The Excorcist by William Peter Blatty Review

The Exorcist

By William Peter Blatty

Ok so in case you have been living under a rock for the past forty years and have no idea what this novel is about, here is a brief synopsis. What begins with eerie noises and items being moved around turns into a mother’s worst nightmare when eleven year old Reagan soon begins to show signs of demonic possession.

It has been ages since I have seen the movie but I remember certain scenes that I am sure scarred many others as well as me. The book however is about ten times worse than the movie, it is scarier and more graphic than I had even thought possible. This is another novel I would highly recommend listening to the audio book, with narration by William Peter Blatty and Eliana Shaskan you are drawn thoroughly into the world Mr. Blatty created. I mean who tells a story better than the author himself? There are certain parts when the demonic voices will certainly send chills down your spine. If you haven’t read the book you definitely should, just be sure not to be eating I made that mistake during one of the more “graphic” scenes and I don’t recommend it!

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Hounded by Kevin Hearne Review

Hounded

Book One of the Iron Druid Chronicles

By Kevin Hearne

Atticus O’Sullivan is the last of the Druids, he has survived for centuries in hiding, blending in with the people around him his neighbors and friends all see him as a tattooed Irish dude who owns the local occult shop in Arizona. In actuality Atticus is twenty-one centuries old, can speak to animals and shape shift at will just being the tip of his druidic powers. Everything is going fine until one day the those that have been searching for him finally find him and Atticus decides after centuries of hiding he is tired and if they want Fragarach, his magical sword known as the Answerer, they will have to come through him. Turning this into an action packed novel from the beginning.

I picked this one up thinking maybe I could get my husband to read it with me on our trip. He hates to read but he will listen to audio books with me on occasion, what I never expected was to open a can of worms with this novel. Not only did I love this book and find myself laughing until I cried but so did my husband! This series is full of action and comedy, but it also pulls on your heart strings at moments making this a well-rounded and amazing read. I have no idea how Kevin Gearne came up with his mish mash of characters, from Oberon the poodle obsessed dog, to the sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu Witch the cast of characters is eccentric yet lovable and make the book so much fun you cannot put it down. I highly recommend the audio book version of this novel just for the narration, Luke Daniels truly brings to life the characters especially Oberon who is now my absolute favorite.

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First Frost by Liz DeJesus Review

First Frost

By Liz DeJesus

Seventeen year old Bianca Frost spends her summers and weekends continuing on a family tradition working in their Fairy Tale Museum. She has grown up around all these items and has become cynical towards them knowing that they are all just pretend. One day though she is proven wrong when she returns home from a friend’s house to find her mother fighting with Lenore, but they are not physically fighting they are throwing magic at each other, and Bianca is thrown head first into a world full of wonder. When Bianca’s mother is kidnapped she must make her way to EverAfter and will do anything she can to save her mother from the clutches of an evil witch and a feud that goes back for centuries.

True Love, Evil Witches, and Happily Ever After what more could you want from a fairy tale novel? Liz DeJesus incorporates everything we love about the fairy tale genre and then some with thoroughly lovable characters and such evil nemesis that you cannot help but hate them yourselves. Bianca is a character that you can relate to who has already been through a lot in her short life after her father disappears when she was seven, but she and her mother overcome and this adds a new depth to the story that is already emotional and beautiful. I started this novel late at night thinking I would just read a couple of chapters before I go to bed. I ended up staying up until four in the morning I couldn’t put this one down, this novel is amazing! Not only is this a great young adult novel it is also fun for anyone who loves a triumphant novel, I truly hope the author makes a return visit to EverAfter.

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A Stir of Echoes By Richard Matheson Review

A Stir of Echoes

By Richard Matheson

What started as a parlor trick by his brother in law soon left Tom Wallace with abilities he never knew he possessed. The nightmares start with seeing a woman leaving Tom in a panic but then he begins to hear people’s thoughts around him as well.  As the woman becomes more persistent and his family is beginning to suffer he decides to put an end it to once and for all.

I am a huge fan of the movie Stir of Echoes, I actually had no idea it was based off of a book and as soon as I found out I had to read it. This is another one of those instances that Hollywood has taken several liberties with a novel, and in this case the novel was so much better than its counterpart. The story is highly in depth with twists and turns at every corner making this a remarkable read. One of the best features of this novel is the ending, I thought I had, had it all figured out and was even beginning to become bored with the novel when Richard Matheson came out of left field with an ending I would never have expected. Employing spooky ghosts and eerie dreams the author has created a fun horror novel.  

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Jane Slayre by Sherri Browning Erwin and Charlotte Bronte

Jane Slayre:

The Literary Classic with a Blood-Sucking Twist

By Sherri Browning Erwin and Charlotte Bronte

Jane Slayre was orphaned by vampires shortly after she was born, when her uncle came to retrieve her he was attacked and turned into a vampire on the way home, though he was able to protect the infant from the blood thirsty fiends. This is how Jane Slayre found herself living in a home full of vampires, after her cousin attacks her leaving her bitten and almost completely drained of blood she soon becomes determined to rid the world of these abominable creatures.

This was a great re-telling of Jane Eyre, full of vampires, werewolves, even zombies.  So far this is one of my favorite “quirk classics.” The author did a wonderful job bringing to life a new world and blending in the characters from a classic setting producing an interesting and captivating novel. In the original novel you truly hate some of the characters, that is not as substantial in this novel but you have a more solid reason to dislike these people, such as students being transformed into zombies. I would definitely recommend giving this novel to someone who shows a lack of interest in an original classic it is sure to make you want to compare it to the first and in the process draw the reader into a classic world that knows no bounds.

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Ironskin by Tina Connolly Review

Ironskin

Ironskin Book One

By Tina Connolly

Five years after the Great War the world is still recovering from the aftermath of the Fey, from losing their technology to the curses some people bore. Jane is one of the people cursed with rage she must where an iron mask or risk the rage infecting people around her. When she sees a carefully worded advertisement for a governess that can assist with a “Delicate Situation” Jane knows that the child in question has been cursed as well. Soon she discovers there is more to the child and the home she resides in than Jane ever expected.

I absolutely loved this novel, the alternate history aspect is so well brought to life by Tina Connolly that you become thoroughly immersed into the war torn world. In a way it reminds me a of a steam punk novel though in this book the world is recovering from losing their technology and the “new” technology is gas lamps. Tina Connolly has created a world that is both familiar and original at the same time. She also manages to bring to life many different characters showing different aspects of the world, from Jane the Governess, to her sister Helen who lives in the upper echelon circle of the society, to Niklas who is the creator of the Ironskin and has saved many people over the past five years.  This is truly a unique and fascinating novel making it well worth the read.

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Heartbroken by Lisa Unger Review

Heartbroken

By Lisa Unger

Emily is stuck in a dead end job with a fiancé who will do anything for a fix. Kate has two beautiful children and has finally found a husband who is perfect for her and is about to release her first novel using her grandmothers and aunts journals for inspiration. Birdie is a cold woman set in her ways the only thing that ever makes her happy is being on her island on a lake in the Adirondacks that her family has owned for generations. These three women mingle in an intertwining story that will lead each of them to a fight for their very lives.

I think that if the characters had been more relatable this novel would have been brilliant but as the novel is written you have Birdie who is rich and snooty, her daughter Kate who is a perpetual pushover who just now comes out of her shell, then Emily who is young and in love with a drug addict and has perpetually helped him with schemes to swindle people. I found no way to relate to any of these characters so as I am reading it I am not fully drawn into the story. Towards the end the novel does pick up with amazing scenes full of action and suspense it is just getting to this part that is a bit slow.

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