Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight-Riku Onda

This is one of those "HOLY COW! What did I just read!?" kind of books. I went into this thinking it was just a run of mill mystery and then was blindsided by several twists and I was not disappointed! This is a fantastic Japanese psychological thriller. 

The story takes place over the course of one night. Set in an apartment in Tokyo, Aki and Hiro, are at the end of a broken relationship. The year before they had gone on a guided mountain hiking trek where the guide fell to his death. Now each of them is suspicious that the other one might have actually murdered the guide. But for what reason and what really happened on that fateful day? 

During the course of the night, Aki and Hiro start discussing the events of that day and once they begin, startling revelations of their past and the death of the guide come out leaving you in suspense and amazement. I really liked this story. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. Even though it only takes place over one night and in one place, there is a lot to unpack, and you will not be bored while reading this. I received this book free from Bitter Lemon Press for an honest review.

Till Death Do Us Part-J.S. Ellis

I have read several books from J.S. Ellis and have loved every one of them. So, when I saw that she had a new book releasing, I knew I had to read it. This book was no exception. 

Abigail lives on the small island of Malta and works in hospitality at a prestigious hotel. She meets a handsome man who seems sad and a little lonely. She isn't aware that he is a celebrity, a rapper and actor from Hollywood. As she begins to learn more about him through an internet search, he sweeps her off her feet.  Soon she is visiting him at his Hollywood mansion and it's a whirlwind courtship and then marriage. Leaving her entire life behind she's not the wife of a celebrity and all that comes with that. 

Carson Levin seems way too good to be true. Having lost his sex symbol wife in a freak car accident just 6 months prior, Abigail is feeling the pressure of being the plain Jane, girl next door. The house they shared is still very much her and her presence is felt everywhere, literally. Odd things start occurring around the house. Abigail can hear heels clicking on the tile, splashing out in the pool and the bathroom fills up with smoke several times. Is Carsons deceased wife, Taira trying to get rid of Abigail or even worse, is she trying to warn her of something?

For the most part I really liked this story. There were a few things that I had issues with but overall, the story is really great and not to be missed from J.S. Ellis. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.

The Easton Falls Massacre-Bigfoots Revenge Book 1

I have been a fan of Bigfoot and other cryptids for as long as I can remember. Conspiracy theories and science fiction played a huge role in my early pre-teen and teen years and that hasn't changed much now that I'm in my 40's. While searching one day on Amazon I came across this book with Bigfoot in the title and added it to my wish list, thinking Id order it eventually. I was gifted it this week from a fellow Bookstagramer and I was not disappointed! 

Henry Miller is a military veteran back in his hometown of Easton Falls. Hes back with the love of his life, Kate and they have a baby on the way. Unfortunately, things soon fall apart and Kate leaves. Henry, not wanting to be alone in the home they shared, he decides to go out hiking to clear his head, taking his guns just in case he runs across a good kill. While hiking he's deep in thought when he stumbles across what he thinks is a bear. There has been a rash of animal killings in the area, bears named the likely culprit. Seeing his opportunity to help out, he shoots and kills. What transpires next is a harrowing tale of loss, regret and death. The Easton Falls massacre is one not to be missed. 

I was able to read this in two jaunts of about an hour or so. I was completely engrossed in how the authors were able to weave such an amazing story in only 132 pages. In those short pages you get love, betrayal, grief, and understanding. The story plays on our fears about the forest and the unknown. I live in Oklahoma, and I know Bigfoot is reported to have been seen here. In a town about 3 hours from myself called Honobia they have a Bigfoot festival every year and I am dying to go. I love the idea that somewhere out there, there are these large creatures that have a world all their own. If you love cryptid stories or just Bigfoot in general, this is must read.

Storm in a Teacup- Tea and Sympathy #7

True to form, I chose this ARC from the list not realizing that its number 7 in the Tea and Sympathy series. Even though I do this a lot, I still really enjoyed this story, and I am very much looking forward to reading the other books in the series as well as any other ones written.

Lilly Tweed runs a quaint tea shop in Plumpton Mallet. Her friend Abigail runs a little diner, and together they are contracted to cater an event for a 16th birthday at the local rowing club. Things are going fairly well with only one hiccup when suddenly, Lilly hears a commotion. The body of a local, very wealthy man and the father of the birthday boy has washed upon shore. Was his death an accident or was something more nefarious at play?

I thought this was a really great story. I like the characters and the setting descriptions made me feel like I was right there with them. If you love cozy mysteries, then this is the book for you. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.  

Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid

As a lover of true crime, this book was one I definitely wanted to read. While it might not be the typical true crime that I normally read, kidnapping and holding a girl captive for 10 years is just as much true crime as the serial killer stories I enjoy reading. 

Tanya Kach was 14 when she ran away from home for the umpteenth time, this time into the arms of her school security guard, Tom Hose in 1996. It was the last time she was ever seen until 10 years later when she finally gained the courage to escape. With the help of her attorney, she penned this book as a record of what she endured during that time. 

As a mother this was a hard read. This girls' parents were horrible, there was no way around that. Her family all but abandoned her, her school ignored her inappropriate relationship with the security guard and the police just kept sending her back to her father and her stepmother who hated her. I cannot imagine treating my child the way these people treated Tanya. It's no wonder she ran into the arms of a man who initially made her feel loved and wanted. Unfortunately, this was not to last, and her torture started not long after she moved in with him.

He lived at home with his ailing parents and son who was the same age as Tanya. She was forced to remain perfectly quiet while she was up in his room even going so far as to hiding in the closet when the room was unlocked, using a bucket as a toilet and only showering a few times a week when he'd smuggle her down to the basement in the dead of night. Her diet was very poor and over the course of the 10 years she was there she suffered many long-lasting health issues which were not addressed because he was holding her captive. He had brainwashed her into believing that no one loved or wanted her but him and he was her savior and if she ever left him, he'd kill her. 

When his father fell ill and needed a caretaker, Tom Hose had the idea that she could be the caretaker under an assumed name, and she was allowed to come out of the room. She started gaining more independence and eventually told a neighbor who she really was. Tom was then arrested, and she was free. However, even though she was free from her captor, she was still very much a prisoner, having been sent back to her father and stepmother's house. She started to live her life again, getting her GED and starting college but financial independence was far off for a while. I found myself yelling at her parents in my head. At one point, after the trial and Tom Hose was convicted, her father held a press conference at his house and told her that "she had had her time in the spotlight and now it was his". So many people around her took advantage of her after her escape, even blaming her for the whole thing. 

This is a story of sadness, abandonment, faith, love and perseverance. Her faith in God not only got her through the time with Tom, but also the trial and tribulations that would come after she escaped. Tanya came out of this ordeal a much stronger person than she was before. It should not have taken the course that it did. There were those that knew she was being held by Tom Hose, his son and a friend of his Judy. The police had ample opportunity to check him out as did her parents. There was no reason for this to have happened the way that it did, and it makes you wonder just how many kids this happens to through the years. I personally am vigilant when it comes to who my kids have contact with, I cannot imagine not caring that your child is missing for 10 years. It's a great book and well worth the read.

20th Century Ghosts- Joe Hill

After finishing Locke and Key by Joe Hill, I started looking to see what else he has written. There is a new movie coming out this summer called The Black Phone and when I discovered it was in a collection of other short stories, I figured I'd check it out. I was not disappointed and thoroughly enjoyed this book. 

This book is a collection of wonderfully written horror stories. I was not surprised to discover that Joe Hill is the son of the famed Stephen King. Each story sucks you in and you are dying to turn the page to see where it is going. Some are shorter than others but none the less, each one is very well told. In this collection you will find a story of a ghost haunting a movie theater, a story about Abraham Van Helsing and his sons, and a story about a man who collects a dying persons last breath. All in all, I enjoyed each story and even got to read The Black Phone in anticipation of the upcoming movie. Well worth the time and if you love horror stories then this book is for you.

Behind The Horror: True Stories That Inspired Horror Movies

This turned out to be a rather interesting book. We are huge horror movie fans here and I'm a huge fan of true crime stories and this book blends the two. 

Each chapter explore the true stories behind the horror movies that brought them to life. The author takes each story and breaks it down, sharing the plot and then the correlating true story that inspired the movie. It probably obvious that there are spoilers if you haven't seen some of the movies in the book, but I've seen most of them, so it wasn't as big deal for me, but be forewarned. If you are a fan of horror, true crime and the paranormal then this is a book you will definitely not want to miss out on. 

There are 17 chapters starting all the way back in 1931 with M: A City Searches for a Murderer. Subsequent chapters include movies: Rope, Psycho, Frenzy, The Exorcist, Jaws, The Town That Dreaded Sundown, The Amityville Horror, Poltergeist, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Serpent and the Rainbow, The Silence of the Lambs, Scream, The Mothman Prophecies, Wolf Creek, The Conjuring and Annabelle, The Witch and The Lighthouse. Most of these movies I've seen and even more, I knew most of the true crime stories that were involved but there were more than a few that I knew little about and even the ones that I knew about I still learned more. This is a great book for anyone who loves both genres. 

The Campbell Lake Summer Camp Massacre

Once again Lewis Stone has knocked it out of the park. Another wonderfully written B-horror movie novella. 

If you love the teen slasher movies of the 1980's then this is the book for you. Part Friday the 13th and part Evil Dead, this book is everything you want from a B-horror movie but in book form. We are huge horror fans here and even bigger fans of B-horror movies so when I heard the authors next book was based on slasher genre, I knew it was one that I had to read. Thankful to my husband for picking it up.

The story is set Campbell Lake (you know like Bruce Campbell) and is centered around a group of teenage counselors who are back for another summer. The summer of 1986 is coming to a close, all the kids have gone home, and they are unwinding. They're having a great time, drinking and smoking. The groundskeeper, Hector Thorn, is cleaning up the campgrounds when he stumbles upon their party, and they get into an altercation. Hector is accidentally lit on fire and ends up in the lake. The teens decide to forgo telling anyone, allowing those in the area to believe he just went missing. 

They all return to the camp the next summer, their secret pact still in place. For the last year, something has been waiting and soon their secret will no longer be just that. Can they survive the summer, or will vengeance be his?  

Good Neighbors- Mary Grand

I love a good mystery and although this is a mystery is a slow burn mystery, not like the fast-paced cozy mysteries I'm used to. However, the plot itself is intriguing and figuring out who the killer is was enough for me to keep going. I really enjoyed the prologue as I felt it really draws in the reader with the promise of a great mystery.

The main character, Nia, is a hairdresser living in Cardiff when she suffers what her husband describes as some sort of breakdown. Her husband Chris is a teacher at a prestigious school, and they have one daughter together, Safi, who is grown and currently traveling Europe. In an effort to clear her head and figure out what she wants, she decides to take some time to herself. Her Aunt Gwen has a house on the Isle of Wight and is off to San Francisco to be with her daughter who is about to give birth. Gwen needs a house sitter and Nia needs a break, win-win.

Right away Nia is drawn into the closeness of the quaint harbor town. She meets Ruby and Jade, owners of the local hair salon and Ruby kind of takes Nia under her wing and shows her around town and they quickly become close. However quaint the village, there are secrets that run deep. Nia starts to feel safe and she even starts to feel more like herself, more than she has in many years. Unfortunately that feeling is shattered when she discovers the body of a local woman murdered on the beach. 

The story is full of intrigue, from Voo-doo dolls to a super religious cult and way too many secrets for a tiny harbor village. Any one of the people involved could be the murderer. There's not clear answer until the end. The location is idyllic, a place that I have always wanted to visit. I liked the main character, but I could feel myself yelling in my head every time she interacted with her husband, so I was glad about her story ending, All in all its a slow burn kind of read but a good mystery none the less. I received this book free from NetGalley for an honest review. 

Locke and Key

This is my foray into the world of Joe Hill. I have heard of his name through several people I follow on Instagram but had yet to read anything he had written. I initially set out to read these awhile back when the Netflix show was on, but they ended up on my TBR instead. Needing a quick read to catch up on my reading list, I picked these up and was not disappointed.

The story focuses on three kids whose father has been murdered and they along with their mother move across country to live in his childhood home Keyhouse. Keyhouse is located in Lovecraft, MA and is full of mystery and secrets. As the years have gone by the magic has evolved even going so far as to have a spell that once you turn 18 you forget about the magic and the keys. Trey, Kinsey and Bode soon discover that the house also holds numerous keys that all have magical qualities. The youngest gets sucked in by a demon, named Dodge, who he unwittingly lets out and things start getting pretty crazy once that happens. The demon is looking for the Omega key, the key that allows him to open the door to allow more of his kind out into our world. Can Trey, Kinsey and Bode join forces to defeat Dodge and save the world?

I'm not typically a graphic novel reader but when something piques my interest, I will give it a try. Overall, this is a fantastic series. The idea of keys that can do crazy things like make you a giant, open up your mind, literally, so you can add or take stuff out and one that as long as you can envision the door it'll instantly take you there, I was hooked just from those ideas. In this slipcase there are six volumes, and they all stand out. Gut wrenching, poignant and a definite page turner, you will not want to put this series down. I was able to read all 6 in two days. 

I'm not an expert on art styles but I did enjoy the look of these books overall. Each one with in depth drawing that you will just sit and stare at until you make sure you've seen everything on the page. The characters are strong and well developed with room to grow. You could definitely feel the emotions of the characters coming off the page from the mother's grief at losing her husband to the daughter who wants to take fear and crying out of herself, so she never has to feel either again. The villain in this series is relentless and there were times I was sure that he would win. The ending is strong and had me in tears. I believe this is just the beginning of my ride into the world of Joe Hill. 

Supernatural Thriller and Horror Collection-Volume 1

Timothy Bryan is a fantastic storyteller and within this collection are three stories you will be hard pressed to put down.

The Huntsman of Corvinus:

The story takes place in Budapest. A supernatural killer is stalking an American family killing those around them and no one can stop him. At the center of this story is an American family that is split. The husband and wife no longer married; they share custody of their daughter. While this family sees those, they've known die, they know that they could be next. They must come together to survive and hope that they can escape the malevolent foe before he strikes them down. 

Despicable:

Kalisa Kinigi is a refugee from a genocide in her home country of Rwanda. Surviving by hiding in a hidden cellar as she watched her mother and brother slaughtered. She survives and lands in Reno, Nevada of all places. She is a security guard at a local casino. She is also a gambling addict, a drunk and a single mom. She trying to rebuild her life after her horrific childhood, unfortunately she's failing, miserably. She is currently split from her husband, after she had an affair with a cop. 

Something is amiss in her little neck of the woods. People around her start disappearing, which is starting to make her paranoid, especially after she discovers she's being followed. Her lover, her teenage neighbor, a co-worker, and a tourist where she works. A savage creature is stalking her. Kalisa starts to investigate and enlists her estranged father to help her. They decide to leave town for a few days in the hopes that she can defeat the evil once and for all. Kalisa must mend her relationships and overcome her past to save her future.

Chindi:

The late 1800's were a time of discovery and at the same time, strife. A prospector is panning for gold with his brother when he strikes a hard object while digging. He believes he has found treasure. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, he's met with an ancient Indian curse. Chindi, the maker of voracious zombies and seeker of revenge.

The book takes place during a time of political unrest, with the civil war raging in another part of the country and the west trying to make peace with the Indians. A fort local to the area is working with an Indian chief to try to destroy Chindi and his mounting zombie hoard. The Indians and the "white man" must join forces to take down this malevolent spirit and save humanity, but can they really trust each other to do the right thing?

Timothy Bryan is a master storyteller. All three of these stories are fascinating and wonderfully written. If you like horror and thrillers then this is the collection for you. It says volume one so I am very much hoping that there will be a volume 2.

Chindi-Timothy Bryan

This is the third novella by Timothy Bryan that I have read, having begun with The Huntsman of Corvinus and then Despicable, both fantastic stories.

The late 1800's were a time of discovery and at the same time, strife. A prospector is panning for gold with his brother when he strikes a hard object while digging. He believes he has found treasure. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, he's met with an ancient Indian curse. Chindi, the maker of voracious zombies and seeker of revenge. 

The book takes place during a time of political unrest, with the civil war raging in another part of the country and the west trying to make peace with the Indians. A fort local to the area is working with an Indian chief to try to destroy Chindi and his mounting zombie hoard. The Indians and the "white man" must join forces to take down this malevolent spirit and save humanity, but can they really trust each other to do the right thing?

I love zombie stories and this one does not disappoint. The setting is also one that I have a long fascination with, the Wild West. Using frontier life as the backdrop and mounting tensions between factions, the author takes us on a wild ride through the dusty hills to discover if Chindi will success or fail. A fantastic story once again from Timothy Bryan. I much look forward to reading more from this author.

The Night They Vanished- Vanessa Savage

The Night They Vanished. An intriguing title all on its own. Throw in the dark tourism element and you have the makings of an interesting story. I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this one. I was drawn into this story and could not put it down. I ended up reading it in one day. 

The book is divided in to two perspectives. One being Hanna, the rebellious teenager, now 30-year-old who is estranged from her family after she destroyed it some 15 years prior and her sister Sasha, who is not allowed to do anything because she might turn into Hanna. Hanna had some problems, running away, drinking, and drugs. 

The story opens with Hanna having just gotten out of relationship, living in her owned flat and working a stable job. All seems well and good until she's set up on a blind date by her best friend Dee. Adam is a seemingly nice person with one weird interest: he runs a website for dark tourism. Dark tourism for those that don't know is tourism directed to places that are identified with death and suffering. Hanna is a little freaked out but he's hansom and funny, so she's interested. Until the day after their date when she decided to check out his website. There she sees a new entry. An entry about a new location to check out and the brutal slaying of the family that lives there. Its Hannas father, stepmother and sister and the location is the caravan park that her father manages. Hanna of course is immediately scared and goes to the police. The police cannot locate her family and things just go from bad to worse pretty quickly.

Hanna is informed that her family moved from the location a few months prior and are now living at another caravan park location, but they aren't there either. Everyone is surprised to find out that Hanna had no idea they were moving. In order to find her family, she's going to have to face the tragedy that divided them 15 years before and figure out who in her life is trying to make her pay for the decisions she made. 

I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I wasn't sure who was the one stalking both Hanna and Sasha and who could have been the one close enough to Hanna that they would know all the information, yet she wouldn't suspect them. I had some inklings as to who it might be but was still surprised to find out exactly what happened in the end. The chapters are short, and I felt the story itself was well put together and everything wrapped up nicely when all was over. A dark thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, dying to find out what's going to happen. I received this book free from Grand Central Publishing and Novel Suspects for an honest review.

The Counsel of the Cunning- A Roger Viceroy Novel

I was gifted this book by the author for an honest review. This story is one part mystery, one part a spy type thriller and all action! 

The story follows Roger Viceroy (could you have a cooler last name?) and his associates, Regina and " Silk". Having left the FBI, he is contracted by a billionaire, Jürgen Sandt, to find his son who was lost in a Guatemalan jungle a decade before. Having believed his son dead, its a huge shock when evidence surfaces that he may in fact still be alive. 

Amidst the backdrop of finding a missing billionaires son, is the story of a powerful, yet mysterious drug called screed. Given in the form of a berry, its highly addictive from the very first bite and those that don't get a fix risk death from withdrawal. Viceroy figures out that the missing son and the drug cartel are interlinked and the cartels are trying to mainstream screed in the U.S.

This whole story is one big puzzle. A page turning, action packed thriller that will keep you on the seat of your recliner and you will not want to put it down. Even though the story is quick paced it doesn't take from the depth of the development of the story. The author is able to weave a crazy web, yet all things come together at the end in a way that makes sense. I really liked this book and I am thankful to the author to sending me a copy. If you enjoy a thrilling suspenseful story, then this is the book for you.