Hello readers! I have read books by Candace Robinson ever since I started this blog. I have enjoyed all her YA and Fantasy books and I’m excited for another new book releasing today- Dearest Clementine : Dark and Romantic Monstrous Tales. Check out the book details in this post.
Dearest Clementine by Candace Robinson Publication Date : August 6th 2020 Genre : Romance / Horror / Short story collection
Clementine has been taken by a creature of darkness.
Dorin is a fiend in love who must find Clementine before losing her forever.
While on his desperate search, Dorin pens eight dark and romantic monstrous tales, written only for Clementine. Each story serves a purpose, and that is, do monsters have the ability to love, too?
Dearest Clementine is a short story collection filled with dark romantic tales.
Brace yourself for another two-barrel blast of unrelenting horror and suspense. Volume 3 of the ‘Double Barrel Horror’ anthology series delivers two chilling tales from each of six talented authors for a 12-story onslaught that will blow you out of your sneakers. This time around, your fate lies in the hands of Christine Morgan, Mark Matthews, Theresa Braun, Calvin Demmer, Glenn Rolfe, and Robert Essig.
The rush to save a mother and newborn in the delivery room had fried her nerves—and it was only her second week on the job.
The fact that she worked in the health industry didn’t stop her from purchasing a pack of cigarettes in the gift shop. She’d picked up the nasty habit when she’d moonlighted as a P.I.’s lackey, one of the jobs that put her through college.
After tapping the box on her palm on the way past a display of stuffed animals and flowers, Sylvia exited the building. On the sidewalk under the awning, an elderly man in a wheelchair wheezed. A pregnant woman stroking her belly rested on a bench. Her male companion wrapped his arm around her.
The muggy and stagnant air was so unlike the dry, stinging heat in Sedona, where Sylvia had traveled a few weeks ago. That’d been a last hurrah before embarking on her career.
Sylvia fumbled in her purse for a lighter.
The lobby door swung open. A security guard grappled with a squirming woman whose feet skidded along the sidewalk. A designer handbag dangled from her arm, her brown curls falling into her eyes. “I want to know what happened to my babies!” she screamed.
The guard clutched the patient’s upper arms, forcing her to stand in place. “You need to calm down, ma’am.”
“I will not calm down!” She wriggled free.
“Hey, I don’t want to call the police.” He widened his stance and put his hands on his hips.
“Fine.” The woman backed away, her arms flailing. “I’m getting a fucking lawyer.”
He waited for her to turn around and walk away before storming back into the facility.
The patient stomped over to Sylvia. “I remember you.”
Her headache throbbing, Sylvia took a drag. “Excuse me?”
“That weird design with the black stone—I remember it.”
Sylvia flicked the ash, cursing the scrubs and her striking jewelry that might as well have been a huge bull’s-eye. The image surfaced in her memory of a wiry, white-haired woman with brownish teeth who’d convinced her she needed the pendant for protection. She’d claimed the stone came from outer space. No jeweler had been able to identify it, so that may have been true. When Sylvia had handled the piece, a prickle of energy latched onto her, like a stray animal jumping into her arms, begging to go home. You see? the woman had said. Well, the charm wasn’t keeping the lunatics at bay today.
Sylvia pushed the butt of her cigarette into a nearby ashtray’s sand. “I’m sorry. I need to get back to work.”
The woman rubbed her nose with the Kleenex. “Which one of you are they firing for throwing away my babies?”
“What?” Sylvia’s throat tightened.
“They said one of the nurses would pay.”
“Ma’am, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You have to help me.”
“I can’t do that.” Sylvia loosened her ponytail to relieve her headache.
Grabbing Sylvia by the hands, the mother peered into her eyes. “My babies kicked all throughout the last trimester. I know they were alive.”
Those Who Came Before by J.H. Moncrieff Publication Date: October 10th 2019 Publisher: Flame Tree Press Genre: Horror / Supernatural Pages: 247 Stars: ★★★★★ [4.5]
People are dying at Strong Lake, and the worst is yet to come.
An idyllic weekend camping trip is cut short when Reese Wallace’s friends are brutally murdered. As the group’s only survivor, Reese is the prime suspect, and his story doesn’t make much sense. A disembodied voice warning him to leave the campground the night before? A strange, blackened tree that gave him an electric shock when he cut it down for firewood?
Detective Greyeyes isn’t having any of it until she hears the voice herself and finds an arrowhead at the crime scene – an arrowhead she can’t get rid of. Troubling visions of a doomed Native American tribe who once called the campground home, and rumors of cursed land and a mythical beast plague the strangest murder case she’s ever been a part of.
Flame Tree Press is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
*** Note: I received this book from the publisher as a winner of the giveaway. Many thanks to publisher. ***
Those Who Came Before was chilling horror story that revolved around a survivor, a detective, a dreadful mythical creature, and cursed Native American land. It was about horrible human deed, sins and its consequences, vengeance, violence, and greed, police brutality, curse and disease, and kindness vs cruelty.
Writing was gripping, vivid, and thrilling with intriguing plot and atmospheric setting. Book was multiple perspective from Maria Greyeyes-the detective, Reese Wallace- the survivor and Native Americans from the nightmare/visons.
That synopsis told about what happened in the book well. As it said, two couple Reese-Jessica and Kira-Dan arrived at Strong Lake campsite to spend their weekends. The weekend that they thought would be perfect chill out time turned into ghastly and spine chilling murders. All of them died except Reese who slept through murders! Now that raised big question, HOW! How could he sleep through murders in which girls suffered most – one whose body they couldn’t put together, what remained was more or less pulp and other was brutally raped and murdered, Dan was sleeping in same tent as Reese whose head was decapitated? Now if that makes you shiver and stop reading this review right here, I don’t blame you. It was horrible scene and it didn’t end here.
So, the same questions Detective Greyeyes had. If Reese was survivor or heartless murderer. Nobody believed him. At first Detective was sure Reese was innocent and somebody else did this but who? And then there was her own experience, feeling something evil and hearing strange voice, a mysterious arrowhead she keep finding around her neck, and nightmares that were messing with her head. How would they prove Reese innocent and how can she get rid of that arrowhead and stop visions. What was Native American’s story and who was the killer? Can they fight something that is more than hundred years old?
First few chapters were filled with lots of blood, gore and grotesque murders. I knew Reese was innocent but something was off. In first 50 pages we were introduced to characters, theory of wendigo and cursed land and talk about other murders. And then there were visions of Native American people from past and their life at Strong Lake. What came next was really shocking. What made it even more shocking was author’s note saying it actually happened in past, not curse of course, but what happened to Native Americans in this book, what wiped out their whole nation.
Let me first tell about characters. All of them were flawed, hiding something, life was not roses and sunshine and it got worst after this campsite murders. They were interesting to read, there was lot conflicts between three main characters who ultimately were involved in solving the case and chasing boogeyman away- Maria, Reese, and Kinew.
I liked Maria. She was best in her department and only married one who had child. She loved her job and her passion for it. Though it meant less time for husband and her daughter, she could manage fine until this murders. It troubled her a lot, that campsite did something to her that triggered visions of Native American woman and her camp at Strong Lake and then that arrowhead she couldn’t get rid of. All these took its toll on her relationship with her husband. I still feel she should have come out clean, she should have tell all these to her husband. It wasn’t like he wasn’t understanding and the way he reacted at climax was genuine but exaggerated. They both could solve this but I could see Maria’s point as well. Her partner Jorge was also good. I liked him too. I wish he was more included in story and investigation.
Reese was good kid. Cocky and careless in the beginning but he grew up pretty fast after what happened at campsite. He wasn’t wrong in trusting Maria, he could see difference between good and bad people. His feeling were represented well. His guilt and repentance, his thoughts and feelings for his friends, and conscience was realistic. I liked him for sticking to truth no matter what happened, no matter how people and police treated to him, no matter how much his parents and that lawyer believed. He never changed his statement and I admired him for that. There was no doubt he was good person and his development was even better.
Kinew– was chief of Native Americans residing at Strong Lake reserve. He knew a lot than he let on. As soon as his office filled books was narrated I knew I’ll like him. He thought before he speak, extremely patient and friendly person. I liked the way he helped both Maria and Reese.
Best part of the book was Wendigo. Author did amazing job in describing Wendigo, what people said about it and how it came to existence. Visions of Native American people and their story was brilliant. It was so poignant and outrageous. I hated that man who did wrong to their whole community, that woman who was so weak and spineless who couldn’t stop that man and let that happen. He deserved what happened to him and to his sons. My heart went out to Native Americans, more to their medical woman who gone through worst. I could understand need for revenge but it wasn’t fair to punish those who were innocent, who didn’t do anything wrong, or never thought wrong about native Indians.
It said a lot about how one horrible act by one sick person can affect whole community and people for generations. What made me mad was, after all this horrible history there were still differences in this book and Native Americans were treated horribly by authorities.
Climax was tense. Still revealing shocking things but most shocking was what was happening to Reese and Maria and reasons behind it. I could get why Reese but not why Maria. The end was tense, sad, and unbelievable. I’m still scratching my head why it was happenings to Maria and it was left unanswered at the end and that’s why I’m cutting that half star.
Overall, it was creepy thrilling horror with horrible creature and amazing characters. Horror lovers would love to read this book.
What do you think about the book and my review? Have you read this book already or any books by the same author? Are you going to add it to TBR? Which is your favorite horror book?
The Call of Death by R.J. Garcia Publication Date: November 5th 2019 Publisher: Parliament House Genre: Paranormal / YA Romance Pages: 268 Stars: ★★★★★
Fourteen-year-old Hannah Priestly crashes into a terrifying future. She wakes up in her dorm room now knowing the name of an infamous serial killer, Norman Biggs. He will attack her in the future unless she and her three male friends can change fate.
Hannah is an obsessive-compulsive California girl dropped off at an English boarding school by her celebrity mother. Hannah has difficulty understanding algebra, let alone her increasingly dark visions. Rory Veer is Hannah’s smart, easy-going and romantically challenged friend and school crush. When Norman Biggs unexpectedly appears in Rory’s reality, terror is set in motion. It is Rory who must acknowledge a past he has denied if the mystery is to be unraveled.
*** Note: I received this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to author. ***
The Call of Death was paranormal YA, part horror, part romance and suspense. It revolved around Hanna and her psychic ability. The book was about friendship, romance, doing right thing, using gift to help others, bravery, and good vs evil.
Writing was gripping, thrilling and captivating. Characters and events were well described. It was first person narrative from Hanna and Rory’s perspective.
Book started with Hanna’s nightmare from future where she found herself in hospital, brutally injured with name of attacker, Norman Biggs- a serial killer who was following her since she was fourteen studying in London. Normally we ignore this kind of dream saying it is just aftereffect of horror movie or novel but what if it turns out real? With Hanna it did! She and her friends tried to change the future, save other innocent people… and so their horrifying journey started along with confusing feelings of love and friendship.
Hanna was 14-yrs-old American, studying in London. She was smart, brave and caring. Her reaction to her dreams and feelings were realistic. She wasn’t afraid of being labelled crazy or losing friends because of her visions. She trusted her friends and even told her mother and brother about it. She tried to fit in but at the same time she mostly didn’t care what people were thinking about her. I liked how she developed as the horrors of her vision came to reality. She was real hero of the story.
Hanna’s gift was quiet interesting. It created suspense, made me think from the very beginning, how they were going to change future or stop Norman. As they changed the course of future her dreams changed that added more uncertainty. They were terrifying. At first she was clueless how she could help, tried to take police’s help but it didn’t work. When Rory somehow came in center of the horror, she did all she could to save her only love.
In 3 years Hanna had 3 male best friends- Rory, Christian, and Paul. They were that school gang that you always see together, help each other in all situation. They even gave Hanna’s nightmare benefit of doubt and saw truth in it eventually. Their friendship was brilliant throughout the book. Paul and Christian both liked Hanna. But once they knew she liked Rory, they respected it. They supported them and helped them all the time.
Rory was in love with Hanna for long time but he worried Hanna wouldn’t reciprocate his love and moreover he didn’t know how to be boyfriend that messed his relationship with Hanna and hurt her more than once. I agree with Hanna, he was smart and genius but when it came to relationship he was stupid. He didn’t fully believe Hanna’s visions until he came face to face with it. I liked how Hanna brought him to his senses both with their relationship and his life after tragedy. He wasn’t the hero you would expect in romance but he was brave.
Hanna and Rory’s relationship was slow and to be honest bit frustrating in the beginning. Hanna was clear with her feelings but Rory was confused and he didn’t know how to be boyfriend or take first step. If I was Hanna I would have moved on. That on and off thing in relationship are quiet tiring but I guess young love are like that. I’m sure I was like that. I enjoyed how all of their mixed feeling caused confusion and added bit drama that gave otherwise dark story a light touch.
Both friendship and romance was important part of this psychic mystery. There was other school dramas and underlying it all, abusive relationship and childhood. How some monsters create evil and foster it. It made me think why some will live in abusive relationship and even produce babies with those monsters called husband.
Climax was both tense and thrilling. I’m glad at least one of two people acted calmly and took right decision at right time. They all showed tremendous bravery even though none of them were fighter. I liked how it ended and how this horrifying events developed them into strong and brave characters.
Overall, it was interesting, thrilling and wonderfully written paranormal YA romance. I recommend it to fans of this genre.
What do you think about the book and my review? Have you read this book already or any book by this authors? Are you going to add it to TBR? Have you ever had premonitions that came true?
Hello Readers! Today I’m happy to be the part of Blitz tour for #RIPJohn by Sian B. Claven, organized by Digital Reads Blog Tours. Please check out book details in this post. I hope you enjoy it.
#RIPJohn by Sian B. Claven Expected publication: July 15th 2019 Genre : Horror
Synopsis:
Trigger Warning: This book contains scenes of graphic bullying and suicide.
Everyone wants a chance to fit in, and that’s all John King wants when he starts at his new school. A relentless bully, a blogger, and a pretty girl all have a different plan for him, though and after he endures all he can, John takes his own life.
The only problem left for Devan, Melinda and Jenny?
He doesn’t stay dead.
Excerpt:
How disgusting that the little nerd freak had
bumped into her in the cafeteria. She had made everyone laugh when she insulted
him, and for once in her life she felt noticed.
Melinda had spent
the better part of her schooling career being invisible. Too plain to be
popular, too normal to be teased, the only power she found she had was the
words she wrote for the school’s blog and newspaper. There she discovered she
had the power to either make or break the politics within the student body.
Everyone read what she wrote and feared to cross her, but it wasn’t enough. She
still felt invisible.
Then John bumped
into her and she realised he was the latest victim of Devan’s bullying regime.
She saw an opportunity and took it, calling him out for the disgusting little
freak he was. He was so embarrassed and then the teacher confiscated the soggy
comic book to add insult to injury.
With that taste
of power, Melinda felt in her bones that she needed more. Much more. So she put
together a little plan that was sure to get her to the top of the school’s food
chain, and let others know who she was and, more importantly, that she wasn’t
someone to be messed with.
Melinda needed
the perfect plan to play her part in putting John in his place and came up with
it not too long after the incident in the cafeteria. She needed just one thing
to seal the deal and then she would be ready for her victim.
It took a few
days before she managed to find someone willing to buy her the necessary tools,
since she wasn’t of an age to purchase it herself, but once she had it she was
ready.
_____
It was a beautiful day when John woke up. The
sun was shining and he could hear birds in the trees outside his window. Still,
his heart filled with dread at the prospect of going to school and putting up
with Devan and his goons. With a dark sigh, he got out of bed and got dressed,
going downstairs to have breakfast quietly so he didn’t wake his mother and
father.
Once finished
eating and having washed his dishes, he shouldered his backpack and left the
house, wanting to get to school as early as possible to avoid his bullies.
He got to his
locker without incident and retrieved his books, stuffing them into his bag. He
went to the library and sat there, reading his comic book until the first bell
signaled and he had to rush to class. Getting there just before his teacher
closed the door, he apologized and quickly went to his seat, amid snickers from
his peers. He blushed and hid as much as he could in his seat.
“Since John is
late I think he can graciously offer to fetch the television for our lesson
today from the AV Room,” Mr. Willsmith said, holding out a key.
John nodded and
got up, took the key from Mr. Willsmith and left the room.
“In the meantime,
you can talk quietly amongst yourselves until he is back,” Mr Willsmith said,
before sitting at his desk and picking up a book.
The author is willing to send review copies to all bloggers who would review it on Amazon/ Goodreads in 6-8 weeks time. Either Sian or Shalini can be contacted on blog or twitter
Author Bio:
Hailing from Johannesburg South Africa, Sian B. Claven has enjoyed stories for all her life, whether she was reading them or making them. She has written for as long as she can remember, but Ensnared is the first book she decided to publish. Moving towards writing more for the horror / paranormal thriller genre, Sian has subsequently published the first two books in The Butcher Books series, Tatum and Kallista. When Sian isn’t thinking of ways to terrify people, she enjoys writing science fiction stories, poetry and rather long and gushy birthday wishes. When she isn’t working on her writing you can find her knitting, scrapbooking, reading, or playing Xbox. Sian previously reviewed for The Blithering Bibliomaniacs and still reviews in her private capacity. She clearly doesn’t know what the words rest and relaxation mean, at least not in the traditional sense.
