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The Little Death
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When Patti moves to the moor she finds the peaceful haven she expected awash with people visiting an...
Amends (Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mystery #2)
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For as psychic as she is, shit goes sideways far too often around Diana Hawthorne. Diana now has...
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Eisenhorn: XENOS
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POCKET GAMER - 9/10 - "This is a rich and stunning third person adventure" APPLENAPPS - 4/5 -...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Nine Lives and Alibis in Books
Oct 4, 2023
Murder Old and New Haunts This Halloween
This October, Daybreak Island is trying to put on a Halloween festival to extend tourist season, and Maddie James has been roped into helping with it. The main draw is going to be celebrity psychic Balfour, who was raised on the island but hasn't been back since he made it big. Some are hoping he can solve a pair of forty year old cases, but Maddie doesn't put much stock into psychics. Then a murder happens. Are there modern motives for the murder? Or do the past crimes have to do with the modern killing?
Those looking for a quick murder will be disappointed here. Yes, I did feel there were some pacing issues, but for the most part, I found the book did a good job of introducing suspects and motives before the murder happened. I did figure one thing out early, but the rest was still a surprise. I didn't appreciate the emphasis on psychics in the book, but the rest of the Halloween events in the book were fun, making it perfect for this time of year. (And yes, I do realize that issue is all mine.) Fans of the author's Full Moon Mysteries will enjoy seeing a couple of those characters show up here. As a series fan, I definitely enjoyed seeing the characters again, and want to see how some new beginnings impact the next book in the series. There's still time to add this book to your October reading list, and if you enjoy Halloween set cozies, you'll be glad you did.
Those looking for a quick murder will be disappointed here. Yes, I did feel there were some pacing issues, but for the most part, I found the book did a good job of introducing suspects and motives before the murder happened. I did figure one thing out early, but the rest was still a surprise. I didn't appreciate the emphasis on psychics in the book, but the rest of the Halloween events in the book were fun, making it perfect for this time of year. (And yes, I do realize that issue is all mine.) Fans of the author's Full Moon Mysteries will enjoy seeing a couple of those characters show up here. As a series fan, I definitely enjoyed seeing the characters again, and want to see how some new beginnings impact the next book in the series. There's still time to add this book to your October reading list, and if you enjoy Halloween set cozies, you'll be glad you did.
Merissa (12061 KP) rated Pepper's Journey Home (Grey River #9) in Books
Oct 6, 2017
Pepper's Journey Home (Grey River #9) by Maia Dylan
Pepper's Journey Home is the ninth book in the Grey River series, and we get to know Pepper in more detail. We met her briefly in Melaina's book, but this one quite rightly focuses on her. She is a very strong psychic, but with a strong sacrificial streak. She feels that she is broken after all she has been put through. Her mates just have to prove to her that she isn't.
Once again, this book is simply amazing. I love the interaction with the 'ladies' of the pack, and the conversation about buttercream filling had me laughing out loud. I also love when sarcasm flows straight off the page, which it did in this. Absolutely perfect. Those t-shirts that Faith makes... a small additional detail that makes each book great.
One thing I will say is that I didn't take to Tomas as much as I did Diego. And I don't know why. I liked him, don't get me wrong, but I guess Diego pushed more of my buttons! And I did feel slightly sorry for him (although he didn't seem concerned at the time) that Tomas got to get both 'firsts'. Seemed a bit greedy to me ;)
Anyway, that is by the by. To get technical now, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and this pace was smooth. With plenty of sexy bits, there is also a lot of character growth. Humour galore, action, sincerity - it's all here. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Once again, this book is simply amazing. I love the interaction with the 'ladies' of the pack, and the conversation about buttercream filling had me laughing out loud. I also love when sarcasm flows straight off the page, which it did in this. Absolutely perfect. Those t-shirts that Faith makes... a small additional detail that makes each book great.
One thing I will say is that I didn't take to Tomas as much as I did Diego. And I don't know why. I liked him, don't get me wrong, but I guess Diego pushed more of my buttons! And I did feel slightly sorry for him (although he didn't seem concerned at the time) that Tomas got to get both 'firsts'. Seemed a bit greedy to me ;)
Anyway, that is by the by. To get technical now, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and this pace was smooth. With plenty of sexy bits, there is also a lot of character growth. Humour galore, action, sincerity - it's all here. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (12061 KP) rated Through Her Eyes (Mind's Eye #4) in Books
Jun 28, 2017
Through Her Eyes (Mind's Eye #4) by Deborah Camp
I LOVE the Mind's Eye series, and Through Her Eyes is no different. The story is fast-paced, with plenty going on. There are not too many characters so that you lose track of who did what or said what and when, but enough that you get varieties of view points. Our two main characters, Levi and Trudy, both still have personal demons to battle, although I loved seeing the progress that both of them made. As a woman, and not having gone through what Levi did, it was easier to empathise with Trudy's demons, as I think most women will be able to. Still, Levi's character has changed as the books have progressed, and it was nice to see it commented on in this book by various people. He has made progress, still has a way to go, but definitely made some!
The story itself was once again a gruesome read - enough detail given that you felt the horror of it, without it being too much and putting you off your cornflakes! You also get a personal insight into just how much doing this 'job' can impact both Levi and Trudy. Trudy's strengths are coming on in leaps and bounds, and with Levi by her side, soon her self-confidence will follow.
This was exceptionally well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. A nice twist to the ending, before you get your HFN with Levi and Trudy, leaving you once again wanting more from this psychic duo. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The story itself was once again a gruesome read - enough detail given that you felt the horror of it, without it being too much and putting you off your cornflakes! You also get a personal insight into just how much doing this 'job' can impact both Levi and Trudy. Trudy's strengths are coming on in leaps and bounds, and with Levi by her side, soon her self-confidence will follow.
This was exceptionally well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. A nice twist to the ending, before you get your HFN with Levi and Trudy, leaving you once again wanting more from this psychic duo. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Lee (2222 KP) rated Ghost Stories (2018) in Movies
Apr 10, 2018 (Updated Apr 10, 2018)
Sadly I missed out on seeing Ghost Stories on stage when it played in London's West End a few years ago. By all accounts it was a hugely enjoyable and genuinely scary experience, which I would have loved!
The movie version is written by the guys behind the stage show. Jeremy Dyson (co-creator and writer of the brilliant 'League of Gentlemen' shows) and Andy Nyman (co-writer of some of Derren Brown's TV and stage shows), so if you're familiar with any of their work then you'll have an idea what you're in for.
Nyman also stars in the movie as cynical Philip Goodman, host of 'Psychic Cheats' - a TV show which sets out to debunk the con-men who prey on vulnerable people who are grieving for their lost loved ones. Goodman is now investigating three 'unexplained' cases, stories involving three men (Paul Whitehouse, Alex Lawther and Martin Freeman) who have all been deeply affected by an unexplained supernatural experience in their past. Nyman meets with each of them in turn, and they then recount their stories for us to enjoy.
The stories themselves work extremely well. The whole movie is set in a even drearier than usual England, and this dark and depressing setting only adds to the tension that gradually builds as each story unfolds. While the stories themselves aren't too scary, good use of sound and camera work really help to make things pretty unsettling and creepy. There are some obligatory jump scares along the way, and even some laugh out loud moments too.
Outside of the stories being told, strange things begin happening to too. This all builds to a bit of a WTF?! moment, which then begins unraveling nicely, piecing together parts of the movie and building to a very satisfying and enjoyable ending.
The movie version is written by the guys behind the stage show. Jeremy Dyson (co-creator and writer of the brilliant 'League of Gentlemen' shows) and Andy Nyman (co-writer of some of Derren Brown's TV and stage shows), so if you're familiar with any of their work then you'll have an idea what you're in for.
Nyman also stars in the movie as cynical Philip Goodman, host of 'Psychic Cheats' - a TV show which sets out to debunk the con-men who prey on vulnerable people who are grieving for their lost loved ones. Goodman is now investigating three 'unexplained' cases, stories involving three men (Paul Whitehouse, Alex Lawther and Martin Freeman) who have all been deeply affected by an unexplained supernatural experience in their past. Nyman meets with each of them in turn, and they then recount their stories for us to enjoy.
The stories themselves work extremely well. The whole movie is set in a even drearier than usual England, and this dark and depressing setting only adds to the tension that gradually builds as each story unfolds. While the stories themselves aren't too scary, good use of sound and camera work really help to make things pretty unsettling and creepy. There are some obligatory jump scares along the way, and even some laugh out loud moments too.
Outside of the stories being told, strange things begin happening to too. This all builds to a bit of a WTF?! moment, which then begins unraveling nicely, piecing together parts of the movie and building to a very satisfying and enjoyable ending.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Barking Mad at Murder in Books
Apr 30, 2019
Something Different, but Fun
Frankie Chandler makes her living as a pet psychic in a small town in Arizona. There’s just one problem – she’s a fake. She really uses cues from her knowledge of human and animal behavior and fakes her visions to help pet owners with their pets’ behavior. So, you can imagine how surprised Frankie is when a dog named Sandy actually gets through and gives her a vision of a murder. She’s willing to write off the entire thing as a bad dream until a body matching the victim in the vision turns up in the desert. Can Frankie figure out what really happened? Does Sandy know more than Frankie got in the first vision?
This is definitely a step away from my normal cozy choices, but I picked it up after chatting with the author for most of the day at an event. I’m glad I took a chance on it. With Frankie just developing her powers, this book had some fun exploring that and what it meant for her. The mystery was good. There were occasional pacing issues, but for the most part it kept me engaged until the wonderful climax. A solid sub-plot helped keep me interested as well. A couple of the supporting characters have room to grow as the series develops, but for the most part the cast is solid, and I certainly hope to see more of many of them in later books. The book kept me grinning as I read as Frankie gets into some pretty fun situations over the course of the story. This is a solid series debut anyone looking for a light, fun read will enjoy.
This is definitely a step away from my normal cozy choices, but I picked it up after chatting with the author for most of the day at an event. I’m glad I took a chance on it. With Frankie just developing her powers, this book had some fun exploring that and what it meant for her. The mystery was good. There were occasional pacing issues, but for the most part it kept me engaged until the wonderful climax. A solid sub-plot helped keep me interested as well. A couple of the supporting characters have room to grow as the series develops, but for the most part the cast is solid, and I certainly hope to see more of many of them in later books. The book kept me grinning as I read as Frankie gets into some pretty fun situations over the course of the story. This is a solid series debut anyone looking for a light, fun read will enjoy.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Ashley Bell in Books
Feb 19, 2018
This was the best Dean Koontz novel I've read since the first Odd Thomas. I loved Bibi, and there was a great cast of supporting characters, including her parents, her best pal Pogo, and her fiance, a Navy Seal named Pax. Not everyone was on Bibi's side, however, and once again Mr. Koontz proves that sometimes the scariest monsters are those who wear human faces.
This is one of those stories that is very hard to talk about without giving too much away, and I would not want to ruin the surprises for anyone who might choose to read the book. With that said, here's what I can tell you without spoiling anything.... The novel starts out with Bibi, a novelist, discovering that she has brain cancer. After hearing that she has less then a year to live, she surprises everyone (except maybe herself) by waking completely cancer free the next morning. As a celebratory gift, her parents send a psychic to Bibi, and during her reading, she discovers that her life was spared so that she could save someone named Ashley Bell. The journey that Bibi has to make in her quest to locate Ashley forces her to revisit places and experiences from her own past that she has long since forgotten.
The buildup in this novel started out slow but constant, and once it got moving I couldn't put it down. Any Dean Koontz fan, or any thriller fan for that matter, will love this one. While Dean Koontz may be thought of as a horror writer, and there are some paranormal elements to this story, non-horror fans should enjoy this one also.
<i>Note: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest </i>review.
This is one of those stories that is very hard to talk about without giving too much away, and I would not want to ruin the surprises for anyone who might choose to read the book. With that said, here's what I can tell you without spoiling anything.... The novel starts out with Bibi, a novelist, discovering that she has brain cancer. After hearing that she has less then a year to live, she surprises everyone (except maybe herself) by waking completely cancer free the next morning. As a celebratory gift, her parents send a psychic to Bibi, and during her reading, she discovers that her life was spared so that she could save someone named Ashley Bell. The journey that Bibi has to make in her quest to locate Ashley forces her to revisit places and experiences from her own past that she has long since forgotten.
The buildup in this novel started out slow but constant, and once it got moving I couldn't put it down. Any Dean Koontz fan, or any thriller fan for that matter, will love this one. While Dean Koontz may be thought of as a horror writer, and there are some paranormal elements to this story, non-horror fans should enjoy this one also.
<i>Note: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest </i>review.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Thir13en Ghosts (2001) in Movies
Sep 5, 2018
The ghosts aren't the only thing that we can see through...
Contains spoilers, click to show
As part of a 'rewatching films from the 90's and 2000's' theme that me and the missus are going through at the moment, we came to a film i remembered fairly fondly, the remake of Thirteen Ghosts!
Unlike a lot of films from this period, this wasn't as terrible to rewatch as some, though it still reeks of some of the tropes of that period, including the casting of Shannon Elizabeth, the evil uncle and the corporate Lawyer baddie as well as the kids that can't help but run towards trouble at every opportunity.
Lets be honest, this film isn't really a scary one, it has some nice creepy elements, but it is largely a safe horror entry for people that shy away from the more intense/gory side of the genre.
Matthew Lillard chews all the scenery he can, and is largely very entertaining as a psychic with powers that they touch on without really explaining, but thats ok, its not the sort of film where it matters all that much.
Better than some, worse than others, this is a film for a rainy sunday evening, where it doesn't matter too much if you talk over the miles and miles of exposition, and where you can happily pull apart the plot holes and confusing character motives to your hearts content.
Unlike a lot of films from this period, this wasn't as terrible to rewatch as some, though it still reeks of some of the tropes of that period, including the casting of Shannon Elizabeth, the evil uncle and the corporate Lawyer baddie as well as the kids that can't help but run towards trouble at every opportunity.
Lets be honest, this film isn't really a scary one, it has some nice creepy elements, but it is largely a safe horror entry for people that shy away from the more intense/gory side of the genre.
Matthew Lillard chews all the scenery he can, and is largely very entertaining as a psychic with powers that they touch on without really explaining, but thats ok, its not the sort of film where it matters all that much.
Better than some, worse than others, this is a film for a rainy sunday evening, where it doesn't matter too much if you talk over the miles and miles of exposition, and where you can happily pull apart the plot holes and confusing character motives to your hearts content.