Carnival Macabre- An Anthology of Gothic Horror

Another great compilation collaboration from Cassandra Thompson and other contributing authors. This time, its carnival themed. With eleven outstanding stories, you will not be disappointed. 

In this particular compilation, you'll be introduced to the Master of Fleas, a centuries old vampire, the Bone King will come for you, and you'll get to peruse The Goblin Market. 

So far, I have read several of these gothic anthologies, from Cassandra Thompson and I am rarely disappointed. I love the carnival theme here. I have always been fascinated with old time carnivals with all the oddities and curiosities that come with it. The stories are all well written and short, some leaving you wanting more. If you love short stories and carnivals, then this is the book for you.

Murder Next Door- A Charlie Kingsley Mystery #3

This is the third book I've read about Charlie Kingsly and her sleuthing in Redemption, Wisconsin. Charlie owns and operates a tea and tincture business out of her home but on the side she's quite the amateur detective.

This time the story involves a missing teenage girl, a vampire and a dead body in the backyard of yet another missing person, Jonas, a local postman. Drake Crimson (who doesn't love that name) is the suspected vampire who is housesitting for Jonas, who is on vacation, although no one can say if that's true or not. Hes not actually a vampire, obviously, he has a medical condition, but it does make for some laugh out loud moments with everyone talking about a vampire in the town.

I really enjoy this series. Charlie is a likeable character, and her cohorts are fun as well. Mildred is kind of whacky with her accusations of Drake being a vampire. Pat is very knowledgeable about the goings on in the town but is down to earth. There is a new player in town, Rowena, a psychic, who Charlie is suspicious of but has not evidence that she's done anything wrong. And of course, there is still the tense relationship between Charlie and the local police officer, Wyle. I'm secretly hoping that they eventually get together.

All in all, this was another home run hit for me. I love how short the chapters are and how well the story comes together. I am curious about the Polly disappearance as I felt that maybe there was more to the story that wasn't revealed, maybe that's being saved for later. This is a great series, and you will not be disappointed.

Harley James and the Mystery of the Mayan Kings

This was just the quick read that I needed. A cute young adult book that is clever and would be easy to read for kids, yet fun enough for adults to enjoy as well.

Harley James is a 12-year-old girl whose father is a world traveled archaeologist, this time landing in Tikal, Guatemala. Harley herself is a clever cryptologist who has just discovered a long-lost relic of the Mayans, a statue of a long-lost Mayan king. Excited, she takes the statue back to her house with plans to show her dad after dinner, hoping to impress him. A dark legend surrounding the statue says that if all three statues of the kings are found and reunited, they will raise an army of the dead and rule the world. When Harley goes to get the statue after dinner, its missing and she fears whoever took it is looking to reunite the three kings.

Join Harley, her friend Aly and discover if she can solve the riddles, find the statue and save the world before it's too late!

I really enjoyed this book. I have a 12-year-old daughter myself, so I told her this was one she should read next. The chapters are short, and the story flowed along nicely. All the clues were there to solve the mystery and I felt the characters were well fleshed out as well as leaving room for growth not just with them but with the story as well. I can see this becoming a great series for young adults to see just what Harley can get herself into next. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.

The Hell Bound Kids-Book One: Wild In The Streets

I had no idea what kind of book I was getting myself into with this one. As the synopsis states its one-part Lord of the Flies and one part The Warriors.

The Hell Bound Kids is one wild ride. A place called Punk City. A city run by kids running wild. The Hell Bound Kids are just one of the cities ruthless gangs that are vying for control. Murder, robbery, sexual assault, and the harvesting of psychotropics from those tortured to death (if you know the name of these psychotropics then you've been paying attention for the last few years).

The city is ruled by a corrupt city manager by the name of Abraxas. Punk City, a major, sprawling metropolis of unending twisting streets that loop back to the city with no end and an ocean no one can cross or access. Trapped. Trapped by drugs, violence and death. In a city that is at war, not only with itself but with the powers that be, is there any hope for escape? There are adults but they are either police, social workers or what they call "projections", what I'm guessing are something like holograms.

All the gang members have nicknames. Ammo, Pusho, Mimic, etc. One member of the HBK gang, is starting to realize this is not the life he wants. Ghost hears rumors that another gang, the Outsiders, may know of a way out of the city. A way to escape. Abraxas and the entities that he serves can never allow this to happen as it will reveal the cities true nature.

Like I said above I had no idea what I was getting into with this book. As a fan of The Warriors and having read Lord of the Flies, I was intrigued. As I got into the book, I noticed certain things that parallel topics that have come to light over the past few years. If you've been paying attention for the last two years, then you know what I am talking about. The harvesting of a chemical from people, and a certain island that has nefarious things happening on it and the revelation that powerful family's control much of our world. Some might read this and see fiction but there is definitely some truth to much of this story. An interesting read for sure and I'm more than curious as to where the story will go from here. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review. 

Other People's Lives- J.E. Rowney

"Other people's lives were never as interesting as ours". What a ride! This book is one of those, "holy crap! what did I just read?" type of books. Halfway through the book I thought for sure that I had it figured out and yet, I was wrong. I never saw it ending the way it did. 

Sophies husband Jack has been missing for seven months, just up and disappeared, or has he? On top of his disappearance, Sophie believes she is being watched, although she can't prove it. So where is Jack and is she indeed being watched and followed or is it just her imagination running wild? She starts to see a psychiatrist, Dr. Thacker to help to deal with Jacks disappearance. What Sophie doesn't know is that Dr. Thacker is obsessed with her. Is he the one stalking her? What exactly happened to Jack?

This book is all the twists and turns you can handle and more. The story is well written, weaving in and out, and leading us to a place, that I myself, never guessed. The book goes back and forth between Dr. Thacker's observations and letters that Sophie is writing Jack. Its not a long book, but it sure packs a punch! The last few chapters did feel a bit rushed but all in all this book is a definite must read. 

Unknown Event- School Marshal Novel Book 3

Evil wears many faces. That is a statement written on the back of the book and I couldn't agree more. This is yet another fantastic read from the very talented Robin Lyons. Robin Lyons is a former teacher turned author and I thoroughly enjoy her Marshal MacKenna series. 

This is the third book in the Mac Mackenna series. He is single and recently retired from a 20-year career the U. S. Air Force. His specialty being pararescue. He lives alone with is German Shephard Roxy. Having returned to his hometown, he is now school marshal of the prestigious Blackstone Academy.

The book opens with the death of a young boy, a child prodigy, Theyn Seder. Shortly after he is found murdered in the bathroom at the school, another student and her entire family are found murdered outside their home in their car. Who could have done this and why? Who would murder innocent children? Mac is soon drawn into the investigation and it's up to him and the local police to uncover the truth and catch the culprit. Is it another student, a faculty member or someone else unbeknownst to them?

As a mother, this story once again hits home. My oldest is the only one who has ever been in public school and I'm beyond thankful that something like this never happened while he was there. I have been blessed to have been able to homeschool all three of my children, with one now graduated. I have many reasons for homeschooling. One of which is this exact thing. But more than the list of reasons I am not a fan of public schools, the main reason I homeschool is that I really enjoy having my kids home. I cannot fathom losing one of them.

This is a fantastic series. MacKenna is a strong, manly man who knows how to get things done. The chapters are short, but the pacing is fast. The last few chapters I was a basket of emotions. From my heart throbbing to tears at the end as they dedicate things at the school to the children lost, this book will have you on the edge of your seat, not wanting to put the book down for anything. This is definitely a binge worthy reading series. I cannot wait to see what MacKenna is up to next.

Crows- Mark Towse

This is the third book by Mark Towse that I have read. The first being Hope Wharf that I received as an ARC and thoroughly enjoyed, and the second being Nana, that I sought out and was completely grossed out but in a good way. Mark Towse is quickly becoming an author that I will read no matter what because his stories are so immersive.

Patrick is a priest and the father of a young girl who committed suicide and he is deep within his grief when the story begins. We get a glimpse of what his life has become but it's about to get a whole lot weirder. 

The next leg of the story features Vanessa, Rich, Scott and Sophie. Vanessa and Scott are each visited by a crow, and each receive an invitation to a Halloween party. Taking Rich and Sophie as their plus ones, the group head out on a mysterious journey to find the party. After traveling for what seems an eternity, they arrive at a dilapidated shop where a woman dresses as a crow scares the hell out of them. They eventually arrive at the party and things take a very dark turn from there. 

I won't go in to much else, lest I give away any spoilers. Suffice it to say that this book is fantastic. Even though its a novella, you can totally immerse yourself in the setting, the story and you can see the characters are perfectly written. The plot twist is one you'll never see coming. I have long been fascinated with crows and this book just reiterates that fascination and gives me a new view on what crows might actually be up to. This is not a book that should be missed.

My Friend Dahmer

As a huge true crime fan, when I saw this graphic novel, I knew it was one I had to have. I sat down today and read it in just under an hour. A fascinating topic and it was turned into a movie which I also saw. 

To have the viewpoint of someone who not only attended school with a serial killer, but also considered a friend for a time, is something we don't often see. To think that for years you see someone day in and day out, then one day you hear the unthinkable, they have killed someone and not just killed one but many. It's got to be one of those things you never stop thinking about.

The novel is written and drawn by someone who spent a great deal of time with Dahmer at school. Noting that they didn't spend much time outside of school together because he just felt something was off about him.

In the beginning of the book the author talks about the fact that Dahmer was basically invisible. Invisible from his parents, teachers and any other adults that he came into contact with. You have to remember the time that this novel is set, the 1970's. A very different time. A time when you didn't rat out a friend or butt in where you shouldn't. The author took a lot of time to research and interview those that were around during that time. Firsthand accounts really make the story. 

All in all, I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I don't normally read graphic novels, but in this case, I felt the medium was perfect for how Backderf relays his story. If you are a fan of true crime and or graphic novels, then check this one out.

Unknown Alliance-School Marshal Novels Book 2

Another great book from Robin Lyons! The topic of this book is one that I am aware of especially given that I am a parent. I have a daughter and I can't say that I wouldn't do different than the father in this story. Online predators are a very real threat that cannot be ignored no matter how much you trust your child. 

Mac Mackenna is a school marshal at the prestigious Blackstone Academy. A teenage girl is assaulted at a neighborhood party, the father, Scott, reaches out to Mac to help find the culprit but has asked him not to contact the police until they have more evidence. So, Mac starts asking around without arousing suspicion. As the investigation deepens it will take a turn that even Mac never sees coming. 

This book is full of mystery and intrigue! Not only is there the story of the assault, but there's also a missing kid and a mysterious new classmate, RaeAnn, whose parents were killed in a car crash, and she's been sent to live with wealthy first-time foster parents. I'm very interested to see how her story is going to plan out. 

I like that the story is told from different perspectives. We get glimpses into each storyline. The chapters are short, and the pacing has a really great build up, finishing with a twist that I never saw coming! I had a feeling as to who the culprit might be but was still shocked when he was revealed. There were several times I felt my pulse throbbing and I couldn't wait to turn the page to find out what was going to happen.

Even though the topic is a sensitive one, its one I feel is very important in this day and age. We as parents must play an active role in our children's lives. Especially those whose kids are in public school. As a homeschool mom, I have the privilege of seeing my kids all day, every day. I actively monitor what they watch, who they talk to and what they are exposed to. For us, that means, no cell phones. It also means no unmonitored computer use. Some may say I'm being too protective but seeing as I keep seeing adults being arrested for hurting kids, I don't think I am. It's a fine line as a parent we must walk, and this is one book I think teens and parents alike should read.

Rising Star-The Dani Truehart Series

I was contacted by the author to read this book and while it is definitely not a genre I normally read; this book is really good!

I think at one point or another we've all thought about what it would be like to be famous. The money, the clothes, the attention. But we rarely think about the tremendous amount of hard work and personal sacrifice that goes into gaining and maintaining all that fame. The author gives us a really good sneak peek into what that life is like. 

Dani Trueheart is definitely not your average fifteen-year-old. She lives at home with her mom, dad and sister, Geena. Things for the most part are great, except for the fact that her mother runs her entire life. From what she wears, to her schedule, even what she eats, keeping her on a diet since she was 10. She will stop at nothing to have Dani achieve success, because the success is something she herself was never able to attain. 

Danis mom has hired Martin, an ex-80's boyband member to help her along on her journey. He believes Dani will make it big, so he reaches out to his ex-business manager, Jenner and get a contract going. There's only one catch: Martin has to be given guardianship of Dani. Her parent finally relent, and Martin takes Dani on the journey of a lifetime. Starting with living at the Jenner compound in Malibu. 

Happy to leave her controlling mother at home, she moves into the mansion with Martin to begin recording her EP. Every day is a whirlwind of stuff to do. From dancing lessons, to singing for hours on end and more exercise. Being isolated from her friends and more importantly her boyfriend is getting harder and harder every day. Despite wanting to make it as a star, she misses her old life. Typical teenage things creep up, can she handle the demands that are coming at her or can she manage to keep it all together so she can make her dreams come true?

I was really surprised by this book. The characters development is outstanding. It was really hard as a parent to see the way her mother treats Dani and her sister. As a mother myself, this was really hard to read. I'm sure this is not an uncommon thing among young famous people but it's still sad. To use your child to gain money or fame yourself or worse, to fulfill some fantasy you had yourself of fame. I felt the author did a really good job of conveying the feelings and craziness that encompass the road to fame. The chapters are short, and the pacing is great. The books starts off slow but has a great build up, ending with a cliffhanger! I am definitely looking forward to seeing how Danis career and life go from here.