Payback is a B!

November 18th, 2011

Oh dear Jesus in Heaven…I don’t even know where to start with this book without sounding like Ozzy on a bender. So… I guess I could always start at the beginning. Sound good to you? (Nod your head yes.)

The beginning (aka the synopsis)

“A mysterious young woman calling herself Jane turns up in a small New England town. She claims a fragmentary memory of growing up in this place, yet she has never been here before in her life. Upon her arrival, strange and alarming things begin happening to some of the town’s inhabitants. As Jane’s memories reawaken piece by piece, they carry her back in time to a long-buried secret, while the townspeople hurtle forward to a horrific event when past and present fatally collide.”

Horror takes a certain brand of person to enjoy it. More often than not we are amused by disturbing descriptions (for instance splattered bodily fluids) the more mentally incompetent a person is the better, we take pleasure in disillusionment, the unrealistic, and the depraved; and more importantly…we enjoy books that are crude and make about as much sense as a uni-cycle riding donkey until the last 50 or so pages.

Why? Because we are gluttons for punishment I assume; well, either that or we love to stare at the ceiling and wonder what the hell the author was thinking.

“Jane Was Here” (by the very talented screenwriter Sarah Kernochan) was one of those books that makes you go, “huh?”

When I was little I readily believed in reincarnation. “When I die…I wanna come back as a rich ladies cat!” I used to tell my mom. “All they do is eat and sleep all day. What a wonderful way to live.” As a child this was naivety talking, but as I get older, (or…more “after this book”) I’m not so sure that reincarnation is the answer for me.

Imagine for just a second that you were killed in a most horrific way.  Imagine that you did the killing.  Imagine that you lost a string of loved ones due to your bad decisions and selfishness.  Imagine, just for a second that reincarnation was a proven fact, BUT it came with a few catches, the most important being that you are either to be punished for your “past lives” transgressions, or you are forced to re-live them.

Would you still want to be reincarnated?

Relying on the ability to “write” a small town into a festering pool of “insanity” Kernochan did exactly that; she staged a crime and then she retold it…from several different points of view.

In “Part 1″ (yes, this book has been sectioned off into 3 very different, all frustrating parts) we are introduced to the townsfolk of Graynier, MA. Not the “normal” townsfolk mind you, (the ones that are in charge of carpool or bake cookies their husband’s lunch) we are introduced to the waste-a-ways, those that have already sunk themselves into a man-made whole of despair (ala Vodka and booty-calls.)

In “Part 2″ we are offered a glimpse into Jane’s (aka…mystery girl’s) identity through a series of very artfully crafted letters to a cult leader. (Ok, Kernochan said religious sect…I say “move over David Koresh we need more room on the crazy train”)

I know, I know…”A whole section with just letters? Ugh!” Trust me when I say that this was a genius way of building a character.  Not only are we introduced to who Jane really is, but we get to see how the people around her influenced the path in which her life would eventually take.

And finally, in “Part 3″ (the piece de resistance) we get to find out what the hell any of it means.  The characters, who before seemed unconnected, (or at the very least useless) come together in what can only be described as an explosive finale, weaving together past lives and current incarnations into a knock down drag out of the “a-moral.”

So what made this story worth reading or leaving?  Hum..that’s a toughy…How about I throw you a bone in both categories.

Reading it: The writing “quality” was actually quite good.  The characters are well-developed, the identity of the town is well established and the plot (as a whole) is an intriguing one. (Hello…they are dead people come back to wreck havoc!)

Leaving it: Though intriguing, the plot had a few hiccups that needed to be smoothed over. (As in…”What? I don’t get it…Can someone please explain this to me…I know I’m not this dumb”) There were several sections throughout that felt as though I was reading through muddy water, and when it was all said and done…I pretty much wanted to beat the living crap out of every damn character in the book. (Especially Gita!)

So what does this mean as a whole? It means it’s a bit of a toss-up, a very hard to describe toss up. Let me put it to you this way…if you are a fan of authors like Scott Nicholson, or Brian Keene (authors that may or may not be insane themselves.)  I’m sure you will be delighted with this book.  As for everyone else…leave the “mind F’s” to the professionals and pick a something else.

Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: The past doesn’t always stay in the past. A kids aren’t always where they say they are.

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(3/5)

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Lying in Wait…

November 2nd, 2011

When I was a teenager I used to have this horrible reoccurring dream.  I was always running from something, a person, a ghost, an abnormally large tomato with teeth, (the “what” is not really important) what is important is that I always got caught.  I never saw my death (thank God for small miracles) but I did get to go to my funeral.  My very empty, no one was there, dear Lord this is a waste of Father Mackelhaney’s time, empty.  I would walk very slowly up the aisle to where my (extremely F*cking ugly) casket lay and then take a peek inside, and every time I would see the same thing…me in a very pink, very ruffled dress (insert horrified scream.)  Ok, so maybe my dream wasn’t all that horrible, and yes…I was smart enough to figure out it stemmed from my ridiculous fear of pink and being shunned in death, but I’m sure you see where I’m going with this.

No? Damn it… I guess I was a little abstract. Anyways, my point is/was/should have been that we all have scary dreams,  but what would you do if your dreams starting coming true?

What if…one night you dreamed that your Great Aunt Juju died in a horrific fire only to wake up and find it actually happened?

These are the questions Thacher Cleveland dares to ask in his novel “Shadow of the Past.”

 

Mark Watson thought high school was hell enough as it was, but when he starts seeing visions of a young boy from the 50’s that was kidnapped and forced to watch a series of grisly murders, he’ll find out that the supernatural force behind those killings has plans to show him that there are worse hells than bullies and gym class.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to him. Everything has always been against Mark. He’s poor, unpopular, orphaned to an uncaring uncle and with zero prospects for the future. It seemed like that was going to change when he literally runs into Christine Baker, a new girl at school who doesn’t know anything about Mark’s embarrassing past and begins showing interest in him. He’s falling in love for the first time, his bullying nemesis at school is out for blood, and the few loved ones he has are being picked off by a supernatural force of darkness and fire. There’s no peace anywhere he turns, and that looks to be exactly where the resurrected killer wants him: broken, alone, and facing his end in the house that saw the deaths of four children and still holds a terrible evil waiting to be reborn.

 

So, lets talk about the first chapter first, (yeah…I’m taking a big leap here.) Wow…that was freaking fantastic.  I have never been that drawn in by a first chapter in my life.  If was mysterious, it was a tad creepy, and it left you hanging.  Now, unfortunatly…as thrilled as I was to keep reading after that grand-pumba of an opening I was equally disappointed by the halting stop the book took.  Ok, I know…mysteries/thrillers/horror novels, whatever the hell you want to actually call this book requires set up, but to say I was bored by the first 10 or so chapters would be a gross understatement.

Here I was, hoping to read about a haunted house and the kids that it was eating when I suddenly found myself reading pages of self-loathing monologues.  I assure you, I’m down for a good pity-party myself once in a while, and I DO think that this “trait building” in the character was necessary (for the end of the book) but I think Thacher could have knocked a few meaningless chapters out of the middle.

As for the character building as a whole? Great job. (For the record: I think Steve is an ass and I would be happy to punch him in the…um…throat?)  Each personality in the story was very well-developed and the alternating perspectives made for an interesting twist when it came to figuring out what the hell was actually going on.

“Hey Misty…what about the freaking book?”  You are right…I should get to the good stuff.

Man, what a creative ass story. (Geez…does anyone else feel like I’m cussing a lot today? May I should watch that.)  Besides the initial hiccups, and what I will call “newbie jitters” the story was a very well thought out and intricate one. Once the “resurrected killer” started making his presence known, the action took over and before I knew it I was back to chapter 1 and my inability to put it down.

So where does this leave me overall?

I say…if you are a ghost/thriller/suspense/horror lover you will be happy with your $1 purchase, for the rest of you…take a pass and wait for something more fru-fruey (like my pink casket dress.)

Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: If its large, red and has suspiciously large teeth…run like hell!

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(4/5)

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8 Pounds: Eight Tales of Crime, Horror, and Suspense

June 21st, 2011

Today’s guest review has been on of my favorite so far this month. Why? Because it is written in a way that allows the audience to form an attachment to the person reviewing the book while… simultaneously dishing the dirt on the book read.  So who wrote this little gem? Her name is Jennifer MacRostie.
 
I first met Jennifer on Twitter, (shocking I know.) and quickly discovered that she holds my dream job. What is that exactly? Well, she works for Blue Jay Media Group (an independent media agency working to promote some of today’s most outstanding authors – and tomorrow’s bestselling novels.) Are you kidding me? I can promote the hell out of a book!! Where do I sign up? *sigh* Anyways, (I digress) Jenny is great at her job (or so I’ve heard) and can tell you (from personal experiance) that she makes a damn fine Twitter friend.  
 
You can learn more about Blue Jay Media (and Jenny) on  their Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/BlueJayMedia or if you are feeling frisky you can follow them on twitter @BlueJayMedia. (If you feel like cyber stalking Jenny, you can follow Jennifer  @jennyquarx.)
 
 
 

8 Pounds: Eight Tales of Crime, Horror, and Suspense

 

When I was seven, I knew three things, and I knew them with absolute certainty.  The first was that I was never going to grow up. Adults were adults and kids were kids, and that’s just the way it was.  Second, I knew that every boy possessed some weird need to scare you, and therefore they weren’t to be trusted.

The third thing I knew was that there were monsters in the dark.  Always. Anywhere there was a dark corner to be found, something sinister would sit and watch.  And of course turning on the lights didn’t do much good…because as everyone knows, monsters move fast.

It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that I didn’t sleep real well as a child.

Of course I grew out of it.  No more staring contests with whatever sat in the shadows. No more imminent death at night when the old house creaked.   Now I watch my son, fearless at 4, taunting whatever lives under his bed, and I have to laugh and ask myself how I could have been so wrong. And that’s what makes what I have to say all the more difficult.

I can’t sleep because of Chris F. Holm.

Seriously. The guy’s messed up. I had heard really good things about Holm’s collection of short stories, 8 Pounds: Eight Tales of Crime, Horror, & Suspenseand I started reading it late one night after my husband and my little one passed out.  And let’s just call that what it was, alright?  It was Mistake #1.  I thought I was immune to tales of the things that go bump in the night.  It turns out that whatever lives in the shadows thought that was pretty funny.  Clearly, Chris Holm still feels compelled to scare the hell out of me.

Okay, yes, I had some warning signs.  The first story in the collection, “Seven Days of Rain,” won the Spinetingler-Award and it set the bar pretty high for the rest of the stories.  Probably too high, I figured.  After all, you always put your hit songs on Side A, right up front. Right?  Yep. Mistake #2.   Through each of the stories, Holm just finds a way to pull you along with him and you don’t have much choice but to follow into his dark, should-probably-be-medicated little world.

Don’t get me wrong, this guy can write. In “The World Behind,” ­— a freakishly compelling story about a boy who takes refuge from a bully in the woods behind his house — Holm’s gift for character development creates a feeling of claustrophobia….the character’s fear  quite literally becomes your fear.  It’s yours. You own it.  And yet, as much as I just wanted to put the book down and wake my husband up, I really didn’t want that one to end either.

I like to think I don’t scare too easy though, so do me a favor?  Read “The Toll Collectors” and tell me how well you sleep tonight.  Me? The seven-year-old in me is back to sleeping with the lights on for awhile.

If I had one complaint, it would be that now I want a Chris F. Holm full-length novel. Fortunately, Dead Harvest comes out in March of 2012 from Angry Robot Books, so I suppose I can wait,

I just hope that thing under the bed doesn’t eat me first.

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Warning: Don’t Eat the Strawberries!

May 17th, 2011

Everyone has their reason’s for loving certain genres of literature. Maybe you are a fan of “romance” because you live for happy endings, maybe you like “paranormals” because you get enough of “reality” in your “real life.” Or maybe, just maybe…you are one of those people that like to read celebrity memoirs simply because, 9 times out of 10, they reinforce the thought that (despite not getting that new pair of Air Jordan’s in the 5th grade) you did indeed have a spectacular childhood.

Me? I’m the person who loves horror novels because (more often then not) they are difficult to predict.

In “The Dead Path,” Stephen M. Irwin does justice to all of the wonderful features that make horror novels difficult to put down.  It was creepy, twisted, filled with traumatic childhood memories, and haunted to the point of delirium.

Most of us believe that our souls quickly move from death to peace after our lives are stolen from us, but Nicholas Close knows better. After a freak accident that claimed the life of his wife, Close starts to notice things that no one else seems to see. For example: See that little girl in the front of the plane choking? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Why? Because she’s already dead. As a matter of fact she died a few weeks ago. Nicholas however, can describe to you in great details what she was wearing, the color of her eyes, and the look of terror that molded into her features as she died. See, Nicholas can see ghost, but not just any ghost, only the tortured ones; ones doomed to spend their last violent moments in a horrifically endless loop. Terrified by the thought of his sanity leaving him, Nicholas decides to return to his hometown, unfortunately he learns (very quickly) that there is no running from this sort of evil, and before he knows it, finds himself knee deep in missing children and murder investigations that all seem to lead back to one specific place. The woods.

The very first thing I noticed when diving into “The Dead Path” was Irwin’s spectacular use of language. While most horror novels default into descriptions of blood and mayhem to get their point across, Irwin approached his story from a different angle. One of intrigue and speculation. Instead of giving the answers away he forced you to find them for yourself, and in doing so, we (as readers) were led on a journey of (better than brilliant) adjectives. While I will be first to admit that this was not an overly “scary” read, as touted in the synopsis, I will go on record as saying the “atmosphere” created to accompany the characters throughout their journey was nothing short of what nightmares are made of (aka spiders, creepy old ladies, acres of abandoned woods, and dark magic.) The only (major) issue I feel the need to point out would be that the story was (even though written beautifully) a little wordy (in a few places) that could have benefited (action wise) from a more forward approach, but… if you are a person who enjoys details, this is can be easily overlooked as “newbie jitters” (meaning this is Irwin’s debut novel) and is in no way a deal breaker.

So…all in all? Great read, great writing and a fascinating exploration into the darker side of hauntings.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Unless you let your pain go, it will never fully leave you.

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(4/5)

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How To Fix A Leaky Mausoleum

December 13th, 2010

Very few things shock me anymore.  I’m not exactly sure if the fault is entirely literary based (ie. my addiction to all things Stephen King) but the fact remains that I rarely find myself mouth agape, and hand to chest these days.  To shock me, you must be original, you must be disturbingly graphic, and if all of these still fail to warrant a response, you must be completely void of boundaries.

In “The Tree Goddess” Tom Raimbault manages to do all of the above, and he does it so well that at times I actually questioned his mental stability.

Mapleview is a small town, and like most small towns, is filled with folklore and an over abundance of urban legends, but UNLIKE the twisted tales of most towns the ones in Mapleview are actually true.  Haunted house? No problem.  A hand in the bottom of a vase? Sure… got that too. Everyone has a secret, everyone is hiding who they REALLY are, and more importantly… something not so friendly is stalking the Trivelli house.

It’s difficult to describe this novel with the gusto and attention it deserves, not because I’m lazy, (which lets face it… is usually the case) the problem comes with the complexity in which the novel is written.  “The Tree Goddess” is NOT a simple read.  The plot spans several years and includes a very large collection of characters, (and by large I’m talking may-need-a-flow-chart large) Luckily the extraordinarily detailed and twisty-turny plot doesn’t pull from the overall success of the novel, (which could have very easily been the case.) Instead it brings the BIGGER story to life… one demented piece at a time.

And if all of that wasn’t enough to suck you in,  Raimbault (inadvertently) left his readers prizes! Several times throughout the novel he would jump from his (current) narrative to address the reader in first person. (For example: If you are reading this book in 10 years…) And…he wrote an introduction explaining his writing process and inspiration (which we all know I LOVE.)

Simply put… this was a fantastic novel. The writing was great, the story was warped and even though it ended at measly 308 pages… it could have very easily kept going, and I (without a doubt) would have kept on reading.

If you  are a fan of horror (King, Strand, Nicholson etc.) you will not be disappointed.  For the rest of you I issue this warning.  Ugly things live in this book, if you are the sensitive type you might want to take a wide step to the left.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: If you see a woman riding her bike into the woods… turn around and leave immediately.  Don’t ask why… just do it.

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(4.5/5)

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Wanted: 1 Sucker With 0 Morals – A Guest Review

December 12th, 2010

A week or so ago I found out a friend of mine, Neal Hock (from Musings of a Dark Intruder,) was reading Jeff Strand’s “Graverobbers Wanted.” I read this book a few years ago (when it was first introduced to us in paperback) and LOVED IT! But… since that was in the days before KO I never had the opportunity to share its demented brilliance with you.  So..I, thinking it was a total shame, instantly asked Neal if he would be interested in writing a guest review. Thankfully he agreed, and more importantly… when he heard I was bogged down by sick kids and was struggling to get reviews up he rushed his “thoughts” to me in hopes of buying me some much needed time. So here is to you Neal for having my back, and to my Kindle-ites… I hope you enjoy his insight as much as I do.  Happy Reading!

 

Graverobbers Wanted  – Guest Review by Neal Hock

Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) by Jeff Strand was another book high on my “Wanted” list that I finally got around to picking up cheap for Kindle (I believe for only $2.39). And like a few other books I’ve read recently, I had heard a lot of good things about it. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the book, but based on the title and what little I knew about Jeff Strand’s writing style I figured it would be a fun read.

In this first book of the Mayhem series, we are introduced to Andrew Mayhem—devoted husband, loving father, wannabe private eye, and all-around magnet for trouble. If there was ever a poster boy for the slogan “Sh*t Happens,” Andrew is it. In this story, we find Andrew short on money, without a steady job, and owing money for a recent car accident. Enter the beautiful woman with an offer for Andrew and his friend, Roger, they simply cannot refuse. How much trouble can they really get into by digging up a fresh grave? Turns out A LOT. What follows is a wild ride in which the stakes steadily rise.

Strand’s prose is snappy and reads quickly, and his dialogue flows naturally. I don’t normally care much for my comedy and action/horror mixed, but Strand expertly blends them to create a hilarious thrill ride that will keep you turning the pages. Strand’s writing is unique and not quite like anyone else’s I’ve read. The Kindle edition is nicely formatted and there are a very few minor errors/typos.  Be forewarned: if you read this book you will want to get the others in the series (Single White Psychopath Seeks Same and Casket For Sale (Only Used Once)).

This was one of the most fun reads I’ve had this past year and I’ll be jumping on the other two books in the series soon. I highly recommend this one to those who enjoy action/horror books. And while there is plenty that is funny in this book, it’s not for the faint-hearted, as the book does get darker throughout and deals with subjects that may be too disturbing for some readers.

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(5/5)

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Rubbing Alcohol – A Girls Best Friend!

October 19th, 2010

Normally I would start off my review with a story, a flash from my past or dabble in the mysteries of my life hindering OCD, however this time I cannot. While I would like to tell you my life has been forever altered by this book, that once upon a time this did or did not happen to me, that because of this book I can sleep better at night, I would be lying, so instead I give you this. My thank you letter.

Dear Blake, Joe, Jeff and Paul,

I bow down to you. Not because of your literary genius (which is so evident in your previous works,) but rather for the strong constitution all of you must posses. While the rest of the world is fawning over sparkly vampires, pledging their undying devotion to the “lovers of blood” you stood up and said “No! We cannot have this.” You my friends have found the courage to stand up for your beliefs . The belief that vampires are meant to be mean, are meant to be ugly, and most importantly vampires are NOT supposed to be VEGITARIAN! You my friends have given us back the fright we have all been missing, and to that I say thank you. To that I say bravo!

Now.. I’m fairly certain you can guess my feelings on this book from the previous two paragraphs, but in predictable fashion I will continue.

“Draculas” was FANTASTIC. The writing, the plot, the way in which the words floated off of the pages in Technicolor. This novel (simply stated) was more than I could have ever asked for.

I have read novels written by multiple authors before and been pleased (King/Straub) and on the flipside, have been sorely disappointed (Sorry… not gonna throw them under the bus) but the idea of 4 writers had me a little…well… baffled. While each of these writers are masters of their craft, I was concerned that their defined styles would clash, that the distinction between each would be too much to bare and that in the end I would find the novel much more confusing than enjoyable. Lucky for me (and you) that was not the case at all. Instead, what was offered up was a novel so well attuned to itself that I got lost in the lives of the people inside the story, not the writer that was spewing them out.

This novel was not written in chapters, but rather written as “characters” which only fueled it’s steadily burning fire. Seeing multiple sides to this, (sometimes gruesome, always complex story) was a treat in itself. Sure…we are reading about what is happening in the maternity ward, but what about in the ER? No problem. Coming right up. But all of this: the writing, the dazzling descriptions, and fantastic character building is nothing compared to the ending. The last 10% is (how did they word it?) Oh yeah…was without doubt a “coup de grass.”

So what does this mean for you? Well… let’s just break it down. If you love a scary read (clown included) around Halloween this one is a must read. If you are sick to death of vampires with rock hard abs and perfectly coifed hair… this is a must read, but… if you are squeamish, afraid of the dark, or have a fear of hospitals in any way shape or form, this one is probably not the best of ideas.

Me personally? I think I’ll read it again.

Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: if at first you don’t succeed try try again, and if by the third time those pesky humans still haven’t given you any delicious red candy just F*cking take it.

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(5/5)

I knew I would never do this blub justice… so here you go, straight from the warped minds of it’s maker:

A DYING MAN’S GREATEST TREASURE…

Mortimer Moorecook, retired Wall Street raider, avid collector, is losing his fight against cancer. With weeks to live, a package arrives at the door of his hillside mansion—an artifact he paid millions for…a hominoid skull with elongated teeth, discovered in a farmer’s field in the Romanian countryside. With Shanna, his beautiful research assistant looking on, he sinks the skull’s razor sharp fangs into his neck, and immediately goes into convulsions.

OPENS THE DOOR TO AN ANCIENT EVIL…

A rural hospital. A slow night in the ER. Until Moorecook arrives strapped to a gurney, where he promptly codes and dies.

WHERE DEATH IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

Four well-known horror authors pool their penchants for scares and thrills, and tackle one of the greatest of all legends, with each writer creating a unique character and following them through a vampire outbreak in a secluded hospital.

The goal was simple: write the most intense novel they possibly could.

Which they did.

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Monks Gone Wild…

October 6th, 2010

It has taken me a while to jump on the “short story” band wagon, but at last I have arrived… but probably not for the reasons you would expect. I am still not thrilled about a story being cut down just when I think it is gaining momentum, and I am a huge fan of character development in stories… which, lets face it… is not going to happen in 25 pages. But one thing is clear, (and this is why I’m now a fan) in just a few short pages you can tell whether or not you are going to enjoy an author.

About a month ago Vanessa Morgan emailed me about reviewing her novel “Drowned Sorrow.” “Sure” I said. For a woman that was being hailed as the “female Stephen King” I had to know what she was all about. 4 weeks later I still haven’t received her book (and honestly that’s fine considering I’m still VERY FAR BEHIND) but with Halloween quickly approaching I just couldn’t help myself… so I cracked open her little ditty “The Strangers Outside” and took a peek.

Now… while 25 pages is a little too clipped for me to pass her the “Sultan of Scare” crown, I can at least dub her the “Empress of Eek.” There is an undeniable talent that shows through in Morgan’s work, and to that I say… bravo. If an author can manage to make me do the sideways head cock in so few pages… there’s just no telling what they’ll be able to do with a full length novel.

So…if you are a fan of Hitchcock-esq shorts, or even a good tale to share with your friends on a dark night… this one is just what you are looking for, and with the day of the dead quickly approaching, it only seems natural to take a trip on the creepy side.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: the number for the police is always 9-1-1 DUH!

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(3.5/5)

I was afraid that I would give too much away if I wrote my own description, so here is what Amazon had to say.

Synopsis: Two sisters, Jennifer and Louise, return to their remote holiday cabin after a day at the seaside. But little do they know they’re being surrounded. Shortly after their arrival, the girls will come face to face with THE STRANGERS OUTSIDE. When the assailants make their intentions known, things take a shockingly terrible turn and an intense battle for survival will begin.

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Oh The Horror!!!

September 24th, 2010

Evening Kindle-ites!!!

Well, you asked for it… so here it is. KO on YouTube. *eek* I have every intention of posting a new one of these on Fridays (that is of course until I run out of ideas of David kills me for making him edit) Anyways… today’s video is “Top 5 Horror Cliches that WORK” Enjoy and be sure to leave me feedback.

Happy Watching my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Everyone sounds stupider in person… not just me. The beauty of writing things down just allows me to edit my teeny-bopper ways.

Disclaimer: A great big sorry to my subscription holders… I know you can’t view this on your Kindle, but please drop by the site and check it out when you get a free chance. Cheers!

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Move Over Hannibal Lecter

March 10th, 2010

I’m going to start this blog with a disclaimer: When you are about 5% from finishing this book, park yourself next to a church, and finish it in the parking lot. Just trust me on this, I have never finished a book and then felt an immediate need for prayer and repentance as I did when I finished “The Red Church.”

Back in 1993 the world was introduced to the cult world by a fairly psychotic man named David Koresh. (For those of you reading this that were born in the late 80′s just google him.) Civilization as a whole was aware of cult society, but I think this was the turning point for recognition and condemnation.

I’ll admit… that fiery day in Waco rarely crosses my mind (I live 50 miles from there) but every once and a while something sparks that particular train of thought, and off my wild brain goes.

“The Red Church” was (in short form) a look at cult life from the inside.

Whispering Pines is a quaint little mountain town, or at least it is according to tourist.  According to its inhabitants, its a town haunted by it’s past.  Literally.  A dead preacher, an evil cult leader, and a monster with “eyes like kidneys.”  While half of the town is sucked in by Archer (Cult leader and self-proclaimed 2nd son of God) the other half (the sane half) is struggling to do little more than stay alive.  Each night a new “sinner” is turning up dead, and the police have no hard evidence to put the killer away.  What do you do when you think the killer is a ghost? What do you do when the whole town is against you? What do you do when your “GOD” asks you to sacrifice your own child.

“Nicholson” impressed me a few weeks ago with his latest novel “The Skull Ring” but I still remained skeptical of  “The Red Church” for 2 reasons.  1.  I was afraid that the writing would be lacking seeing as how THIS novel was actually an earlier work (you know… the whole growth with time and experience thing) and 2.  After a few chapters I was afraid the book was going to turn into a sermon instead of the monster thriller I expected.  I was…as usual…wrong on both accounts, and I’m actually quite happy to admit to being so.  “Nicholson’s” writing was not only fluid and amazingly imaginative, but for some reason I think it was actually better than in “The Skull Ring.” The narration was multi-perspective which is not only difficult to write but sometimes (not in this case) difficult to read.  The multitude of perspectives combined with the flawless character development made the book an easy read, and to top off the pot, his expected (at least by me) glimpse into a mentally unbalanced mind was perfectly executed.

This was a horror book that spouted details with the best of them.

There was immaculate conception, a mysterious half eaten man in a graveyard, a suicidal priest, creepy ambient laughter, finger filled puke, a wacko mommy, little boys with worms in their mouth, a REALLY smelly offering plate (that actually made me a little queasy), and 1 very epic “Come To God” moment in the front of the church.

This book is (of course) not for everyone, if you are looking for mushy make a direct left and choose a different isle, but if you are a fan of horror…saddle up.  This one is a must read.

Happy reading my fellow followers and remember: always carry an emergency kit in your car… you never know when you are going to end up in the bottom lake and need to bust a window.

For a complete book description click image.

(4/5)

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