Reaper's Harvest Horror

AJ Coonley writes a decent short story. Imagine waking up, picking up the morning edition, and seeing your own name in the obituaries. Coonley takes a great idea and runs with it. The catch is the ending. After reading this, I would love to see what else Coonley has up his sleeve.

Enjoy this great lunchtime read by following this link here.

I received this audio book from Audiobookblast in exchange for a honest review.

Synopsis: 

The fossilized remains of a previously unclassified hominin species are discovered in the Altai Mountains, prompting teams of scientists from around the globe to converge upon this isolated region of Siberia in search of further evidence to corroborate the revolutionary theory that a third proto-human ancestor coexisted with Neanderthals and primitive Homo sapiens. 

What awaits them is anything but extinct. 

FBI Special Agent Grey Porter leads the investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the appearance of a factory trawler of Russian origin off of the Washington Coast. He finds twelve bodies; all of them exsanguinated through ferocious bite wounds on their necks. According to the manifest, there should have only been eleven. 

Whatever killed them is no longer on board. 

Elena Sturm of the Seattle PD is assigned to patrol the waterfront renovation project on Salmon Bay. While rousting the homeless from the underground warrens of the massive construction site, she stumbles upon the corpse of a man whose wounds are identical to those of the victims aboard the ghost ship.

Something has cut a bloody swath across the Pacific.

And it’s already here. 

My review:

McBride's Predatory Instict was well written, filled of thrills, and written with believable characters detailed with depth. I can really appreciate the pain staking detail that McBride puts into his books. As far as thrillers go, Predatory Insticnt was top notch. Everyone seemed to have their own agenda for this newly discovered species. And of course,  that new found species has an agenda of its own. This novel was pretty beautifully paced and easy to follow, even given the plethora of characters. Thrillers really aren't my thing, but I stuck with this solely because it was McBride and I was rewarded for my efforts.

You can buy the book here.

Join in the fun with Audiobookblast by following this link.

Paul Levas's The Shed is a horrific little tale about an unbearable loss that could have been prevented. A story that is probably a big fear of parents. The story conveys a lot of emotion in just a few words.

Jimi was deathly allergic to the wasps that choose to live where he parked his bike. His death could have been prevented had his parents only known. 

A year later, Steve, his father, has been asked to finally clean out the shed... but there is a evil presence living in the shed. Steve will have to face the presence, along with skeletons in his closet.

This story is short, but powerful. It is about relationships and loss. It is about regret. Steve and Jimi weren't just father and son, they were best friends. This story really made me think. As a parent, you want to shelter your children from harm. But what if you aren't prepared to help your children when they need you most. It is a scary thought. Paul Levas captures the emotions of Steve as if he were a father who had gone through a similar tragedy. 


Pick it up here.

I just saw this posted on one of my favorite blogs and I had to share the author love.

Jason Parent, author of What Hides Within, has got a new book coming out. Having read his short stories in the anthologies Dead Roses and Bad Apples, I am stoked for the new book, Seeing Evil. 

Jason released a trailer to wet our appetites for it's August 4th release. 

Check it out here.

http://youtu.be/N-J9HxuVnpE

...and then pick it up release day. 

I was gifted a copy of this audio book by Audiobookblast in exchange for an honest review. So far this book is living up to my expectations. It's a McBride and the story is a great example of some of his detailed, superior writing.

I feel a bit guilty, as I should be done with this by now. Long, hot days make reading slow. 

On a plus side, I'm enjoying this one.

I picked up this one to read and review from the publisher. So far, it's been a lot of fun to read. 

Well, it's finally summer. Time for everything it seems except reading, reviewing,  and blogging. Tonight I finally got an opportunity to jump on quick to review one of the books I've finished in the past week and I notice... new followers. I got a few emails telling me of new followers but,  seriously, who has time to read all their email. So when I jumped on BL tonight, I noticed something about active blogs and followers and I joined a group. What the what is going on around here?

I like to give the majority of my reading time and money to independent authors. Most of the time, I am rewarded handsomely. Sometimes I'm not. I really wanted to like this book, the truth is below.

Synopsis:  

One night, in a small, rural town in upstate New York, fifteen-year-old Dylan Hellenbrand, who is home alone, hears the doorbell ring. Upon inspecting the peephole, the wary teenager decides not to answer. The guy standing on the porch is wearing a dark jacket with a hood. Something about the mysterious, unexpected visitor doesn’t feel right. 

A minute later, as Dylan tries to pretend that no one is home, he hears, in the backyard, his German shepherd Murray barking and growling fiercely. Then, to the adolescent’s horror, he hears the sound of a loud boom, reminiscent of a firecracker exploding. Suddenly, the dog squeals like a stuck pig. 

Oh no! What just happened? What was Dylan suppose to do now? 
Hide! 

Yes. Hide. That was about all he could do. Especially since Dylan had forgotten to lock the back door. 

My review:

Ultimately not impressed

One thing I enjoyed about this book was the utter truth of the unconditional love that was illustrated by the dog defending his family. But for me that was where the enjoyment started and ended. The book just seemed like it went extremely slow and I had anticipated more of a story of young boy and dog home alone versus the "stranger". Maybe I wanted too much. The characters lacked any real depth. I had hopes for more, but the dog had the largest amount of development in this short story. I really wanted to care for the boy, but, alas, no can do. The perspective for me just seemed off in this story. Maybe it was the jumping around that didn't sit well with me and that just killed it from the beginning.

, and for that the book squeaks out 3 stars from me.

Try John Meany out for yourself.  Maybe, I'm alone in my thinking.  
You can find this book here.

Synopsis: 

The war against the forces of darkness continues...

At age 15, Nicole Robertson was possessed by a demonic entity. She survived this ordeal, thanks to a successful exorcism. Now, 8 years later, Nicole is still haunted by the experience. But the nightmare isn’t over. She is about to become the target of an apocalyptic cult led by a former elite soldier with a chilling plan for her future. 

Only one man can save Nicole from a fate worse than death. 
Only one man stands between her and the apocalypse. 
His name is Mark Talon. 
And he is about to go up against his most dangerous enemy yet. 

My review:

William Massa does it again.

Occult Assassin: Apocalypse Soldier is the newest novel in the adventures of Mark Talon, ex Delta Force soldier now on a path of vengeance. The tale of Talon, to this point, has been a twisted one, filled with occult (sometimes supernatural) villians to eliminate at every turn. Marc lost his fiance violently at the hands of a satanic cult and he has made it his mission to take out evil where ever it rears it's head. 
In Apocalypse Soldier, the reader finds Talon hot on the trail of a woman sought after by a satanic cult. A cult whose endgame is to start the Apocalypse. Only by saving her, can Talon save the world from the end times. 
Massa really does a great job of entertaining the reader. Talon is akin to an occult hunting James Bond. (I think the Daniel Craig Bond.) He is more action than finesse, but that is why you love this character. His duty, his self proclaimed mission, is to exterminate and does he ever leave a pile of bodies in his wake.
This fast paced novel gets the reader involved and you better hold on tight because it's a bumpy ride. 
What I love about the Occult Assassin series is you can jump in anywhere and have a solid understanding of what's going on without having to read the books in a specific order. It's pure entertainment!! 

I was given a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Grab your own copy and jump aboard this blockbuster with this link.

Synopsis: 

From the author of THE SPECIMEN: A NOVEL OF HORROR (which I might add just moved up on my tbr list)

Caitlyn has never met anyone like Trevor. He was kind, intelligent, sexy and he loved nature. Who cared if she had horrible allergies? That shouldn't keep them apart. She knew he was the man with whom she wanted to spend the rest of her life, but before they could take things to the next level, Trevor wanted her to meet his mother... 

A short story of ~5200 words

Review: 

Impressive

Pete Kahle weaves a wonderful tale of whimsy. In a short amount of pages, the reader is transferred into an almost fairytale forest and accompanies a young couple into this old wood, on a hike to meet Mother. Many authors take an ordinary situation and build upon it to create an enjoyable work of fiction. Pete Kahle accomplishes this with the skill of a seasoned veteran. 
Ever Green is easily a lunch break story, but it will stick with you much longer than your salad does.

Check out Ever Green here.

While you are clicking links, here is a link to Pete Kahle's Amazon author page.

Widowmakers is a steal at $4.99 (and a benefit for a great guy and amazing author) helmed by Pete.

Synopsis:

Thanks to his big ugly mug, Ben Coburn always played the heavy in Hollywood. Yeah, his name was in the credits of a bunch of low-budget B-movie horror shows, but at least he could say he was in the movies.

That was a long time ago.

Now Ben sits alone in a trailer park listening to an old married couple across the way argue about money, just nursing a beer, waiting for something to happen.

But nothing ever happens. That pisses him off.

No, Big Ben Coburn isn't going to wait around anymore. He jumps on his motorcycle and tears off into the night.

Intent on escaping into a new life, he races past a field of scarecrows, barreling headlong down the highway toward a blazing inferno and a bottomless pit.


My Review:

Gregor Xane is a powerful writer. What he just did here in 10 pages is nothing short of stupendous. In this brief story, Xane gives the reader what they want, mental whiplash. The imagery just pulls the reader in. Like a mouse in a trap, I didn't see that one coming.

Run to Amazon and read this. 

Buy it here.

Synopsis:

The new novel of suspense from the category bestselling author of Burial Ground and Vector Borne!

They’re the perfect victims.

Arizona shares nearly four hundred miles of international border with Mexico, thirty-six of which are completely unfortified. On one side lies desperation; on the other, opportunity.

There’s no record of their destinations.

Tens of thousands of undocumented aliens pass through these thirty-six miles every year, only to find one of the harshest and most inhospitable deserts on the planet waiting for them.

No one knows where to look when they disappear.

Hundreds die walking, casualties of the merciless sun, their bodies never to be identified. Others simply set out across the red Sonoran sands and vanish into thin air.

It’s as though they never existed at all.

Special Agent Lukas Walker is assigned to investigate a murder, the only evidence of which is a twenty-foot design painted on a rock formation in the victim’s blood. He quickly learns that if the heat doesn’t get you…

The Coyote will. 

My review: 

In his book, Coyote, McBride takes us inside an Indian reservation. There is a serial killer preying on coyote (not the Wile E. kind, but illegals muling drugs into the country under cover of night). A Native American federal agent, Lukas Walker, is sent to investigate and realizes he has ties within the community. The killer leaves bloody paintings on the cliff walls as the only sign of his being their and then he vanishes without a trace. Lukas needs to solve this riddle and catch this killer before more wind up dead.

McBride proves yet again why he is an author that everyone should be reading. The level of research he puts into novels is without compare. Coyote is hot, arid, and dusty. It is a well written departure from the horror I have come to expect from McBride. It is more police procedural. This isn't a disappointment, just something unexpected. The characters are well developed and very solid. The story chugs along at a lightning pace and keeps the reader involved. I would definitely recommend this title to someone who enjoys good books and isn't unwillingly to let genre decide what they read.

Another solid story from McBride.

I was given a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Pick it up here.

Life just flies by and before you know it you haven't been on Booklikes in weeks and life just keeps flying. Good news is I finally finished Coyote (now working on the bonus novella included in the e-book).

I think I'm the only person I know watching this show. Now that Joe is gone, two things keep bringing me back. 

1) Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon is so good in this series).

2) this show features some amazing music.

This song haunts:

Artist: Zander Hawley

Song: Hid in the Little Things

YouTube link

Synopsis - 

He arrives in darkness, in the middle of a violent downpour...an affable old man with tales to tell... 

When Will and Betty Colby return to Betty's hometown to settle her late father's affairs and prepare his house for sale, they assume they'll be faced with some cleaning, basic repairs and making runs to the local dump. Will also hopes it will afford Betty a chance to reflect on the difficult relationship she had with her father. But something more is happening in this quiet little town, in this dark old house at the end of this seemingly deserted dirt road. 

In the middle of a rainstorm, a man calling himself Bob Laurent appears in the night on their doorstep, claiming to be an old family friend. He seems harmless enough, only Betty has no memory of him. Yet he knows everything about her, her father and their lives. He even knows intimate details about Will and his life. While the storm rages on, a cauldron of tension, suspicion and fear builds between the couple and the stranger, dragging Will and Betty to the very brink of madness. 

A vile and unrelenting evil has returned to claim what was taken from it long ago, and all the demons of the past, present and probable future have come home to roost. Before the storm clears and the sun rises, Will and Betty Colby will come to know the horrifying truth. 

People live and die...but the evil they do is eternal. 

Review - 

Wow.

It absolutely floors me just how good of a writer Greg Gifune is. Why I have waited so long to read a title by Greg Gifune is beyond my comprehension. The writing in Rain Dancers makes me feel like I am there, inside the story, inside the house, and on the yard. Nothing is left to the imagination and that is perfect in this case. Laurent is a scary character. Greg writes him like a nightmare come to life. Will and Betty are fleshed out perfectly. 
I can not wait to pick up my next title by Greg. If you are a fan of horror and haven't read him, you should correct that. You will be happy you did.