Ugh, Another Series | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

THE FIRST ORDER by Amy Cross takes place in 1956. A young nun names June is sent to a Swiss Castle to assist another nun and a priest while they conduct secret experiments. Eventually she discovers a prisoner who begs to be set free. June finds herself torn between what she has been taught and what she has seen with her own eyes, and she begins to doubt her faith.

The nun and the priest remind me of the sick, twisted characters found in The Pillars of the Earth. June's lack of conviction in anything is annoying. I wish more background had been revealed about the prisoner. However, despite my frustrations, I remained captivated with the story.

I thought this was a stand-alone, and the ending appeared to tie everything up, but there will be a sequel in this new series, The Chronicles of Sister June. I'm not intrigued by June enough to continue with the second installment.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Jewish Golem | Horror Review

ANNA'S SISTER by Amy Cross surprised me with a bit of Jewish folklore in the form of a golem. The author also mixes in various occult practices not normally found together in the same storyline. While I appreciate not knowing how this novella would end, the setup took far too long for my liking, and the character interactions weren't very lively (no pun intended).

This story isn't nearly as entertaining as the author's previous work, but I love the change up from all the ghost stories. If you're looking for something different from Cross, give this a try.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Tied Up, Tied Down | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

THE HAUNTING OF MATTHEW THORNE by Amy Cross plays the long-game with readers...for most of the book, this appears to be just another great ghost story from the author. Plenty of action, drama and suspense among the characters, with Stella and Gary under constant threat by a drug lord, and Matthew's mansion apparently haunted.

When the sinister reveal finally occurs towards the end, the twist is drawn out through more than one POV, and I couldn't have guessed any part of it. However, much like Matthew, I went mad trying to figure out the last third of the "knot."

This is one of my new favorites from Cross, and I highly recommend this story to horror fans looking for a change from the usual haunted tales.

As always,

AstraDaemon

NOT Stolen!! | AstraDaemon

THE HOUSE ON FISHER STREET by Amy Cross is an original suspense-thriller. Now, as a general rule, I don't usually concern myself with other reviewers, but I need to address something I read in the Amazon review section. Someone stated this novella is a rip-off of the movie Don't Breathe, and went so far as to say the plot is the exact same. THIS IS A HUGE LIE!!

I have watched the movie several times, and read this book completely from beginning to end. The only similar element is three people breaking into a place, which is a common trope in the horror genre. Nothing else is the same. The characters are different. The setting is different. There are several twists in the book which are not in the movie, and there are twists in the movie which are not in this book. Either the other reviewer didn't read the book past the first chapter, or the person is deliberately slandering Amy Cross. Now on to a TRUTHFUL review...

Three young people attempt to break into a huge house surrounded by more than one security measure. They find what they think is a flaw in the design, and use this flaw to gain access into the house. Soon, they realize they misjudged the situation. The owner is not as predictable as they thought, and there is an unusual reason he lives there. The ending has more than one surprise, and the epilogue is the icing on the cake.

With that said, as much as I enjoyed this story, this is not as frightening as many other books by Cross. She spent too much time on the trio plotting the heist, and not enough time on the action within the house, particularly the scenes in the basement. The potential to be truly horrifying wasn't well-met. Cross should've have given the owner a better backstory. To be fair, I expected something supernatural to be revealed.

This is one of those rare occasions I'm recommending the book, even though it's not one of my favorites by Cross, because I'm disgusted by the false review. There are authors and Hollywood writers who plagiarize each other, but this is simply not the case here.

Can You Believe An Alcoholic? | AstraDaemon

TRILL by Amy Cross is another great ghost story by the author which doesn't follow the typical haunted house scenario. Jessica has a lot of emotional baggage to unpack, and her love of wine does not help. I love how she gets so drunk, she's not even aware of the paranormal events happening around her.

Once she sobers up and realizes exactly what has been taking place, some of the details are absolutely shocking. The ending is so wild, Cross left me wondering if maybe Jessica is simply schizophrenic.

I also recommend THE HOUSE WHERE SHE DIED by Amy Cross, which tells a ghost story from the house's POV.

As always,

AstraDaemon

If These Walls Could Talk | AstraDaemon

THE HOUSE WHERE SHE DIED by Amy Cross is a very unique haunted house story with the narrator being the house itself. Passing through the years, waking and sleeping, the house is excited to finally have a family within. However, the house also senses a mysterious entity, which begins tormenting the family. Unfortunately, the house struggles to recall its own history, and doesn't know how to protect its new family from the thing underneath the foundation.

I absolutely love this story. The suspense is built around the frustrations of the house, much like a reader who knows more than the characters do about the ongoing situation. The partial amnesia of the house adds to the mystery of the haunting, and the ending left me screaming.

Even though this novel was released in November 2020, I'll be adding it to my TOP 2021 Fiction list, and I highly recommend this one to fans of ghost stories.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Screams Replace Songs | AstraDaemon

THE MUSIC MAN by Amy Cross is more YA science fiction than anything else. This is nothing like the stories I've come to expect from Cross books. There's plenty of suspense, but not much else. Readers never learn the specific reason why the music is taken, and very little is revealed about the strange creatures responsible for the theft. There's very little character development, as well.

I instead recommend THE OTHER ANN by Amy Cross for a good sci-fi story.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Halloween Reading: Devil Week | Town Secrets | AstraDaemon

A girl goes missing. Her body is later found dumped in the forest. Soon a video starts circulating, showing her agonizing death in great detail. It's an old story, but this time one man is determined to set things right.

When he realizes that the police are moving too slowly, retired cop Merrick Richards decides to take matters into his own hands. He knows who's behind a series of killing in Bridgeford, and he's determined to make sure that justice is done, even if that means that he has to cross over to the dark side. Soon he has the culprit in chains, trapped in an isolated basement. The tables have been turned, but how far is Merrick willing to go in order to extract a confession?

Don't Let the Devil Know Your Name is the story of a man who decides to sacrifice his good name for the safety of his town, and of a horror that soon grows to engulf an entire family.

DON'T LET THE DEVIL KNOW YOUR NAME by Amy Cross is a crime drama filled with horror and suspense. Told from the POV of retired detective Merrick Richards, the Devil appears to be having his way with the people of Bridgeford. In the process of taking justice into his own hands, Merrick unknowingly places his family in the path of great evil. Unfortunately, evil takes many forms, complicating an already complex situation.

The author creates an atmosphere of doubt about the suspect, as well as Merrick's way of justifying the horrors taking place in his underground bunker. The ending is littered with bodies. This would make a great movie.

As always,
AstraDaemon

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the giveaway for this week's autographed paperback.

The Death Tour

THE GHOST OF ANNIE CLOSE by Amy Cross is a thrilling blend of real-life issues and urban legend horror. Whether or not you're a horror fan, this needs to be a must-read for everyone who uses social media, especially the ones who think comments are harmless.

The author takes this story far beyond supernatural revenge against internet trolls, and reveals the tragic price of fame. There should probably be a trigger warning for the ending. Suspense gives way to grief, knowing some people will always repeat cruel and sadistic behavior.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Fighting In Isolation

I'M NOT A ZOMBIE by Amy Cross is a horrifying survival story centered on a young researcher named Maggie Quinn. The setup is long and very slow-paced, and I began to regret choosing this novella. However, once the action begins, I had no idea what to expect from one page to the next.

Maggie is a very frustrating character. For someone working on a scientific theory, she seems to lack imagination on the most basic level. Also, readers never learn what she hopes to achieve with her study. I have reason to believe she was researching atmospheric refraction phenomena (google it), which is ironic, since she had convinced herself she was hallucinating.

I did enjoy the mix of crime drama and mystery-suspense. Each character comes with his own set of surprises, and the ending is truly unpredictable. While this isn't a true apocalypse story, fighting for one's life in isolation is a panic-inducing nightmare worth reading at least once.

If you like mystery-thrillers such as this one, as opposed to supernatural tales, I recommend LIGHTS OUT by Amy Cross.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Light 'Em Up

THE ROOT by Amy Cross is very different from most of the author's stories. This novella features an unusual twist with an invasive species. Even though the POV belongs to Andy, Marie often steals the scenes. The two of them make a great survival team, and I'd love for these two characters to get their own series fighting various ancient leviathans.

If you are looking for another Cross story with a sci-fi/horror theme, I recommend THE OTHER ANN.

As always,
AstraDaemon

In the Shadow of Death

THE HAUNTING OF THE HATHAWAY HOUSE by Amy Cross is extremely frightening, especially if you're a parent. A malevolent spirit drives Michael's parents to their deaths: his dad dies by hanging, and his mother suffers a heart attack. His uncle, Stephen, finds him three days later, but how the infant survived is a mystery.

As an adult, Michael returns to his family home with his pregnant wife Jen, but the womanly apparition is still there, and she has a sinister agenda. As Michael becomes obsessed with the shed in the backyard, Jen is forced to confront the evil spirit without her husband. Mistakes are made, the history of the house is revealed, and newborn Lucas is soon in great danger with no one to protect him.

Told in the POVs of Michael and Jen, with occasional flashbacks, the building suspense is terrifying. As the specter feeds on the fears of the new parents, the loss of hope during the battle against such an overwhelming threat to the family is agonizing. Highly recommend!

As always,
AstraDaemon

Scorned Fury

MARY by Amy Cross is not just a ghost story set in 1962, but rather a mystery-thriller about a woman trapped in a cottage by a malevolent spirit, and a young police officer determined to help Mary Moore. Unfortunately, Sergeant Ben Warner finds himself in the middle of a supernatural battle.

The author uses suspense to grab readers with a death grip, and drags them through the hell which has left Mary's memory fractured. This haunted tale is full of twists, with an ending which leaves me wanting a sequel.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Supernatural Mystery-Thriller

THE GHOSTS OF DAVID BROOK by Amy Cross is a fantastic ghost story. First of all, you have the urban legend of Catherine Bannister who takes one victim, every year on the same date. Then the author mixes it up with stories of the poor souls murdered by the hate-filled ghost. The switching POV makes it difficult to tell who is alive and who is dead, but this serves to increase the suspense.

Last but not least, you have the backstory of Catherine and the revelations made by two of her victims. I never knew what to expect, and the ending is completely awesome. Even though David is at the center of everything, Kaylee is my favorite character.

This would make a great horror film.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Briarwych Trilogy: Book 3

THE GHOST OF BRIARWYCH CHURCH by Amy Cross is a prequel to the events of the first two books, finally explaining how the trouble with Judith Prendergast first began. Unfortunately, this book is not as interesting as I'd hoped it would be. The entire trilogy is just as much Judith's story as it is Briarwych's history, but there is not much detail about the life of the woman before becoming a ghost.

I wish more time had been spent on her relationship with Elizabeth's father -- even a small flashback would've been better than mere mention. I also think more pages could've been devoted to the years Judith raised Elizabeth as a single mother. Without a substantial backstory, the mother-daughter relationship seems superficial.

For someone who has been connected to the village for so many generations, I expected more personal interactions with the other characters. Cross would've been better off just writing a short story to explain Judith's connection to the church and village.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Briarwych Trilogy: Book 2

THE HORROR OF BRIARWYCH CHURCH by Amy Cross takes place several decades after the events in the first book. I had no idea the author planned to write a trilogy, but I love the sequel to The Haunting of Briarwych Church. The characters are much more interesting, particularly because of the interaction between the newcomers and the villagers.

Again, Cross has written something more than just another haunted building story. The personal drama Mark goes through is gut-wrenching...I'm thoroughly disgusted with his trial foster parents. The references to the RAF airfield are fantastic moments, and add an extra layer to the story I didn't expect. Needless to say, this book stirred up all kinds of emotions.

Again and again, the question remains: what exactly happened to Judith Prendergast in the first place?! The third book should tie up all the loose ends. If you haven't read Amy Cross before, this trilogy is a great place to start, especially if you enjoy paranormal/supernatural horror stories.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Suicide or Murder?

THE OTHER ANN by Amy Cross is a dystopian story about a rift opening between two worlds, almost identical, but one has suffered an apocalypse. The survivors come through the rift, seeking refuge, and they're placed with their counterparts under the Rutherford Act. Ann, who is used to living in solitary is forced to take in her other self.

All goes well, until reports reveal some of the others are snapping and killing their host selves. Ann notices The Other Ann is acting strangely, and their case worker lets a secret slip, causing greater concern for the situation. Are their differences so significant, they are not nearly alike as they think? Or is the problem the two versions of Ann are too much alike?

The story flows quickly between the dialogue and action, and the ending, seemingly predictable, turns into one hell of a shocker. The very last scene is the most disturbing of all, in my opinion. Quite different from the paranormal stories Cross usually releases, but one of my new favorites.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Secrets Within Secrets

THE WEDDING OF RACHEL BLAINE by Amy Cross has such a wicked twist, I've been sitting at my laptop for more than a few minutes, trying to figure out how to write this review. When I first saw this novel, I thought, "Here we go with another jilted bride-ghost story," but this focuses more on a woman with a dark secret...marrying a man with a dark secret.

I felt so damn sorry for Rachel, once her past is revealed, and her mother's flippant attitude made me sick. Rachel is about to get married, surrounded by friends and family, and not a single person has her back. Even though this story has a paranormal element, the underlying theme of distrust and abandonment is just too realistic.

The pace is a little slow...this could've been a novella, if not for the long setup...but the ending is worth the effort to stick with Rachel's plight. Too bad she didn't trust her own feelings.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Governess of the Grotesque

Fresh from the convent, Beryl Seaton accepts a position as governess for the Brooks family. When she arrives at the family's remote house, however, she discovers that a terrible secret is waiting for her in the nursery. Something so horrific, it chills Beryl to her core. Yet her desire to help is so strong, and so genuine, that Beryl nevertheless struggles to look after their son.

What happened to Stephen, to leave him the way he is? What happened to the previous governess at Grangehurst? And what causes the sobbing sound that seems to drift through an empty room? As Beryl's own account of the horror continues, she asks the reader to heed her warning: do not read the twenty-eighth chapter of her story.

By the time she uncovers the awful truth about the family, and about little Stephen, it might be too late for Beryl to ever leave.

STEPHEN by Amy Cross almost made me throw up. Some of the descriptions are so graphic, I retched a few times. The story is told as flashbacks being written down by Beryl. I think she had to be mentally unstable from the very beginning, to stay as long as she did at Grangehurst. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the nuns wanted Beryl out of the convent because they felt she might harm them. She didn't come across as a naive young girl, she seemed to be quite psychotic.

While the story held my interest and the descriptions are extremely detailed, I have a few issues with this novel. First of all, there seems to be a lot of droning on from Beryl, which could have been cut down, without ruining the story. Second, I enjoy horror which frightens me. This didn't frighten me, I simply felt repulsed. If you take away the grotesque scenes, there isn't much else to the storyline.

Last but not least, the author's writing style is drastically different from any of her previous work. I understand short stories would not be written the same way a novella or novel would be created, but Cross appears to put more effort into her smaller works. I do not recommend this one.

As always,
AstraDaemon

My Eyes Are Burning Red

Ten years ago they swore revenge on the man who killed their comrade. Finally, a violent solar storm is plunging the world into darkness and giving them their chance.

When a solar storm knocks out all electricity for twelve hours, Cassie and Anders know that this might be their last opportunity to kill Michael Essien. Massively wealthy and surrounded by the strongest high-tech defense systems that money can buy, Essien lives at the top of a skyscraper in London. But the coming storm means that all his systems will be out of action for the night.

Setting out to gain vengeance, Cassie and Anders know that time is against them. They mount a daring, high-risk assault on the skyscraper, pitting their wits against whatever defenses Essien can scramble together in time. For one night only, the playing field is leveled. Will Essien's luck hold, or will the notorious gun-runner finally pay the price for a murder he once committed in the Middle East?

LIGHTS OUT by Amy Cross is a mix of suspense and drama, centered on two specialists keeping a vow they made to one another, after a mission goes terribly wrong. The POV alternates between Anders, Essien and Cassie, with a bit of Randall tossed in. Anders and Cassie think they'll be doing the world a favor by taking out Essien, as well as finally putting the past behind them. Essien, knowing he has enemies in London, expects Randall to provide security during the power outage. Randall is a wild card.

About halfway through, a major flashback reveals exactly what happened with Essien, but I still wasn't prepared for the shocking ending. Some scenes, particularly the ones with Cassie and Essien, are so intense, I didn't think I could keep going without breaking down.

Unlike most of the author's stories, there are no supernatural elements...just some people trying to tie up a very messy loose end with some calculated brutality.

As always,
AstraDaemon