Title: Beasts of the Caliber Lodge (Espionage Horror Series Book 1)

Author: L. J. Dougherty

Release date: March 8th, 2021

I’m a reader who will always snag books when they’re highly recommended to me from some of my close book pals. One friend I have whose recommendations I always trust is David Sodergren. Even while he was reading this book he was messaging me and telling me to read it. When he was done, he raved about it to me.

I snagged it and, in between buying it and it arriving at the top of my TBR, I had the pleasure of appearing on a podcast with L. J. (and David and Cameron Roubique) and learned that it had started life as a screenplay and became a novel once Dougherty determined that the financing amount he’d need to film this as a movie wasn’t going to be easy to come by.

One thing I’ve always been personally fascinated with was the high level members of the Nazi’s fleeing in retreat to South America. It is a truly odd and intriguing moment in history and when you research their South American ties and who went their and what was built down there as well, it’ll have you going down a rabbit hole.

So with that in mind, I was excited to see how Dougherty tied a story about Nazi hunters in the 60’s with hunting Sasquatch.

What I liked: The story starts off in South America, as two Nazi hunters seek out a high ranking Nazi official who they have reason to believe lives in a specific town. Things go crazy and when they find their man, he manages to flee.

Fast forward a few years later, they’ve tracked him to the remotest of locations. With an intelligence report they trust, it appears their man is going to be attending a very exclusive, and elusive, hunting lodge in the farthest corner of Alaska. So, they create a fake back story and send one of them to the lodge as well.

It is from there that we get not only a great thriller about a hunter hunting a Nazi, but also these two (and a really fun supporting cast made up of the hunting guide, the lodge owner, the chef, the bartender, and a few other people who’re part of the weekend) hiking into the wilderness to discover that they’re hunting Sasquatch.

Dougherty does a great job of keeping the action tense and the pacing frantic. Each scene is filled with moments of sheer terror and you’ll find you’re holding your breath a lot while reading this.

The ending was great, a cinematic finale that is filled with even more action and explosions and exciting sets us up for more in this world.

What I didn’t like: For these people travelling into this place to hunt Sasquatch, I thought their reactions for the most part were a bit subdued over what I suspect most people would have. Saying that, this was set right around the time the Patterson-Gimlin film would’ve been filmed, so for many back then, they’d not have seen photos or video of Bigfoot, more stories shared or read.

One thing I did note – and I think this was because it was originally a screenplay – was the frequent usage of full branding of some items. An example of that – our MC has a specific gun, but each time he gets it or looks for it, we are told the brand/maker of the gun, which became a noticeable oddity as the novel went on.

Why you should buy this: This is a unique novel in that it will appeal to people who love James Bond thrillers as well as creature-feature action/adventure stories. We get a suspense-filled Nazi hunting plot, as well as an engaging man-in-the-wild survival plot. The story was fast-paced and it really was an engaging, page-turner.

I loved this one and will be jumping into the second book, ‘Primal Reserve,’ ASAP.

5/5

Title: Song of the Sandman (A God in the Shed #2)

Author: J.-F. Dubeau

Release date: June 16th, 2020

Back in 2019, I read the truly stunning ‘A God in the Shed’ by J.-F. Dubeau. It was a novel about a small town with a horrible past and a secret that they wanted to keep hidden from everyone else. That secret gets exposed and terrible events occur once discovered.

One constant thing I heard about the book was the ending didn’t do it for people (and to be fair this is a very common criticism about 99% of stories). So, I took it with a grain of salt and boy, did I love the ending. BUT. And this is something even Dubeau has stated – because it wasn’t made explicitly clear that was book one of a trilogy, some people found the ending to be too open ended, too many loose ends not tied up.

Now, I ask a question to you? As someone who spends a lot of time in the online dark fiction communities, I somehow didn’t even know this was out. Did you know the sequel was out?

I was so excited to find out it was out, so I snagged a copy for my Kindle and dove in.

What I liked: I’ll do my best to remain as vague as possible here, because this is a sequel and I don’t want to potentially spoil anything from how book one ended or what happens in here. But, the book picks up after the events of ‘A God in the Shed.’ We are reunited with the characters that survived and from that we learn more and more about the Sandmen Cult and how some have a direct link to those within.

Dubeau does a great job of leading us from those events in book one through the events that will ultimately set up book three. There’s a ton of action, some really dark, dark moments and it was great reconnecting with these characters and seeing how they’ve been scarred from book one and how they’re now trying to continue on.

The ending here was phenomenal – but, and I will add this here – there are a number of things not tied up and finished – as this is just the second part of this trilogy.

The epilogue was just fantastic and really worked into the magic that has been discussed and has been growing throughout the first two books. It was a great way to end this one.

What I didn’t like: Book one had a lot of characters, and as it’s been almost exactly three years since I read book one, going into book two, there were a number of them that I had completely forgotten about, so it did take me a minute to get back into the ‘why’s’ of their motives. This book might be better to be read as close to finishing book one as you can.

Why you should buy this: This was a really well done sequel that definitely sets the stage for an explosive finale. The characters are great and the god is such a fantastic creation, I love seeing how it twists and uses these characters as it sees fit.

Definitely a solid sequel and now, I personally, can’t wait to see how Dubeau wraps this one up!

4/5

Title: Shortcuts (Book 1)

Author: Brittlestar aka Stewart J.W. Reynolds

Release date: December 19th, 2011

If you’ve read any of my reviews over the last few years, you know that I typically share how a book came onto my radar at the start. Some are straightforward, some are a bit funny and some are an odd amalgamation of random occurrences that all line up.

This is one such book that came onto my radar just that way.

Brittlestar. For many of you in Canada, who frequent Twitter, you may have seen his comedic, This Hour Has 22 Minutes style videos and tweets. A sarcastic take on everyday life. He also has poignant, introspective moments and all of that has led to him being a daily source of laughs and conversation.

A few weeks back, I came across one of his videos and thought it was hilarious. Knowing he may find it hilarious, I sent it to Andrew Pyper. He replied; “Oh yeah, he’s funny. I actually went to high school with him!.” Huh, that’s crazy right?

Well… if you’ve also followed me, you may very well know that I’m a massive super fan of Mr. Andrew Pyper and in my ongoing quest to have the most complete printed collection (DANG YOU ORACLE AND YOUR AUDIBLE ONLY RELEASE!!) I frequent Abebooks weekly, seeking out missing pieces. And on one such search, a blurb from Andrew about ‘Shortcuts’ popped up. I messaged Andrew, he said it was a really fun book, and liking the synopsis, snagged it.

BOOM! See? A random amalgamation of seemingly completely unrelated events that led me to reading this book and – it turns out – having a really run time with it.

Alright enough about that – let’s get to the goods.

What I liked: ‘Shortcuts’ follows our young main character, Simon Trekker, as he lives a seemingly normal life. That is, other than living with his aunt and uncle after his parents disappeared on a trip when he was a small child. One day, as Simon heads off to school, he randomly is transported somewhere else while taking a shortcut. Once this happens, he shares it with his two best friends and they have fun, going to different places around the world.

That is, until a rich bully from his school discovers this and things go sideways and escalate.

From here, our author gives us a really fun, action-packed middle-grade adventure story. We get thrills galore and a really intriguing backstory where we learn more about these portals, their discover and what had been originally planned for them.

I thought the characters were all fun, even a few of the stereotypical variety (but hey, this is a middle grade book) and the story played out at a really great pace.

The ending was great and the set up for a potential sequel was really well done.

What I didn’t like: I’m not going to pick apart some of the cheese in this book. The reality is, I’m a 40 year old male. This book wasn’t written for me as the target demographic, so I can let those parts slide. What I will say – this came out in 2011, so it was a bit frustrating seeing such an intriguing ending and understanding that there most likely won’t be a sequel, or if there is, those kids who loved this a decade ago, will most likely not care when it is finally released.

Why you should buy this: If you’re the parent of an early reader (say aged 7-12) and you’re either now starting to read them chapter books, or they’re reading on their own and you want a safe read; think no swear words, no sex, no deaths, no animal peril – this is a spot on perfect read for them.

The pacing is crisp, the story opens up really nicely and when all is said and done, this does finish with a great conclusion. It’s the epilogue that may give parents headaches as they beg for book 2!

4/5

Hey all! Happy Monday!

It’s hard to believe that what started as one grant has grown so much over the last few years.
Now, in this, the fourth year that the LOHF Writers Grant will be awarded, we realize how lucky we are to belong to such a great community.

When this was first conceived, all I wanted to do was help a fantastic group of writers who constantly have to battle for visibility and credibility (which is an entirely other frustrating topic which I’ll not go into!). This became a reality when the LOHF Group came on board to do the heavy lifting.

Year One was amazing. Year Two, phenomenal. Year Three, stupendous. And Year Four, so far, looks to be on track for our biggest year yet.

We’ve had so many offers to sponsor grants and it’s truly wonderful. It’s hard to choose who will be selected, so every bit of help is appreciated. If I was a rich man, every application would get a grant, but the reality is we can’t.

The LOHF Grant Team and I are excited to focus on awarding as many writer grants as we can thanks to the generosity of this community.

After much discussion, we’ve decided to keep all sponsors anonymous. This way it allows people to help who otherwise might not have, but also to ensure we maintain the integrity of the grant selection process.
If you have any questions – my DM’s and email are always open.

Thank you all again – those who’ve supported/sponsored/applied etc!

Applications will open closer to Summer.

Title: Ashes to Ashes

Author: Joseph Mulak

Release date: September 17th, 2014

I don’t know if I’m in the minority here, but over the last 5 or so years, I’ve really moved away from reading, watching and generally enjoying zombie fiction. I think, personally, it has been because of the oversaturation that occurred once The Walking Dead took off. I read all the comics, and watched the show religiously up until about season 5 or 6 as well as the first season of Fear the Walking Dead, and when it all became more of the same and repetitive, I drifted away and really found it hard to get back into the zombie fiction genre.

There’s been a few here and there since that I really enjoyed and that made me excited to dive back in, but for the most part I’ve stayed away. Saying that, there’s two rules I typically follow when I want to read a book. If it sound interesting, I’ll give it a go. And if it’s a book from a fellow Canuck, I’ll definitely give it ago.

I connected with Joseph Mulak a few years ago, but it was only recently that I snagged his novel ‘Ashes to Ashes.’ I went in with an open mind, unsure of what exactly I’d be reading, but hoping Mulak added a unique twist. And you know what? He did.

What I liked: The story follows down on his luck, Todd. A former addict who is estranged from his wife and kids, hated by his parents and brother and at the end of his rope. So, one night he decides it’s the end, he’ll go out somewhere where nobody is and jump off of a bridge. But, it’s at this location, where he finds somebody else and the world is upended. The person he finds is taking a new drug, ‘Ash,’ which quickly changes people into what can only be described as a zombie.

From here, Todd partners with his brother, Mitch and they try to get their families to safety. Mulak does a great job of filling this with family tension, snarky sarcasm and some hope for second chances. This though, is a zombie book, so we get a lot of action, emotional deaths and new characters added to the mix.

It was interesting watching Todd, who throughout really struggles with him still being alive and his desire just to end it all, while also wanting to change his life and be there for his kids. At the same time, it was frustrating watching how Todd and Mitch simply couldn’t put any of their past differences behind them in the face of the zombie apocalypse. Mulak really did a fantastic job keeping these characters grounded and real.

The ending was great and we get a solid epilogue that shows Mulak could return to this world if he wanted too, but that also closed this chapter and made for a solid stand alone.

What I didn’t like: Straight up – there was some really odd decisions made by our characters. Mitch is a doctor, so when Todd calls him for help with our first oddity, Mitch doesn’t act at all like a doctor and then brings the guy to his own house. Then, to make things odder, they leave Mitch’s pregnant wife behind at the house with this oddity. I won’t get into it more, because without those strange decisions we wouldn’t get some truly hard scenes later on, but it will make your head scratch.

Why you should buy this: This is fast-paced, crisp story telling and Mulak tells it with real storytelling. What I mean by that, is there isn’t any crazy, unrealistic ‘answer’ that some how works and saves everyone. We get some solid police interactions and some really startling turn of events.

This was a fun one and again, one I’m glad to have dove into and read.

4/5

Title: Straight

Author: Chuck Tingle

Release date: May 9th, 2021

Let me tell you, if you want to have a fun conversation, sit down with your significant other and explain to them who Chuck Tingle is, what he writes and how he is a two-time Hugo Award Finalist. And just for giggles, show them some of his covers.

But, on a series note – here we are, Mr. Tingle’s first serious horror novella that is topical on several areas and has now made the preliminary ballot of the HWA Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement in Long Fiction.

Chuck has over 350 books released, most are anthropomorphic gay erotica, and has a legion of fans who love his writing and wait with baited breath for each of his releases. And while we know the man who creates these ‘tinglers’ (as his books are called) is a pseudonym, that’s about all we truly know.

The synopsis of this one is both hilarious on the surface, but also serious when you dissect the meaning behind it and look deeper. This novella reminded me of the other recent works I’ve read; ‘The Blood Beast Mutations’ Carl John Lee, ‘Crazytimes’ by Scott Cole and even ‘Friday Night Massacre’ by Michael Patrick Hicks, where an event happens, a global pandemic of sorts occurs and people change and become ravenous, unhinged monsters.

What I liked: The story follows four friends on Saturation Day, as they head out to Joshua Tree in the hopes of staying safe. You see, three years ago a cosmic event occurred that turned every cisgender, straight individual into ravenous killing machines who sought out LGBTQIA2S+ individuals with the purpose to decimate them, eviscerate them and kill as many as they could. Consider it a sort of specifically targeted rabies. But, the following day, it would be gone and they’d have no recollection that it happened.

The world has been vaccinated (well most, you know some complaining about their rights and freedoms (sound familiar?)) but those in the queer community still know that Saturation Day is the scariest day of the year.

Tingle does a great job of setting up the story, bringing us along with the four friends as they try to remain relaxed, calm and prepared, but of course, this being a horror-novella, things take a turn and before you know it, the four friends and an unexpected fifth, are fighting for their lives and trying to find a way to escape.

The action is brisk and brutal, Tingle writing like a seasoned horror vet, and we get some really great emotional moments throughout.

I must add – the topical aspects of vaccination, straight allies and political sides works really well and offers some really unexpected think points, spots where you’ll stop and consider how you’d react in these situations as well.

The ending was great and gives us a glimmer of hope that maybe in the real world, soon we’ll see some sort of return to a ‘normal’ existence.

What I didn’t like: I didn’t fall into this category, but for those readers who might be, oh I don’t know, anti-vax, anti-mask, joining Facebook pages with ‘Freedom’ in the group title, or believing marriage is only between a man and a woman, I’d suggest you don’t give this a read. For every body else, you’ll love this.

Why you should buy this: Do you like survival stories? Fast-paced reads? Friends banding together? Blood thirsty killers who brainless want to eviscerate? Look no further. Plus, you’ll have the added benefit of reading a topical novella that makes a lot of great points and does a great job of showing that queer characters are not just stereotypical ‘soft’ characters to have so they’ll be quickly killed off.

I’m glad to have finally read my first tingler, and I hope we see Mr. Tingle return to this genre again.

4/5

Title: Dancing with Maria’s Ghost : Dark Encounters with the Ghost of Maria Callas

Author: Alessandro Manzetti

Release date: December 28th, 2021

Alright – first things first – I Googled who Maria Callas was before diving in. I wasn’t sure if this was a name Manzetti made up as this spectral siren that will be haunting these pages, or if she was a real historic figure.

Much to my surprise, Maria Callas was in fact a real person. She was an American-born Greek soprano who was one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century (thanks, Wikipedia!) and she lived from 1923-1977. I am a massive fan of music, but I’ll be the first to admit, my knowledge of Opera and that entire world of music is incredibly limited. I did spend some time listening and watching her perform on Youtube and her voice is divine. What a talent she was.

But, after having read his poetry collection, ‘Whitechapel Rhapsody,’ I was non-the-less intrigued about how this story would be revealed, the layers pulled back through each poem.

What I liked: Manzetti is a fantastic writer (both fiction and poetry) and it shows when you look at his numerous award nominations and wins. It came as no surprise these poems would be dark, but that a solid story would be told throughout. A few of the stand outs for me are below.

The opening poem, ‘First Seeing,’ sets the stage and gives you the feeling that something is crawling across your skin. This reminded me a lot of the first moments when the ghost reveals itself in horror movies.

‘Hand in Hand’ is a stunning work of pure creepiness, a way of showing how this spectral being has arrived and the power she has over our protagonist.

The poem, ‘The Queen’ is filled with harsh phrases and even harsher concepts. A more visceral piece than the proceeding ones, I really liked how this worked to engage the reader.

‘Isolde,’ for even with its shortness, is filled with grief and wonder. This was almost like reading a piece of flash fiction with its deep ideas behind it.

Throughout, the artwork that is interspersed between the poems also does a great job of heightening the experience while acting as a visual medium to really connect the poems with the imagery.

What I didn’t like: Admittedly, I’m not familiar with Callas’ story, so if I went into this completely blind, the descent our protagonist takes as the poems move along would’ve felt foreign and strange. Having read through her biography, the geographical changes definitely made more sense to me.

Why you should buy this: Manzetti is a fantastic author and his poetry can move you in ways you never really expect. This was a heartbreaking look at a figure who ultimately fell from grace and seeing this connection between her and the protagonist made it all that much more sorrow filled.

Definitely one to check out for those who love dark poetry.

Title: Bent Heavens

Author: Daniel Kraus

Release date: February 25th, 2020

*Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Best Young Adult Novel (2020)*

For many of you, you’ll have already read Kraus. A NYT Bestselling Author, Daniel co-authored both ‘The Shape of Water’ and ‘Trollhunters’ with Guillermo del Toro as well as ‘The Living Dead’ with George A. Romero. Combine that with his numerous individual releases and you find that Kraus is incredibly prolific and writing between Adult and YA fiction.

I can’t exactly recall when ‘Bent Heavens’ came onto my radar (I’m 99% sure it was on IG where Jen aka bookdenjen posted about it) but no matter, the premise was intriguing and I was excited when it made it to the top of my TBR.

What I liked: The story follows Grade 12 student, Liv Fleming, who is struggling to live her life after the events surrounding her father occurred. Her dad, Lee, used to be a teacher at her school. Then, he seemed to go crazy, convinced that he was abducted by aliens and that they would come back for him.

He goes about setting up elaborate traps in the woods behind their place, hoping to catch them, before one day he disappears, never to be seen again.

Then one day, while Liv and her childhood friend, Doug, are checking the traps, something they do every Sunday, keeping her dad’s spirit alive, they find something.

It’s from here that Kraus really races ahead. I loved the build to this moment, we get to see Liv trying to fit in with new friend’s at school, while still looking out for aloof Doug, and we see her potentially meet and fall for a new boy, someone who doesn’t know her past.

Kraus does a phenomenal job of slowly decaying Liv and Doug’s friendship, of seeing how this thing they’ve found affects them differently, how Doug wants to continue exacting revenge for taking Lee from them, this man who’d grown to become a father figure to him, while Liv wants to be protective of it, to try and find out information that might lead to the return of her father, that is, if he’s still alive.

The final quarter of this book races along, especially as truths are revealed and a new, horrific reality emerges. I absolutely loved what we discover and it reminded me of a few of my favorite books (which I won’t mention to stay spoiler free).

This book was filled with so many emotions, Kraus really knocks the reader for a loop and makes sure that you want to come back and discover more of just what is going on.

What I didn’t like: While it worked for me, the ‘learning of the truth’ section may completely derail this for some readers. I think it was really well done and the clues make sense and are unseen until revealed, making it so so heartbreaking, but some readers may not enjoy it as much as I did.

Why you should buy this: As always, never, ever, let a YA designation discourage you from reading a book. This gets as brutal and graphic as anything out there. If you’re looking for a haunting story, of a family torn apart, trying to grapple with their new life, while wondering just what actually happened, this will fit the bill nicely. Additionally, Kraus does us all a solid and gives us tangible answers, as well as a physical being that might’ve been alluded too or left out entirely by other authors and for that, we benefit.

This was outstanding and I’m so glad to have read it.

5/5

Title: Merlin’s Kurse

Author: Joe Zito

Release date: January 17th, 2022

Over the last number of year’s I’ve come to really love Joe Zito and his writing. He does slow burn horror fantastically (Now Comes the Darkness), splatter/extreme (Hell Barn) and is willing to push the envelope and try new and bold things (Your Favorite Darkness).

On my end – music has always played an integral role in my life. When I was little it was a gateway to different worlds, places larger than where I lived, and where emotions ran alongside the rumble of a bassline. I think back to different bands that really acted as these time travelers for me and I think of discovering Nazareth and Sabbath and Cooper. These early loves of mine that made me fall in love with harder music than the country and rock that I’d been exposed to.

I used to read Rolling Stone magazine like crazy. First all the back issues that my aunt still had stored at my grandparents. Then through my own subscription, that I had until the early 2000’s when rock bands kind of faded away from the spotlight in the magazine and rap and popular music took over their pages. I was a dreamer, a guy who wanted to be in a band and travel the world. I had a guitar in high school, couldn’t play it well (only ever learned an Anthrax song, a Sepultura song and a Green Day song) and struck out as a singer. In University I was a singer in a death metal band but our drummer and one guitar player loved drugs and drinking more than rehearsing and we never even played a show.

All of these was brought back when I dove into Zito’s newest, the sweet and sublime ‘Merlin’s Kurse.’

What I liked: ‘Merlin’s Kurse’ is a novelette that feels like a full length masterpiece. The story follows two brother’s; Bobby, the younger one, and Franky, the older one and the meteoric rise of Franky’s band ‘Merlin’s Kurse.’ Told through Bobby’s POV, we see how Franky gets a drum kit as a young kid, learns to master it in high school and then forms a band. Set against the backdrop of the late 60’s, we get a glimpse of how the parents want to make sure their boys grow up, get a good job with benefits and work hard. And it’s this hard work idea, drilled into them, that forms the basis of how Franky, and the band, hustle and grow.

Zito loves music, which is evident from his online social media accounts, but also from the heart and soul that he has put into this slab of nostalgic beauty. I read this in about forty minutes or so, but within that forty minutes, I was transported. I was with Merlin’s Kurse as they played their first show. I was back in my childhood bedroom, listening to ‘This Flight Tonight’ and flipping through an Easy Rider magazine. I was with Merlin’s Kurse as they got a flat tire, but still made their show. I was in my room again, discovering that Black Sabbath had some belters even without Ozzy. Zito poured every ounce of ‘chasing the dream’ into this and it shows. This is pristine and easily the best thing he’s produced.

The ending of course, is bittersweet. I won’t discuss why the band ends, only to reform for a reunion show thirty years later, but I understood. Not personally, but close. When I was in University, two co-workers of mine at the pizza place I worked at had started a band. They had a minor hit with a song called “The Gap (Between the Rich and the Poor)” and they toured North America and Europe a bunch. Then it all came crashing down at a homecoming show in Vancouver. I remember hearing the news the next day and just feeling so very sorry that it happened. Zito handles it with composure and gives it that extra emotional depth that made it feel so real.

What I didn’t like: Zito has done such a fine job of capturing not only the time period but the realities of being a band coming up, that I wished we have got a little bit about what the members had been up to since the last show and the reunion show. We hear that Bobby and Franky are both grandparents now, but that’s about it.

Why you should buy this: This is a must read for fans of 70’s rock, music, Rolling Stone magazine, ‘Almost Famous’ etc etc. It’ll transport you back to a time in your life you’ve likely forgotten about and leave you with a smile on your face. Zito has done such a spot on job of creating an emotional attachment to this band in such a short time, it really is stunning.

Well done, Joe. Keep grinding and I’d love to see more people grab this and give it a spin.

5/5

Title: The New Girls’ Patient

Author: Ruthann Jagge

Release date: January 14, 2022

Ruthann and I connected a few years ago via social media and over that time it’s been great seeing all of the anthology acceptances she’s been having. She’s always been super encouraging and positive and now, seeing the announcement of her debut novella, I’m over the moon with excitement for her.

Huge thanks to her and Dawn at D & T Publishing for sending me a digital ARC to dive into.

I got this yesterday and flew through it last night, in about 40 or so minutes. Yes, I am a fast reader, but at the same time, Jagge definitely has crafted a story that made me want to fly through it and see what happens.

What I liked: ‘The New Girls’ Patient’ follows a trio of nurses working in a care home. It is in a small town, where everybody knows everybody, but for one of the nurses, she’s newer, both to the area and to the job. She befriends a patient, which she cherishes, up until that patient dies.

From here, things take a turn. At the end of one shift, two men attack the trio, brutalizing them and kidnapping them, all for a singular purpose (a purpose I won’t share – spoiler, duh! ha!). But it’s this singular purpose that drives these backwoods hicks to do horrible things and the story goes from being a story about a small town nurse trying to fit in, into a survival story.

I will say, there is a third element to the story, one that arrives at the end and is really well done, that adds another aspect, but once again, I can’t really say too much about that, but it was great to see this additional ingredient added and it really worked to connect the start of the story with the ending.

Jagge has created some great characters here, a few you root for, a few you despise and as I mentioned, she really does pull you along, even if you’re kicking and screaming against what’s happening in a few places.

What I didn’t like: As I mentioned, the story takes a significant turn when the two men attack the women. I found the story seemed to battle itself as to whether it wanted to be a small town survival story (starting out it reads closer to literary fiction) or an extreme horror story. When the men arrive, it definitely goes from you riding along with our main character, to suddenly really extreme, revolting things are occurring and I’m not totally sure how to match the two parts up. This may work really well for some, or it may turn others off. As always, reader mileage may vary.

Why you should buy this: If you go into this with the mindset of it being an extreme survival story, this will hit all of the notes for you. I went in completely blind, so I was lulled a bit I think with the humble beginnings. Ruthann has really created a galloping, pedal-to-the-metal story here, one that will have you squirming while wondering just what’s going to happen next.

4/5

**This goes live on Godless on January 14th and on Amazon January 28th – I will update with purchase links then**