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    A brand new adventure game from Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, creators of the classics Monkey Island...

The Nursery (The Bayou Hauntings #3)
The Nursery (The Bayou Hauntings #3)
Bill Thompson | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror, Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A house that sat empty for fifty years as its dead owner instructed. A locked room with no key. A single father with eight-year-old twin girls. A nursery from long, long ago that no child ever played in. There are eerie things going on at The Arbors in St. Francisville, Louisiana. Architect Jordan Blanchard is joined by his friend Callie and Landry Drake to learn the secrets of a domineering matriarch whose two husbands died in bizarre ways. They explore the house as someone watches from a hidden place high above. The Nursery, the third book in the series, will keep you up late at night wondering what’s behind the next door, what lies beyond the mirror and who hides and waits at The Arbors.

The Nursery by Bill Thompson is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary.

This is the third book in the series and I wasn’t aware of that when I started this but it did not hamper me one bit in reading this one. The author gives you little bits on the background as you go along so it was very easy to pick up on.
This is not your typical haunted house story. There is a nice ghost and malevolent ghost, hidden bodies, a child’s grave where one did not belong, and travels through a mirror to other dimensions. And that doesn’t even touch the real-life evil that’s stalking the family’s every move. This is a different type of ghost story.
I love the location settings and the whole premise behind this series of paranormal interweaved with the characters lives.
I want to say so much more but I don’t want to give anything away. This book has so much going for it and I am definitely getting the previous books and following this author. This book had me right from the start and I hope there are more to come in this series.
  
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Lindsay (1717 KP) Nov 15, 2021

Your like The Proctor Hall Horror as well

SO
Secrets of the Tides
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
87 of 230
Book
Secrets of the Tides
By Hannah Richell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Every family has a secret: a dramatic family saga with a dark thread of suspense lurking at its heart.

The Tides are a family with dark secrets. Haunted by the events of one tragic day ten years ago, they are each, in their own way, struggling to move forwards with their lives.

Dora, the youngest daughter, lives in a ramshackle East End warehouse with her artist boyfriend Dan. Dora is doing a good job of skating across the surface of her life - but when she discovers she is pregnant the news leaves her shaken and staring back at the darkness of a long-held guilt.

Returning to Clifftops, the rambling family house perched high on the Dorset coastline, Dora must confront her past. Clifftops hasn't changed in years and moving through its rooms and gardens, Dora can still feel the echo of that terrible summer's day when life changed forever for the Tides.

As Dora begins her search for clues surrounding the events of that fateful day, she comes to realise that the path to redemption may rest with her troubled sister, Cassie. If Dora can unlock the secrets Cassie swore she would take to her grave, just maybe she will have a shot at salvation.

But can long-held secrets ever really be forgiven? And even if you do manage to forgive and forget, how do you ever allow yourself to truly love again?

This was one of those reads when you never know what to expect. It starts of with a young lady trying to take her life then as we read on we discover a family full of tragedy and secrets. It’s very well written and deals with some very sensitive and heartbreaking subjects. We see a family torn apart and the only hope is a new baby to hopefully bring them together finally. I really enjoyed this and once I settled in to the book I couldn’t put it down.
  
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Merissa (11950 KP) rated A Curse of Forever in Books

Dec 1, 2021 (Updated Jul 9, 2023)  
A Curse of Forever
A Curse of Forever
Tessa McFionn | 2021 | Contemporary, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A CURSE OF FOREVER tells you the story of a man cursed within the confines of a lighthouse until his heart returns to him. Nathaniel has paid dearly for loving the wrong woman. Will Laurel be the one to change all that?

This is a fast-paced story that gives you insight into Laurel and her delightful mother and sister. I was so pleased to find out that others in her family were not the same! She is estranged from her beloved grandfather through actions not of her own. When he dies, she is the one to organise the funeral. The paper she works for gives her the time off but asks her to write a piece about the haunted lighthouse too. When she goes there, she sees -- and can talk to -- Nathaniel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The only part I couldn't quite understand was Jacob and Carrie. I didn't feel that he added much to the story or his obsession with Laurel. Yes, I know he had to be there for a certain part but that was it. As for Carrie, she was one way for the whole of the book, just changing at the end. Was it because the curse had been broken? I'm honestly not sure.

This was a steamy read, with instant attraction between our main characters. Laurel and Nathaniel were supported by great characters who helped to keep the story moving along.

Anyway, on the whole, this was a great contemporary read by an author I have come to associate with science fiction. I would say she has successfully moved to other genres. Thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommended.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books
Dec 1, 2021
  
TE
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
206 of 235
Kindle
The Echo Killing ( Harper McClain 1)
By Christi Daugherty
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When a murder echoing a fifteen-year-old cold case rocks the Southern town of Savannah, crime reporter Harper McClain risks everything to find the identity of this calculated killer in Christi Daugherty's new novel The Echo Killing.

A city of antebellum architecture, picturesque parks, and cobblestone streets, Savannah moves at a graceful pace. But for Harper McClain, the timeless beauty and culture that distinguishes her home’s Southern heritage vanishes during the dark and dangerous nights. She wouldn’t have it any other way. Not even finding her mother brutally murdered in their home when she was twelve has made her love Savannah any less.

Her mother’s killer was never found, and that unsolved murder left Harper with an obsession that drove her to become one of the best crime reporters in the state of Georgia. She spends her nights with the police, searching for criminals. Her latest investigation takes her to the scene of a homicide where the details are hauntingly familiar: a young girl being led from the scene by a detective, a female victim naked and stabbed multiple times in the kitchen, and no traces of any evidence pointing towards a suspect.

Harper has seen all of this before in her own life. The similarities between the murder of Marie Whitney and her own mother’s death lead her to believe they’re both victims of the same killer. At last, she has the chance to find the murderer who’s eluded justice for fifteen years and make sure another little girl isn’t forever haunted by a senseless act of violence—even if it puts Harper in the killer’s cross-hairs…


This was really good I enjoyed it. I did catch on to the killer early on but it was still a really good read. Characters were interesting and the storyline was good. Looking forward to more.
  
Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion
Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion
2020 | Adventure
YES! A Scooby-Doo game! AND it’s an escape room style game? I am so fired up to play this! This was my line of thinking as I received this game in the mail. Scooby-Doo is one of my favorite cartoon shows from my youth, and name a better episode than the Harlem Globetrotters episode. I’ll wait. So with a winning design team of Jay Cormier and Sen-Foong Lim (of the excellent Belfort game) this should be a giant hit, right?

Like I mentioned, Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion is an escape room style board game with the tag of, “A Coded Chronicles Game.” This is a series of similar style games coming to us from the publisher using different IPs. This review will be lots different than our others because I do not wish to provide any spoilers, so I am eliminating my typical “messy components” shot at the end. I have also smudged the entire second photo so as not to give away anything. On to the review.

DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T

To setup, read the rulebook, and turn to the proper paragraph number in the starting booklet. Each Mystery, Inc. character (“the gang”) has their own booklet with paragraphs and instructions inside. If you have ever played a game like Tales of the Arabian Nights you will know the style. The entry in the booklet will instruct players how to setup the first map tile and set the stage for the plot of the game.

This game features gameplay with no “turns,” so any person may choose to control a character from the gang and have them take some action. The possible actions that can be taken by the gang are: Velma may Research something, Shaggy can Eat stuff, Daphne Uses things, Scoob Smells, and Fred Investigates. Each character is assigned a single-digit number to be combined with items on the map tiles to arrive at a four-digit paragraph number. Find the number in the respective booklet and read aloud to the rest of the players. If successful, more map tiles may be added, or other things (being vague on purpose).

Should the entry not exist or instruct you to otherwise, players will need to “eat a Scooby Snack” by crossing off or reducing the total number of Snacks each time. We used another publisher’s pin to move along the track at the end of the rulebook because I didn’t feel like finding a coin.

As players progress through the game they will be presented with several challenges to figure out together. Half way through the game is a break time between Chapters 1 & 2. We were able to play this game over two nights utilizing the break.


At the end of Chapter 2 the game ends. If the players can successfully solve the case, they win! Alternately, if playing with academics, the rulebook provides a scale of VPs corresponding to the number of Scooby Snacks remaining. Whichever end-game method is chosen, the game is over and can be passed along to another household or gamer friend. That’s right, this is a one-shot escape room game. Only cheaters would go through it a second time…
Components. I cannot speak about many of the components, but I will evaluate what you see in the above photo. The rulebook and subsequent character booklets are all fine, but are curved as a result of how they sit in the box. The box itself is a strange design that you do not see with many board games. It’s not at all bad, just different. The cards are good, the map tiles are thin cardstock, and I can’t really discuss the Secret Envelopes. My biggest gripe about the game is the character standees. They are a long strip of thin stock that is folded in half, then the ends flared to make an inverted T shape. I mean, it’s fine, but this game could have done with a plastic stand for a sturdier standee to fit inside, or even basic miniatures. These standees that are included fall over all the time and when touched, even a little, flop on the table like a “professional” soccer player.

The gameplay, however, is very cool and I enjoyed my playthrough quite a bit. I very much enjoy one-shot games and despise when they ask you to destroy different components. No thanks, says me. Luckily, Scooby-Doo is able to be reset and given or sold to another person. I like that.

I also really enjoyed exploring the Haunted Mansion and trying to outwit the different challenges the game presented. This is not a particularly super difficult game to master, but will certainly give players a couple of fun hours of play with a group of animated childhood friends. For the nostalgia alone I would suggest this one, but there is also a pretty darn good game here. I have zero experience with the other Coded Chronicles Game from The Op (using The Shining), so I don’t know if I would enjoy it or not, but I loved Scooby-Doo and I adored my time with him. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a meddling 12 / 18. If you are looking for a game you can circulate through your gamer friend network and enjoy the theme, then check out Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion. It is cute, fun, and gives the ol’ noggin a workout. Also, privately message or email me and let me know if you figured out the correct ending. I did not.
  
5ive Girls (2006)
5ive Girls (2006)
2006 | Horror
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
Story: 5ive Girls starts when one of the student of Father Drake’s (Perlman) school it taken by an evil force leaving only blood stained classroom. With the school closed down on the outside we still see Father Drake trying to help troubled girls with his newest class being Alex (Miller), Mara (Madley), Cecilia (Vnesa), Leah (Mamabolo) and Connie (Quintas).

The girls discover they are all witches with different powers and when Alex starts getting haunted by Elizabeth but what is she trying to communicate. We learn that Miss Pearce (Lalonde) is involved with what is going on but is she good or bad? Could these girls have been bought together for a reason? The girls find themselves battling the ancient demon Legion who wants to walk the Earth once more.

5ive Girls gives us a witch based film where the witches are not evil but instead fighting evil. Having the girls not fully understanding their powers works because we get to learn about them with them but saying that doing that really doesn’t help when they get picked off easily. I would like to see more about the girl’s powers but in the end we just have basic ideas of them. The story does work well for the fighting evil but also could just have been an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 

Actor Review

 

Ron Perlman: Father Drake is haunted by losing one of his students to an evil spirit, he is bought back to the school to finally make up for what happened but finds himself fighting the same evil that took away his faith. Ron is good in this role even if he is more of a supporting character than leading man.

Jennifer Miller: Alex is the last of the five new girls to arrive at the school, she has the ability to prevent and move objects with her mind. While in the school she finds herself having to work with the other girls to solve the hauntings going on in the school. Jennifer is solid in this role that works as the unsure girl.

Jordan Madley: Mara is the streetwise of the five girls, she is overly aggressive when it comes to protecting herself but is great to have on the right side when it comes to fighting the evil. Jordan is good as the bad ass chick that is actually very insecure.

Terra Vnesa: Cecilia is one of the students, she is the blind student who makes light of her disability being one of the main comic reliefs in the film. Terra is good because she is the funniest of the characters involved.

Support Cast: 5ive Girls only has a couple of extra cast members that end up doing just as good a job of the rest of the cast.

Director Review: Warren P Sonoda – Warren gives us a solid film that is easy to watch but never really challenges us.

 

Horror: 5ive Girls has good horror elements of good versus evil along with solid gore moments.

Thriller: 5ive Girls keeps us guessing to what will happened next as well as wondering what is going on through the story even if you can work parts of the film out.

Settings: 5ive Girls keeps nearly all the film in one place the school that is meant to be locked from the outside.
Special Effects: 5ive Girls has solid effects for the kills but when we see Legion we don’t get the best effects.

Suggestion: 5ive Girls is one to watch if it is on late night television. (Late Night TV)

 

Best Part: Only having early witch abilities.

Worst Part: Slightly predictable.

Funniest Scene: Blind girl searching for someone alone while still enough people to do it in pairs.

 

Believability: No

Chances of Tears: No

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: No

Budget: $3 Million

Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes

Tagline: 5 Witches. 5 Powers. One Evil.

 

Overall: Easy to watch horror that does lack scares but has strong elements.

https://moviesreview101.com/2016/10/05/movie-reviews-101-midnight-halloween-horror-5ive-girls-2006/
  
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
2003 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
7
8.8 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Story: A Tale of Two Sisters starts with Soo-mi Bae in a hospital with a doctor trying to convince her to tell her story. We flashback to when sisters Soo-mi Bae (Lim) and Soo-yeon Bae (Moon) move to the country home owned by their father Moo-hyeon Bae (Kim) and their new stepmother Eun-joo Heo (Yum).

The two sisters don’t like their new stepmother and to make matters worse the two discover that they are being haunted by a spirit, but is the spirit guiding them to uncover a truth or does it have another motive?

A Tale of Two Sisters really makes you wonder what is going on because once the big reveal happens you are left wondering what just happened. Everything is very well created with the suspense building up through the early part of the film and returning to the high level by the end of the film. This story does need a re-watch because you will want to check out everything that is finally reveal.

Actor Review

Kap-su Kim: Moo-hyeon Bae is the father of the family who does seem to end up becoming pretty much a background character to the three female characters. I feel this character falls to the background too much to get a high enough rating.

Jung-ah Yum: Eun-joo Heo is the stepmother of the family who doesn’t seem to like the two girls, she has a past that is hidden but once it gets discovered we see hat she is capable off. I think she makes for a very good menacing performance throughout while looking very normal to her husband.

Su-Jeong Lim: Soo-mi Bae is the eldest of the sisters who always protects her younger sister from the new stepmother, she learns more about the stepmother’s past but has past that ends up helping with the final reveal. This is a good performance showing the fear and the caring side being used throughout.

Geun-young Moon: Soo-Yeon Bae is the younger sister who always looks at her big sister for protection, constantly following her around the house, we learn about why she is being haunted and needing help as the film unfolds. This is good performance that ends up have a big secret.

Support Cast: A Tale of Two Sisters really doesn’t have much of a supporting cast but the very few we have all do what they need to do.

Director Review: Jee-woon Kim – Jee-woon gives us a very good horror that will keep you guessing until the very end where you will be left wonder what did happen.

Horror: A Tale of Two Sisters has real horror moments when they happen that will shock you.

Mystery: A Tale of Two Sisters creates a mystery about what is happening and what is the secret behind the stepmother.

Thriller: A Tale of Two Sisters keeps you guessing to what will happen by the end of the film.

Settings: A Tale of Two Sisters keeps all the action of the film in an isolated country house which adds to the horror because the girls have no where to go or no one to see.
Special Effects: A Tale of Two Sisters uses the effects for the haunting which are the only need for them.

Suggestion: A Tale of Two Sisters is one for the horror fans to try which is don’t go and watch remake first. (Horror Fans Try)

Best Part: Girl at the end of the bed nightmare.

Worst Part: You will need to double check the twist.

Scariest Scene: Girl at the end of the bed.

Believability: No

Chances of Tears: No

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 55 Minutes

Tagline: Every family has its dark secrets.

Overall: Horror film that is filled with suspense filled scares but a final twist that makes you wonder what really happened.

https://moviesreview101.com/2015/12/25/movie-reviews-101-midnight-horror-a-tale-of-two-sisters-2003/