THE DEVIL’S BED by Doug Lamoreux

THE DEVIL’S BED by Doug Lamoreux

Brandy, and her fiancé Ray and future sister-in-law/BFF Vicki, are touring Europe so Brandy can finish her Master’s thesis titled: `Burial Practices Around the World and What They Mean to Life'.  The story starts with Brandy and Vicky taking a tour of Castle Freedom at Paradis, France where the Knight’s Templar’s were supposedly burned at the stake for worshipping the Devil.  While they were being burned, they cursed the people condemning them with the promise of resurrection and revenge.  Bored with the tour, blonde, beautiful Vicki leaves the group with a handsome stranger.  He leads her to the cemetery where the remains of the unholy Knight Templars are interred.  He attacks her and leaves her for dead.  Now the action really starts.

It took me awhile to get into Doug Lamoreux’s writing style, but once I did, I really enjoyed it.  He has a very unique way with words and a true wordsmith.  His characters are well developed and I came to think of Ray and Brandy as friends.  There are so many characters you will identify with.  And like all good horror stories, you hope the character you’re attached to, doesn’t end up as one of the victims.  But, there are a lot or victims in this well plotted story. 

Ray and Brandy’s strained relationship turns into a partnership as they strive to survive the onslaught of undead.  I loved Ray, this big, tattooed biker dude, screaming like a girl as a disembodied hand goes skittering across the floor.  And then small, petite Brandy, carrying her bag o’ plenty saving the day.  I really loved these characters and wouldn’t mind seeing them again in another story as Brandy finishes up her thesis.  I’[m sure there’s lots of places Brandy can research where trouble is just around the corner. 

But even amongst all the death and carnage, there’s dark humor that will have you laughing out loud.  If you love dark, gory, funny horror tales, this one is for you.  I give it 5 feathers.  Well done.

CHARLIE: CHARLIE by L Sommers

CHARLIE: CHARLIE by L Sommers

This is a very different type of story format, and I applaud L Sommers for writhing outside the box.  Two different first person POV’s , but both named Charlie, male: female.   Two people who have such an attraction for each other, that it changes their lives.  And there’s definitely the steamy, forbidden sex.  This is a fun, light, fanciful tale of finding your soul mate.

L Sommers also broke the box by writing in the active voice (present tense), instead of the passive (past tense).  Most writers use passive for everything.  Unfortunately, the passive voice comes out when we write.  It’s just a natural occurrence.  I saw too many past tense words being used with present tense and vice-a-versa.  I also thought the writing didn’t flow very well and was pretty stilted. 

All in all, this was an enjoyable read and a nice way to spend some time so I give it 3 feathers.

THE SEREN TRIOLOGY by Darren Lewis

THE SEREN TRIOLOGY by Darren Lewis 

From the moment I started reading this book, I felt a smile on my face and joy in my heart.  I knew it was going to be a wonderful tale.  And I was not mistaken.  What a magical, wondrous world Seren lives in.  I have a penchant for cats, rabbits and dragons, so I really loved Grace, (Oh sorry, Ginger), Rox and Cole.  Darren Lewis did an awesome job bringing the different characters to life with the mannerism of each animal.  The story reads like a fairy-tale.  Seren is innocent and brave and she understands and steps up to the self-scarf ice she needs to make to save her world.  This is a great book for middle age children on up to adults.  I look forward to the sequel.

Now for the Cons.  There were several technical issues.  First, the TOC was at the very back of the book.  Not where it’s supposed to be.  There were also some grammatical errors.  "Was sat" is used a lot, which is not correct.  There were numerous words missing or words that should have been deleted.  The reader shouldn't have to correct the writing as they’re reading.  These errors seem to be a common occurrence with self-published authors or small publishing companies. 

That being said, I really loved this story and I would recommend it for everyone.  I give it 4 feathers.

IT LIVES IN THE BASEMENT by Sahara Foley

Tooting my own horn today

5 star review for my book.

The cover of this book caught my interest, the first time I saw it as did the title. I am a huge Stephen King fan and I love horror. Who can resist picking up a book called ‘It lived in the basement’. And I wasn’t disappointed. Though the story is short, it is engrossing. It has been well written and keeps your attention throughout. For the best experience, switch off the lights, get under the blanket and read it with a flashlight. Sahara Foley has an exceptional style of writing and I hope to read more horror stories from this talented author.

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A lot of the idea of this story is given away in the title, but it's the fine details that make it a good one. It starts out with a police investigation because a couple is missing, along with their three cats. The house is locked from the inside and investigators are baffled as to what happened to everybody.

The husband is a writer and has recorded strange happenings in a journal, which serves to fill in some details of things from the couple's point of view. It fits in nicely as a way of conveying information unobtrusively. The first chapter on its own would make a great short story, leaving a mystery for the imagination to sort out at the end, but the book goes on to introduce new elements.

I'm one of those sticklers who checks online to see if myths and legends in stories are based on any historic or known myths, but it appears that Foley has created a whole mythology for the story, which I find rather impressive. Horrific happenings are explained in context of this mythology in an all too believable manner.

The story definitely held my interest and the last part had me at the edge of my seat, waiting to see who would live or die. I'm just glad I'm not a man. I'd never use a toilet again!

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It Lives in the Basement,” by Sahara Foley begins with a bang. The noises in the house, the owners thinks are your normal settling house noises, are followed by brief glimpses of something in the shadows. Then, the cats disappear without a trace. Soon the owners are reported missing.

John and Pat haven’t been seen for days, their car is on the drive, all their things are still in the house. Lt. John is a writer who is aware that his imagination can sometimes lead him astray. As a result, he uses this as a way to explain some of the curious things that are taking place in his house. Lieutenant Flynn begins to read what he thinks is one of John’s stories, telling of the things that have been happening over the past few days. This was the creepiest bit of the story; I was truly engrossed with the diary/story.

Soon Flynn disappears without a trace.

Ten years later a man is found dead under very strange circumstance at the same house. Detective Pete Alvarez, attends the scene, he knows what’s killing people.

Along with a few others, including Flynn’s old partner set out to trap the mythical beast.

For a short story this was very well crafted. 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

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It Lives In the Basement is a classic horror story. I don't want to give anything away, but people are disappearing and investigation begins. As the plot unfolds, we discover some shocking events. I, myself, did not expect the story to go the direction it went. But I enjoyed this story. It's a quick read and each page is full of action. So much happens and the author does a great job moving the story forward with the dialogue. The characters are also developed nicely considering it's a short story. I don't typically read horror stories so there were definitely times when my heart was beating fast. I read this book in two days because I just wanted to know what was going to happen next. Recommend this to all you horror lovers.

MATEGUAS ISLAND by Linda Watkins

MATEGUAS ISLAND by Linda Watkins

A marriage is never truly tested until it undergoes hard times.  After Bill loses his lucrative job, suddenly his loving 10 year marriage is in danger of falling apart.  Unable to obtain a new job, in dire financial straits and almost homeless, Bill inherits some land and a house from a long-lost aunt on Mateguas Island. 

Linda Watkins did a really good job at setting the stage on the relationship between Bill and his wife Karen.  I felt like I was on that ferry with them as they approached the island for the first time.  She also did a good job at highlighting the differences in personalities between the adorable twins, Terri and Sophie.  The characters were well fleshed out and the settings were dynamic.  I booed at Bill for his roving eye and infidelity, but had to applaud him for his actions when he finally Manned UP and did right by his family.  And who wouldn’t want to have a sexy Dex around just for eye candy.

The story starts at a decent pace but got bogged down in the middle.  Too much everyday life interspersed with the ongoing story and trying to solve the mystery of the swamp hag.  I realize drama needs to build, but it went just a tad bit too slow for my taste.  But once all the action started and Karen understood what she needed to do to save her family, the pace went pretty fast.  The parts of the story that stick out in my mind, are when Karen first discovers the magical field / swamp, Karen’s fight with the owl and Bill’s confrontation with the swamp hag.  Something I wouldn’t want to meet on a dark, stormy night, alone, unarmed.

Even though I like the story, there were 2 points that niggled at the back of my mind.  One, Karen professes to love her kids and family through the entire story, but part of why they were on the island to begin with was her selfishness in not getting a job after Bill lost his.  Also, swamp land is on bottom land.  Yet the house and property were at the highest point on the island.  There was no description of how the swamp lay in regards to the house.  There was the backyard that led to the woods that led to the swamp.  Was it a hilly wooded area?  Did the backyard slope down to the woods?  Who knows?  Maybe something that could be elaborated on more in the sequel.

Overall, if you like dark mysteries and family drama, this is the book for you.  I give it 4 feathers.

NAPHIL’S KISS by Simone Beaudelaire

NAPHIL’S KISS by Simone Beaudelaire

Disgusted with her life as a life-sucking succubus, Sarahi chooses not to be the demon her mother, Lilith, meant her to be. Wandering around the streets of ancient Rome, hungry, needing to feed, she heads for the Temple of Venus. There, she encounters the celibate Naphilim called Lucien. Thus starts the spark of love that spans centuries before being consummated. And from their union starts the war between dark and light.

This is a poignant tale of old love, young love and lost love. Choices made and ramifications of those choices. That no matter who you are or what other people think of you, you can change your life. You do not have to follow the path that others want you to take.

I really liked the relationship between Sahari and Lucien, that even though she was a succubus, he always treated her as a princess and a lady. Never having doubts in her or giving up on her. 

Simone Beaudelaire does a great job bringing the characters to life, and the dynamics of the different lifestyles from Lilith’s hellish domain to the trailer house in the Mojave Desert. During the fight scenes, you feel like you’re right there with them, swinging your blade or sword. This is actually a story I wanted to go on a little longer. I really wanted to see more of Annie and Josiah’s relationship after the dust settled.

Love the steamy, hot book cover.  

I highly recommend this book. It should have merited 5 feathers, but there are just too many proofreading errors. So I give it 4 feathers.

LOVABLY DEAD by Lex Allen

LOVABLY DEAD by Lex Allen

If you like short stories with a blend of fantasy/horror, you will love this book.  Lex Allen does a great job building his characters and scenes.  You feel like you’re right in the mix of things.  Out of the 5 stories, my favorites were Doctor Gavin’s Patient and Lovably Dead.

Doctor Gavin has a “voice” inside his head that the good Dr. has learned to live with.  In comes a new patient seeking assistance.  And of all things, a succubus.  I loved the interplay between the three characters, as the succubus slowly wins her way over Dr. Gavin.  And just when you think she wins, the “voice” comes to the rescue.  Very imaginative.

In Lovably Dead, my favorite part was how Lex Allen made the zombie, Julian so likable by giving him child-like behavior and mannerisms.  And knowing that Julian is the “zombie”, you except him to be the villain.  But not so fast.  There’s dear, darling Kate, the fiancee.  The things she has to go through to exact her revenge.  I liked the twist at the end, but felt sad for poor Julian.

It’s hard to give a rating and review on a collection of short stories.  Some you may love, some not so much.  That’s kinda my problem.  I wasn’t too thrilled with The Solution.  And Reapers was okay, but I had to go back and refresh my memory on what the story was about.  Overall, I will give my 4 feathers.