Is Amy Cross Losing Her Touch?

I have loved many stories by Amy Cross. I even interviewed her at the Lair. However, her latest work has been falling short of the expectations I have for Miss Cross.

The Lighthouse is not as thrilling as some of her other work, but I loved the twist towards the end (good enough for four stars). Unfortunately, the story jumps back and forth in time quite a bit, and I thought it did more harm than good to the pace of the novella. I think the story should have been told in chronological order, period. The flashback style didn't add anything extra to the suspense - it was more annoying than anything.

The Cabin begins three years previous, with a great prologue hook. However, the story tended to be predictable. I did enjoy the paranormal element, but this is not the author's best work. I think Cross relies too much on graphic violence to propel the story. The ending was the only real surprise.

I hope this is just a phase and Amy Cross returns to excellent storytelling that made me a fan in the first place.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Top Five Novels of 2015

This year I broke away from zombies and revisited many other horror sub-genres. I found numerous novels that I enjoyed, but the following five really stood out above the others:

#5 - The Girl Clay by Amy Cross has all the best elements at work in this story: horror, mystery, suspense and drama. The horror ranges from real-life issues to the supernatural.The two storylines, set ten years apart, are the perfect way to build suspense throughout the novel, until readers are finally shown all the connections. Last but not least, I loved the drama surrounding the girl Clay, specifically the detachment she maintains with everyone around her.


#4 - The 3 Egos by David Dunwoody is the author's best work. He's written a very complex novel about redemption and revenge, without overwhelming readers, and the characters are anything but typical, displaying the best and worst of human nature. Quite frankly, this is the best description of Hell that I've ever read.

#3 - Sad Wings of Destiny by Thom Brannan is one of the more unusual works of fiction that I've read. In the case of Brannan's latest masterpiece, the hook with Jacob/Stephen is one of the most exquisite character reveals that I've read in any genre. I was instantly drawn to that character, even though I had a lot of difficulty getting into the story itself. I'm not really into superheroes or supervillains in literature - movies, sure, but not when it comes to my reading material. I was rewarded with a spectacular drama that incorporates science fiction, fantasy and horror in ways I've never imagined.

#2 - Unpaved Surfaces by Joseph Souza has an extremely well-developed cast of characters, and switching between their POVs gives the readers a 360 degree view of the impact of the child abduction at the heart of the story. This novel is guaranteed to take readers on an emotional journey they will not soon forget. I think this story would also make a great movie.


The biggest surprise of all...


#1 - The Bell House by Lori Titus caught me completely off guard...I never knew what to expect at any point and that made it all the more thrilling. This is not your typical haunted house story, and the suspense is incredible. Titus does an excellent job of luring in readers with a love triangle involving brothers. The connections from one generation of the Bell family to the next added fuel to the fire, literally. Families have drama as it is, but when you involve curses and ghosts, you have the seemingly unstoppable force of the Bell house. This story is full of dark family secrets and angry spirits, pitting the living against the dead…one of the most frightening novels of 2015.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Top Five Anthologies of 2015

I've read a lot of anthologies this year, and a few of them were fundraisers for some excellent charities. However, I know how little time many of you have for reading, especially at this time of year, so I've limited my Top Anthology list to five:

#5 - Whines and Spirits by John A Connor has an excellent variety of twenty-two stories, each with their own unique plots. Connor is an upcoming author I will be reviewing again in the future.

#4 - Deadsville by Dale Elster and T.D. Trask is a collection of stories that take place in a fictional town in New York. The two make an excellent writing duo, and I hope they release another volume soon.

#3 - Fantasy For Good is a charity anthology that supports The Colon Cancer Alliance. The stories, written by some of the most well-known authors in the business, include a variety of fantasy sub-genres.

#2 - Times of Trouble is an anthology featuring a time-travel theme. I found this collection to be one of the best science fiction anthologies ever published.

Last, but not least...



#1 - At Hell's Gates: Bound By Blood, another charity anthology, which donates proceeds to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. There are actually three volumes currently available, each with its own theme, but this volume is my favorite of the three and focuses on the dark side of family.

There you have it, horror fans, my TOP FIVE ANTHOLOGY picks for 2015. Check back for my next top five: NOVELS.

As always,
AstraDaemon

P.S. Not all of the titles were published in 2015, but they are from my 2015 review list.

From Ursula

There are men and women who have served and are currently serving in our military. Most of them will never be known outside of their families and friends; we won't learn their names. Most of them will never be called out as heroes, even though they deserve to be recognized for their sacrifices. A lot of them will never even be thanked, even though they are appreciated by many of us.

There are also men and women who are civilians, who will most likely remain strangers to most of us. They too will never be called heroes, even though they strive to make our country a better place to live in many ways, from community service to the simple act of being kind to strangers.

I want all of those people to know that, even though I am one of those people who will most likely never know your name, you are all heroes to me. I acknowledge I am able to live the life I have not only by the love and support of people I know, but also by the time and efforts of people I don't know. As a matter of fact, my life is largely impacted by strangers, but your anonymity doesn't make me any less grateful.

You all matter. WE ALL MATTER.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all that have done and all that you continue to do to make this country a place worth calling home.

As always,
Ursula K. Raphael

Casual Approach To WW2

I thought Clara by Kurt Palka was to be a story of love between an aristocratic young woman and the cavalry officer, but it is one of the most emotionless books that I've ever read...ever. Inspired by a collection of documents, the author seems more interested in showing off what he knows about that part of history, rather than showing any real talent for story-telling. It could easily have been a story about androids for the lack of human emotions.

Clara, the woman at the center of the novel, seems very cold and unfeeling throughout most of the novel. She shows more interest in her books than in her own children or husband. The character development is almost non-existent, and, despite the time period, there is little drama within. The story reads more like an essay than a novel.

I haven't been this disappointed with a book in a long time.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Crossing Through Hell

The Dead Run by Adam Mansbach begins with a man, aptly named Mulligan, attempting to cross from Mexico to the U.S.; he blacks out and comes to with a beautiful woman tearing into his thigh with her teeth. The story then cuts away to Jess Galvan, who tries to save a young girl from gang rape, only to end up in a Mexican prison. The POV continues to move from one character to another, including Galvan's daughter Sherry Richards and Sheriff Bob Nichols.

Sherry is kidnapped on her way home; her mom is a recovering cult member. Meanwhile, Nichols finds a dead girl in the desert near the border with the "kiss of the devil" stabbed into her chest. Nichols is contacted by Ruth Cantwell, the doctor who was treating Sherry's mother after the mother and daughter escaped from a cult. It's not clear at first how the three storylines fit together, but they do converge, it makes for a great horror-thriller with a touch of the supernatural.

Aaron Seth is the cult leader with one hell of a god-complex, but he is not as frightening as the demonic forces at work in the desert. There is an abundance of action, drama and carnage, and the entire story takes place within a 24 hour time period. The Dead Run is also the first book in a new series based on Jess Galvan. I cant wait to see what Mansbach has in store for the reluctant "boy scout".

As always,
AstraDaemon

Story Within A Story

Thirty Girls by Susan Minot is a powerful novel based on real-life events that took place in Uganda, in 1996: an abduction of the girls from St. Mary's College of Aboke. The POV moves between Jane, a journalist, and Esther, a girl from St. Mary's. Jane is on the rebound from a divorce; her ex-husband died from a drug overdose. Esther has escaped from her captors and she is trying to heal mentally and physically at a rehabilitation facility.

The two women suffer pain and loss in completely different ways, but their suffering bonds the two together. The novel explores the various ways of interacting and connecting with other people in unfamiliar situations. Jane learns more about herself as she investigates the story of the girls that escaped from the rebel army, and her self-discovery is moving. However, Esther's journey makes a lasting impression - I can't imagine what it would be like to be torn from my bed in the middle of the night and be subjected to the atrocities that Esther was forced to endure.

The novel is not a political statement - it's a story about human nature and how we perceive life based on our personal experiences. I recommend this novel to anyone who needs to take a step out of their comfort zone.

As always,
AstraDaemon