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BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Dauntless (Valiant Hearts, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Medieval England, the ruthless King John sits on the throne. And Lady Merry Ellison has but one mission: To see to the safety of her “men”.
Set in the year 1216, England is in ruin. The nation is divided, scores of outlaws live in the forest and they do what they must to survive. Lady Merry will do anything to protect the orphans that make up their band known as “The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest”. Timothy Grey longs to become someone of power and authority. So he sets out to capture the ghosts, not knowing who their leader is. Will he turn in the ghosts and earn approval from his master? Or will he follow his heart and the leading of God?
Dauntless is the first book that I have read by Dina Sleiman, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was very engaging and quite the page turner. I loved how she used older English, but not so “olde” that I couldn’t understand the book. The “Historical Notes” were very informative and helpful to read. I wish I would have read it first, even thought there are a few spoilers in it. Her portrayal of the supernatural was very vivid. I liked it a lot! This story was a good reminder that things happen in our lives that we don’t always understand. But we must remember that God has a purpose for everything. Although we may never know why, we must trust Him and know that He truly knows best. Yes, I know, easier said than done. But in this story, the journey of reestablishing faith in God was amazing to behold and I pray that it brings you hope.
I received a free digital edition of Dauntless from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Set in the year 1216, England is in ruin. The nation is divided, scores of outlaws live in the forest and they do what they must to survive. Lady Merry will do anything to protect the orphans that make up their band known as “The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest”. Timothy Grey longs to become someone of power and authority. So he sets out to capture the ghosts, not knowing who their leader is. Will he turn in the ghosts and earn approval from his master? Or will he follow his heart and the leading of God?
Dauntless is the first book that I have read by Dina Sleiman, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was very engaging and quite the page turner. I loved how she used older English, but not so “olde” that I couldn’t understand the book. The “Historical Notes” were very informative and helpful to read. I wish I would have read it first, even thought there are a few spoilers in it. Her portrayal of the supernatural was very vivid. I liked it a lot! This story was a good reminder that things happen in our lives that we don’t always understand. But we must remember that God has a purpose for everything. Although we may never know why, we must trust Him and know that He truly knows best. Yes, I know, easier said than done. But in this story, the journey of reestablishing faith in God was amazing to behold and I pray that it brings you hope.
I received a free digital edition of Dauntless from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated The Possession (The Anomaly Files #2) in Books
Nov 3, 2019
Great follow on from the previous book (1 more)
Don't have to have read the previous book
For the fans of Coast to Coast AM etc
When I reviewed Michael Rutger's previous novel; The Anomaly I said that this was a novel for those of us who love the strange paranormal, supernatural woo woo of things like Fortean Times magazine, Coast to Coast AM, Astonishing Legends and Lore and I am going to say the same thing for The Possession. The title lets it down a little. This isn't some girl gets possessed by a daemon and gets exorcised run of the mill story, Rutger is far more interesting than that.
The story centres round the Berkeley Mystery Walls, strange walls in California that are ancient and don't seem to be marking territory and whom no one knows who built them and what their purpose is, and the disappearance of a girl. Nolan Moore and his Anomaly Files crew turn up to investigate and things start getting more and more strange, creepy and out of this world as they go along.
Do you have to have read the previous book to get any of this? Not at all, you can jump straight into this as a separate story although after reading the Anomaly I was really keen to get The Possession and I wasn't disappointed. It is a tense thrilling hell ride from start to finish with no simple answers and solutions, just the great characters from the first book back bumbling through as best they can to try and save the world. Its great fun, full of well researched strange events and massive adventure. Its refreshing to have a voice in horror that throws away the cliches and instead makes a modern story entirely of their own. Lets hope there are many more novels to come.
The story centres round the Berkeley Mystery Walls, strange walls in California that are ancient and don't seem to be marking territory and whom no one knows who built them and what their purpose is, and the disappearance of a girl. Nolan Moore and his Anomaly Files crew turn up to investigate and things start getting more and more strange, creepy and out of this world as they go along.
Do you have to have read the previous book to get any of this? Not at all, you can jump straight into this as a separate story although after reading the Anomaly I was really keen to get The Possession and I wasn't disappointed. It is a tense thrilling hell ride from start to finish with no simple answers and solutions, just the great characters from the first book back bumbling through as best they can to try and save the world. Its great fun, full of well researched strange events and massive adventure. Its refreshing to have a voice in horror that throws away the cliches and instead makes a modern story entirely of their own. Lets hope there are many more novels to come.
Leigh J (71 KP) rated The Chill Factor (1973) in Movies
Nov 9, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
A group of friends are out Snowmobile racing when one has a critical accident. Out in the middle of nowhere in freezing conditions, 2 of the friends go to find help and stumble across a Cabin. The Cabin looks like it was once a Religious Camp but seems abandoned; it has an upside down cross of the mantle and is just very creepy in general. They ignore this and move their friend into the Cabin. Whilst looking around the Cabin they find a picture of some kids in the 1950's who attended when the place was a Camp. Below their picture there is a scroll that says "keep the beast in the field", which one of the friends alludes to the fact that "the beast" often references the Devil. They also discover a "Devil's Eye" board, similar to a Ouija Board and decide to use it. During this, one of the friends that went out for help is killed, one has a seizure and one woman is convinced they've let something evil in; further strengthened by the fact that one of friends finds an article about a Satanic Killer murdering people around that area. Soon enough the friends are getting picked off one by one by supernatural forces, yet the critically injured man is thriving. Could the Killer have returned to the Cabin? Or could this be the work of the Devil's Eye Board?
Chill Factor is one of those typically terrible 80's Horrors (made in 1989). It's slow burning and not in a good way, it feels more like a cheesy TV drama and the murders are substandard and really nothing at all that us Horror fans haven't seen a million times over. Also, it ends in a ridiculous Snowmobile race between Woman and evil... ludicrous.
Chill Factor is one of those typically terrible 80's Horrors (made in 1989). It's slow burning and not in a good way, it feels more like a cheesy TV drama and the murders are substandard and really nothing at all that us Horror fans haven't seen a million times over. Also, it ends in a ridiculous Snowmobile race between Woman and evil... ludicrous.
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated Starve Acre in Books
Nov 24, 2019
His others were good. This is exceptional
I have enjoyed Andrew Michael Hurley's previous books very much but he has surpassed himself with Starve Acre. This is a dark and suturing read that gives you the same feels as Iain Banks' masterpiece The Wasp Factory. Anyone who was fans of the exceptional read as well as possibly Neil Gaimen's folk horror will find pleasure in this read.
I love it when you are so into a book you sprint upstairs when you get in from work to read a few pages before starting the evenings cooking etc, as I did with Starve Acre.
It's hard to tell you what happens in the story without giving away plot twists but this is a book of the supernatural, of a future dictated to by the past and of a family grieving trying to rationalise feelings and hurt. It is a place where they will remain outsiders and a tree that holds the mystery of it all.
Everything about this book should make it a classic. Its presentation and cover is beautiful. Michael-Hurley's writing is beautiful capturing the darkness in a way that is delicate and sweet which only makes the horror more shocking. The Lonely and Devil's Day were very good, but the writing here is some f the best I have ever read and the story is incredible. He has now become of a level that the next book he releases I standing outside the book shop at 9am and taking a day off work to read it, he is simply that good.
Miss this book at your peril, this is better than Stephen King and the rest. Andrew Michael-Hurley is now the true king!
I love it when you are so into a book you sprint upstairs when you get in from work to read a few pages before starting the evenings cooking etc, as I did with Starve Acre.
It's hard to tell you what happens in the story without giving away plot twists but this is a book of the supernatural, of a future dictated to by the past and of a family grieving trying to rationalise feelings and hurt. It is a place where they will remain outsiders and a tree that holds the mystery of it all.
Everything about this book should make it a classic. Its presentation and cover is beautiful. Michael-Hurley's writing is beautiful capturing the darkness in a way that is delicate and sweet which only makes the horror more shocking. The Lonely and Devil's Day were very good, but the writing here is some f the best I have ever read and the story is incredible. He has now become of a level that the next book he releases I standing outside the book shop at 9am and taking a day off work to read it, he is simply that good.
Miss this book at your peril, this is better than Stephen King and the rest. Andrew Michael-Hurley is now the true king!
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