~ NOOK $14.99 ~ USD</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">About the author:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigxfHqYXGlt1oOLiphRrKoJeOhrjRNR1mIyZJcgv1TJ0BQbbYPpjee9dsOPgBzcSudcGdurHgUdQK5iuJcNcru2mzJNbUPmd9lBifh-YBfVFBgIHOLMkFQhHVGTwZoqxuvOLcb5717o1SCmkl8zukpPuNyENpWiCygb14V3NbVDVs3Km_JJNpAgH1OmA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigxfHqYXGlt1oOLiphRrKoJeOhrjRNR1mIyZJcgv1TJ0BQbbYPpjee9dsOPgBzcSudcGdurHgUdQK5iuJcNcru2mzJNbUPmd9lBifh-YBfVFBgIHOLMkFQhHVGTwZoqxuvOLcb5717o1SCmkl8zukpPuNyENpWiCygb14V3NbVDVs3Km_JJNpAgH1OmA" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Connect with Christopher</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">&</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">see what he's up to</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/ChristophGolden?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/christopher.golden.5832" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/christopher_golden/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.christophergolden.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia;">https://www.christophergolden.com/</span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling and Bram Stoker award-winning author of Ararat, Snowblind, Dead Ringers, and Of Saints and Shadows, among many other novels.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of two cult favorite comic book series, Baltimore and Joe Golem: Occult Detective. Golden is also the editor of such anthologies as Seize the Night, The New Dead, and Dark Cities, and the co-host of the popular podcast "Three Guys with Beards." He lives in Massachusetts.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div></div></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-69347761915813764322022-01-21T20:18:00.013-05:002022-01-23T16:11:27.296-05:00Pearl by Josh Malerman ~ 2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiesW_Cs2bqV-FlfmRd7D1cBwdZhCsQgU7c_FmaNy791xfZXo0xcAeiyNyBpRT4It7cdJUIotcD6lzmkLfX9FbOX2Y4yyu6QSs1IPyLfnbsmDpxAgR1FTecW5KiD0lB0P-BwTWRm_Rkk6DKZpaPg2s8GkbZuhsqS-kr3vXl0--rcj2tdhchgmvCbx8JSA=s499" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiesW_Cs2bqV-FlfmRd7D1cBwdZhCsQgU7c_FmaNy791xfZXo0xcAeiyNyBpRT4It7cdJUIotcD6lzmkLfX9FbOX2Y4yyu6QSs1IPyLfnbsmDpxAgR1FTecW5KiD0lB0P-BwTWRm_Rkk6DKZpaPg2s8GkbZuhsqS-kr3vXl0--rcj2tdhchgmvCbx8JSA=s320" width="211" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Malerman will put a chill into any horror reader's bones</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: <a href="https://joshmalerman.com/" target="_blank">Josh Malerman</a><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publisher: Del Ray, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC<br />Originally published in hardcover in the United States as <i>On This, the Day of the Pig</i> by Cemetery Dance Publications, in 2018<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publication: October 12, 2021<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pages: 304<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Language: English<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">ISBN-10: 0593237838<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">ISBN-13: 978-0593237830<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jacket design and illustration: David G. Stevenson<br />Book design by Caroline Cunningham<br />Title-page background image: iStock/AngelaHarrodPhotography<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author photographer: Allison Laakko<br /><br /><br /><br />Read from the teetering tbr ~</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">5 Stars</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0imGrC4l5z0cfVa0LZJ_qyf6AHvbOcmIJYj7VSs3CErQiTi_oODgPQfZpw7EPwTNnYNkJVCmIa6CdLq0UJkxX00r8icAqjPAbtxQygNaDAcDmT3a4i1CO8Uw1YEv4Z6wcgHEGDeh0xb1N/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0imGrC4l5z0cfVa0LZJ_qyf6AHvbOcmIJYj7VSs3CErQiTi_oODgPQfZpw7EPwTNnYNkJVCmIa6CdLq0UJkxX00r8icAqjPAbtxQygNaDAcDmT3a4i1CO8Uw1YEv4Z6wcgHEGDeh0xb1N/w256-h320/pearl4.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh Malerman</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, Josh Malerman is an astounding writer with novels reaching into a realm of what is known as must-reads.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">After you all had read Bird Box and those of you who watched the movie, I know damn well some of you picked up another read from this guy ...</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">... the way Malerman introduced me to Walter Kopple's family with his grandson Jeff killing one of his pigs in such a hypnotic-induced descriptive way, s</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">tarting right off the rip with Pearl in action, Malerman had me for hours. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Josh, this writing captivates the audience like an old friend putting their arm around your shoulder, and then, Pearl makes you sing. Yes, no Pearl does not mind if you can carry a tune or not ... he'll make you bring it in. He'll make you sing for him. And, as the chapters unfold, you eventually put your other arm around our other shoulder, and ... <i>you</i> bring it in for the reader.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">To be honest folks, I thought a telepathic pig on his quest to have humans kill for him was going to be a 'What-the-hell-are-you-thinking-putting-this-out-there-after-writing-Bird Box?' kind of tale ... hoping all along it has to have a dynamite twist. And after reading, I found out, Pearl </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">is</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> a legend ~ </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Walter's daughter, Sherry, and her sons Jeff and Aaron experience firsthand, wrath in unspeakable terms with a pig and his bidding.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As the town folks are fearing what is going on at Kopple's farm, in the end after all is said and done, a bigger fear is revealed. That is for you dear reader.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, t</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">his tale of Pearl (and all the while I'm picturing Arnold from Green Acres) is set pretty much on Murdock Road in Chowder, Michigan not too far from Goblin, where the population is reflected of the handful of characters making up this murderous read. Just as the characters grew through this story, (and some that don't) so did the town of Chowder. I would hopefully believe.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The town folks heard that Jeff killed one of Walter's pigs out of sheer nothingness. Jeff defended himself saying a voice told him to do it. Pearl, the pig told him to do it. Now his brother Aaron thinks he's crazy and when word gets out around school, well hell, the kid's beside himself now. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">And of course, there are those kids who have to see this pig.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The characters, especially the two stoners, Mitch and Jerry (making up the members of the Plastic Satanic Club), and Susan (Miss Goody-two-shoes {almost}) are realistic, they were wonderfully drawn, and their inner-monologue was my glue to become a supporter for them. Man, I wished them well through this read.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The secondary characters rounded out the story. Their standings in the community, t</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">heir dialog, their actions, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">were drawn out and on point for me with the way you penned this story. When </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">people in town started whispering Walter's grandson heard a voice that commanded him to kill, I could picture the scenes quite well. All throughout this story, I mean, straight from the beginning. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">And, you drop atmosphere all over the place. I was there. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">I loved the county fair scenes when I wasn't hanging around on Murdock. I even smelled fair food. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Rurally, Malerman, you brought that part of Michigan to me and I met some folks whom I wouldn't mind meeting again. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The pace was action-packed I would like to mention and Malerman puts the reader in two and three places at once during the read. This is non-stop edge-of-your-seat horror writing. The antici ... ... pation is crazy. Something is constantly going on, <i>this</i> is a page-turner.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Concerning the character Bob Buck the pig farmer, how many real-life Bob's are presently alive and kickin' and laughing at this read? This tale made an excellent view into how some things are seen and maybe, an awakening for some? </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, Bob Buck is another way of looking at the local pig farmer and the ilk he could surround himself with. I loved this view into our mid-west country scenery ~ through a different eye.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I believe if I recall correctly, Pearl only harms two types of animals and leaves the others in high-anxiety lived moments. (Note-to-self moment as I write this review) A ponder thought.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mr. Malerman, the use of parenthesis in your clarifications as I read along was humorously 'grinnable'. Made the sentences move for some reason. So, I kept turning pages. I don't believe I have come across writing with those clarifications (parenthesis) so close to each other through the paragraphs. I found it ... I'm stuck in provoke. The writing was there vividly and the extra clarification really wasn't needed in my opinion, but, you through it in anyways. I'm liking it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Walked around a bit flipping through some pages and asked me what I didn't care for in this read; what felt to me were these wanna-be catchphrase words Jerry and Mitch were using to stand out?: pukin', j</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">ebus, and nuckin futz. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sure glad they weren't indulged upon for use, that really weighs down a read; this was not weighed, and I do have respect for the word patois. Josh, you might like to hang with a few neighbors of mine down in Knockemstiff, Ohio. Just sayin'.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The ending was a bit out there for me for some odd-ball reason I've got to find. But, I would tell you </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">I had a blast reading this tale of murder and revenge in Chowder. Folks, t</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">his is a bloody novel, with scenes that will fill that chill for your horror appetite. Yes, yes it will.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I would recommend you visit Kopple's farm if you love having your face indulged in horror.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Pearl</i>:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Josh-Malerman/dp/0593237838/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1642809834&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $16.99 ~ Kindle $12.99 ~ USD</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pearl-josh-malerman/1138610587?ean=9780593237830" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardback $23.99 ~ NOOK $12.99 ~ USD</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">About the author:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmwHZLqcuJ9vkgG9iW5oNU3s1Yu0FC8yftq9UUB-Mh2rLkEjVTWqEDVO0UaR_LtcM8THB-35KV_gUyzwO-9uabciT_l4p07ZCf7FQMD8pyOAC5g1EJxrgU3TQ4rEy5jyB1h3Kehx44N3StoFwCp14lQafRWPB0syjhRUJXpcBJZLPZUwyTrm6Hb6OIaQ=s447" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmwHZLqcuJ9vkgG9iW5oNU3s1Yu0FC8yftq9UUB-Mh2rLkEjVTWqEDVO0UaR_LtcM8THB-35KV_gUyzwO-9uabciT_l4p07ZCf7FQMD8pyOAC5g1EJxrgU3TQ4rEy5jyB1h3Kehx44N3StoFwCp14lQafRWPB0syjhRUJXpcBJZLPZUwyTrm6Hb6OIaQ=s320" width="213" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Josh Malerman is an American author and also one of two singer/songwriters for the rock band The High Strung, whose song "The Luck You Got" can be heard as the theme song to the Showtime show "Shameless." His book Bird Box was filmed as a feature film starring Sandra Bullock, John Malkovich, and Sarah Paulson. Bird Box was also nominated for the Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the James Herbert Award. His books Black Mad Wheel and Goblin have also been nominated for Stoker Awards.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Connect with Josh and see what he's up to</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JoshMalerman/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/joshmalerman" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/joshmalerman/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://joshmalerman.com/" target="_blank">https://joshmalerman.com</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-46648729882204391862021-09-06T13:06:00.005-04:002021-10-31T17:43:50.675-04:00Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar ~ 2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbZFB2E3kRijK44t3etU5imgjvnz_7-jWSSaEP8jQeAxhXwhaDrJRDUsuN0clGVaNXueX9z5O0s83IG6s1tBVNsudhDMjdHfmpn1L8LhU5wGw3Tjen8vgg1nvIQUHWbK5_y7VgrGVCWBY/s499/chasingboogeyman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbZFB2E3kRijK44t3etU5imgjvnz_7-jWSSaEP8jQeAxhXwhaDrJRDUsuN0clGVaNXueX9z5O0s83IG6s1tBVNsudhDMjdHfmpn1L8LhU5wGw3Tjen8vgg1nvIQUHWbK5_y7VgrGVCWBY/w265-h400/chasingboogeyman.jpg" width="265" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This beautiful marriage between true crime and horror fiction,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I thoroughly enjoyed the reception</div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: <a href="https://richardchizmar.com/" target="_blank">Richard Chizmar</a><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publisher: Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publication: <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Richard-Chizmar/2141459173" target="_blank">Gallery Books</a> (August 17, 2021)<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pages: 336<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Language: English<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">ISBN: 978-1-9821-7516-0<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">ISBN: 978-1-9821-7518-4 (ebook)</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jacket design by Anna Dorfman<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jacket photographs by Yoruba/iStockphoto (Street scene); Eric Vega/ E+/Getty Images (House); Asier Romero Carballo/ Depositphotos (Sneaker); Serge Vuillermoz/Eyeem Getty Images (Hopscotch board)<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author photographer: Carly Albright</span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">5 Stars</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_S0cgXTVCOCf9A4tiLxWKvdNGo_paBkov67x902QrAocnCgLpMA39IswyUjNxKnrfTUXy2Xk34trsLEea5U_g7G1yRsC97IbZhnpSr3N2LlgVnWfk54AATfEKIqj3THHl1K2Ji-ovFDW/s631/OIP.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_S0cgXTVCOCf9A4tiLxWKvdNGo_paBkov67x902QrAocnCgLpMA39IswyUjNxKnrfTUXy2Xk34trsLEea5U_g7G1yRsC97IbZhnpSr3N2LlgVnWfk54AATfEKIqj3THHl1K2Ji-ovFDW/s320/OIP.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard Chizmar</td></tr></tbody></table>New York Times best-selling author Richard Chizmar stars in his new novel </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Chasing the Boogeyman </i><span style="font-family: georgia;">from Gallery Books.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>The tale of<i> Chasing the Boogeyman</i></span> <span style="font-family: georgia;">from a real-life event in Richard Chizmar's life is absolutely astounding, to say the least. When all decisions were made to create this novel, hell, he generated a tweak for a new look on metafiction. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, a quick synopsis ~</span><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Once upon a crime, in the summer of '88, Richard Chizmar had recently graduated from college and as anyone would, move back in with mom & dad. He needed to </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">get things lined up for his writing career and </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">prepare for his wedding after the first of the year. Doing the big M with his high school sweetheart Kara.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This whole tale opens quite like a memoir and then transcends into a true crime novel, then transforms into a page-turner where you cannot decipher from fact to fiction. Yes, it is one of those Can't-Put-Down reads.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mutilated young female teens started to appear on the local news pretty much on a regular basis that summer and as an aspiring horror writer, well, that's almost one of those, "What's 2 + 2?" Right?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Police believe there is a serial killer loose and could very well be local. The community of Edgewood, Maryland is freaking out which only seems normal, considering. Talk is cheap, but, these murders are not human. Curfew is set and the FBI has perked their ears. So has Richard Chizmar. And his eyes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This is his hometown for crying out loud ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Chizmar runs into some of his friends, including Carly Albright, a writer herself working for the hometown weekly, the <i>Aegis</i>, and when these two get together to talk about current affairs, it gets under Detective Sergeant Lyle Harper's ... um, let's say patience.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Det. Harper is a character that had stupendous insight on people throughout this read. He also knew when to ask for a hand, I felt. Picturing his own personal inter-monologue he has with himself putting pieces of the puzzle together.</span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">During this read what I enjoyed were the black and white photos of the actual crime scenes. Folks, there are pictures of the victims before they were, Carly Albright, Det. Harper, buildings, homes, taped off murder sites. Reminded me of pictures decorating the inside covers of <i>Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children</i> by Ransom Riggs ~ 2011. My appreciative thanks as a reader goes to those who are accredited. Those photos added depth for me and, wow, those hair-do's, well, memories.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, these </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">terrifying events</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> are from a very personal view by Richard of a serial killer's reign of terror on his hometown. I mean come on now, you graduate from college wanting to be an author and move back home and all this shit is hitting the fan. I can see he wants to finish off the year with the holidays at home and then get married. Get on with his life. Sounds, almost tranquil. Yet, a</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">ll these mutilated bodies. Hell, it's making national news even.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Now, when the phone rings and no one says anything Richard sees his mother's reaction as she puts the phone back slowly on the cradle; and with the cops showing up in his life, Chizmar finds himself in a real-life horror story.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fact of life.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I had mentioned characters earlier. I love a great read with many characters and this one wasn't shy. It rounds out the whole story for me. At times, it makes everyone more believable for me as a reader. They grew on me as well as the story was paced. I would like to emphasize timing is everything in a read for me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Since we are talking of Richard's hometown, he described the settings so well, my atmosphere as a reader was pleasingly palpable.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank you, Mr. Chizmar, for inviting me to your hometown ... and all of the shenanigans you confessed. Brought back such fond memories of I too, am guilty ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, Richard writes of things most rambunctious boys are fond of when wanting to taunt the law and going through the thrill of being chased by angry drivers; your dopamine snowballing like crazy. Chills and goosebumps alive on your skin—fun, passages to read.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Chizmar's writing has this down-to-Earth-neighborly feel to it. He moves the story along without throwing in one of those 'Ten-Dollar' words where it hits you like a brick, because, you don't know the meaning. Now, I'm in favor of 'special' words, but, used when the writing is at that level. When authors throw in some big word in an easy comfortable read, well, that would be like someone putting mustard on your last piece of watermelon.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">As the story continues, Lieutenant Clara McClernan of the Maryland State Police is a detective in charge of cold case files. She became interested in this case after it had remained unsolved. Her performance in this read gave me thoughts of where in the world was she in the beginning! She might have saved a life or two. Or three? Four?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">As the story nears the ending, in 2019 Chizmar got a call from an old friend, Carly Albright. <i>"They caught him!"</i> ... <i>"They caught the Boogeyman!"</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, that isn't exactly how this story ends ...</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The conclusion comes some 30 years later, where the boogeyman wants to be interviewed by Chizmar—only.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, that <i>isn't</i> exactly how this story ends either ... ~ </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">And, a side note folks, on page 301, there is an unanswered question where I need to ask Richard, "Do I smell a sequel in your pipeline?"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Recommend?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Not only do I recommend, I highly suggest ~</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div>Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Chasing the Boogeyman</i>:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Boogeyman-Novel-Richard-Chizmar-ebook/dp/B08LDY63RX/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1630899041&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $16.80 ~ Kindle $14.99 ~ USD</li></ul></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chasing-the-boogeyman-richard-chizmar/1137976635?ean=9781982175160" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardback $23.49 ~ NOOK $14.99 ~ USD</li></ul></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</li></ul><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>About the author:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><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/AVvXsEjzorVA_8iyHAjyT20s0TRy9eNOBsBzw-uWMOrdsHMYoeIeU8RpZaTfAO0gvFdrlyJyGeIik6an4UTHtyhvPXEsyctgTCsY9fHYHh2oKx2BlbyBG5py39kIohbGC7Y6U8g3K6dbqlc9FwDd/s370/richardchizmar.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzorVA_8iyHAjyT20s0TRy9eNOBsBzw-uWMOrdsHMYoeIeU8RpZaTfAO0gvFdrlyJyGeIik6an4UTHtyhvPXEsyctgTCsY9fHYHh2oKx2BlbyBG5py39kIohbGC7Y6U8g3K6dbqlc9FwDd/s320/richardchizmar.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chiz</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Connect with Richard</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/richardchizmar" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardChizmar" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/Richard_Chizmar/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://richardchizmar.com/cemetery-dance-publications/" target="_blank">Cemetery Dance Publications</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://richardchizmar.com/" target="_blank">https://richardchizmar.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2144918599065279/about/" target="_blank">Richard Chizmar Fan Page</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>(set up by his readers)</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.stephenkingrevisited.com/" target="_blank">Stephen King Revisited</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>RICHARD CHIZMAR is a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Amazon, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author.</div><div><br /></div><div>He is the co-author (with Stephen King) of the bestselling novella, Gwendy’s Button Box, and the founder/publisher of Cemetery Dance magazine and the Cemetery Dance Publications book imprint. He has edited more than 35 anthologies and his short fiction has appeared in dozens of publications, including multiple editions of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and The Year’s 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories. He has won two World Fantasy awards, four International Horror Guild awards, and the HWA’s Board of Trustee’s award.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chizmar (in collaboration with Johnathon Schaech) has also written screenplays and teleplays for United Artists, Sony Screen Gems, Lions Gate, Showtime, NBC, and many other companies. He has adapted the works of many bestselling authors including Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Bentley Little.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ECzQKvhwSpJAunKCMbshm61rYDDGASjcoI4jV6kwzhwnTlI88zQ9SnrwYUpl_D3s3C6sCfkErV1CSTWSNzTHcxx4qCu1azoSWJfIM15RujHlgoRwB58nT-YSGnO8YbZIukrwMihTYCxo/s1067/IMG_8701.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ECzQKvhwSpJAunKCMbshm61rYDDGASjcoI4jV6kwzhwnTlI88zQ9SnrwYUpl_D3s3C6sCfkErV1CSTWSNzTHcxx4qCu1azoSWJfIM15RujHlgoRwB58nT-YSGnO8YbZIukrwMihTYCxo/s320/IMG_8701.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard & Billy</td></tr></tbody></table>Chizmar is also the creator/writer of the online website, Stephen King Revisited. His fourth short story collection, The Long Way Home, was published in 2019. With Brian Freeman, Chizmar is co-editor of the acclaimed Dark Screams horror anthology series published by Random House imprint, Hydra.</div><div><br /></div><div>His latest book, The Girl on the Porch, was released in hardcover by Subterranean Press, and Widow’s Point, a chilling novella about a haunted lighthouse written with his son, Billy Chizmar, was recently adapted into a feature film.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chizmar’s work has been translated into more than fifteen languages throughout the world, and he has appeared at numerous conferences as a writing instructor, guest speaker, panelist, and guest of honor.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>✒ ✒ ✒</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></span></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-67362256509071226112020-12-31T12:25:00.017-05:002022-03-28T17:43:21.143-04:00A Variable Darkness by John McIlveen ~ 2021<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzypXW-0ZTZ_2eERs3dK7Qh8qIvNqyVk3el7Gcb159UuJZxXPLJ_EpCn7x2YW7jLGE9oQoR4msNau_tySaVhFJ_9GOqWr58XO_oufRCYySA_mXtgdXHjxXscf8KMcagT4VRtfRNqK5ZKA/s319/johnmcilveen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzypXW-0ZTZ_2eERs3dK7Qh8qIvNqyVk3el7Gcb159UuJZxXPLJ_EpCn7x2YW7jLGE9oQoR4msNau_tySaVhFJ_9GOqWr58XO_oufRCYySA_mXtgdXHjxXscf8KMcagT4VRtfRNqK5ZKA/s0/johnmcilveen.png" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">These tales had me absorbed ... </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">appreciating the dark</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: </span><a href="http://johnmcilveen.com/" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank">John McIlveen</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publisher: <a href="https://haverhillhouse.com/" target="_blank">Haverhill House Publishing LLC</a>; 1st edition (February 4, 2021)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publication date: February 4, 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pages: 274</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">ASIN: B08PKYRXSS</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hardcover - 978-1-949140-26-2</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Paperback - 978-1-949140-25-5</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cover illustration and design © 2021 David Dodd</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Illustration for <i>Got Your Back</i> © 2016 Dyer Wilk</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Introduction: Tony Tremblay</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Afterward: Izzy Lee</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"A digital version was provided by John McIlveen in exchange for my honest review alongside my proffered thank-you for asking."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">5 Stars</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1yFXXMNhXpmG98eDBC0CyPRV4O-02Lgg7U8NNLtjgNCv0NX0NRvFvQWcRkEr9A4N-HRjAgLDUZrNnaRATaIfnJqB0dqu9HkTy8hvOuqDFKf7epRPmnNjA5YZotwTK9DvYOYu1SvAtwcC/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img alt="" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1yFXXMNhXpmG98eDBC0CyPRV4O-02Lgg7U8NNLtjgNCv0NX0NRvFvQWcRkEr9A4N-HRjAgLDUZrNnaRATaIfnJqB0dqu9HkTy8hvOuqDFKf7epRPmnNjA5YZotwTK9DvYOYu1SvAtwcC/" width="310" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">John McIlveen</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;">When award-winning author John McIlveen had asked me to read his latest collection of horror, I received a couple of phone calls from some Canadian friends of mine across Lake Erie saying they heard a resounding "Yes!" come out of me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Well, have you read <i>Hannahwhere</i> (2015) by this guy?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">All the hype, all the talk, n</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">ominee for the Bram Stoker Award (HWA) in the First Novel category, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">the Drunken Druid Award </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">for high literary merit. No? </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">- well then ... you should.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks gather 'round, please ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Having a penchant for horror, I enjoy being in the element of the macabre for a few hours here and there; escape reality and slip into the reality of an indubitable fantastic fictional horror read. And hell, t</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">his collection of short-story horror had satisfied my need to have absconded from my domesticated duties and settle deep into my library, looking forward to an abyss of dark thoughts from an author that I know would do the trick.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">McIlveen always delivers ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>...</i></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>"We must never undermine the free will of another soul," she stressed. "There within lies the darkness." ...</i></span><i style="font-family: georgia;"> </i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, <i>A Variable Darkness,</i> John McIlveen has penned stories that had literally made me pause after each tale with a shake of my head here and a shit-eatin' grin there. McIlveen comes up with such a fantastic dark way of getting a different view/opinion across to the reader. After each tale, you just want to jump into the next story. Yes, clear your schedule for a couple hours, I'm just giving you a heads up.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">From the beginning, with the story titled, </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Eve</i><span style="font-family: georgia;">, through to the last tale, </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Triggers</i><span style="font-family: georgia;">, every story is its own variable darkness. Thirteen folks, 13 tales of darkness. McIlveen brings his character developments and their dialogue to an evocative atmosphere as in a harbinger warning you of the feelings you will own after reading these tales. And, a realization of reality you knew already existed. Only told differently ~ One can surely say, McIlveen has his own voice and style. Glad I came across his works through this trek in life.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">When I had finished the tale <i>Eye of the Beholder</i>, I wanted to ask McIlveen, how many more of these stories are there? And, my dear audience, after you read the tale, you'll understand that is a very important question to ask ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Yes, I shook my head slowly and grinned a lot during this collection.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">With his grasp of understanding the human psyche, very much in a social conscience style, h</span>e holds nothing back from throwing in dark darkness into a story. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">After you're finished with these tales, you will realize McIlveen has the ability to take an issue or a situation and twist his dark imagination into it, leaving you, the reader, appreciative of the twisted mind he lives with that he shares with the world.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And, a damn good read under your skin.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I also appreciate McIlveen peppers his friend's names and their nearby places into the stories he writes. Makes me wonder during his tales, how his friends feel about their 'participation'. More than likely, they beam. Hell, after all, McIlveen <i>Has Their Back ~</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I would suggest and highly recommend ~</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>A Variable Darkness</i>:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Variable-Darkness-13-Tales-ebook/dp/B08PKYRXSS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+varible+darkness+by+john&qid=1608597849&s=books&sr=1-1-spell" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardcover $27.95 ~ Paperback $17.95 ~ Kindle $7.99 USD</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-variable-darkness-john-mcilveen/1137934372?ean=9781949140262" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardcover $27.95 ~ Paperback $17.95 ~ NOOK $7.49 USD</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="http://indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li></ul></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">About the author:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2GK-_PvMVVzCx6lbDJmxqBZXY8wWzNYFMfmlPnHw9FYntGWUw1t-fnZKHFvwJ0d01rD4WOgRE9lOpdP4jgmItXMgQHXwVtLPg4S2Gizj35zrRAl8-w1yFAJ4BU-vWjPvy3As4yuYvYOAC/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="230" data-original-width="230" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2GK-_PvMVVzCx6lbDJmxqBZXY8wWzNYFMfmlPnHw9FYntGWUw1t-fnZKHFvwJ0d01rD4WOgRE9lOpdP4jgmItXMgQHXwVtLPg4S2Gizj35zrRAl8-w1yFAJ4BU-vWjPvy3As4yuYvYOAC/" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Connect with John</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mcilveen?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JMcIlveen" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4467098.John_M_McIlveen" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/John-McIlveen/e/B00B4YQMT4?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1609431135&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://johnmcilveen.com/" target="_blank">https://johnmcilveen.com/</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">John M. McIlveen is the author of the paranormal suspense novel, <i>HANNAHWHERE</i> -Winner of the 2015 Drunken Druid Award (Ireland) and Nominee for the 2015 Bram Stoker Award.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He is also the author of two story collections, <i>INFLICTIONS</i>, and <i>JERKS AND OTHER TALES FROM A PERFECT MAN</i> and the well-received novelette <i>GOT YOUR BACK</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A father of five daughters, he works at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory and is CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Haverhill House Publishing LLC</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He lives in Haverhill, MA with his wife, Roberta Colasanti.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~ Folks, enjoy my review of <i>HANNAHWHERE</i> along with my interview ~</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tQrmUC4nBoGELK_61A4-h5poqiTHyRRIBaNGAcpsmVFRjx0kebdDpgKgySKkKRpx1tMj308pUkphSQVjgpPU6MomzdrxmSfeRrjk5KI_MURpToOUz27R1lu1oedzB-d9dmQSBDQe6pCA/s475/hannahwhere.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tQrmUC4nBoGELK_61A4-h5poqiTHyRRIBaNGAcpsmVFRjx0kebdDpgKgySKkKRpx1tMj308pUkphSQVjgpPU6MomzdrxmSfeRrjk5KI_MURpToOUz27R1lu1oedzB-d9dmQSBDQe6pCA/s320/hannahwhere.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2015/09/hannahwhere-by-john-mcilveen-2015.html">HANNAHWHERE</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A fast-paced emotionally complex intriguing read. Flooded with social issues of child abuse, child neglect, drug addicts, murder, and love with a dash of hope.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The ending is quite satisfying knowing there is a smile with relief as madness sets in.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-6278771266957726682020-11-27T21:59:00.028-05:002021-05-23T14:55:20.470-04:00One of Us: A Tribute to Frank Michaels Errington by Kenneth W. Cain, Stephen King, +8 more ~ 2020<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6WpiaF0t66aYaTV1jLJtL66r7CcVEOug6unvNLTBP3_a2mfGw0Rx8R1ECglfB5UYcdtTQhI3esCc0o6R20R67e4eAPOebstGVJcxiXzdkviyCRUA5g0szkvhkoxao3X4x0NS4-49S-io/s320/oneofus.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="214" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6WpiaF0t66aYaTV1jLJtL66r7CcVEOug6unvNLTBP3_a2mfGw0Rx8R1ECglfB5UYcdtTQhI3esCc0o6R20R67e4eAPOebstGVJcxiXzdkviyCRUA5g0szkvhkoxao3X4x0NS4-49S-io/w268-h400/oneofus.png" width="268" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This anthology will become another one of your treasured reads.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dedicated for Frank</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>A LOVING HUSBAND AND A DEVOTED FATHER</div><div>A DEDICATED BOOK REVIEWER AND HORROR FAN</div><div>A KIND AND CARING FRIEND</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: <a href="https://kennethwcain.com/" target="_blank">Kenneth W. Cain</a>, Stephen King, Pete Kahle, Todd Keisling, Tom Deady, Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Jonathan Maberry, Jeff Strand, Tim Waggoner</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publisher: <a href="https://bloodshotbooks.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Bloodshot Books</a> (November 14, 2020)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Publication: November 14, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pages: 556</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Language: English</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">ISBN-10: 1947522361</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">ISBN-13: 978-1947522367</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">ASIN: B08P844F5K</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Editor: Kenneth W. Cain</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cover & Interior design: Todd Keisling | Dullington Design Co.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Editorial assistance: Somer Canon and Jacque Day</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Photos: Frank Michaels Errington, Tony Tremblay, Kenneth W. Cain, Patrick Freivald, and doungjai gam bepko</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">"A digital version of <i>One of Us</i> was provided by Kenneth Cain in exchange for my honest review alongside my thank-you for asking, John McIlveen."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">all the Stars</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFx65bBzS7c6RO8_-OaASCLrbRTpTYRkfTtHhudD2lTKWavdZgXqRV78wicwNpzRHHNTd1HHzJoITkPWqu1tq3qZkbAkddjmoGFwSz-Kc8ph4PUDjTh0yNFz8fAkXTB4SWqpogxqTAJAM/s932/kennethcain2.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Kenneth Cain" border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFx65bBzS7c6RO8_-OaASCLrbRTpTYRkfTtHhudD2lTKWavdZgXqRV78wicwNpzRHHNTd1HHzJoITkPWqu1tq3qZkbAkddjmoGFwSz-Kc8ph4PUDjTh0yNFz8fAkXTB4SWqpogxqTAJAM/w240-h320/kennethcain2.jpg" title="Kenneth Cain" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenneth W. Cain</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;">When I had been contacted by award-winning author John McIlveen (<i>Hannahwhere</i> 2015) on a review for this fantastic tribute to Frank Michaels Errington, I smiled with a saddened heart.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, Frank was a man whom you would have loved to be your neighbor. Yes, he's one of those guys.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have had the pleasure of meeting Frank, albeit on Facebook, and I enjoyed his presence. Yep, I had thought, he's one of those guys.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Learned he did reviews for Cemetery Dance Publications;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Off I went and visited his blog, <i>Frank Michaels Errington's Horrible Book Reviews</i> - yep, he's one of those guys.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the beautiful heartfelt Foreword by Todd Keisling, Todd mentions attending his first writer's conference and felt a bit out of his comfort zone. He was pacing the lobby to find a cellular signal looking for his friends and he must have looked a bit dazzled ~ when he heard a voice ...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Frank had rest assured Todd he was already among friends. "You're one of us."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">You see folks? He's one of those guys.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Right off home-plate, I would like to thank all of the contributing authors for their work. These stories I have read from you guys, thank you, and let me say, wow, this anthology rocked!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, <i>One of Us</i> is an astounding read compiled by some of the best writers of our current time. Some whom you have never heard of until now. (hey, I'm in the same boat too) Sure, you must have heard of those authors that are mentioned above, but, I'm telling you, you'll have to pick up this read and introduce yourselves to these authors that make up the rest of this delicious anthology. I have the penners listed below.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This anthology will become another one of your treasured reads.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><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/AVvXsEilAEeF24QPp3U0DiJ6L_zSp6gV5kyPr8mhtu7DMf4yQ0gNNGV4-BcpUd_a5Ft6gjOLFt2svaHSMZXBfdrbncxEhOKR6ZpMJXQ_wuKsoNVNhUx0aWFIW2kfxIXotmiL7_ohm_NTiVxk0sLA/s640/stephen-king-05-1024x558.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAEeF24QPp3U0DiJ6L_zSp6gV5kyPr8mhtu7DMf4yQ0gNNGV4-BcpUd_a5Ft6gjOLFt2svaHSMZXBfdrbncxEhOKR6ZpMJXQ_wuKsoNVNhUx0aWFIW2kfxIXotmiL7_ohm_NTiVxk0sLA/s320/stephen-king-05-1024x558.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen King</td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">As I read each one of these tales, in the back of my mind throughout the story, how did Frank touch this author's life? I knew damn well, it felt warm to them, and so, I take it as this is the tale they gave to Frank as a thank-you. Folks</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, these tales have hit it out of the park. A few of them will make you shake your head and grin, some will make your eyes widen, one you'll laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh -</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Without putting a review on all these tales, rest yourselves, this anthology is chock-full to fill your need for horror and dark fantasy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">A</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">t the end of every tale, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">I wanted to have met Frank in person more and more. I imagined him at a writer's conference, sitting there with his grin, completely enrapt in his element. Same kind of atmosphere as a kid in a candy store? I would think so.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The more my eye came across authors talking of reviews, the more my eye came across Frank's <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoSdG-bq-ZtOuoyyZevjyVt8u8tLswhkNqU_QODS3l_CMnUaTNn_DJ9ZunOCOd8BOE7g3Mydz2QBJcK8iJ8N87MMC2q3bbyrn8hZOd0fo0pU8IznRkuSJYeUvBxAhby1sosNfS1wngsdo/s300/todd1.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoSdG-bq-ZtOuoyyZevjyVt8u8tLswhkNqU_QODS3l_CMnUaTNn_DJ9ZunOCOd8BOE7g3Mydz2QBJcK8iJ8N87MMC2q3bbyrn8hZOd0fo0pU8IznRkuSJYeUvBxAhby1sosNfS1wngsdo/s0/todd1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Todd Keisling</td></tr></tbody></table>name. What folks have said of him, man, such respect was thrown his way.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, <i>The Deadliest Review</i> by Jeff Strand makes the statement of how Frank had such an impact on the horror community. Was some of it out of fear Mr. Strand? Or, dare not to keep approving? Ah yes, dare not. Frank made a review, <i>the</i> review.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, there are 56 tales of horror and dark fantasy to indulge your appetite in for those days you want to get in some really damn good reading. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The contents of tales within the covers are peppered with anecdotes to Frank from various authors/friends which made the read feel so complete to me. You are going to enjoy each of these stories.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I did and I am.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This anthology has become under the category - a re-read.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✒ ✒ ✒</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated in Frank's name to the <a href="https://www.americantransplantfoundation.org/" target="_blank">American Transplant Foundation</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePjNccafRMR1prZL8cqBXOEBLdFBd4lMMhgHWoKylXDJF_a9IhGrUqRKNcBzPqVqvhB4VbvKRy7EN8LL2gu_Mwr-g_8gdk_rmvJNN_xWttZ8VvE_VGNUDNyZROC5C0xhv_Nyr4KggbdR3/s2048/front.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePjNccafRMR1prZL8cqBXOEBLdFBd4lMMhgHWoKylXDJF_a9IhGrUqRKNcBzPqVqvhB4VbvKRy7EN8LL2gu_Mwr-g_8gdk_rmvJNN_xWttZ8VvE_VGNUDNyZROC5C0xhv_Nyr4KggbdR3/w240-h320/front.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghO-iRaA5YZghtbRWF1vY04i2DwAcE42384p7w7VvcBFCM3jumeZZ7YN_MBBWIVXJd4l2Pmy9xeuuP9wrVZkqqKuCYSDP9IIEQnWn5ow3QQArsjdlIf-ippS3BGNMlvk0VWI2SldBEpLuY/s2048/back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghO-iRaA5YZghtbRWF1vY04i2DwAcE42384p7w7VvcBFCM3jumeZZ7YN_MBBWIVXJd4l2Pmy9xeuuP9wrVZkqqKuCYSDP9IIEQnWn5ow3QQArsjdlIf-ippS3BGNMlvk0VWI2SldBEpLuY/w240-h320/back.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Highly recommended folks</div><div style="text-align: center;">&</div><div style="text-align: center;">suggested</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgui4BioCGNYlGuOA5UX523xB8EZnyilyzFJPTZyEfIJzlrLw2Ej85YkaKf6c5E6wZk-x0SJwO2FDx2YCrvUIPFTKXl7tUkhUOwu_xwBdm9H6LA56r0rTBqrWu24XMm-mC37tCCEUnNm1Cg/s400/frank.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgui4BioCGNYlGuOA5UX523xB8EZnyilyzFJPTZyEfIJzlrLw2Ej85YkaKf6c5E6wZk-x0SJwO2FDx2YCrvUIPFTKXl7tUkhUOwu_xwBdm9H6LA56r0rTBqrWu24XMm-mC37tCCEUnNm1Cg/s320/frank.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank Michaels Errington<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>One of Us: A Tribute to Frank Michaels Errington</i>:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/One-Us-Tribute-Michaels-Errington/dp/1947522361/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=one+of+us+by+kenneth&qid=1606067003&s=books&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Kindle $5.99 ~ Paperback $19.99 ~ USD</li></ul><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">~ Stories, Poetry, and Anecdotes by ~</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Alan Baxter * Matt Bechtel * doungjai gam bepko * John Boden * Geoff Brown * Kealan Patrick Burke * P.D. Cacek * Kenneth W. Cain *Somer Canon * Christa Carmen * Catherine Cavendish * Greg Chapman * Richard Chizmar * Tom Deady * T. Fox Dunham * Robert Ford * Christopher Golden * J.F. Gonzalez * Mark Allen Gunnells * Jeremy Hepler * Pete Kahle * Nicholas Kaufmann * Shane Douglas Keene * Todd Keisling * Stephen King * Curtis M. Lawson * Evans Light * John R. Little * Chad Lutzke * Jonathan Maberry * Josh Malerman * Alessandro Manzetti * John McIlveen * John McNee * Tim Meyer * Lee Murray * Paul F. Olson * Kelli Owen * John Palisano * Jason Parent & Kevin Rego * David Price * Anthony J. Rapino * Hunter Shea * Rob Smales * Wesley Southard * Jeff Strand * Brett Talley * Sara Tantlinger * The Sisters of Slaughter * Richard Thomas * Paul Tremblay * Tony Tremblay * Joshua Viola * Tim Waggoner * Terry M. West * Douglas Wynne * Stephanie M. Wytovich * Mercedes M. Yardley</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">✒ ✒ ✒</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></span></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-44828748872626354402020-09-05T21:33:00.004-04:002020-09-06T07:51:18.935-04:00Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeny ~ 2018<div class="separator"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img height="319" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41fsIXhitVL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="213" /></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: calc(var(--rem) * 1px * 1.0625); letter-spacing: 0px;">My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:</span><br /></p><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1. I’m in a coma.<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.<br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">3. Sometimes I lie.</span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Author: <a href="https://www.alicefeeney.com/" target="_blank">Alice Feeny</a><br />Publisher: <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250207418" target="_blank">Flatiron Books</a>; First Edition (March 13, 2018)<br />Publication: March 13, 2018<br />Pages: 272<br />Language: English<br />ISBN-10: 1250144841<br />ISBN-13: 978-1250144843<br />ASIN: B074ZR3ZLM</span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jacket design by Steve Attardo</span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jacket photography © Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images<br />Author photographer: Brian Grant</span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;">4 Stars</span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This book fell off my TBR pile onto my lap and screamed, "READ ME!"</span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="See the source image" height="200" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2019/04/23/USAT/0b27b855-351f-4f1f-99c1-5f3512660c8e-Alice_Feeney.jpg?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="277" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alice Feeny</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;">Alice Feeny's debut domestic psychological mystery thriller is a brilliant twisted read that will make your jaw drop when you come to the end.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">First and foremost when I read the blurb for this tale, she's in a coma and she lies? Became a 'had to read' and I loved it!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Alice Feeny is a New York Times best-selling author of <i>Sometimes I Lie, I Know Who You Are, His & Hers: A Novel</i> and soon she is among many authors of an up and coming historical YA psychological mystery that is yet to be titled.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Sometimes I Lie</i> is narrated by the main character Amber Reynolds and is told</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">in alternating time frames: Now (in a coma), Then (a week before the coma), and Before (Diary entries when she was a little girl ten years of age). The tale opens with Amber awakening in a coma in the hospital and can hear everyone around her, yet, they don't know. She can't speak, see, or able to move. What is being said Amber cannot believe nor can she remember how she got into this state.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Though she does have an inclination her husband, Paul, had something to do with it because she heard the doctor ask him why his hand is bandaged and how did Amber get those bruises and markings that were not from the accident? His demeanor was restrained on purpose I felt. Yes, it made me do the "Hmm".</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Folks, Amber is trying to remember if her husband is having an affair with her sister Claire. Claire is married to David. What kind of accident was she in? Was it an accident or...? Why and what happened at work? Her boss, Madeline—her terrible terrible boss what is up with her? Who in the hell is this person who keeps visiting her while she is in the hospital? Whispering in her ear. Touching her. Who is this person?!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The plot was astounding because it kept getting thicker as the tale went along. Then about 80% in the plot was so thick it really did get confusing—even for the most erudite readers mankind has to offer. Character name changes and twists coming to visit 'left-field' I was intrigued to the point of a grin and a shake of my head on every page. Every page folks ~ until the end, then, my jaw dropped.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I had so many questions rolling around in my head and had no answers being answered. Twisted. So, I kept reading...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Now remember folks, she is a self-proclaimed liar. But, is something really a lie if you believe it's the truth? </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nothing is what it seems. And, as you read, you'll find out you have no idea who to trust and who not to trust. I have a feeling as you read along and you start to build trust in one of your characters, well, be prepared. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The atmosphere during the Before chapters had me going/rooting for Amber when she was young. What I thought was a trademark, when Amber wrote in her diary, she had always numbered three things to surmise her thoughts. Made me think to myself and kept in the back of my mind, "there are always three things". Another, "Hmm". Did it help me try to figure out this tale? Hmm.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The settings were very imaginable, two thumbs up.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The character development stayed linear and I thought that was intentional. Especially for Amber since she portrayed obsessive-compulsive disorder and the secondary characters were nothing more than one-dimensional. Again, thinking that was intentional. Then there is Amber's close friend Jo—she has depth. She's deep.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This read is a mystery that will work your brain and maybe in the end you might want to go back a few chapters to reread them to satisfy the 'What?!' that will hit you. I know a few folks like the simple closure of all the unanswered questions to a mystery in the end, but, this one I enjoyed immensely because it made me think. It made me pause.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">There are a few parts in this tale that were not explained, so, I accepted the most logical answer for my brain as the story unfolded. For example, a house was burned to the point of it being uninhabitable, yet, later in the tale, a person was living in that same house. Okay, the house was rebuilt. Right? Well, of course, Jeff, because a person is living in it and the staircase is there! There were some questions of Amber's ex-boyfriend, Edward, and his tanning bed and that's all I'm going to say on that note for the simple reason a</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">uthors work hard for twists.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This is a tightly woven compelling twisted read with a couple of unexplained holes folks. The holes were not all that detrimental to the tale as a whole, just to let you know. Hell, just put two and two together. It is a debut and I am not an editor. I'm a reader. The end is left open for a sequel and I wonder if there will be one? If there is, it'll be another smash hit for Ms. Feeny.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some scenes are sexually graphic so a warning goes out there for you folks that don't care for those scenes in your read. I would suggest skimming those parts for this is a really good mystery not to pass up.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Recommend? Hell, it would be great for discussion that would go 'round & 'round at your Book Club meetings!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">✒ ✒ ✒</p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Sometimes I Lie</i>:</span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sometimes-Lie-Novel-Alice-Feeney/dp/1250144841/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1599080079&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $7.00 ~ Paperback $7.99 ~ Kindle $9.99 ~ USD</span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sometimes-i-lie-alice-feeney/1125686761?ean=9781250144850" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardback $26.99 ~ Paperback $14.99 ~ NOOK $9.99 ~ USD</span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">About the author:</span></p><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDneNf6U2pvN2qcY8Eswk_XGJXeG6t-gME-bSGmDyyafoGR7pgiz0r3XdR3tlzGYiaVPaZ4Iy5Vdx9lcPY1fMgJq8RN0B4bWQUNclaThFRT7VF8FwGfuARfq-UBxO_NfoU6KBa0FY1vdo1/s589/2020-09-02+%25282%2529.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="589" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDneNf6U2pvN2qcY8Eswk_XGJXeG6t-gME-bSGmDyyafoGR7pgiz0r3XdR3tlzGYiaVPaZ4Iy5Vdx9lcPY1fMgJq8RN0B4bWQUNclaThFRT7VF8FwGfuARfq-UBxO_NfoU6KBa0FY1vdo1/w302-h275/2020-09-02+%25282%2529.png" width="302" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alice Feeny<br />with her new 2020 release<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/His-Hers-Novel-Alice-Feeney/dp/1250266076/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1599085011&sr=1-1" target="_blank">His & Hers</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Connect with Alice</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AliceFeeneyAuthor/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/alicewriterland?lang=en" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alicewriterland/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32326398-sometimes-i-lie" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.alicefeeney.com/" target="_blank">https://www.alicefeeney.com/</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />Alice Feeney is a writer and journalist. She spent fifteen years at the BBC, where she worked as a reporter, news editor, arts and entertainment producer, </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">and One O’clock News Producer.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Her debut novel, Sometimes I Lie, was a New York Times and international bestseller. It has been translated into over twenty languages and is being made into a TV series by Ellen DeGeneres and Warner Bros. starring Sarah Michelle Gellar.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Alice has lived in London and Sydney and has now settled in the Surrey countryside. She writes in her shed with her dog; a giant black Labrador who is scared of feathers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Readers, keep your eyes peeled for this:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The following synopsis is yet to be titled ~</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Crime reporter Britt Montero gets more than she bargained for when a serial killer picks her as his confidante in the tenth book of an acclaimed mystery series from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edna Buchanan.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Five years ago, a newly reunited family a Marine, his loving wife, and their baby girl set out on a road trip only to vanish. Their bodies were found two weeks later, gruesomely murdered. Their unrepentant killer was put behind bars and sentenced to death. Shortly before his execution, he reaches out to the only reporter he ever allowed an interview Miami News reporter Britt Montero.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Britt is no longer with the paper and tells the murderer she wants nothing to do with him. But when a book editor from New York asks her to write a book about her crime reporting, Britt mentions her recent correspondence, and the editor persuades her to visit him on Death Row.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Reluctantly pulled back into the fray, Britt is horrified to learn the killer has a few revelations: He had a female partner on the murders. She was never caught, and she remains dangerous, armed, and on the loose. From an author who is a master of her craft, Dead Man's Daughter is an exciting new installment in the Britt Montero mystery series.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Authors include:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">(To be confirmed)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Karen M. McManus · Alice Feeney · Alex Michaelides · Genevieve Cogman · Stuart Woods · Claire Douglas · Laura E. Weymouth · Joan He · Charlie Donlea · Robert Bryndza · Megan Miranda · Holly Jackson · A. J. Finn · Meredith Tate · Catherine Steadman</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143915919X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=orderofbooks-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=143915919X" target="_blank">Amazon link</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">✒ ✒ ✒</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-86277436052087551172020-05-03T15:10:00.006-04:002020-11-15T10:24:15.505-05:00The Good Girl by Mary Kubica ~ 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RQ2Km1lr33SKhMaPfH5uQJE-Qr4gLUGU-8Gn6X5NUOl5TNAk3OAec21e69QV460TO8zbKpAZb46-rPBXkwUFxoYaz0hjKWzIDW1rsgYCRW18g9Txb0Rj3tRdPlM2EHO40XtzRQzcN2cW/s1600/the+good+girl+hardcover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="652" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RQ2Km1lr33SKhMaPfH5uQJE-Qr4gLUGU-8Gn6X5NUOl5TNAk3OAec21e69QV460TO8zbKpAZb46-rPBXkwUFxoYaz0hjKWzIDW1rsgYCRW18g9Txb0Rj3tRdPlM2EHO40XtzRQzcN2cW/s320/the+good+girl+hardcover.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I’ve been following her for the past few days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know where she buys her groceries, where she has her dry cleaning done, where she works.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don’t know the color of her eyes or what they look like when she’s scared.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But I will.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Author: <a href="https://marykubica.com/" target="_blank">Mary Kubica</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Publisher: <a href="https://www.mirabooks.com/" target="_blank">MIRA</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Publication: Original edition (July 29, 2014)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pages: 352</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Language: English</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ISBN-10: 9780778316558</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ISBN-13: 978-0778316558</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ASIN: 0778316556</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Author photographer: Sarah Jastre</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5 Stars</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This novel was ripped and read from my ever teetering TBR list and so I may be prepared for my conversation with Ms. Kubica</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFackH81J2TGeQR33vb0WdciJhjK0Hc2A60j9_Z0FJ6urKV39y6DN0-aeuxGOM-cynclfJVcZq1XHcHBtTWiV3-qobuu7D1b88xblgsU4Pg3FkEyJYKpjOKGQ9NjCZlw98IJNV3Nrd-gk/s1600/mary1.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFackH81J2TGeQR33vb0WdciJhjK0Hc2A60j9_Z0FJ6urKV39y6DN0-aeuxGOM-cynclfJVcZq1XHcHBtTWiV3-qobuu7D1b88xblgsU4Pg3FkEyJYKpjOKGQ9NjCZlw98IJNV3Nrd-gk/s1600/mary1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Kubica</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Folks who know me, know I love debuts. For me, it's a bit like sticking your toes in the water before jumping in and swimming in the pond. After reading this read, I'd swim in Ms. Kubica's writing for hours on end.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gratefully, she has a few:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mary Kubica is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of six novels including <i>The Good Girl, Pretty Baby, Don't you Cry, Every Last Lie, </i>and <i>When The Lights Go Out </i>and her new release, <i>The Other Mrs.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Her debut, <i>The Good Girl</i> is a page-turner of a kidnapping that did not go according to plan. With only a handful of characters, Ms. Kubica pens such an intriguing tale of mystery, I must warn you, you will not want any interruptions while you are entertained.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Give yourself a couple of minutes, I'll give you a quick synopsis of this read you'll enjoy as much as I ~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mia Dennett, the neglected daughter of a distinguished Chicago judge, James Dennett, is the victim of the kidnap. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This story is told in alternating first-person perspectives, before and after Mia is recovered. Eve Dennett is the mother of the victim, Colin Thatcher is the kidnapper, and Gabe Hoffman is the detective that will get to the bottom of this come Hell or high water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mia has a somewhat of a boyfriend who at times keeps to their dates and more often then none doesn't for one reason and the next. One night while Mia is waiting for him and becomes a no show, she meets Colin. The scene that takes place at the bar, Mia feels comfortable enough with Colin to leave with him for a one-night stand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Later that night, she finds herself being thrown into Colin's truck and instead of being handed over to the man that had hired Colin for the job, they head out of town. Ending up in a secluded cabin in rural Minnesota, where the emotional psychological roller-coaster starts for Mia. And Colin. And folks, t</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he season is heading toward winter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Eve and Detective Hoffman are determined to find Mia where Eve's husband, Judge Dennett is pretty much in the background and stays aloof. He has a demeanor of being 'greater than thou' and demanded some questions from the detective not to be bothered with. After all, they are the "perfect" little family and they do have an image to uphold in the eyes of society. Even Mia's older sister, Grace, who was off at college following her daddy's footsteps in the field of law seems not as terrified as one should feel when their sister goes missing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But then, during this whole read nothing is quite as it seems.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ms. Kubica's style in writing </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">keeps you close to the characters and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">taunts the reader's anticipation of trying to figure this mystery out with a flair of penmanship that is sublime. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To add to the going back and forth of before and after Mia's recovery, you also have subplots that add some flavor to the mix.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Colin's mother plays a part where I found a liking toward her yet I did have a suspicious eye on after the introduction. There is also a </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">love story going on, actually two love stories, one going sour and another sweetening. And let's not forget the enigmatic man going by the name of Dalmar with the <i>unforgiving black eyes</i> who had hired Colin for the kidnapping. He has his agenda one would think he wants to maintain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Folks these subplots wrap up nicely too, in the end. Love how your thoughts you still have in the back of your mind when you're nearing the end all get answered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The characters' growth in this tale is a minimum. I find Eve a bit meek and submissive as with Mia. Gabe's strong character stays linear throughout. Even Colin's character stays pretty much the same other than he grows with inter-monologue thoughts. And this bully, Judge Dennett; he stays a polished arrogant ass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The atmosphere made the settings radiate off the pages from the characters. With the bitter cold of winter in Minnesota, you could easily imagine what Mia and Colin went through in that secluded cabin. Especially Colin's fight with his inter-monologue. How lonely and distraught Eve was during the whole read and with Gabe, his determination; both personal and professional.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One keynote in this tale I enjoyed was Mia's dialogue - it was next to nil. I thought the three other characters narrating this story did a superb job of communicating with what was going on with Mia. And with the 'before and after' effect in this style of writing, the reader has no worries about what is going on with the victim. None so ever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the ending comes to a close, all the loose strings are tied neatly to a nice bow. Secured, and with the epilogue making a safety knot that you won't see coming, you'll close this book and say the same thing I'd said, "Damn, that was a read!" By the way folks, it's not a cliche when it's meant as the real thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have had the pleasure of speaking with Ms. Kubica one evening in late April, via Zoom, answering questions that added depth to this fantastic story of a kidnapping gone awry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She tells us it all started with an atypical plot. A kidnapping plot that is not actually what it seems, but as she wrote, the characters told her the story, other than the other way around.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mary had never been an outliner, she would write a chapter, and then it would just take off from that point. She likes the spontaneity of writing. She remembers she had talked with "20 different writers and pretty much they collectively said there is no right or wrong way, you just pick a method that works for you."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of Mary's biggest challenges in writing <i>The Good Girl </i>was finding the time to write. Her daughter was just a year old and her son was yet to be born. It took her five years to write this novel. Starting early in the day, while her young children were still "sleeping in" she would write. Starting around 5 a.m. with her first cup of coffee, she had the freedom to bring a new life into this world - <i>The Good Girl</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another one of her challenges was keeping this novel a secret. Other than to her husband, she wanted to keep it a secret from her family and friends until it was actually published.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That in my opinion folks would be daunting in and of itself. But, after 70 or so rejections from her queries, she could excitedly announce to her family, "Look what happened!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mary had chosen to write <i>The Good Girl</i> in three different segments, merging them all together upon completion: Eve and Gabe in the Before chapters, Eve and Gabe After, and finally, Colin Before. Telling a story altogether different than the individual parts.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ms. Kubica wanted to become a writer at an early age of around eight or ten years old and then around the age of twelve, she and her cousin Carrie had a sleepover at their grandparents' house, where Carrie produced her first manuscript for Mary to read, and she remembers "holding the crisp computer paper (the continuous feed paper with perforated edges) and thinking: this is where books come from." It was then she knew she wanted to become a writer. In the months ahead s</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he would steal away with the family's typewriter to her bedroom to write in private.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, writing was more of a dream or hobby and less of a career. Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature. Although she loves teaching, she is now a former high school history teacher.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I read <i>The Good Girl</i> there were some off the wall questions that rolled through my curiosities as a reader. As Mia and Colin were at the secluded cabin in Minnesota, does Mary camp? Since Mia was a talented artist, does Mary draw? Was there a different title she started out with? She smiled with the first question and told of how she remembered one night while she and her family camped, a rainstorm came and their tent collapsed in the middle of the night (and it was her last night camping) and with her knack for drawing, yes she does, but, not very good.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To the question of a different title, yes. At first, the novel was going to be called Migration. Once she had an editor, "the editor made it very clear that was a terrible title." Once all the edits were done they had put their heads together and came up with a handful of titles. The Good Girl, The Good Daughter, The Perfect Daughter. They were all pretty much similar. When they had talked with marketers and all collectively voted, The Good Girl won. This book came out about two years after Gone Girl and Gone Girl was hugely popular. She voiced herself with some concern with the similarity with Gone Girl. But she remembers someone had said by the time this novel comes out, everyone would have forgotten about Gone Girl. Still, she had voiced that Gone Girl was "soooo huge", she thought that Gone Girl will never go away. (by the way, folks, Gone Girl and The Good Girl are very different reads)</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There were many parts with this Zoom meeting I cannot talk about for the sole reason I will not give away any of the twists nor the ending, but, it was enlightening for me to hear 'behind the scenes footage' of how these twists and this book became to be. For example, who the kidnapper was actually going to be and then not. Mia was going to be one of the main narrators, but...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With the character Colin, how she became closer to that character as she wrote and then...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ms. Kubica states she has a very close relationship with her characters. Taking ordinary characters and putting them in not so ordinary situations.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And, she loves book clubs with all the input from the readers. I totally agree, because just as Edmund Wilson had stated: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No two persons ever read the same book.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With all novels, there is one part I find folks hardly ever talk or ask about: the dedication. <i>The Good Girl</i> is dedicated - For A & A ~ I had an inclination A & A stood for her children. She smiled brightly and confirmed my gut feeling.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mary, on behalf of the Madison Public Library and myself, I would like to thank you for your time. Such a great great time with you. I enjoyed myself immensely with the smiles and all the laughs. I wish you all the best with your writing career.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">~ Folks, if you want a read to kidnap you from your daily doldrums of reality, you've come upon it. Highly recommended read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>The Good Girl</i>:</span><br />
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<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Girl-English-Mary-Kubica/dp/0778316556/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1588420433&sr=8-1" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> ~ Hardback $15.59 ~ Paperback $10.94 ~ Kindle $7.99 ~ USD</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-good-girl-mary-kubica/1117455367?ean=9780778316558" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardback $24.95 ~ Paperback $15.95 ~ NOOK $7.95 ~ USD</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li>
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About the author:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNOdWLTUDogKtmYW9ezJwm4qInb_f5Eeb6jTqRcdZSr5Sb-ofzVFgtrEg66y1dddPpqxSKqiBB6_5e0-lt0l4Llf4bJTCuZU7xNkVnjQ0VLX4ZcmRMKycUG2DfeYgF0iZk69cRtQ7LDBG/s1600/mary-kubica-author-photo-credit-sarah-jastre.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1174" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNOdWLTUDogKtmYW9ezJwm4qInb_f5Eeb6jTqRcdZSr5Sb-ofzVFgtrEg66y1dddPpqxSKqiBB6_5e0-lt0l4Llf4bJTCuZU7xNkVnjQ0VLX4ZcmRMKycUG2DfeYgF0iZk69cRtQ7LDBG/s320/mary-kubica-author-photo-credit-sarah-jastre.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Connect with Mary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Mary-Kubica-Author-529093127112073" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryKubica" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/marykubica" target="_blank">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7392948.Mary_Kubica" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://marykubica.com/" target="_blank">https://marykubica.com/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mary Kubica is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including THE GOOD GIRL and her new release, THE OTHER MRS. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Her first novel THE GOOD GIRL was an Indie Next pick in August of 2014, received a Strand Critics Nomination for Best First Novel, and was a nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards in Debut Goodreads Author and in Mystery & Thriller for 2014. Mary’s novels have been translated into over thirty languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://marykubica.com/the-good-girl/" target="_blank">Read an excerpt from <i>The Good Girl</i></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">on Mary Kubica's site</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/notes/51698851-the-good-girl/18174103-mary-kubica?ref=notif_fsrn" target="_blank">Enjoy the Kindle Notes & Highlights from <i>The Good Girl</i></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">by Mary Kubica on Goodreads</span></div>
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div>
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Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-1164063917279369552020-04-22T20:44:00.000-04:002020-04-29T21:24:36.810-04:00Spirits by Sheri Sebastian-Gabriel ~ 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A hauntingly delicious horror ride</div>
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Author: <a href="http://www.sherisebastiangabriel.com/" target="_blank">Sheri Sabastian-Gabriel</a><br />
Publisher: <a href="https://haverhillhouse.com/" target="_blank">Haverhill House Publications LLC</a><br />
Publication: July 22, 2019<br />
Pages: 213<br />
Language: English<br />
ISBN-10: 1949140083<br />
ISBN-13: 978-1949140088<br />
ASIN: B07R5ZJMPZ<br />
Cover illustration & design: <a href="https://haverhillhouse.com/about-us/" target="_blank">Dyer Wilk</a><br />
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4 Stars<br />
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Without my stack collapsing, this was ripped from my TBR list ~<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheri Sebastian-Gabriel</td></tr>
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Victoria Garrett, is also known as Tori throughout the tale, is a young woman not being able to live with the fact she hit and killed a teenaged girl, Lexi Perez, with her car. Turning to the legal medicinal liquid to quell her pain, liquor, she quickly spirals downhill and her life becomes a weekend read that will envelop you fighting for the protagonist.<br />
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Becoming a self-induced souse, Tori loses her prestigious VP job, and not wanting to listen to all the gossip from her 'so-called' friends at work, she decides to get away from it all. To a memorable place from her childhood, Cape May, New Jersey.<br />
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But, before she goes, there has been a stalker stalking her for over a year. And, this stalker she knows all too well. The mother of the child she killed, Carla Perez. She's been watching Tori, seeing what her life became after the so-called 'accident' and it was plain to see Tori was drinking to excess. Why? Carla ran a few ideas through her head, but still, those reasons still didn't add up to equal justice in her child's name. Carla comes face to face with Tori one night in a lounge, <i>"My daughter <b>died</b>, and you walk free, living life like nothing ever happened.</i> ... <i>"I ought to beat the living shit out of you," Carla growled.</i><br />
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Carla Perez had other plans, she went to see Miss Tanuja. A West Indian lady living in the inner city. Miss Tanuja asks what she needs and after a moment, <i>"Revenge.",</i> Carla wants revenge against that bitch who took her baby from her. Miss Tanuja asks Carla if she is familiar with bhoot. <i>A Spirit. Soul. Ghost. Yes, ghost</i>. After instructing Carla on how this bhoot could terrorize and haunt and letting her know of its limitations, Carla took herself on a mission.<br />
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Now, Tori believes she can get her life back on track and continue life in a some-what respectable way in Cape May. It is during the off-season for the tourists and some elbow space is what the doctor in her has ordered.<br />
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She arrives and spots a B&B called the Seaside House. It is run by a motherly older lady by the name of Amelia Warren. Now, Amelia came across to me as a fragile little old thing and (no spoiler here) has a backbone. And a strong bone that is and more than likely a foot that will kick you straight from where you came from if ever you cross her path. I personally like people like her.<br />
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Amelia is lonely and she is heartbroken after the death of her husband from the Big C, cancer. Tori asks if she was taking anyone in and after the two of them settle on a price, Tori lugs her one piece of luggage inside. Now, it's off-season, and not too many folks are around and Amelia is thinking she can become friends with Tori. She quickly finds herself with a loose cannon. Tori is losing all sense of reality as she immerses herself deeper and deeper into her drinking habits.<br />
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This tale is filled with demons you see being so damn drunk all the time. Some real, some not so real ... or are they? Tori finds herself surrounded. And it's driving her mad. I personally could see Carla smirking in the background. Wait a minute, is it Carla or is it Tori's reality?<br />
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Read on reader ~<br />
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<i>Spirits</i> has a handful of characters that play well together in the story-line. One, in particular, is a gentleman running a comic shop by the name of Chris Silver, a.k.a. QuickSilver. He has this innate desire to right the wrong he sees during his trek in life and it gets explained why in a heartfelt way. He becomes a favorite character for me during this read. It is the most upstanding way of how Chris and Tori meet for the first time. Years later, their paths cross again and Chris believes he can save her from the Hell she is putting upon herself.<br />
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The sub-plots work nicely within the story folks. Also, with all the characters adding for a fullness, you can rest assured the settings and atmosphere narrative are there in the read. The theme of this tale Ms. Sebastian-Gabriel nails it, as I have seen some inebriates demonstrate. So, I believe she is spot on.<br />
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This tale is more than a ghost story folks. It is a tale of a surreal look at addiction and how one is coping with guilt. What was very well done, it is written with, I believe, an intentional sense of getting close to the reader's emotions and feelings. Seamlessly, you are wrapped in some parts of the story of what Tori is going through. Kudos on those notes.<br />
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The ending leaves me to believe there is another story with a certain character. And with the MC, Tori, I don't know how to say what I believe without giving the ending away. So, I'll just put a cork in it and let it ferment with you all.<br />
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So now the big question, would I recommend it? Well, folks, 2019 was a good year ~<br />
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✒ ✒ ✒<br />
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Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Spirits</i>:<br />
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<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spirits-Sheri-Sebastian-Gabriel/dp/1949140075/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1587310085&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $24.99 ~ Paperback $16.95 ~ Kindle Unlimited $0.00 ~ USD</li>
<li><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spirits-sheri-sebastian-gabriel/1131299558?ean=9781949140071" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardback $27.95 ~ NOOK $7.99 ~ USD</li>
<li><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</li>
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About the author:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheri Sebastian-Gabriel</td></tr>
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Connect with Sheri</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/sheri.sebastiangabriel" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SheriSebGabriel" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sherisebastiangabriel/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14228971.Sheri_Sebastian_Gabriel" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.sherisebastiangabriel.com/">http://www.sherisebastiangabriel.com/</a></div>
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<br />Sheri Sebastian-Gabriel's fiction has appeared in a number of anthologies over the past decade. Her debut novel Spirits was released in July 2019 from Haverhill House Publishing. She lives in the Northeast with her partner, the writer Matt Bechtel; her three children; and an 80-pound lapdog named Nya<br />
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Folks, enjoy <a href="https://buttonholed.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_12.html">my interview with Sheri Sebastian-Gabriel</a></div>
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<br />Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-10967401752033729542020-03-15T17:03:00.000-04:002020-03-16T20:59:05.563-04:00The Dystopian States of AMERICA by Matt Bechtel ~ 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaewTxyvzqhtLJR3ff7QV44wgigNtTeguIknvdJHX7xy39RCsr83oKh-l05rvLB6G66-X4SQ9E_kMMPppXGSwNEnyzxxght3h8dJRqBszpKyzPpUfGcO0wpWc__BgIiyMuuulFu1FxnlBo/s1600/dystopian+states.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="230" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaewTxyvzqhtLJR3ff7QV44wgigNtTeguIknvdJHX7xy39RCsr83oKh-l05rvLB6G66-X4SQ9E_kMMPppXGSwNEnyzxxght3h8dJRqBszpKyzPpUfGcO0wpWc__BgIiyMuuulFu1FxnlBo/s320/dystopian+states.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You may be repelled, you may be shocked,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">you will certainly be horrified, but,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">you will read every last word.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is NOT our future</span></div>
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</span></span> <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">Editor: <a href="http://matt-bechtel.com/" target="_blank">Matt Bechtel</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Publisher: <a href="https://haverhillhouse.com/?s=the+dystopian+states+of+america&submit=" target="_blank">Haverhill House Publications LLC</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Publication: February 28, 2020</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Pages: 396</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Language: English</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">ISBN-10: 1949140199</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">ISBN-13: 978-1949140194</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">ASIN: B0859RQL2G</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">Cover Design and Interior Artwork: Matt Bechtel</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Introduction: <a href="https://www.christophergolden.com/" target="_blank">Christopher Golden</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br />
</span></span> <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">50 United Stars</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8XKKpTFwOhLo5Xad8NDL_NvdqJKI1r50azhiotla9ftXhByYz8A7scQD4OtwaCN7zsVu-dUlJQGpxMQ_G2x5jnDQ1H1OQlgQrBGmIyqr_X71YzpmyGKzlSQZxiZQAA3M8dys-Kd_YYzR/s1600/51c2P9DvSBL._UX250_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8XKKpTFwOhLo5Xad8NDL_NvdqJKI1r50azhiotla9ftXhByYz8A7scQD4OtwaCN7zsVu-dUlJQGpxMQ_G2x5jnDQ1H1OQlgQrBGmIyqr_X71YzpmyGKzlSQZxiZQAA3M8dys-Kd_YYzR/s320/51c2P9DvSBL._UX250_1.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt Bechtel</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a quite frank and open voice of an introduction from New York Times best-selling author Christopher Golden, comes a slew of authors voicing surreal tales of current disturbing times.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each tale is peppered with a personalized voice from each contributing author. These are many independent authors I have heard of from all over the social media outlets and was eager to read some of their handy-work. And, now is prompting me to pick up some of their tales.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Many of these tales throughout this collection of short stories had me shaking my head and grinning. Many of them left me realizing just how truthful these stories are - without the fictional demented imaginations from the author's story-telling of course. What else are many of them made me angry. Angry to a realization that we have many in office directing us into an oblivion course of mayhem and some cases to extinction, because - simply put - they are clueless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just as this person who is currently running for the United States Senate did not know the Federal Reserve is a different entity from the government! This person is running for the Senate folks! A straight-up fact.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hYld77iBBKg9e9Rz9DAatNJnDSl1Uge5HMcAZ2JhpTc_381DhVrfiVV8uNN1tNtKmhrgWq59nvhz0kYmc8BuY_1OJ-D7QThE6p4yqrjK98pwepbZllcOlisGN6sCfVvJSk_dtwAZeGea/s1600/christopher+golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="616" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hYld77iBBKg9e9Rz9DAatNJnDSl1Uge5HMcAZ2JhpTc_381DhVrfiVV8uNN1tNtKmhrgWq59nvhz0kYmc8BuY_1OJ-D7QThE6p4yqrjK98pwepbZllcOlisGN6sCfVvJSk_dtwAZeGea/s200/christopher+golden.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christopher Golden</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Tale after tale, this anthology will wake you. The authors each took a topic/subject of a newsworthy item and told you an amazing twisted fictional tale, only when you get done reading it, you'll reflect that that is actually what the hell is going on. It is only peppered with their take on how to incorporate fiction to get their point across to readers.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Folks, if your into horror and tales from another dimension and are hep to the reality of our current worldly affairs, this anthology is a must-read. It will break up the pang of the doldrums you are faced with on a daily basis, if not on an hourly basis. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> You will see that there </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">is</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> a light at the end of this tunnel of what we need to decipher from which is a true fact and from what is not. For the sole reason, what you will possess in your attitude after you read each of these tales.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Remember the times when we heard the news from the governments of the world and we would, for ourselves, opine what we will decide? Times have changed and now are forced to hear what the governments decide is the truth, and sadly for many, for their own personal gain - instead of for the people. Your neighbor, your friend, your loved one.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ah, the dystopian states we live in. Yet, this is not our future. The future is not as bleak as it looks from these current times. Rest assured folks. Rest yourselves with that assurity, because, you have a voice. Give a fuck - same as these fantastic authors I have read are doing. Use your voice.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Recommend? - Yes, I highly recommend these not so fictional tales ~</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All proceeds from <i>The Dystopian States of AMERICA</i> will be donated to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation. The ACLU Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation, donations to which fund the ACLU’s litigation and public education efforts. As such, all contributing authors have donated their work to this anthology without payment.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>The Dystopian States of AMERICA</i>: A Charity Anthology Benefiting the ACLU Foundation</span></span><br />
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dystopian-States-AMERICA-Benefiting-Foundation/dp/1949140199/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1584290428&sr=8-3" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Paperback $19.95 ~ USD</span></li>
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-stars-and-other-tales-of-darkness-tony-tremblay/1131780078?ean=2940161326749" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ NOOK $7.99 ~ USD</span></li>
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <a href="http://indiebound.org/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="http://www.dystopianstatesofamerica.com/" target="_blank">http://www.dystopianstatesofamerica.com/</a></span></li>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 15.84px;">The contributing authors:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Passage of Life: Stage 1 — Underground by Abby Bechtel • No One Who Runs is Innocent by Bracken MacLeod • Artificial Unintelligence by Linda D. Addison • Fake News by Tony Tremblay • Frontrunners by John M. McIlveen • Carving Out the Other by William D. Carl • The New Corbridge Free State by Dana Cameron • What You Need by Hillary Monahan • Abbatoir Blues by James A. Moore • Pigs by GD Dearborn • Divided We Fell by Hildy Silverman • Before I Formed You In The Womb I Knew You by Michael Rowe • For Want of Blue Eyes by Stephen Lomer • Antibodies by Justine Graykin • Blue & Red by Wrath James White • The Rules Are Different Here by Nadia Bulkin • Abandonment Option by Lucy A. Snyder • Close Your Eyes in Peace Tonight by Craig Wolf • Passage of Life: Stage 2 — Exiting by Abby Bechtel • Deep, Dark by Jonathan Maberry • the revolution will be in color by doungjai gam • Heart of ICE by Jeff Deck • African Twilight by Michelle Renee Lane • Xenophobia by Billy Martin • How All This Ends by Brad J. Boucher • The Twenty-Second by C.M. Franklyn • On a Dusty Trail by Cat Scully • Six Plus Four by Matt Bechtel • Scarves by Elizabeth Massie • The Sick House by Josh Waterman • Enemy of the People by Dan Foley • Abortion Diary by KL Pereira • Drive by Tim Lebbon • The Night Listener by Chet Williamson • We All Live Under the Sun by Errick A. Nunnally • Revolt by Sheri Sebastian-Gabriel • Passage of Life: Stage 3 — Molting by Abby Bechtel</span></div>
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Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-82148219354374148042019-08-13T23:14:00.001-04:002019-10-12T20:18:12.451-04:00Blue Stars and Other Tales of Darkness by Tony Tremblay ~ 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tremblay will taunt you,</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">he will snag you;</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">he will pour horror into you.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Author: <a href="http://www.tonytremblayauthor.com/" target="_blank">Tony Tremblay</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Publisher: Macabre Ink (May 30, 2019); an imprint of <a href="https://crossroadpress.com/" target="_blank">Crossroad Press</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Publication: May 30, 2019</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Pages: 214</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Language: English</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">ISBN-10: 1950565637</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">ISBN-13: 978-1950565634</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">ASIN: B07SB4S2DJ - Publisher: Crossroad Press (June 18, 2019)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Introduction: <a href="https://www.tomdeady.com/" target="_blank">Tom Deady</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Author photographer: Chris White</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">5 Stars</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRt_Ga6CCeNMil0bNKQyIFEAhESGwXLT-xeFxCm81g9fVr7t4TDw9Mzlot-S_93nD085tfwJ87k48iSYnYMxKNN_ojjwOuwxQDMwYgegSUSByXiA5-Vnc-Uq5RdVkjGa7Mm1LJ1dsH4q5/s1600/Tony+Tremblay+Photo+by+Chris+White..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRt_Ga6CCeNMil0bNKQyIFEAhESGwXLT-xeFxCm81g9fVr7t4TDw9Mzlot-S_93nD085tfwJ87k48iSYnYMxKNN_ojjwOuwxQDMwYgegSUSByXiA5-Vnc-Uq5RdVkjGa7Mm1LJ1dsH4q5/s320/Tony+Tremblay+Photo+by+Chris+White..jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tony Tremblay</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">As I have stated before, Tony Tremblay's writing would fill any horror reader's appetite. From his critically acclaimed short horror collection <i>The Seeds of Nightmares</i> to his full blown-out Bram Stoker-nominated debut <i>The Moore House</i>, if you're looking for a great horror story - just ask Tony.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><i>Blue Stars and Other Tales of Darkness </i>is chock full of horror and chills; eleven tales my mind went through and thoroughly enjoyed ~ immensely. Tony delivers Hell, and you can do nothing other than appreciating what your mind goes through as you read.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">First off, in appreciation to this collection of short horror, before each tale is story
notes that tell the glimpse of the history behind each tale. How many times as a reader you are asking yourself, "Where, what, how in the hell?; I felt that was a nice contribution.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tremblay's writing is smooth folks, there's a pace you will enjoy, and has enough anticipation in the atmosphere as you read, it really does makes you want to turn the page. He incorporates quick growth of his characters and their dialogue into a really good time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">He has this ability to take your hand, softly, and introduce to you a hell you won't see coming. Then for some reason, your hand is clenched and locked in as if in a vise until you turn the last page. I have told the world before, Tony has an innate ability with his writing to take the reader on a very clear perception of making the reader realize how close their everyday reality is to his fiction writing. My point would be made in this tale called <i>The Scum Bar</i>.<i> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>The Scum Bar</i></b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I pictured quite well. A noir tale of a couple of two-bit thieves whom would muster at this dive bar to contemplate their next heist. One of the thieves had got himself into a predicament and their next heist was going to get him out of it, yet, this offer that came up seemed a little to bit "too convenient" for the other thief. As warnings were coming out of his mouth, they were to no avail. As the heist was going down and the story ending, I thought, be careful of what you wish for. The ending worked out for one character I was agreeing with with their decision. And sadly (in all reality) I know damn well, those type of characters are in dive bars all across our globe right now, contemplating.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>Blue Stars</i></b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Are magical in their own right. A story of Edgar's loss of his daughter Mercedes and his dying need to be together again with her. This heartbreak tale takes place at a diner with a new waitress wanting/needing to help this poor man out. After his house had burned down with his daughter in it and a divorce six months after, he is spotted going around town to other restaurants and diners looking for a cup of Blue Stars. After Edgar explains to the waitress about blue stars she hoped she had found some at the Goffstown Pawn Shop and the next time Edgar shuffled in and made his way to his booth at the diner, she was almost too pleased with herself to provide him with his order. A cup of Blue Stars. Edgar stares at his cup and then turns to the waitress, smiles and says, "Thank you" - Folks, sometimes when you do good things, bad things happen and what happens next ... </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>The Thaumaturge</i></b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">This is a story of days of old and tales untold ~ you need to be careful of what you demand from your thaumaturge</span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> (a witch)</span></span>, or careful of who you marry? A delightful little tale of two cities that lived in peace for 25 years, the Red City and the Black City. </span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">
King of the Red City had doubts or maybe they were nothing more than
'second-thought's on his wife the Queen, now folks, she was born into the citizenry of the Black City and they stayed true to one
another through the years. Y</span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">et, the battle ensued. Ah, at one kind of price? Folks, this tale is a grinner of a story. The Black Army was gaining and the King didn't want to lose his two sons, </span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Bekitt and Erin, </span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">who were commanders in his Army so he called upon his thaumaturge. The thaumaturge had warned the King if she used her magic, there will be a price to pay.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">As this tale ends, you, yourself as a reader, might grin right along with someone else. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><b><i>Trout Fishing at Glen Lake</i></b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Killer of a story. Killer of a story, Mr. Tremblay. Folks, this tale of two young boys, Billy and John, witnessing a murder and then were spotted, wouldn't you want to turn and high-tail it out there? Yeah, I'm with ya.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Well, even though one of them getting shot, they made it to their destination. Kind of. It was a building Billy saw a couple days ago, but, looked like new owners moved in and now it's a pawnshop. They made it inside and met the new owner and so didn't those two murderers. They caught up with the boys.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Folks, here Tremblay takes you on your journey through a hell so deliciously entertaining, your just gonna love this read. The owner of the pawnshop is a great character from Tony's Bram Stoker-nominated debut novel <i>The Moore House</i> (2018). I love reading about</span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> this character</span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">. His demeanor, his movements/actions, facial expressions, great great character. Now, his partner Rex. He's a mystery. There's an enigmatic force surrounding him and he is a very interesting character in his own right.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Here on out through the tale, what happens between the five of them you are so engrossed with the read, your plainly just appreciating Tremblay's talent here as a writer and then comes the ending. He knows how to close a great short horror story all neatly tied up and explained away, I'm telling you folks, this is really good reading.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The ending came with one of the boys making sure and settling it in his own mind to never step inside that pawnshop again. Ever.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><i><b>Stanley's Hole</b> </i>Simply put folks, if the end of the world is coming, Do Not!, stick your finger in that hole. Let Stanley.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Those are just a few tales I remarked on, though seriously folks, this collection of horror tales is really good material to satisfy any itch you have for horror and dark fantasy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Highly recommended.</span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tony's writing was referred by award-winning <a href="https://johnmcilveen.com/" target="_blank">John McIlveen</a>
a couple years back. Folks, other great reads and I mean, great reads
come from John's pen. You are very welcomed, readers.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Blue Stars and Other Tales of Darkness</i>:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Stars-Other-Tales-Darkness/dp/1950565637/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=blue+stars+by+tony&qid=1564526720&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Kindle $3.99 ~ Paperback $12.99 ~ USD</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-stars-and-other-tales-of-darkness-tony-tremblay/1131780078?ean=2940161326749" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ NOOK $3.99 ~ USD</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <a href="http://indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">About the author:</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVEkB1L-AbYWObmqaC6NAcOd26lyNBg5Xi4g8OGoM0yb1DoqGbYiW9qaFNLk0I6JN5H8kpH0usyLBiA_eGTDcMRG0QobYNHf6vKps1Plm8wXKcLA4V4ci8twdH0NW9mNSS2bFr_EFnpAb/s1600/tony.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVEkB1L-AbYWObmqaC6NAcOd26lyNBg5Xi4g8OGoM0yb1DoqGbYiW9qaFNLk0I6JN5H8kpH0usyLBiA_eGTDcMRG0QobYNHf6vKps1Plm8wXKcLA4V4ci8twdH0NW9mNSS2bFr_EFnpAb/s320/tony.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://horrorworld.org/hw/author/ttzuma/" target="_blank">Tony Tremblay</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tony Tremblay is the author of The Seeds of Nightmares, a collection of
his short stories from Crossroad Press that made the Bram Stoker Awards
Recommended Reading List.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The Seeds of Nightmares debuted at number two on the Amazon Hot Horror
Chart and made the top twenty in the Amazon Horror sales listing. His
horror and noir themed tales have been featured in anthologies,
magazines, and websites on both sides of the Atlantic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">In addition to his print work, Tremblay is the host of The Taco Society
Presents, a cable T. V. show on G-TV based out of Goffstown, NH ( it can
be viewed on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXVGvzuAjCcUwCIweE_L_Dw" target="_blank">YouTube</a> ) that features discussions on horror as well as guest interviews with horror authors. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">In addition, he has worked as a reviewer of horror fiction for <a href="https://www.cemeterydance.com/cemetery-dance-magazine.html" target="_blank">Cemetery Dance Magazine</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Beware-the-Dark-665951890098928/" target="_blank">Beware The Dark Magazine</a>, and the <a href="https://horrorworld.org/" target="_blank">Horror World Website</a>.
He (along with John McIlveen and Scott Goudsward) founded NoCon, a
horror convention held every September in Manchester, New Hampshire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Also, Tony Tremblay is the writer of numerous short stories that have been
published in various horror anthologies, horror magazines, and webzines
under his pen name, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6578118.T_T_Zuma" target="_blank">T T Zuma</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">He lives in New Hampshire with his wife Paula.</span><br />
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✒ ✒ ✒</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Connect with Tony on</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/tony.tremblay.75?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53244.Tony_Tremblay" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Tremblay/e/B01FCI4Y2Y/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">or better yet </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="http://www.tonytremblayauthor.com/" target="_blank"> http://www.tonytremblayauthor.com/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Deep within Tony's dense imagination:</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><i>The Seeds Of Nightmares</i> did not bring the reader into the story,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">it brought the story into reality for the reader.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-seeds-of-nightmares-by-tony.html">My review with his interview</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">&</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">This link is what I had to say on one of his many short stories, one </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">that is part of a three part series <b>The Terror Project</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTL_mQwBSWTZaX8zGd04H6Zf3XisRrr0VNtiROxgDDCN0565mhte6farPQxosexWdKVhXsAQSyiZ0tWVxTGFtoaUwqDAW4cRYnU-9Go0c4KNiNjNHTbKkLjC8854FqkA5B_Qs9Mti_K_Xp/s1600/Books+%2526+Boos+Press+is+pleased+to.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTL_mQwBSWTZaX8zGd04H6Zf3XisRrr0VNtiROxgDDCN0565mhte6farPQxosexWdKVhXsAQSyiZ0tWVxTGFtoaUwqDAW4cRYnU-9Go0c4KNiNjNHTbKkLjC8854FqkA5B_Qs9Mti_K_Xp/s320/Books+%2526+Boos+Press+is+pleased+to.png" title="" width="207" /></a></div>
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<b> </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Go ahead, pick a story, <i>any</i> story</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">you'll be glad you did </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> <a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/12/triplicity-terror-project-vol-1-by.html">Triplicity: The Terror Project Vol. 1 by Stacey Longo / Tony Tremblay / Rob Smales ~ 2016</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> ✒ ✒ ✒</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">After you have read those:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Check out his Bram Stoker-nominated debut</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><i>The Moore House</i> 2018</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><a href="https://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-moore-house-by-tony-tremblay-2018.html">My review of his debut</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">And for a beautiful cause folks, you'll find his short story <i>Blue Stars</i> appearing in <i>Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep</i>, a charity anthology benefiting the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Now-Lay-Down-Sleep-Benefitting/dp/154863915X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1545696703&sr=1-3&keywords=now+i+lay+me+down+to+sleep" target="_blank">Jimmy Fund / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Folks, do enjoy ~ </span></div>
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<br />Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-13942510797148726822019-01-28T22:12:00.000-05:002019-05-18T18:07:56.222-04:00Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys ~ 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJm2snCQv3R-zFvFqnid8jJoZDQJyPIYzphvlijvFuHWNGwldRghW4Ozp3BOTNxHwon7FTehRyYxwJlQui39ZRkMFgVYz0-2Om_D3-xw8dOVr0_FDMR0n2TZhDE2a7pbLPh-31QIkrKpQ/s1600/salt+to+the+sea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="229" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJm2snCQv3R-zFvFqnid8jJoZDQJyPIYzphvlijvFuHWNGwldRghW4Ozp3BOTNxHwon7FTehRyYxwJlQui39ZRkMFgVYz0-2Om_D3-xw8dOVr0_FDMR0n2TZhDE2a7pbLPh-31QIkrKpQ/s320/salt+to+the+sea.jpg" title="" width="211" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Winter, 1945.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Four teenagers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Four secrets.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">As World War II draws to a close,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">refugees try to escape the war's final dangers,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">only to find themselves aboard a ship with a target on its hull</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Author: <a href="http://rutasepetys.com/books/salt-to-the-sea/" target="_blank">Ruta Sepetys</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Publisher: <a href="http://www.penguin.com/publishers/philomel/" target="_blank">Philomel Books</a>, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Publication: First Printing edition (February 2, 2016)<br />
Pages: 400 pages<br />
Language: English</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">ISBN-10: 0399160302<br />ISBN-13: 978-0399160301</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">ASIN: B00YM34WM8<br />Text copyright © 2016 by Ruta Sepetys</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Map illustrations copyright © 2016 Katrina Damkoehler</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Jacket images: Image Depot Pro, Doug Armand</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Photo illustration: Travis Commeau</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Design by Theresa Evangelista</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Author photo: Magda Starowieyska / Fotorzepa </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Book clubbin' with Ruta </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">3 Stars </span></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBE3UsQxu14HhCSCbS6Woo8eIZ7-FZSnBz-eO_6b6BNN7b2gYl1p1lbOeFj_5ClmbMTVeK_VfQjj4XjqpSr5qZ_Mv5Gk5iQhmYlmxPBMB1DSKAdlQLndP2YME9K9iqfcjeqLho105zfz8/s1600/ruta+sepetys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="726" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBE3UsQxu14HhCSCbS6Woo8eIZ7-FZSnBz-eO_6b6BNN7b2gYl1p1lbOeFj_5ClmbMTVeK_VfQjj4XjqpSr5qZ_Mv5Gk5iQhmYlmxPBMB1DSKAdlQLndP2YME9K9iqfcjeqLho105zfz8/s320/ruta+sepetys.jpg" title="" width="242" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Ruta Sepetys</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">A wonderfully sad historical story.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Told in alternating short chapters from the four main characters' point-of-view, these teenagers and their secrets had everything riding on the line to secure their future from the present they were trying to out-run.</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"> What
would you do ... or say, knowing if you stayed where you are,
diffidently your future was to bleak to imagine living through?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A story wonderful of past events screaming to be heard through Ruta's penmanship, because sadly, no one could have heard their screams.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nor their tears.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><i>Salt </i>to the <i>Sea</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">When I first started out on this read, it was hard for me to appreciate the short alternating points of view. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">The chapters could have been a bit longer for me, folks. Way too short and to add, t</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">he sentences were a bit too choppy, even for a young YA read. Worried I was headache bound, I did have a personal curiosity to quell from the title and with my partner, patience, we read on. OK, war in mind and a ship that sunk carrying with her the greatest loss of human life ever to be floating on the open seas ~<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Welcome to ~ </span></span></span>Salt <i>to the</i> Sea ...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">This tale takes you on a fictional journey near the end of WW II. When the Allied forces were gaining ground, the German civilians were evacuating. Fleeing toward the Baltic Sea, where the German navy will transport them to safety. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">The
tale surrounds actual real things, folks. There was/is/a Operation Hannibal (largest sea evacuation in modern history),
The Amber Room (once called the eighth wonder of the world - disappeared during the war and remains a mystery of WW II), MV Wilhelm Gustloff (was sunk by the Soviet submarine S-13). All three were as colorful as
their history, though, the fictional main characters she created were not as
colorful.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">The four main characters are Joana Vilkas, a Lithuanian whom is haunted by her conscience. Florian Beck, a former art restorer has a secret he is carrying and knows if the Soviets capture him, he will be killed and if the Germans capture him, they too, will kill him. There is pregnant Emilia Stozek with her secret and there is Alfred Frick, the pipe dreamer. Alfred, I thought at first, was a loose cannon I was going to keep my eye on. He mentally writes these letters to Hannelore Jager; she seems to be his lover back home. These letters he never writes down on paper nor does he send them. Pretty much throughout the novel he is living in this fantasy world where he tells Hannelore of all the brave accomplishments in his military duty and how dangerous his job is and how he rescued a beautiful young woman. He also hides a lot.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Sepetys did give you their background and their motivations, yet, the characters were pretty much one dimensional.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">The secondary characters were very interesting and intrigued
me more than the simple main characters. I dug Heinz, the shoe
poet. This character had me smiling and enjoying his dialogue with
every turn he made. His comments concerning shoes and how the shoes tell the real story of the person wearing them. And, his familial instincts toward Klaus, the wandering boy, was a treasure.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">I
did appreciate the historical events that were peppered throughout the
tale. I went away from the read content on those notes. But, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">flooding chapters with 'memorable' repeated names - the pink hat, the
shoe poet, the wandering boy, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., (you get my point) My word, that was annoying. These
characters have names Ruta, please use them and just pepper your tale
with those 'pet' names. I shake my head and wonder why authors do that
annoying thing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">As the tale went on, her pace was okay for my tastes, but, the settings were mediocre. Sometimes I was with them in the cold and most of the time I was reading a story. Until toward the end, when all hell was breaking loose while the ship was sinking. Her descriptive writing, folks, was there; As if Sepetys wanted to make sure you're flipping pages and has your attention. I could picture the scenes quite well and I imagined how damn cold that water had to have been. All those people, young and old. Thousands upon thousands filling the stairwells and corridors trying to get to one of the 22 lifeboats. 22? Oops. They were missing 10 of them folks. Now, this is winter. January to be exact and could you imagine, some of those remaining lifeboats are not operable for one reason <i>and</i> the next.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">The visual descriptions of the pandemonium and death were clear. I could see those children legs up in the air while the rest of their body floated below the surface, upside down in their life vests. People slipping off the side of the ship plunging into/onto ....</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">The young man who pleaded to be hoisted up into a lifeboat, yet he was over-ruled with the thought of the boat capsizing. As he clung on the side of the boat in the freezing water, "Would you please at least warm my hands?" Did he make it? Folks, you will be turning pages to see if, or you're hoping to see if your favorite character of the story survives.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Though the ending did clear the air on Emilia's baby Halinka and Klaus from Emilia's heroics, t</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">he ending did not totally satisfy me. Even though some loose ends were tied up and neatly explained, a lot of secrets came out where I felt there really wasn't much time for the resolve and the last few pages were confusing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">On a bittersweet note folks, 23 years later, there was a letter received offering comfort for some unknown answers to questions one character had floating around in their head. I did read the letter twice and no, it was not from Mr. Pipe Dreamer. I will say, the letter made closing the book - worth my time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">So you ask, would I recommend?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Thumbs up for those historical buffs looking for a little action during a read!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"> ✒ ✒ ✒</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Salt to the Sea</i>:</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"> </span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Salt-Sea-Ruta-Sepetys/dp/0399160302/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1548007360&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $15.19 ~ Paperback $8.79 ~ Kindle $9.99 USD</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/salt-to-the-sea-ruta-sepetys/1121907650?ean=9780399160301#/" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardcover $17.09 ~ Paperback $8.79 ~ NOOK $9.99 USD</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local bookstores</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">✒ ✒ ✒ </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">About the author ~</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Connect with Ruta</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"> <a href="http://rutasepetys.com/" target="_blank">http://rutasepetys.com/</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"> Ruta Sepetys (Rūta Šepetys) is an internationally acclaimed author of historical fiction published in over fifty countries and thirty-six languages. Sepetys is considered a “crossover” novelist as her books are read by both students and adults worldwide. Her novels, Between Shades of Gray and Out of the Easy are both New York Times bestsellers and international bestsellers. Her latest novel, Salt to the Sea, is a #1 New York Times bestseller and winner of the Carnegie Medal. Her books have won or been shortlisted for over forty book prizes, are included on over twenty state reading lists, and are currently in development for film and television.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><br />Ruta is the daughter of a Lithuanian refugee. Born in Michigan, she was raised in a family of artists, readers, and music lovers. Ruta attended college to study opera but instead graduated with a degree in International Finance. Prior to publishing her first novel, she spent twenty years in the music industry helping artists and songwriters distill story through song.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><br />Sepetys is the first American crossover novelist to address both European Parliament and Library of Congress. She was awarded The Rockefeller Foundation’s prestigious Bellagio Resident Fellowship for Salt to the Sea.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><br />Ruta was recently bestowed the Cross of the Knight of the Order by the President of Lithuania for her contributions to education and memory preservation. She is intensely proud to be Lithuanian, even if that means she has a name no one can pronounce.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><br />Ruta lives in a treehouse in the hills of Tennessee.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Based on Ruta Sepetys acclaimed novel ~ <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Between-Shades-Gray-Ruta-Sepetys/dp/014242059X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548622970&sr=1-1&keywords=between+shades+of+gray" target="_blank">Between Shades of Gray</a> 2012</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Ashes <i>in the</i> Snow</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Starring</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Bel Powley and Jonah Hauer-King</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Between-Shades-Gray-Ruta-Sepetys/dp/0399254129/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1548622970&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/Between-Shades-Gray-Ruta-Sepetys/dp/0399254129/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1548622970&sr=1-1" border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnRJsfnb87UDjLNsArDnvAU975RqfDbmm5pYEJmGman6HPnBwOwtbOd_Dv8Rdz5pSP7m8v3FkeTFlcpLItoPlYa0mCsMN5yM3ejog934CAapvitGh_Ujj8z7WXJbYsGDf5IjNMf9snTgi/s320/ashes+in+the+snow.jpg" title="" width="213" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"> </span><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>"Few books are beautifully written, fewer still are important; this novel is both." --<i>The Washington Post</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Fifteen-year-old
Lina is a Lithuanian girl living an ordinary life -- until Soviet
officers invade her home and tear her family apart. Separated from her
father and forced onto a crowded train, Lina, her mother, and her young
brother make their way to a Siberian work camp, where they are forced to
fight for their lives. Lina finds solace in her art, documenting these
events by drawing. Risking everything, she imbeds clues in her drawings
of their location and secretly passes them along, hoping her drawings
will make their way to her father's prison camp. But will strength,
love, and hope be enough for Lina and her family to survive?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;">A moving and haunting novel perfect for readers of <i>The Book Thief</i>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-78830768324977634852018-12-16T20:49:00.000-05:002018-12-31T21:12:59.550-05:00The Moore House by Tony Tremblay ~ 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqM-0bENy7L4x_fmtDLrZ92pMOiRtmyOt7ET39Ug3RG946wSac6BxZFdceueI1nNcCmbBTaTt7mMCRnqXwluYdXfZ75ncbzkt7BEVukFxUzgf8hIB1rEQ5db44jqKP5Sth63WrR4ji3vq/s1600/the+moore+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqM-0bENy7L4x_fmtDLrZ92pMOiRtmyOt7ET39Ug3RG946wSac6BxZFdceueI1nNcCmbBTaTt7mMCRnqXwluYdXfZ75ncbzkt7BEVukFxUzgf8hIB1rEQ5db44jqKP5Sth63WrR4ji3vq/s320/the+moore+house.jpg" title="" width="213" /></a></div>
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Think of all the scary stories you've read about demonic possession</div>
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Remember all the horrible scenes you seen in horror movies</div>
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This will be worse</div>
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Author: <a href="http://www.tonytremblayauthor.com/" target="_blank">Tony Tremblay</a><br />
Publisher: Twisted Publishing; an imprint of <a href="http://www.haverhillhouse.com/" target="_blank">Haverhill House Publishing LLC</a><br />
Publication: July 23, 2018<br />
Pages: 272<br />
Language: English<br />
ISBN-10: 9781949140996<br />
ISBN-13: 978-1949140996<br />
ASIN: 1949140997<br />
Introduction: <a href="http://brackenmacleod.wixsite.com/author-site" target="_blank">Bracken Macleod</a> - <i>Ruining Tony Tremblay</i> The Nicest Guy in Horror<br />
Illustrator: <a href="http://www.haverhillhouse.com/written/dyer-wilk/" target="_blank">Dyer Wilk</a><br />
Author photographer: Chris White<br />
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"This book was provided by Tony Tremblay in exchange for my honest review alongside my proffered thank-you for asking."<br />
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5 Stars<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony Tremblay</td></tr>
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If any of you are looking for a read that will engulf you into a few terrifying hours - you've came upon it. Tony Tremblay's debut novel <i>The Moore House</i> will deliver Hell upon your bottom door step.<br />
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All across the land in small towns, there is always one house that is purported to be haunted. A house which folks would say it needs to be torn down before someone gets hurt. Or, it needs to be blessed by a legit priest, so the town folk could relax and feel not threatened by its presence. <i>The Moore House </i>is being described as <i>Ghost Story</i> meets <i>The Exorcist,</i> and after reading it, I can totally see why.<br />
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Folks, here's the offspring ~<br />
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Right off, the prologue will grip and taunt you just as the German shepard dog did to the homeless man looking for refuge inside the Moore house. Yes, Tony Tremblay will grip you and then he will taunt you and then you <i>must</i> turn the page. Can you say, Got Hope? Wait a sec, was that a dog?<br />
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This story is of Father MacLeod and three excommunicated nuns Nora, Agnes, and Celeste whom are looking for redemption in God's eyes for past sins they have committed. As you read, these are not all of the characters that need redemption and forgiveness.<br />
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Their superior, Father MacLeod had been asked to investigate the Moore house by Mr. Kevin Lewis. A very wealthy influential citizen of Goffstown, New Hampshire. He was referred to Father MacLeod through Cardinal Rosa. Mr. Lewis explains the police have been investigating seven deaths surrounding the Moore house to no avail. Including the disappearance of his grand-daughter, Gam.<br />
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He hands Father MacLeod a folder, actually, it is a police dossier. Filled with gruesome pictures of men, women, and children, seven in total - all dead. These are the unsolved killings and he is sure those are not only the ones associated with the house. With not much to go on he believes the house is possessed.<br />
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Father MacLeod and his team of empaths head for the Moore house. Being instructed not to enter the house, they encircle it and using their abilities deem it not haunted. They were so dead wrong, folks.<br />
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The nuns become possessed by the house and made to relive their past sins in a regretful vivid guilt-wrenching memory. The writing was actually possessing me, I mean, what the hell was going to happen? The writing made me turn pages. The descriptions of what these three ladies went through and witnessed as their dealings with Bel - OH SHIT! I almost said it!<br />
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Breather! - lemme see, ahh there it it is - Glenfiddich.<br />
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Where was I? Ah yes, their dealings. Their only hope was Father MacLeod. What they had found out, was their dear had his own hope he needed. He had his own troubles with the devil you might say, but sure, when he came back he brought the cavalry too - the police, Mr. Lewis, the pawn-shop owner and his assistant. The name from Cathrine Grant. Maybe hope?<br />
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As my reading went on, Tony was having the nuns relive their terrible past activities that were sinful in God's eyes with such flair. Here's that taunt again, having them anticipate what was being shown in front of them, what was to become of them, with such style in writing it was colorful as the hell that was being presented. It would make anyone curl up a bit tighter to what-ever or where-ever you find security in as you read a tale. I'm telling ya.<br />
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Once the house had its grip and I must say, in a very conniving way of separating the three - so it may have its way - the sentences melded together so smoothly it is the definition of a comfortable nail-biting suspense read. And when chapters started to pass, it was all very clear and vivid for my mind's eye. Let me mention the pace of the read, his pace is point on - talk about a page-turner if anyone would ask. As the ending of chapters came, some of those cliff-hangers mesmerized me to keep reading.<br />
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The scenes during the read were described in the utmost tangible way. The characters I was getting to know, some to route for and some not; I was there. Some, I could imagine the smell, the writing was on. One of the many great things about this read folks, is each character are intertwined with each other and as the story continues, the twine is seamlessly sewn together to a most excellent freakin' ending. This is not only good writing, but, exceptional. Tony sets the stage and his characters perform for you in exactly what you have been looking for in a thriller mystery read with those scary-ass religious over-tones.<br />
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Let me get back to twining and exceptional writing; Tony has an innate ability with his writing to take the reader on a very clear perception of making the reader realize how close their everyday reality is to his fiction writing. You've gotta read his novella <i>The Seeds of Nightmares</i>, then you'll see what I'm talking about. The words he chose for this tale and how he incorporated them made the atmosphere and setting of this read very tangible and very real. Like a must-read, atmosphere, setting, great dialogue is a must-have. Their inter-monologues rounds out that closeness feeling. I have to have that in my reads if I want me to be in the element for a few hours.<br />
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The ending completely satisfied me and here's the reason: It made me
close the book and shake my head ever so slowly and grin. Contently. And then smile. <br />
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Did you picture that?<br />
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Well then,<br />
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This <i>is</i> a most and highly recommended read, folks.<br />
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Tony's writing was referred by award-winning <a href="https://johnmcilveen.com/" target="_blank">John McIlveen</a> a couple years back. Folks, other great reads and I mean, great reads come from John's pen. You are very welcomed, readers. Thank me when you see me.<br />
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Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>The Moore House</i>:<br />
<ul>
<li> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Moore-House-Tony-Tremblay/dp/1949140997/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1544924833&sr=8-2&keywords=the+moore+house" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Hardback $26.99 ~ Kindle $7.99 ~ Paperback $17.00 ~ USD</li>
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<li> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-moore-house-tony-tremblay/1129050929?ean=9781949140989" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardback $26.99 ~ Paperback $17.00 ~ USD</li>
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<li> <a href="http://indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</li>
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About the author:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://horrorworld.org/hw/author/ttzuma/" target="_blank">Tony Tremblay</a></td></tr>
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Tony Tremblay is the author of The Seeds of Nightmares, a collection of his short stories from Crossroad Press that made the Bram Stoker Awards Recommended Reading List.<br />
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The Seeds of Nightmares debuted at number two on the Amazon Hot Horror Chart and made the top twenty in the Amazon Horror sales listing. His horror and noir themed tales have been featured in anthologies, magazines, and websites on both sides of the Atlantic.<br />
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In addition to his print work, Tremblay is the host of The Taco Society
Presents, a cable T. V. show on G-TV based out of Goffstown, NH ( it can
be viewed on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXVGvzuAjCcUwCIweE_L_Dw" target="_blank">YouTube</a> ) that features discussions on horror as well as guest interviews with horror authors. <br />
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In addition, he has worked as a reviewer of horror fiction for <a href="https://www.cemeterydance.com/cemetery-dance-magazine.html" target="_blank">Cemetery Dance Magazine</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Beware-the-Dark-665951890098928/" target="_blank">Beware The Dark Magazine</a>, and the <a href="https://horrorworld.org/" target="_blank">Horror World Website</a>. He (along with John McIlveen and Scott Goudsward) founded NoCon, a horror convention held every September in Manchester, New Hampshire.<br />
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Also, Tony Tremblay is the writer of numerous short stories that have been
published in various horror anthologies, horror magazines, and webzines
under his pen name, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6578118.T_T_Zuma" target="_blank">T T Zuma</a>.<br />
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He lives in New Hampshire with his wife Paula.<br />
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Connect with Tony on<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tony.tremblay.75?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53244.Tony_Tremblay" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Tremblay/e/B01FCI4Y2Y/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
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or better yet <br />
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<a href="http://www.tonytremblayauthor.com/" target="_blank"> http://www.tonytremblayauthor.com/</a><br />
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Deep within Tony's dense imagination:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJEnYAA_X5pA-cOfG4NPcXg3X_xbMXMfL9f6oirnup7Hjpu3RakFXzbfjqfxJvESolxIuWcamZtZZ9hw-PtFP4cRiPl4umdM9mTMluDrZDPQgCyC18FuQbn7LbkiuBGEgHrCngD5N1Ux0/s1600/28506560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJEnYAA_X5pA-cOfG4NPcXg3X_xbMXMfL9f6oirnup7Hjpu3RakFXzbfjqfxJvESolxIuWcamZtZZ9hw-PtFP4cRiPl4umdM9mTMluDrZDPQgCyC18FuQbn7LbkiuBGEgHrCngD5N1Ux0/s1600/28506560.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<i>The Seeds Of Nightmares</i> did not bring the reader into the story,<br />
it brought the story into reality for the reader.</div>
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<a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-seeds-of-nightmares-by-tony.html">My review with his interview</a><br />
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This link is what I had to say on one of his many short stories, one <br />
that is part of a three part series <b>The Terror Project</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTL_mQwBSWTZaX8zGd04H6Zf3XisRrr0VNtiROxgDDCN0565mhte6farPQxosexWdKVhXsAQSyiZ0tWVxTGFtoaUwqDAW4cRYnU-9Go0c4KNiNjNHTbKkLjC8854FqkA5B_Qs9Mti_K_Xp/s1600/Books+%2526+Boos+Press+is+pleased+to.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTL_mQwBSWTZaX8zGd04H6Zf3XisRrr0VNtiROxgDDCN0565mhte6farPQxosexWdKVhXsAQSyiZ0tWVxTGFtoaUwqDAW4cRYnU-9Go0c4KNiNjNHTbKkLjC8854FqkA5B_Qs9Mti_K_Xp/s320/Books+%2526+Boos+Press+is+pleased+to.png" title="" width="207" /></a></div>
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<b> </b>Go ahead, pick a story, <i>any</i> story<br />
you'll be glad you did <br />
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<a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/12/triplicity-terror-project-vol-1-by.html">Triplicity: The Terror Project Vol. 1 by Stacey Longo / Tony Tremblay / Rob Smales ~ 2016</a><br />
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And for a beautiful cause folks, you'll find his short story <i>Blue Stars</i> appearing in <i>Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep</i>, a charity anthology benefiting the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Now-Lay-Down-Sleep-Benefitting/dp/154863915X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1545696703&sr=1-3&keywords=now+i+lay+me+down+to+sleep" target="_blank">Jimmy Fund / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute</a><br />
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Folks, do enjoy ~ <br />
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Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-61388782188124607382018-03-11T16:03:00.001-04:002018-12-29T15:07:56.376-05:00Bloodstained Oz by Christopher Golden and James A. Moore ~ 2006<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdf1XGZOAi8sNpSHQn7t4f70eFAWm5F5i6581-JdEkhYvd9ygYjlD8ji6TPjVYwOotQReazuvlYeX1Q8e0-sVtQ9JwH_17lzrKZyNEPAdwmzz7ToEG5X-6s1ZJDm69b1cL-bIteHenaPl5/s1600/IMG-3311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdf1XGZOAi8sNpSHQn7t4f70eFAWm5F5i6581-JdEkhYvd9ygYjlD8ji6TPjVYwOotQReazuvlYeX1Q8e0-sVtQ9JwH_17lzrKZyNEPAdwmzz7ToEG5X-6s1ZJDm69b1cL-bIteHenaPl5/s320/IMG-3311.JPG" title="" width="240" /></a></div>
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Rainbows? What Rainbows?</div>
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Authors: <a href="http://www.christophergolden.com/" target="_blank">Christopher Golden</a>, <a href="http://www.jamesamoorebooks.com/" target="_blank">James A. Moore</a>, Ray Garton (Introduction), Glenn Chadbourne (Illustrator)<br />
Publisher: <a href="http://www.earthlingpub.com/" target="_blank">Earthling Publications</a>; 1st, Limited edition (May 30, 2006)<br />
Publication: May 30, 2006<br />
Pages: 114<br />
Language: English<br />
Hardcover <br />
ISBN-10: 0976633965<br />
ISBN-13: 978-0976633969<br />
We're Not in Oz Anymore (Introduction) copyright © 2006 <a href="http://www.raygartononline.com/" target="_blank">Ray Garton</a><br />
Cover and interior art copyright © 2006 <a href="https://www.glennchadbourne.com/" target="_blank">Glenn Chadbourne</a><br />
Above picture is a special limited edition paperback printing for the 2nd Annual <a href="https://www.christophergolden.com/merrimack-valley-halloween-book-festival-2017/" target="_blank">Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival</a>, Halloween 2016<br />
This edition and interior design copyright © 2016 <a href="http://www.earthlingpub.com/halloween.htm" target="_blank">Paul Miller</a><br />
Author photographers: Close friends<br />
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"This book was provided by Paul Miller in exchange for my honest review alongside my proffered thank-you for asking."</div>
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4 Stars<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6GTi_oIDVoYrurK_hcqdcqCXZRFOEi6uccB4I6NcbH8AbcXjSxfHGJ6-PWv1Ic5YnweSojZIqJn8-Vf52vvG2GOb6MHNvc9-2Uh2zBdQQRSauxhR2MJ-_mPIfQL-7VTbJ4WxlkRXAoZG/s1600/chrisgolden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="650" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6GTi_oIDVoYrurK_hcqdcqCXZRFOEi6uccB4I6NcbH8AbcXjSxfHGJ6-PWv1Ic5YnweSojZIqJn8-Vf52vvG2GOb6MHNvc9-2Uh2zBdQQRSauxhR2MJ-_mPIfQL-7VTbJ4WxlkRXAoZG/s320/chrisgolden.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christopher Golden</td></tr>
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I absolutely agree with Ray Garton, who in his introduction claims he can never watch the Wizard of Oz film in the same innocent way again. This trip to Oz is for adults only folks, unless, you want your children traumatized. This is a two and a half hour wicked hell read that makes you wish for a damn rainbow.<br />
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Unbelievable logical comparisons to L. Frank Braum's story which nabbed me right along until I was hoping for that rainbow myself. A wicked gore ride that sparkles not only in emeralds but with characters that are so vivid, the scenes are for the gasping - believe me, you'll agree with Ray ~<br />
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Bloodstained Oz opens up in 1933 in Hawley, Kansas where 9 year old Gayle Franklin wondered if her father was right in describing the drought they were going through was indeed the wrath of God. On a scorching July afternoon she witnessed the blue skies being taken away. A storm was brewing on the horizon and heading for them. Bringing darkness.<br />
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Golden and Moore brought a wicked read with chapters completely filled with vivid imagery for the reader. Instead of sucking Gayle up into the twister and landing her in Oz, the darkness brought Oz to Hawley, Kansas. The tale has the components of L. Frank Baum's version: The twister, the Scarecrow, the Tin-man, and of course the king of the jungle - the Cowardly Lion.<br />
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And let's not forget the flying monkeys. But these emerald-eyed winged monkeys are not your ordinary flying monkeys, they are vampires.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyin1gjr9r0CKwgrNBomkYM9doZaRGa8onGlDZi0Umipoihb6W0HVmYc-NQn3ZDNfmSPKfAJFJ3V4QkjK7o4QPFF0WRJks67Z11VjuwfQqXOLShONMUodMPhNEVwkttz6P9Q6KPGNpdEzU/s1600/JamesAMoore_website-300x454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyin1gjr9r0CKwgrNBomkYM9doZaRGa8onGlDZi0Umipoihb6W0HVmYc-NQn3ZDNfmSPKfAJFJ3V4QkjK7o4QPFF0WRJks67Z11VjuwfQqXOLShONMUodMPhNEVwkttz6P9Q6KPGNpdEzU/s320/JamesAMoore_website-300x454.jpg" title="" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James A. Moore</td></tr>
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The characters played an interesting role for me. Gayle and her parents with porcelain dolls moving around heaving chaos. And in the second chapter, prisoners were introduced from the local prison each playing a familiar part - one without brains, one without heart and one coward.<br />
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Elisa, her husband Stefan and their baby Jeremiah traveling in the medicine wagon were described with utmost carnage. The scenes are not for the faint of heart folks.<br />
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The characters were very well-written and I believe that's not saying enough. Each having their own individualized persona, the scenes for each character are palpably depicted.<br />
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Hell, this story is horrifically palpable. Absolutely delicious. Or, evilicious I should say for the true horror readers.<br />
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The tale is told in three individual stories which were sewn together pretty damn nice by the ending. Loved that twist for the story. As I said, all three parts were fused together quite nicely toward the end as they decided they needed to leave Hawley and search for a place the evil had not touched. Nearing the end of this quick tale of horror, I loved the part in the barn, where you hear the tiny voice state, "No, he's a friend." Because I wondered what happened to that character.<br />
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The ending ~ There were reviews reflecting some folks did not care for the ending. For me, it kept my imagination going (actually, it kept my hope going) The Lion tells Gayle, "You'll be all right Gayle. You only need a little courage."<br />
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Well, happy endings are for storybooks.<br />
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Folks, this is a twisted fast paced violent horror read that is intended to scare the shit out of adults - it is not for children. Let their childhood be filled with L. Frank Baum's innocent version once a year. Then as those children grow, (hee hee) wanna scare them? This is the book that will shatter their memories. Guaranteed. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTQBQxZbtBngjYMwIWo46aBkb_s1q91Xfj4THHFvgelDf_xKjqfVUZNB0au6rzJPycPkctVkhZRh-NRETFJW2T6CRvu5ZkpjXvhivkFqCgAmPxbWSLyJ8dw61I_KabTY-8EqWVPH1Qp1v/s1600/oz_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTQBQxZbtBngjYMwIWo46aBkb_s1q91Xfj4THHFvgelDf_xKjqfVUZNB0au6rzJPycPkctVkhZRh-NRETFJW2T6CRvu5ZkpjXvhivkFqCgAmPxbWSLyJ8dw61I_KabTY-8EqWVPH1Qp1v/s1600/oz_1.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarecrow</td></tr>
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As the Scarecrow said: "It'll spread here now, little girl ... the darkness ... just like Oz,
the blood will spill and it's never enough ... the monsters are here ..." <br />
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I recommend this read for hard-core adult horror reader's. For people who like only safe and familiar things here's my warning - DO NOT READ!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">re's where you can get your fingers on <i>Bloodstained Oz</i>:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bloodstained-Oz-Christopher-Golden/dp/0976633965/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517465179&sr=1-1&keywords=bloodstained+oz" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Kindle $2.99 ~ Hardback from $200.00 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodstained-oz-christopher-golden/1007836932?ean=9780976633969" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Hardcover (Limited) $35.00 Temporarily Out of Stock Online - 2 New & Used from $346.03 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local bookstores</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About the authors ~</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Connect with Christopher Golden</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/christophergoldenauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristophGolden" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.christophergolden.com/" target="_blank">http://www.christophergolden.com/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the award-winning, bestselling author of such novels as The Myth Hunters, Wildwood Road, The Boys Are Back in Town, The Ferryman, Strangewood, Of Saints and Shadows, and (with Tim Lebbon) The Map of Moments. He has also written books for teens and young adults, including Poison Ink, Soulless, and the thriller series Body of Evidence, honored by the New York Public Library and chosen as one of YALSA’s Best Books for Young Readers. Upcoming teen novels include a new series of hardcover YA fantasy novels co-authored with Tim Lebbon and entitled The Secret Journeys of Jack London.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A lifelong fan of the “team-up,” Golden frequently collaborates with other writers on books, comics, and scripts. In addition to his recent work with Tim Lebbon, he co-wrote the lavishly illustrated novel Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire with Mike Mignola. With Thomas E. Sniegoski, he is the co-author of multiple novels, as well as comic book miniseries such as Talent and The Sisterhood, both currently in development as feature films. With Amber Benson, Golden co-created the online animated series Ghosts of Albion and co-wrote the book series of the same name.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies The New Dead and British Invasion, among others, and has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, the online animated series Ghosts of Albion (with Amber Benson) and a network television pilot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />The author is also known for his many media tie-in works, including novels, comics, and video games, in the worlds of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellboy, Angel, and X-Men, among others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His original novels have been published in fourteen languages in countries around the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Connect with James A. Moore</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/james.a.moore1" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesAMoore" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.jamesamoorebooks.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">http://www.jamesamoorebooks.com/</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> “James A. Moore is the new prince of grimdark fantasy. His work is full of dark philosophy and savage violence, desperate warriors and capricious gods. This is fantasy for people who like to wander nighttime forests and scream at the moon. Exhilarating as hell."<br />—Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of SNOWBLIND and ARARAT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />“Gripping, horrific, and unique, James Moore continues to be a winner, whatever genre he’s writing in. Well worth your time.”<br />– Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of the InCryptid and Toby Daye series.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />James A. Moore’s, The Last Sacrifice, the 1st book in The Tides of War series, delivers on every level. A pulse quickening dark fantasy ripe with fascinating, multifaceted heroes and villains, and a vein of the horrific that barely hides, squirming just below the surface of it all. I can’t wait to see where this goes in Book 2.<br />Thomas E. Sniegoski – New York Times Best Selling author of The Fallen series, and the Remy Chandler books.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />"You emerge from any Moore novel feeling like you've spent some time in that world––traumatised, beaten up, bloodied from battle––and The Last Sacrifice is no exception. Brilliantly imaginative, intricately drawn, this is a novel and an experience you won't forget in a hurry." - Tim Lebbon, author of The Silence and Relics</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />“THE LAST SACRIFICE is brilliant, devious, dark and compelling. This is epic fantasy at its very best. Highly recommended!” –Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of KILL SWITCH and MARS ONE</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />JAMES A. MOORE is the author of over forty novels, including the critically acclaimed Fireworks, Under The Overtree, Blood Red, Blood Harvest, the Serenity Falls trilogy (featuring his recurring anti-hero, Jonathan Crowley) Cherry Hill, Alien: Sea of Sorrows and the Seven Forges series of novels. He has twice been nominated for the Bram Stoker Award and spent three years as an officer in the Horror Writers Association, first as Secretary and later as Vice President.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Never one to stay in one genre for too long, James has recently written epic fantasy novels in the series SEVEN FORGES (Seven Forges, the Blasted Lands, City of Wonders and The Silent Army). He is working on a new series called The Tides Of War. The first book in the series The Last Sacrifice, came out this last January and the sequel, Fallen Gods, is due out in late December. Pending novels also include A Hell Within (a Griffin & Price Novel) co-written with Charles R. Rutledge and an apocalyptic Sci-Fi novel tentatively called Spores. Why be normal?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Being a confirmed Luddite, he is working up the nerve to plunge completely into the electronic publications age.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Connect with Glenn Chadbourne</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/glenn.chadbourne.5" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/glennchadbourne" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.glennchadbourne.com/" target="_blank">https://www.glennchadbourne.com/</a></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I’m told most sites such as this one contain a little bio of the artist, so here goes. I was born up here in Damariscotta, Maine, some 49 years back on a late October day. Nothing spectacular there. No particular fanfare. No sirens bleating in the streets, no cries of joy or horror from those in attendance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />We lived on a quiet street near the town proper and there weren’t any kids nearby to play with, so as a small child I drew things to amuse myself like a lot of kids do. I lived in my own head, my own imagination through those young years. It was like Forest Gump who takes to running because it’s just in him. I took to drawing. There was a mom ‘n pop store (no convenience stores in those days) about a half mile from my house and around the time I was in grammar school my father would take me down there with him on Sunday mornings. The store carried comics/magazines and that’s where I was introduced to the great old Warren mags of the day. Famous Monster Of Filmland, Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella etc etc. Also the EC’s of course; Tales from the Crypt and so on. It should go without saying that I loved these things and because of that love I began to shift direction in my drawings, which up until then had mostly contained G.I. themes. I started to draw spooky stuff–and again, it stuck.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Time rolled along and I kept this up throughout high-school and into college. Then, in my twenties I decided to send some stuff I’d done off to various outlets that bought and published artwork for magazines. I didn’t have much luck, but I kept at it and sold a few things here and there. It wasn’t until I met my great pal Rick Hautala that things began to blossom. I met Rick at a Borders book store up here and we began talking over books, the horror bizz and so forth, and he asked to see some of my work. I drew a design for a short story collection of his called Bedbugs which was to be published by Cemetery Dance Publications and he loved it. From there I formed a relationship with the fine folks at CD and I went on to draw/paint things for a variety of their books/comics/magazine.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Along the way other publishers noticed my art and tossed a few gigs in my direction and as of today my work has appeared in some fifty odd books, along with a bevy of comics and magazines. Most notable of course being the stuff I did for Stephen King’s Secretary Of Dreams, volume one, and volume two–soon to be published–along with the really nice edition of SK’s Colorado Kid, published by PS Publishing. Lately I’ve done some artwork for Doug Clegg for his book, Isis, and that’s been morphed into a computer game. The game is very very cool and it’s another new direction I’d like to explore. And of course I’ve also caught up with the rest of the world with this online stuff now and I’m pretty excited about that.</span></span></div>
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Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-80730342391746093802018-01-07T14:40:00.001-05:002018-12-29T15:06:11.263-05:00The Promise Kitchen by Peggy Lampman ~ 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two Women - Two Worlds - One table</div>
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Author: <a href="http://peggylampmanbooks.com/" target="_blank">Peggy Lampman</a><br />
Publisher: <a href="https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/publisher/81284" target="_blank">Lake Union Publishing</a> (August 16, 2016)<br />
Publication: August 16, 2016<br />
Pages: 396<br />
Language: English<br />
ASIN: B01DF0TM5A<br />
Cover design: <a href="http://lauraklynstra.net/" target="_blank">Laura Klynstra</a><br />
Cover photography: <a href="http://www.gettyimages.ae/photos/jonathan-pollack?sort=mostpopular&mediatype=photography&phrase=jonathan%20pollack" target="_blank">Jonathan Pollock / Getty Images</a><br />
Author photographer: Close friends<br />
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"This book was provided by Peggy Lampman in exchange for my honest review alongside my proffered thank-you for asking."<br />
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3 Stars<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peggy Lampman</td></tr>
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Peggy Lampman brings to the table a heart-warming tale of two southern ladies, Shelby Preston and Mallory Lakes, who couldn't be more different from one another.<br />
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The tale is told in two parts with alternating chapters from Shelby, Mallory, and Miss Ann. You will see how they get together through their love of food. <br />
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Shelby, who feels constricted in her poverty stricken life in a suburban town of Coryville, Georgia, dreams of becoming a chef. A job that will bring a better life for herself and her daughter, Miss Ann.<br />
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Mallory, a newspaper food columnist in Atlanta is trying to pick up some threads of a breakup and tries to hold on to her job. There are major changes at work, so she gets involved in
writing a daily blog on the growing farm-to-table movement.<br />
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The tale covers a year's time of insightful thought, love, friendship, and of course - food.<br />
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A very slow read for me, where at times, I had a hard time getting back to it. I did not feel the atmosphere I was expecting. No smell from the peach trees, nor the stink from the pigs, nor any flower in bloom. The setting was there, yet, not in the detail where it actually made me feel I was with the characters.<br />
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Repetitiveness was one issue for me. Example - How many times, and in different ways, is it necessary to describe the jackalope's eyes? I get Shelby's point on how she feels about that stuffed jackalope and his eyes 'following her', from the first couple of times. Maybe after distinguishing Shelby's view of the jackalope, mention that issue with a bit less. The reader knows all ready how that affects her.<br />
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This tale I felt was told to me instead of making me disappear into a fictional world that I need to have in order to escape reality for a moment. I tried to feel with the characters - their heartbreaks, their joys - it wasn't there for me. I read the words, but, wasn't evocative enough to 'being there'.<br />
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Inside the covers, the story was chock full of issues - racism, discrimination against Mexican immigrants, life of a single mom, spouses who cheat, there's bullying and prescription drug abuse, drinking and driving, drug dealers, the organic farm-to-table movement. Folks, that is just a handful of the issues that are covered. Hey, that's fine if you want to throw those issues in, but, cover them with how the characters have closure on them. A sound closure.<br />
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I felt this tale had so much going on, yet, not enough 'meat' going on.<br />
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The ending came and my reflection was of love and hope, learning to forgive others, endearing friendship, how tight families are, and dedication to your offspring.<br />
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I will enjoy these recipes that are in the back - man, some of those sound so delicious - Chicken Gumbo Ya-Ya, Blue Cheese Chicken Salad Stuffed in Endive, Fried Green Tomato BLT, Bacon and Beer-Braised Brats with Apple Kraut - to name just a few folks. Plenty more from where these came from, so, get hungry!<br />
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I would recommend this read if you are looking for a recipe book with a story.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">re's where you can get your fingers on <i>The Promise Kitchen</i>:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Promise-Kitchen-Novel-Peggy-Lampman/dp/1503938840/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Kindle $3.99 ~ Paperback $9.70 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-promise-kitchen-peggy-lampman/1123663772?ean=9781503938847" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Paperback $9.70 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local bookstores</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒ </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About the author ~</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Peggy Lampman is the award-winning, best-selling author of THE PROMISE KITCHEN and THE WELCOME HOME DINER, both published by Lake Union Publishing. She was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, summa cum laude, from the University of Michigan. After graduating, she moved to New York City, where she worked as a copywriter and photographer for Hill and Knowlton, a public relations firm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She moved back to Ann Arbor, her college town, and opened up a specialty foods store, The Back Alley Gourmet. After selling the store, she wrote under a weekly food byline in The Ann Arbor News and MLive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Her free time is spent herding kids and indulging in her barbecue addiction with Big Green Egg cult cookery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Connect with Peggy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Welcome Home Diner: A Novel</span></div>
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Betting on the city of Detroit’s
eventual comeback, cousins Addie and Samantha decide to risk it all on
an affordable new house and a culinary career that starts with
renovating a vintage diner in a depressed area of town. There’s just one
little snag in their vision.<br />
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Angus, a weary, beloved local, is
strongly opposed to his neighborhood’s gentrification—and his concerns
reflect the suspicion of the community. Shocked by their reception,
Addie and Samantha begin to have second thoughts.<br />
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As the long
hours, problematic love interests, and underhanded pressures mount, the
two women find themselves increasingly at odds, and soon their problems
threaten everything they’ve worked for. If they are going to realize
their dreams, Addie and Samantha must focus on rebuilding their
relationship. But will the neighborhood open their hearts to welcome
them home?</div>
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Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-40532059055386657282017-12-28T16:16:00.000-05:002018-12-29T15:04:36.110-05:00J159 by Renee Logan ~ 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_95TJVP0E2Ui5TSEQCIYnLzdf_sMy5GhV2OuIq2vUFlWZpu4AKhVTU63edvPQJaHlVB09XNgjCzXCjUEgPFQyKW-8QCJlG2eGmRkejRAMNfhT7SeqbFN2uEHeJIgqxsSm9sdWpospCD_/s1600/index.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_95TJVP0E2Ui5TSEQCIYnLzdf_sMy5GhV2OuIq2vUFlWZpu4AKhVTU63edvPQJaHlVB09XNgjCzXCjUEgPFQyKW-8QCJlG2eGmRkejRAMNfhT7SeqbFN2uEHeJIgqxsSm9sdWpospCD_/s1600/index.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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I thought, hell, jury duty never sounded so good, but ...</div>
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When Eddie was taken by the system, he thought he was doing his civic duty, not being indoctrinated into a maddening isolation that would leave him fighting for his very breath.</div>
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Author: <a href="http://www.reneelogan.com/" target="_blank">Renee Logan</a><br />
Publisher: <a href="https://www.createspace.com/" target="_blank">CreateSpace</a> Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (April 29, 2017)<br />
Publication: April 29 1, 2017<br />
Pages: 248<br />
Language: English<br />
ASIN: B071NKN2QC<br />
Author photographer: A friend who enjoys quiet recognition<br />
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"This book was provided by Renee Logan in exchange for my honest review alongside my proffered thank-you for asking."<br />
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4 Stars<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Renee Logan</td></tr>
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Could you imagine having to report for jury duty? What a drag everyone says it is. Right?<br />
Sure there are those who feel civic duty is the stand-up thing to do so they jump on it; to each their own ~ it's jury duty.<br />
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Here in Renee Logan's novel J159 - some of you might wear a smile. Some folks finish this jury duty wearing one of those smiles and tapping their back pocket as they get on with their lives.<br />
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Could you imagine reporting for jury duty - knowing you have no need to worry about making your mortgage payments, nor utilities, nor any monthly premiums - even personal. Your property will be maintained and all (including Acts of God) repairs will be done promptly.<br />
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Sometimes the duty calls for months at a time right? Your job is in the back of your mind? No worries. After you complete your jury duty, you will have your same job at the same level as you were, and where applicable - better. Plus folks, you are are going to be paid for your services - cash.<br />
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Dr. Joyce Wyndham, creator of the Pure Juror System thought - The point is making sure the juror has no worries at all so his/her concentration is completely in the case at hand. There will be no communication with the outside world. All of your entertainment are movies and shows and the like that are reruns from years past. No news or anything that could relate to the case at hand.<br />
Sounds like a good idea for all around and you might be saying to yourself - there is always 'a thing'. Here's the thing, jury duty is not less than three, not more than five years.<br />
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Did your smile go away? Well, some smile, some frown, and some just shrug their shoulders and say hey, gotta go. You see it happening around you in your daily life. Folks coming out and getting back to what they were doing - hell, some even move away and start anew. The court cases? Exactly folks! pure justice - no if's and's or rebuttals. The truly guilty go to prison. And the truly innocent will do their job ....<br />
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This read folks will get you going right off the bat. And if you are anywhere near the definition of curious, you'll be turning the pages. Ms. Logan captures the isolation you might feel you should be going through. Yet, what slowed the read down for me - but first a prelude - what else would you write about - was the constant talk of food. No, I didn't get hungry, I was stuffed. I was hoping (wishing?) for an enigmatic twist with the food.<br />
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A lab rat waiting for lights named Eddie is the protagonist of this tale. Folks, when I started this read I was feeling as if the main character was a female - he is not female. As the story went on ... <i>Delighted by discovery, my face glowed with warmth,</i> is one example that made me feel the character was from our species - feminine; there were a couple here and there that were peppered through the beginning of the tale that made me root for <i>her</i>. Eddie, he's a he. I still felt a feminine tone/air for this character as the tale went and I loved how this tale went. Okay, maybe homosexual?<br />
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Lab rat? Yeah, poor Eddie had to do exactly as the lights indicated. Red - Wait. Green - You're good. From eating to getting some fresh air to having to get inside in a hurry to ... Eat. Wait. Wake. Wait.<br />
Poor Eddie was living a life of complete isolation - even from other jurors. No tainting of <i>your</i> decision on the case on hand.<br />
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Eddie, I mean Ms. Logan, was describing great inter-monologue as I read. Major despair riddled off the pages. Pulled me right in there with Eddie. A lot of what was going on in his head had set my atmosphere and setting for me - the isolation is a killer. The sub-plot was excellent, Renee. The court cases that came and went, time itself and all the background for the tale was moving.<br />
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Talk about moving, your pace Ms. Logan was spot on coinciding with Eddie's growth into his nightmare. It dug my rooting for Eddie a little deeper.<br />
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I was hoping for the friends of this tale were actually Eddie's foe and then a super nice twist for Eddie in the end. The plot was excellent, though, I knew all along whom the ending was in favor for, so, that's why there was that hope for a twist. Some mystery-meat, twisty twist in the end, and more problems for Jack. That's what <i>I</i> needed. Folks, Jack is one of the most courageous men you will ever meet. Pick this read up ~ All in all, this <i>is</i> a really good read folks ~<br />
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I needed more twist. Recommend you ask?, Well yeah, of course, because listen, you really will enjoy getting isolated with Eddie. I'll go ahead and say you're welcomed.<br />
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J159</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">re's where you can get your fingers on <i>J159</i>:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/J159-Renee-Logan-ebook/dp/B071NKN2QC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1514003020&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Kindle $2.99 ~ Paperback $10.95 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/j159-renee-logan/1126320340?ean=9781545128770" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Paperback $10.95 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About the author ~</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Renee Logan is an Australian born writer, artist, and photographer. She has lived in Europe and traveled the world, but proudly calls Texas, USA her home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Renee has written and illustrated children's books and continues to do so in parallel to her love of writing thrillers, science-fiction, dystopian, mysteries, and general fiction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />With a predilection for oil painting and a vast array of photography interests, Renee's artistic works can be found among both private and commercial collections, as well as print media and advertising.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Connect with Renee</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/realreneelogan" target="_blank">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WordOfRenee/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35747238-j159?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://reneelogan.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Renee's Ramble</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/p/an-interview-with.html"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enjoy my interview with Renee Logan</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></span></div>
<br />Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-84936937837422114262017-12-16T18:53:00.000-05:002018-12-29T15:02:31.111-05:00The Iron Line by L. M. Merrington ~ 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYaGckRky0g6NqHyENnUtU7NS8qcHGFhlMYbD5KfNKXD7VMtwi0KovB9ABHL9d3RDig3Hd0YQqRpnLM_zhEpf_hDyDjda34ify77ptQq7kRiB4t1AKDMBBh-TEjVnOzD5EfiAZ8bUVZHR/s1600/Iron-Line-eBook-High-Res-Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYaGckRky0g6NqHyENnUtU7NS8qcHGFhlMYbD5KfNKXD7VMtwi0KovB9ABHL9d3RDig3Hd0YQqRpnLM_zhEpf_hDyDjda34ify77ptQq7kRiB4t1AKDMBBh-TEjVnOzD5EfiAZ8bUVZHR/s320/Iron-Line-eBook-High-Res-Copy.jpg" title="" width="240" /></a></div>
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“There’s a ghost train that runs along here at night.<br />
They say it carries the souls of those bound for hell.”
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Author: <a href="https://lmmerrington.com/" target="_blank">L. M. Merrington</a><br />
Publisher: PAC Books (December 4, 2017)<br />
Publication: December 4, 2017<br />
Pages: 177<br />
Language: English<br />
ASIN: B077S3T7MM<br />
Cover design: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/david.daniel.5203577" target="_blank">Raewyn Brack</a><br />
Author photographer: James Walsh<br />
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"This book was provided by L. M. Merrington in exchange for my honest review alongside my proffered thank-you for asking."<br />
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5 Stars<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeLuq2oOkkZ7AmOrYySQReb-b7kRN4zG_NgPCDDQ9XcYGjauhU4naWpvj8FugU0luAVicIH6MNo_mhKj3UcOTJqbpJxVWDHdgivy6Wh0IU9mo-Ysh2AW_pXCMWEvUpRAD1T8bvsNxBUJ9/s1600/L.M.+Merrington.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1363" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeLuq2oOkkZ7AmOrYySQReb-b7kRN4zG_NgPCDDQ9XcYGjauhU4naWpvj8FugU0luAVicIH6MNo_mhKj3UcOTJqbpJxVWDHdgivy6Wh0IU9mo-Ysh2AW_pXCMWEvUpRAD1T8bvsNxBUJ9/s320/L.M.+Merrington.jpg" title="" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L. M. Merrington</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What a terrific weekend mystery read folks!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This story was incredible. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Iron Line is a Gothic murder mystery set with secrets nestled within the rural fictional town of Tungold, Australia in t</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he late 1800's.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A newly widowed young lady by the name of Jane Adams will take you on a journey to hell and back.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Becoming the new gatekeeper from Goulburn, she was capable of handling one daily train that ran through town - and then she deemed herself capable of settling her curiosity of the train that rumbled the tracks every now and then, deep in the middle of the night.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Locals call it The Ghost Train and it be best to run home and jump in bed and cover your head 'til its gone - lest you die. Happenings before you know.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Curiosity killed the cat, yet she had to spy the train and once she did, she didn't die. Though she spied a sight she might've not should've - </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">yet again, not sure what happened exactly in town there with that murder too, but teaming up with Constable Ward seemed like a for sure plan. 'Even though being a woman', </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jane is vibrant and outspoken </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and after seeing the logic, Ward concedes that two views are better than one. Off they set to investigate a mysterious ghost train and a murder to them making no sense.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Constable Ward reminded me of Pierce Brosnan with his suave demeanor and I felt Jane looking at him with a cautious female want through the read. Now she's thinking hold on here, hold on, slow the hell down. Still wearing mourning threads. Slow. It. Down. And there were the spots in the read she did halt all, then, the rekindles, then ....</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both of these characters will wrap you with life in the 1800's - detailing for you the life one would expect back then. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I appreciated the temperament Ms. Merrington, a</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ll the characters were distinct with their garb and demeanors, and their patois was accented audibly for me - thank you. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Iron Line is speckled with a bit of history of the land and times along with a handful of issues facing women since time started really. Tip of my hat for voicing the violence of where one should feel the safety of tranquility at it's fullest Ms. Merrington. Along with other issues peppered here and there that are alive and kicking and happening today right now as you are reading my review here.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I was reading, Jane becomes more lovable by the page. Stands her ground as her backbone is made of impenetrable granite at times. She can't stand bullies. Many of us probably could relate to Jane, not only for her perseverance, but as you read, for her other ingredients that make up her character. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the mystery of the ghost train and the murder - and the attempted killing! - continues, you are enveloped in the Victorian Gothic genre for the weekend. Now folks, I'm down here on Earth, just as the lot of you - Ms. Merrington pens a sentence that pulls the next one right afterwards and then the sentence pulls the next paragraph right after turning that into the next page which in turns a smile as you close the back cover. Take my word for it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now I would venture to say the question of whether or not that I would recommend this read for your weekend pleasure is naught, eh?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yep. Thought so.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Folks, you won't see the end. This is a great mystery with the end having a twist - oh, twisting right around the corner ... and down the hill ~ you <i>can't possibly</i> see it ~ however, you will absolutely love it!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">~ enjoy!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">re's where you can get your fingers on <i>The Iron Line</i>:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Line-L-M-Merrington-ebook/dp/B077S3T7MM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512701105&sr=8-1&keywords=the+iron+line++merrington." target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Kindle $2.99 ~ Paperback $14.99 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-iron-line-louise-merrington/1127545913?ean=9780648021568" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ NOOK $2.99 ~ Paperback $14.99 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About the author ~</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">L.M. Merrington is an Australian author, freelance writer and consultant. Her books include two Gothic mysteries, Greythorne and The Iron Line, and a non-fiction communications handbook, Communications for Volunteers: Low-Cost Strategies for Community Groups. She is fascinated by the Victorian era and particularly enjoys writing Gothic stories and steampunk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Join Ms. Merrington's mailing list on her site & receive a free short story, <i>Reset</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You'll also get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content, first-look book excerpts and more.</span></div>
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Connect with Ms. Merrington<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/lmmerrington" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/lmmerrington" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.lmmerrington.com/" target="_blank">www.lmmerrington.com</a></div>
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Email: <a href="mailto:louise@lmmerrington.com" target="_blank">louise@lmmerrington.com </a></div>
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<a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2015/09/greythorne-by-lm-merrington-2015.html">My Review</a><br />
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Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-17732176968096271882017-11-26T13:00:00.001-05:002018-12-29T15:00:58.284-05:00Three On A Match: The Terror Project, Volume 2 by Kristi Petersen Schoonover / g. Elmer Munson / Melissa Crandall~ 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Three on a match:</b> </div>
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(also known as third on a match or unlucky third light)</div>
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is a purported superstition among soldiers during the Crimean War to World War II</div>
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The superstition - if three people light their smokes off of one match, one of them will die.</div>
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Author: <a href="https://melissacrandall.com/" target="_blank">Melissa Crandall</a> / <a href="https://gelmermunson.com/" target="_blank">g. Elmer Munson</a> / <a href="https://kristipetersenschoonover.com/" target="_blank">Kristi Petersen Schoonover</a><br />
Publisher: <a href="https://booksandboospress.com/" target="_blank">Books & Boos Press</a><br />
Publication: September 5, 2017<br />
Pages: 252<br />
ISBN-10: 0997932929<br />
ISBN-13: 978-0997932928<br />
Language: English<br />
Cover design: <a href="https://booksandboospress.com/tag/ana-lucia-cortez/" target="_blank">Ana Lucia Cortez</a><br />
Foreword: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/david.daniel.5203577" target="_blank">David Daniel</a> <br />
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4 Stars, 3 Stars, 5 Stars - respectively<br />
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"This book was provided by <a href="http://www.staceylongo.com/index.html" target="_blank">Stacey Longo</a> in exchange for my honest review alongside my proffered thank-you for asking."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcHJsXCBgP49szcvPEKasmfz9tuiG7a7vv2qjrU5sfwyvTE-HSEcxK9zJMLyfHAZN9Ny1ikVKVr11C1MWQ1Rupw9JbUJPlZMV0WM0O6-CTZ48cpovUKBFruxYg7i8jqYHDRAEujNKnHUS/s1600/Stacey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="169" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcHJsXCBgP49szcvPEKasmfz9tuiG7a7vv2qjrU5sfwyvTE-HSEcxK9zJMLyfHAZN9Ny1ikVKVr11C1MWQ1Rupw9JbUJPlZMV0WM0O6-CTZ48cpovUKBFruxYg7i8jqYHDRAEujNKnHUS/s320/Stacey.jpg" title="" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stacey Longo</td></tr>
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What a project Stacey Longo has going on around her; The Terror Project -
3 books, 3 novella's per book, 3 different authors per book - each heading for your dreadful and ghastly reading pleasure.<br />
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I would say this read was gripping, peopled with vivid characters and pulsed with suspense. Loved it! <br />
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Her project starts with <i>Triplicity: The Terror Project Vol. 1 by Stacey Longo / Tony Tremblay / Rob Smales ~ 2016</i>. In this read you will find, right along with Stacey, two gentlemen that puts terror rightfully in its place - in your mind.<br />
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<i>Triplicity: The Terror Project: Volume 1</i> sets the stage for introducing part 2 on her terror project and I cordially invite you to read my review on <i><a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/12/triplicity-terror-project-vol-1-by.html">Triplicity</a></i>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsnFTsRjeSYIuhkbTsHA2n_N1lC4Pk0bkV0tNsRCdeehQRvhlFyrZSFGCiSTbvY_X4w-Fmx7ODaQG5Rd83ao2VzawVBd0JT6XA9EH6teEnttozZuQNIWuJJGvLAaROCFSE0cNWRPoz_Qx/s1600/kps-baltimore-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsnFTsRjeSYIuhkbTsHA2n_N1lC4Pk0bkV0tNsRCdeehQRvhlFyrZSFGCiSTbvY_X4w-Fmx7ODaQG5Rd83ao2VzawVBd0JT6XA9EH6teEnttozZuQNIWuJJGvLAaROCFSE0cNWRPoz_Qx/s1600/kps-baltimore-2013.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristi Petersen Schoonover</td></tr>
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<i>Three On A Match: The Terror Project, Volume 2</i> starts with <i>Splendid Chyna</i> by Kristi Petersen Schoonover describing not all the dead rest in peace.<br />
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CeCe, the main character, is the vehicle for setting justice? and entering her own personal Twilight Zone?<br />
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Departing the abuse of her old man, whom is now in prison, and trading it in for the abuse of the Florida humidity with her loving new beau, Art, CeCe is starting afresh and wants to go through that good-vibe feeling one should go through when you start again. The day she moves into her new home - it's raining. Go figure, right?<br />
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She has a daughter of thirteen years, Eliza, whom is usually hushed and waved politely away in a sense during this read for me, (loved her small part), has an older brother, Devon, who is the dark and mysterious sixteen-year-old skateboarder.<br />
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CeCe is introduced to the ladies of the cul-de-sac, - gossip congregating at the pool - while enjoying their drinks and planning a progressive dinner, they do a job filling her in with the history of the neighborhood. <br />
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As CeCe grasps the idea of their home is built upon an amusement park that never became, her life is not what she was expecting. She tries to mend a broken teacup of Devon's from the move and from there on out the read explodes into a great ending. From the relationship between her son and Art, the music she keeps hearing, all the ladies, her daughter Eliza, and Chyna - the story crescendos into an ending from out of nowhere. Relief, did come, at least for<br />
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Kristi's atmosphere was penned for the reader to feel the eeriness throughout and her pace was wrote in a way you want to turn the page in hopes of relief will be there. She made you feel CeCe's anxieties and who wouldn't love that in a read? What slowed me was the gossip around the pool. Not sure if it was the dialog or the setting or, the events surrounding the scene or maybe the whole mix, or ... sure can't pinpoint it, but, a great read folks, rest assured.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div>
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All's Well That Ends<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcy3KEVFxHpZMzNl3d-Nyl89_qALUqot4_oYRpH4bF1GgQpJBNcDfrpHHBZpwqGuz214SGAgNKH7OSHfCFBCI0cPwx290fqruXXuS3lpcoKKI-8eqhC3YQISuM_OlN7CzHt2Xp5LbT7OL0/s1600/bass1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="529" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcy3KEVFxHpZMzNl3d-Nyl89_qALUqot4_oYRpH4bF1GgQpJBNcDfrpHHBZpwqGuz214SGAgNKH7OSHfCFBCI0cPwx290fqruXXuS3lpcoKKI-8eqhC3YQISuM_OlN7CzHt2Xp5LbT7OL0/s320/bass1.jpg" title="" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">g. Elmer Munson</td></tr>
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<i>g. Elmer Munson</i><br />
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Cops. Banks. Clowns.<br />
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Had a blast trying to envision the scenes and I ducked my head here and there, yes. But the story was too rushed for me to really enjoy the read. I had to reread a few sentences here and there to understand who did
what and when, and who shot who, and where did you pop up from?, and ...
so forth.<br />
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Folks, depicting chaos and all the action is exciting when using these clown characters. Crazy scenes were jumping out of the pages as the complete chaos told a story. Some of you are really going to enjoy this even though <i>I</i> felt rushed. I did feel the 'change of air' between outside events and inside events.<br />
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This is one bank-job you gotta read if you like grinnin' while you read.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrn9Dmlni5GxPEQWga1UkhQzq03Mj-qwamwN1-HI3E5B5VvurneWCe9euKQQ66r8PUqpukbwOuASAIoSeQwBa_wBWFrYLSdphUP564JlYwHgZa_9UTVpksERTpY3ZjXYZlkukm26FTqGw/s1600/melissa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="483" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrn9Dmlni5GxPEQWga1UkhQzq03Mj-qwamwN1-HI3E5B5VvurneWCe9euKQQ66r8PUqpukbwOuASAIoSeQwBa_wBWFrYLSdphUP564JlYwHgZa_9UTVpksERTpY3ZjXYZlkukm26FTqGw/s200/melissa.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melissa Crandall</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Thicker Than Water<br />
<i>Melissa Crandall</i><br />
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When you start reading, Melissa will tell you a tale absolutely hooking you from start to finish. And afterwards? one decent smile of satisfaction.<br />
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This was my favorite of the three. Melissa has a way with prose. Seasoned.<br />
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This tale reminded me of the debut novel Burial Rites (2013) by Hanna Kent. Thicker than water is a witch story where the hoi polloi's view is thicker than the actual facts the accused is accused of.<br />
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All Cora Coleman is actually doing is waiting for husband Brendan to come back home, safely, from his whaling trip. She gets accused of bewitching Owen at the social to make him come after her, even though he is engaged to another. As all the trials and tribulations of Cora Coleman's days were unfolding, the ending I gasped as I read who was going to witness what.<br />
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The setting and atmosphere - I was there - thank you Melissa.<br />
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The character's in this tale were my vehicle for my enjoyment. Owen, or I should say, smug Owen (boy, I'd like to take him outside and have word or two with him) and his lady Grace Ellison were depicted exactly who they were. In fact folks, every character had their own temperament which made them stand clearly apart from one another.<br />
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Tension, surprise, heartache, and disappointment play throughout, and you will enjoy yourself as you read how an innocent remark marks a most excellent read - "Mam, What's a succubus?"<br />
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Three On A Match: The Terror Project, Volume 2</div>
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In back of The Terror Project, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t</span>here are the stories behind the stories. A little back-drop of where the authors got their ideas. So cool.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Three On A Match: The Terror Project, Volume 2</i>:</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Three-Match-Terror-Project-2/dp/0997932929/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511708714&sr=1-1&keywords=Three+On+A+Match%3A+The+Terror+Project%2C+Volume+2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Paperback $12.99 USD</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/three-on-a-match-kristi-petersen-schoonover/1127028529?ean=9780997932928" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ Paperback $12.99 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About the authors ~</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23EyzYL7Yemn75vTsRKTXZ49S4cN-HczPG9YFtMPJOtn_DVqgN0Z3J5RjB_H-rFl1i_37q9vVB9Ck-fzbbTgedvekMfdCEkmuQF25QQN7-WwuRxXA8bzagpFpJPg-Mzx8QRHZkbmnV4-f/s1600/image-9-4-17-6-35-pm.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="594" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23EyzYL7Yemn75vTsRKTXZ49S4cN-HczPG9YFtMPJOtn_DVqgN0Z3J5RjB_H-rFl1i_37q9vVB9Ck-fzbbTgedvekMfdCEkmuQF25QQN7-WwuRxXA8bzagpFpJPg-Mzx8QRHZkbmnV4-f/s320/image-9-4-17-6-35-pm.jpeg.jpg" title="" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melissa, Elmer, Kristi</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Connect with them:</span><br />
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<a href="https://melissacrandall.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Melissa Crandall</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Melissa describes herself as a “tea snob” and loves being outdoors and around animals. A proud native of Upstate New York, she currently lives in Connecticut with her husband Ed and their pets, a lovable Australian shepherd named Holly, and a “damn fine” cat named Ruby.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://gelmermunson.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">g. Elmer Munson</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> g. Elmer Munson is a New England writer of the strange and unusual as well as the horrors of everyday life. He lives with his family and a posse of various critters in a creaky farmhouse older than America herself.</span></div>
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<a href="https://kristipetersenschoonover.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kristi Petersen Schoonover</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Kristi lives in the Connecticut woods with her housemate, Charles, two cats--Poe and Mikey--and her husband, paranormal investigator and occult specialist Nathan Schoonover of The Ghostman & Demon Hunter Show (www.ghostanddemon.com).<br />She has a passion for ghost stories, marine life, and Tarot cards and still occasionally sleeps with the lights on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> ✒ ✒ ✒</span><br />
<a href="http://www.staceylongo.com/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stacey Longo</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Writer, creative wit, and beauty to boot. What more could you ask for in your favorite author?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> ✒ ✒ ✒</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://booksandboospress.com/" target="_blank">Books & Boos Press</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS67BzD-2flTiRIYaXoxNhV2GvKlmDZ601RuzwJo4zYNIcWJdnTgq0XEU7wr2GxnSCloo6P2jS_pJQIOahuGqk15WHtmYjEf2ThPN0z1eLmY7QKfeyZfASwcmGi2Tiiv0PedEZmWlSIxvI/s1600/Triplicity.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS67BzD-2flTiRIYaXoxNhV2GvKlmDZ601RuzwJo4zYNIcWJdnTgq0XEU7wr2GxnSCloo6P2jS_pJQIOahuGqk15WHtmYjEf2ThPN0z1eLmY7QKfeyZfASwcmGi2Tiiv0PedEZmWlSIxvI/s320/Triplicity.png" title="" width="210" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/12/triplicity-terror-project-vol-1-by.html">My review</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span></div>
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Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-63348955875905937562017-08-25T14:08:00.002-04:002018-12-29T14:59:52.673-05:00Pigeon-Blood Red by Ed Duncan ~ 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF95ImM07QXlHb095dWuVbhDMqI3ggz_J5Ebx_Lu99XeSGZ9aPO330JrMAj5ZGpLtIpqbSu0IywnCSyeIWu6Fw7yXyGTNqGllwrkAexp3ug8SG1Ftr3rB0yHJgZ3NnVd8B6yi2eVCqf1MV/s1600/51gSF0s72oL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="235" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF95ImM07QXlHb095dWuVbhDMqI3ggz_J5Ebx_Lu99XeSGZ9aPO330JrMAj5ZGpLtIpqbSu0IywnCSyeIWu6Fw7yXyGTNqGllwrkAexp3ug8SG1Ftr3rB0yHJgZ3NnVd8B6yi2eVCqf1MV/s320/51gSF0s72oL._SY346_.jpg" title="" width="217" /></a></div>
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Engaging multi-twist crime noir</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Author: <a href="https://eduncan.net/" target="_blank">Ed Duncan</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Publisher: Ed Duncan (September 2, 2016)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Publication: August 23, 2016</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pages: 238</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Paperback</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ISBN-10: 0692769471</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ISBN-13: 978-0692769478</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Language: English</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jacket design: Voyage Media</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Author photographer: A friend who likes quite recognition</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "This book was provided by <a href="http://bookpublicityservices.com/" target="_blank">Kelsey Butts</a> in exchange for my honest review alongside my proffered thank-you for asking."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 Stars</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPQpY3fm4TBH407bqWbdff3HgAGrOKiPljZO_2fI0Bv8gRiY-CgYxqZ2sbCuv6ghmz24qre3U_-AZo-1zi4iegPUP_LCRJzNGec-5iibVdnc1vwWnsL_28LhXOgDT_0ee8kZ9zp0CY0UC/s1600/61kWAxeltXL._UX250_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPQpY3fm4TBH407bqWbdff3HgAGrOKiPljZO_2fI0Bv8gRiY-CgYxqZ2sbCuv6ghmz24qre3U_-AZo-1zi4iegPUP_LCRJzNGec-5iibVdnc1vwWnsL_28LhXOgDT_0ee8kZ9zp0CY0UC/s1600/61kWAxeltXL._UX250_.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ed Duncan</td></tr>
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On this hard-boiled tale of organized crime, Ed Duncan captivates the reader into a twisted thriller that will fill your afternoon with suspense.<br />
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Robert McDuffie, is a failing business man / addicted gambler who owes a substantial amount of money to a loan shark, has a two-week notice to pay his debts. Knowing he probably won't make the deadline, he sees an opportunity - seizing a pigeon-blood red ruby necklace that is priceless while being driven home one evening.<br />
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This three part story starts off in Chicago where Rico Saunders, Frank Litvak's goon, has been assigned with getting back his bosses precious ruby necklace. And teach Robert a lesson for stealing.<br />
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After introducing the characters with vivid color and background, the story leads to Honolulu where the story gets twisted with the suspense you look for in a read.<br />
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Robert's wife, Evelyn - a college professor in mathematics, has had enough of her husband's story 'things will get better' but decides she will give the relationship a chance. After trying for a couple of years to get Robert and herself on a vacation to get things out in the open and get that spark back in their relationship, she books a flight to Hawaii and gives Robert an ultimatum - You're coming or I'm going alone!<br />
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Well, you're going alone then. Evelyn talks her best friend Rachel Gatlin (who has her own secrets) into taking Roberts place. And, now at the last minute, Robert decides to tag along.<br />
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Litvak's henchman tags along too.<br />
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Here the story folds into a web of twisted coincidences. Rachel and Evelyn decide to take in a luau one evening and during the day Evelyn runs into an old college flame. Paul Elliott, who had lost his wife, Jo-Anne, a year earlier was dumbfounded when he saw Evelyn. Smiles all around, Paul decides to ask Evelyn to a luau.<br />
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<i>"What a coincidence! Rachel and I are going to a luau tonight and Robert thinks he's taking us to dinner, so I guess he's officially horned in. Why don't we all go together?"</i><br />
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The luau turned into a night they would never forget.<br />
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Murder and mayhem breaks out - Evelyn and her newly found protector run and try to hide on an island in paradise. The scenes of the cat and mouse chase need applaud. Their thinking on trying to out-think the killer was pretty damn good. Ed Duncan's description of mayhem in paradise gave the story the great atmosphere you would be expecting.<br />
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There are numerous characters I have not mentioned, but, each one adds
to the loose ends and clarification you need to settle your anxieties
during the read.<br />
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With a killer on their ass, a marriage that is over as far as Evelyn is concerned, a best friend? with secrets no longer, an old flame who becomes a protector, a priceless ruby necklace, a crime boss who could reach across an ocean to get things done, Ed Duncan wraps the story up back in Chicago with the loose ends tied neatly together giving this story closure with an approval nod from the reader.<br />
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The priceless pigeon-blood red ruby necklace - whose was it anyways? Where did it go?<br />
Even bad guys have heart? No, they have their own code of ethics. What's fair is fair, right Litvak?<br />
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There were explanations to the technical verbiage about rubies and precious gems that gave clarification on why this necklace is the star of the show.<br />
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Even though the ending wraps up the loose ends it seemed a bit rushed for me. In some circumstances you could foresee what was going to happen, so, I wished there was a bit more enigma to the end. This is the first book in his trilogy - it's only going to get better as the next two are penned.<br />
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Recommend? Hell yeah, with many twists and many turns - a great quick-paced afternoon would be in store for you. Yep, take my word on it.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>Pigeon-Blood Red</i>:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pigeon-Blood-Red-Thrilogy-Ed-Duncan/dp/0692769471/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503501104&sr=8-1&keywords=pigeon+blood+red" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Kindle $4.99 ~ Paperback $14.73 USD</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pigeon-blood-red-ed-duncan/1123131563?ean=9780692769478" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ NOOK $4.99 ~ Paperback $14.95 USD</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒</span></div>
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About the author:</div>
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Connect with Ed</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ed.duncan1210" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/pigeonbloodred" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ricostays/" target="_blank">Instagram </a></div>
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<a href="https://eduncan.net/" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div>
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<a href="https://eduncan.net/" target="_blank">https://eduncan.net/</a></div>
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Ed Duncan is a graduate of Oberlin College and Northwestern University Law School. He was a partner at a national law firm in Cleveland, Ohio for many years. He currently lives outside of Cleveland, OH and is at work on the second installment in the Pigeon-Blood Red trilogy.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1412816710041574625.post-42123505593097800632017-08-17T07:18:00.000-04:002018-12-29T14:57:23.894-05:00A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman ~ 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH10qNo19gHYJJlGhoxRYX2GJtQWiDbr4y0P0-B7EBi1Q-LbGJkHwEtThzIX3pJwEt8Y0vzxxRZLAuh4jfHd-ayTm6Awi3NOWT9nCQQFCGa6EE7ttA4rOw1A1a-CMStnEolFi2JeDYrza1/s1600/a+man+called+ove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="223" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH10qNo19gHYJJlGhoxRYX2GJtQWiDbr4y0P0-B7EBi1Q-LbGJkHwEtThzIX3pJwEt8Y0vzxxRZLAuh4jfHd-ayTm6Awi3NOWT9nCQQFCGa6EE7ttA4rOw1A1a-CMStnEolFi2JeDYrza1/s320/a+man+called+ove.jpg" title="" width="206" /></a></div>
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Fredrik Backman's debut novel is about unexpected friendship, love and the importance of surrounding yourself with the proper tools, centering on an ill-tempered, isolated retiree who has finally given up on life just as an unlikely friendship develops with his boisterous new neighbors.<br />
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It is a
thoughtful insight of the profound impact one life has
on others.</div>
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Author: <a href="http://www.fredrikbackman.com/" target="_blank">Fredrik Backman</a><br />
Publisher: Washington Square Press; Reprint edition (May 5, 2015) <br />
Publication: Published July 15th 2014 by <a href="http://atria-books.com/" target="_blank">Atria Books</a> (first published August 27th 2012)<br />
Pages: 337<br />
Paperback<br />
ISBN-10: 1476738025<br />
ISBN-13: 978-1476738024<br />
Language: English<br />
Translation copyright © 2014 by <a href="https://henningkoch.com/" target="_blank">Henning Koch</a> <br />
Interior design: Paul Dippolito<br />
Jacket design: Alan Dingman<br />
Jacket photographs: Getty and Shutterstock<br />
Author photograher: Linnea Jonasson Bernholm/Appendix Fotografi<br />
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a Book Clubbin' read<br />
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5 Stars<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fredrik Backman</td></tr>
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Wow. One of the best reads I've read in quite the while.<br />
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Ove is 59.<br />
He drives a Saab.<br />
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People said he was bitter. Maybe they were right, but, he <i>is</i> the most grumpiest man you will meet. And with good cause. <br />
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Told in alternating chapters, Fredrik Backman's bestselling and humerous debut novel, tells of a grumpy yet loveable man having his self-inflicted solitary world being invaded by 'clueless' neighbors.<br />
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Ove is a man who has a short fuse and yells at his 'incompetent' neighbors, does not like Cat Annoyance, and there is <i>no way</i> he will pay a three kronor surcharge. This lonely old grump who even punches Beppo the volunteer hospital clown for trying to trick him over a five kronor coin is actually hilarious. After you understand why he does what he does, you'll put a grin on your face for sure.<br />
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I personally loved this guy, a man of strict routine. He gets up everyday, almost for four decades at the same time and makes his inspection rounds through the neighborhood. As the chairman of the Residents Association, he makes sure there are no cars parked where they're not supposed to park, no vandalism through the night, checks the trash room, checks the traffic signs giving the metal poles a good kick - he checks the status of all things with a good kick. Even checks door handles by tugging on them three times. Principled.<br />
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Six months after his wife’s death, he’s planning to commit suicide. Sonja was the world to him. <i>People said Ove saw the world in black & white. But she was color. All the color he had. It's Tuesday night and he's cancelled his newspaper subscription, switched off the radiators, and turned off the lights. And tomorrow he's putting up that hook.</i><br />
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<i>But if anyone had asked, he would have told them that he never lived before he met her. And not after either. </i> <br />
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Suicide and Ove - they didn't mix, time and time again. The reasons why were actually quite practical and the reasoning behind his thinking was so logical, you grin as you go right along with him. From bicycles, to radiators, to trips to the hospital, to having to do the most basic things as back up trailers, to even saving a gent's life - these were all hilarious scenes. <i>Ove just wants to die in peace. Is that really too much to ask?</i><br />
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The neighborhood is filled with vivid characters, some new and some old, that gave the story depth. Life is changing around him and when an Iranian immigrant, Parvaneh and her husband Patrick and their two daughter's ages three and seven, move in next door - life definitely had changed.<br />
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Her children smile at Ove's grumpiness through the story and I smiled right along with them.<br />
Maybe, in some way the children saw this old bellyacher having a heart of gold. The pictures they drew for him were very heartfelt, folks.<br />
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Here, the story unfolds into a heartwarming and humorous satire tale of a sadness, heartfelt memories, and a love that will always be. You will be glad to have met Ove.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's a reference I found:</span></div>
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Mr. Backman got the idea for “Ove” five years ago, when he was freelancing for the Swedish magazine Cafe. A college dropout, he once worked as a forklift driver at a food warehouse, taking night and weekend shifts so that he could write during the day.<br />
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A colleague at Cafe wrote a blog post for their website about seeing a man named Ove explode with rage while buying tickets at an art museum, until his wife intervened.<br />
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“My wife read the blog post and said, ‘This is what life is like with you,’” Mr. Backman said. “I’m not very socially competent. I’m not great at talking to people. My wife tends to say, your volume is always at 1 or 11, never in between.”<br />
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Mr. Backman started writing blog posts for Cafe about his own pet peeves and outbursts, under the heading, “I Am a Man Called Ove.” Mr. Backman realized that he had the blueprint for a compelling fictional character, and the novel began to take shape. “There’s a lot of me in him,” he said of Ove. “When we get angry, it’s about a principle, and we get angry because people don’t understand why we’re angry.”<br />
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How do you say Ove?</div>
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A Man Called Ove<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">✒ ✒ ✒</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's where you can get your fingers on <i>A Man Called Ove</i>:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Man-Called-Ove-Novel/dp/1476738025/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502381465&sr=8-1&keywords=a+man+called+ove" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ~ Kindle $12.99 ~ Hardcover $15.57 ~ Paperback $9.74 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-woman-in-cabin-10-ruth-ware/1123388495?ean=9781501132957" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> ~ NOOK $12.99 ~ Hardcover $16.40 ~ Paperback $10.66 USD</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/" target="_blank">IndieBound</a> ~ Support your local book stores</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">About the author ~</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Connect with Fredrik</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Backmanland" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Backmanland" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fredrik-Backman/e/B00KV5TN4I/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1" target="_blank">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6485178.Fredrik_Backman" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/backmansk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Instagram</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://fredrik.cafe.se/" target="_blank">http://fredrik.cafe.se/</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.fredrikbackman.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">http://www.fredrikbackman.com/</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fredrik Backman, a blogger and columnist, is the New York Times bestselling author of A MAN CALLED OVE and MY GRANDMOTHER ASKED ME TO TELL YOU SHE’S SORRY. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both were number one bestsellers in his native Sweden and around the world, and are being published in more than thirty five territories. His latest novel is BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He lives in Stockholm with his wife and two children.</span></div>
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Jeff Kivelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392950249668687059noreply@blogger.com0