Search

Search only in certain items:

Synergy (The Synergy Series #1)
Synergy (The Synergy Series #1)
S. Reynolds | 2015 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I found the start of this book quite hard to get into as you read chapters from many different points of view, as well as locations. To constantly change viewpoints in such a manner made it a bit 'flighty'. However, the story does settle down and is usually told from the perspectives of Kanai and Syn. Syn is completely new to the world of the Supernaturals and has no idea what is going on, why or even how? Kanai is set to become the new head of IPA so he knows more than most. Even he is stumped, to begin with, on just what is happening.

This book is full of adventure and murder, but you will need to stick with it until you find out more. I should also add that it comes with a major cliffhanger warning! The relationship between Kanai and Synergy is hot, although it does just seem to 'happen'. One minute they are snarking at each other, the next they are in bed! They do make a good pair though and I am looking forward to seeing where S. Reynolds takes it.

Well-written, with some grammatical errors but nothing that disrupts the story, this is a fast-moving supernatural adventure romance to keep you on your toes.

* 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!
May 12, 2016
  
74 of 220
Kindle
The Intended ( A Culling of Blood and Magic 2)
By K.M. Rives
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emery may have survived the Culling, but now she’s on the run.

Forced to find her way in a world of magic behind the wards of New Orleans, Emery struggles to accept her newfound identity as a witch and a mother. Her coven is demanding that she choose between the magic she’s always wanted and the child she already loves. Will Emery find the strength to fight for what matters most?

Devastated by the loss of trust in his mate and seeking revenge, Augustine throws himself into the hunt for a murderer within his kingdom. Emery remains his primary suspect, even though there is a side of him that longs for the woman who has captured his heart.

War is brewing in the supernatural world, and a long forgotten prophecy is at play. Can Augustine and Emery overcome the secrets that have torn them apart, and reconcile their past before the future catches up with them?

This was a very emotional read for me in a few places and very close to my own heart without all the magic and vampires! I enjoyed it and it certainly was fast paced. There were a few bits that I could have just skipped but they didn’t take away from how I was enjoying the book.

Please check any trigger warnings as there is a death that is hard to handle for some.
  
Ghost stories (1 more)
Well-written
Only a few stories (0 more)
This collection of tales will transport you to a time when staircases creaked in old manor houses, and a candle could be blown out by a gust of wind, or by a passing ghost. Penned by some of the greatest Victorian novelists and masters of the ghost story genre, these stories come alive alongside exquisitely eerie art in this special illustrated edition.

Since this is a short story collection, I will list the stories with a short synopsis and what I liked and disliked about them.

"Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad" by M.R. James
A professor decides to go on vacation to work on his golf game while doing a little side work in the town's archaeology, but when he digs up an old whistle and blows into it, he instantly regrets what the whistle brings.
Liked: the buildup to the climax was done masterfully, and the superstition that was used as the premise of the story
Disliked: that the ending is never explained

"The Old Nurse's Story" by Elizabeth Gaskell
When a governess and her ward are taken to a haunted house, they found out that everyone has to pay for their misdeeds.
Liked: the perfect example of what Victorian ghost stories were
Disliked: Nothing; I really enjoyed this one

"The Signalman" by Charles Dickens
A railroad signalman tells a co-worker that he is seeing a ghost that warns him of future accidents, but his co-worker can't tell if he's telling the truth or losing his mind.
Liked: an excellent ghost story; I wish it were an entire novel
Disliked: nothing

"The Body-Snatcher" by Robert Louis Stevenson
When a medical student realizes that the 'donated' bodies are murder victims, he's not so sure he can live with the consequences.
Liked: the ending wasn't predictable
Disliked: at the start, there's a little confusion among who is who

" The Captain of the Pole-Star" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A group of whalers are stuck in the middle of the ocean because of ice burgs, but the ice is the least of their problems when they begin to hear and see supernatural things out on the ice.
Liked: the plot of the story was really good
Disliked: the run-on sentences, some of the accents were hard to decipher, and the ending wasn't explained

"The Phantom Coach" by Amelia B. Edwards
A young man loses his way while on a hunt, but soon finds help with an old man that is convinced the supernatural is real, and when he senses the young man does not, he puts him up against forces from the other side.
Liked: the story never lulled, and the descriptions of the undead were amazing
Disliked: nothing, I thought the story was really good

"The Screaming Skull" by F. Marion Crawford
When the friend of a family finds a skull in the latter's home, he begins to question whether or not the husband murdered his wife.
Liked: I love that this story is actually based off an urban legend
Disliked: the way the author kept breaking away from the story to talk to the audience; it caused the flow of the story to stop

Overall, the Victorian-era authors knew how to write a ghost story. I absolutely loved this collection of short stories. I highly recommend this book to people who love a good 'ol fashioned ghost story (not the gory ones we have today).
  
The Book of Cold Cases
The Book of Cold Cases
Simone St. James | 2022 | Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I love a thriller that involves a chilling ghost story, so when I heard about The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James, I knew I had to read it. (Plus, I loved her other book The Broken Girls.) I was heavily immersed in this novel from the beginning!

I was sucked into the plot of The Book of Cold Cases right away. St. James gets right down to the nitty-gritty in the very first chapter. This book instantly grabs you and doesn't let go until the very last page. I was instantly transported to this small town in Oregon where I was right with the characters. As with her previous books, Simone St. James tells the story from more than one characters' point of view. We are told the story from Beth's, Shea's, and Lily's viewpoint. There was plenty of action and mystery to keep me intrigued throughout my reading journey. My favorite scenes in the book were the ones that involved the supernatural. I loved reading about how Greer mansion was haunted and about what supernatural activities were happening there. I also enjoyed the semi-big plot twist towards the middle of the book. However, I kept expecting an even bigger plot twist towards the end that never came which left me feeling a bit disappointed. However, this didn't really take away from the overall story that much. Something I could have done without was the romance in the book. It wasn't a major thing, but I just felt like there wasn't really a need for it. Other than that, I truly enjoyed this novel. Everything fit together really well (minus the romance), and the story was all tied together by the very end.

I felt that all the characters in The Book of Cold Cases were fleshed out enough to feel realistic whilst reading. I really liked Shea's interest in true crime since I can relate to that. I admired Shea's thirst for knowledge and how far she'd go to find out the truth of things she wanted to know. (I guess we both need closure!) I did feel like she got over her phobia a little too conveniently and quickly though. Beth was a wildcard for me throughout the book. I couldn't tell if she was guilty like many people believed or if she actually was a guilty party. I did like Beth though, and I loved her attitude she had when accused of murder. Lily was fabulously written, and I enjoyed reading about her too. I won't go into much more detail about her due to spoilers, but her part in The Book of Cold Cases was written well. The only character that kind of bothered me was Michael. I just felt like he was thrown in there as an easy way out. We're introduced to him from the beginning, and I kept waiting for some plot twist to happen involving him, but I was sadly disappointed. I just felt as if the book could have done without him.

Trigger warnings for The Book of Cold Cases include violence, murder, profanity, sexual abuse of a minor (not graphic), and kidnapping.

Overall, The Book of Cold Cases is a thrilling read with a fantastically chilling plot. With a spooky ghost story and an intriguing mystery, St. James has a real winner on her hands. I would definitely recommend The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James to those aged 17+ who love being scared and intrigued at the same time. You won't be disappointed.
  
Izombie: Volume 1: Dead to the World
Izombie: Volume 1: Dead to the World
Chris Roberson, Mike Allred | 2011 | Comics & Graphic Novels
6
8.0 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
I read this because I enjoy the show, but other than the crime solving and brain eating induced images, the two have next to nothing in common. That's not to say that the comic isn't any good, just not quite what I expected.

The comic is set in a small town where Gwendolyn "Gwen" Dylan, the main character (not Olivia "Liv" Moore), has an antiquated job, that makes no sense in this day and age. As if that wasn't different enough, I was certainly surprised by the presence of so many other supernatural creatures (ghosts, were-terriers {not to be confused with werewolves}, and vampires). Although, the explanation of the different types of supernaturals was well thought out and plausible, as plausible as the existence of supernaturals can be.

For all of it's differences, I must say that the resemblance between Gwen and the actress playing Olivia on the show, is spot on. This is really the only thing that kept grounding me to the fact that the two were related as I read.

I think that the biggest hurdle will be the lack of some of my favorite characters from the show, like Ravi and Major. I 'm thinking that Major might have been loosely, and I mean VERY loosely, based on Horatio, but I really hope not and that he (or someone a lot closer to his character) shows up later in the series.

With all of that being said, I will continue to read and hope I can further dissociate the two in order to enjoy the comic more, as it has potential as a very different type of zombie story.
  
Before I Let Go
Before I Let Go
Marieke Nijkamp | 2018 | Mystery, Young Adult (YA)
8
6.7 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp
Before I Let Go is the second book by Marieke Nijkamp I have read, albeit a very different story to the first. In this one, we travel with Corey back to her home village, where she had lived until a few months ago. We find out about her best friend, the one who never quite fitted in, Kyra. Now it is Corey who doesn't fit in, and she works hard to find out what happened to Kyra, who seems to have turned into the town's Oracle.

This is a great story, with an original storyline, and intrigue enough to delight anyone. It is also very sad, as we learn about Kyra, and what happened to her. Corey has to deal with a lot, the least of which knowing that she let her best friend down when she needed her the most. The town is not one that I would want to be visiting!

Well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, I was nonetheless confused by the script that appeared in the middle for no apparent reason. I couldn't see any reason for needing it like that, unless it was to just discombobulate the reader even more - in which case, it worked.

If you are looking for a mystery, with a hint of the supernatural, then I can definitely recommend this book.

* 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!
  
Until Dawn
Until Dawn
2015 | Action/Adventure
Engrossing (1 more)
Good jump scares
The constant recaps. (0 more)
This game is phenomenal! I sat and played the entire thing in one go. In the dark. Alone. If your in it for the scares definitely play it in the dark. If you are a bit more nervous play with the lights on. And a friend.


The spooks were good. They gave you enough time to chill and breathe before you had to react to the situation but not too much, you were still kept on your toes.

The graphics are incredible. They are realistic and engaging. The story was fantastic and took a supernatural twist I was not expecting but it just added a whole other level to the game. It felt like being in a movie.

The game mechanics were also very good. Having to swipe the touch pad on your controller to open the characters phones, having to hold the controller completely still to keep the sensor in the center in order to keep the characters still. All of these things add stress to the gamer but make it way more engaging than just pressing buttons.

The only real downfall for me was the constant recaps. About every 20 minutes there were recaps you couldn’t skip. If you only played for twenty minutes a time that’s great but most people don’t only sit down for 20 minutes to play a game so it is incredibly annoying. Apart from that this game was one of my favourites I played last year and I would absolutely recommend it for those who want a good engaging horror game.
  
Body of Ash (Victoria Cage Necromancer #3)
Body of Ash (Victoria Cage Necromancer #3)
Eli Constant | 2020 | Paranormal
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fab series
Contains spoilers, click to show
Fire, fire, burning higher, fairy better fight.

Victoria’s a necromancer, fairy, Blood Queen… hot freaking mess. Her identity is so twisted up in supernatural nonsense, that all she wants to do is go back to embalming bodies and coffin brochures. Being in love should make things easier, but when your beau’s a bear and you’ve got a fairy suitor waiting in the wings, romance is just another complication.

While preparing the victims of a tragic fire for their funerals, Victoria discovers that their deaths were not accidents, as the police have ruled. Soon, she’s hot on the trail of a Firestarter who’s been scorching their way through the surrounding counties. It’s about more than murder and flame, though.

Bodies with their hearts missing. A dark coven. And a gate to hell.

It’s not long before Victoria goes from the hunter, to the hunted. But she’ll do whatever it takes to bring the arsonist to justice—even if that means getting a few burns along the way.

I love this series!!
Body of ash we rejoin Tori as she battles to stop killer arsonists and a hellmouth being opened. Tori is struggling to keep out of fey politics as well staying of the radar as a necromancer. Her personal relationships with Kyle and Liam are getting harder to seperate when she relies on Liam and the fey to save Kyle's life. Also things with Terrance the detective becomes a little bit strained when he realises the damage magic has done this time. I almost cried as we watched Tori home and family business burn.
Really good series!
Recommended
⭐⭐⭐⭐
  
Deadly Desire (Riley Jensen #7)
Deadly Desire (Riley Jensen #7)
Keri Arthur | 2011 | Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
Seduction that kills. Pleasure to die for. She just can’t resist…

Guardian Riley Jenson always seems to face the worst villains. And this time’s no different. For it’s no ordinary sorceress who can raise the dead to do her killing. But that’s exactly what Riley expects to find at the end of a trail of female corpses used—and discarded—in a bizarre ritual of evil. With pressure mounting to catch one fiend, another series of brutal slayings shocks the vampire world of her lover, Quinn. So the last thing Riley needs is the heat of the upcoming full moon bringing her werewolf hormones to a boil—or the reappearance of a sexy bounty hunter, the rogue wolf Kye Murphy.

Riley has threatened Murphy with arrest if he doesn’t back off the investigation, but it’s Riley who feels handcuffed by Kye’s lupine charm. Torn between her vamp and wolf natures, between her love for Quinn and her hots for Kye, Riley knows she’s courting danger and indulging the deadliest desires. For her hunt through the supernatural underworld will bring her face-to-face with what lurks in a darkness where even monsters fear to tread.

Keri Arthur is such a brilliant writer and this is one of my favourite series I just love Riley Jensen. This book did not disappoint it was full of suspense , action and sex!! I love the characters in this series and the way the books just flow. So Riley finally finds her soul mate in this one and I totally agree Kye is not suitable but I'm looking forward to seeing it all unravel! Poor Quinn 😢
  
40x40

Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Outsider in TV

Apr 17, 2020  
The Outsider
The Outsider
2020 | Drama, Thriller
A great adaptation
I've had this series recorded on my box for quite a while, lockdown has finally allowed me time to watch it and it really is a brilliant adaptation of the King book.

It isnt an entirely accurate adaptation of the book, but it is a very good attempt. There are some changes but there are a lot of things that match the book too, and the majority of the changes aren't necessarily for the worst either. The story is a great one, not a surprise considering it's based on a King novel. It moves seamlessly from a detective crime thriller to a supernatural horror and the cinematography and soundtrack support this so well along with a decent amount of gore. It also has a fantastic cast. Ben Mendelsohn is perfect as Ralph and Cynthia Erivo is too as Holly, backed by a wonderful supporting cast.

There are some changes that I didn't appreciate as much though, some fairly small and minor nods towards the books - especially the references to Holly from the Bill Hodges trilogy series. Also I didn't appreciate the mid credits scene at the end of the final episode which appears to hint towards another series and a different ending. This series works so well as a standalone and I really dont appreciate them potentially looking at turning this into yet more series! It's also frustrating that the Bill Hodges trilogy has been turned into the Mr Mercedes series for another network, as really these 2 series should be linked with the same cast and theme.

Overall though this is a brilliant adaptation and definitely worth a watch.