Tag: gothic thriler

A Song at Dead Man’s Cove by Ana Yudin Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

In author Ana Yudin’s ” A Song at Dead Man’s Cove,” a young woman is confronted with a terrifying reality when a spirit targets her. She must solve the mystery of what happened to this spirit before it is too late.

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The Synopsis

Never turn your back on the ocean…

2023. Another person has disappeared at Dead Man’s Cove in coastal Washington. Jaded from her job at the historic Irving Hotel, Zarya wanders to the scene of the tragedy. She has heard her Russian mother’s tales of rusalki—vengeful spirits that have died unclean deaths near a body of water—and never paid them much attention. But now, on a misty headland beside an abandoned lighthouse, Zarya locks eyes with the rusalka and is chosen to be the next victim. She must unearth the siren’s tragedy before Rusalka Week, a period in early summer when water-spirits roam freely on land.

1850. Josephine has just joined her newlywed husband in Washington, in the lighthouse erected by local businessman Hurley Irving. Marriage is not quite what she expected, and her melancholia grows over the course of the winter. The medic prescribes pregnancy as the antidote. What he doesn’t realize is how far Josephine is willing to go in order to become a mother.

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The Review

What a truly emotional, compelling, and haunting gothic horror read. The atmospheric nature of the setting and tone this novel exuded from beginning to end was intense and mesmerizing, with the reader instantly transported to this small Northwestern Pacific town. This narrative also artfully handled the idea of small-town life and deep-rooted beliefs playing a role in how events are perceived.

The heart of this narrative was the rich history of life in the mid-nineteenth century, especially life in a coastal town, and the rich character development explored in both periods. The historical fiction bend in this gothic horror story was an excellent addition that made the narrative feel more alive and pronounced on the page. The root of both perspectives and protagonists, Zarya and Josephine, respectively, explored what it truly means to be haunted in life, both emotionally and psychologically, giving readers more depth to this horror story and inviting them down the rabbit hole, so to speak.

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The Verdict

Haunting, engaging, and heartbreaking, author Ana Yudin’s “A Song at Dead Man’s Cove” is a must-read gothic horror novel that is impossible to put down. The twists and turns the story takes, and the question of what happens when the ghosts chasing us are those of people who never were, make this one book that readers will turn to time and time again, much like Henry James’s “The Turn of the Screw,” making it an instant classic. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today.

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Ana Yudin is an author, content creator, and Doctor of Clinical Psychology. She writes Gothic horror, psychological thrillers, and journaling workbooks.

https://www.dranayudin.com/

Red Door (A Cry in the Moon’s Life) by Alan McGill Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Three childhood friends find themselves at a crossroads filled with dangers lurking in the shadows as they find their lives changed forever in author Alan McGill’s “Red Door”, the prequel to the author’s novel A Cry in the Moon’s Light”. 

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The Synopsis

This is the story of a beautiful peasant girl and a farm boy who fall in love in the South of France, years before she becomes mi Lady, the Duchess of Harcourt and he becomes . . . something else. It is also the story of William de Parlimae, their childhood companion, whose path takes a different turn.

As children, the three played together. But when the Lord’s son embarks on an important mission with his two closest friends, they find that they’ve stepped past the threshold of youth and into a long, dark night filled with nightmares, cruelty, and vicious beasts.

In the darkness, the two lovers seek refuge at an abandoned village deep in the Dark Forest. But will the moon’s light be enough for them to tell friend from enemy, poison from perfume, and the stuff of dreams from the horrors around them?

The Review

This was an incredibly vivid and atmospheric read. The gothic setting and tone the author struck immediately kept me invested in the book, and the rich mythology and European culture the author infused into this story helps build upon the equally compelling mythos that the story this prequel plays into began. 

Yet it was the character development that truly kept me hooked on this story. The tension and chemistry these characters exhibited, especially the love story of Seth and Alessandra. The connection that their story had to the development of William as a villain and the way their story mirrored the larger mythos was incredible to behold. 

The Verdict

Gripping, entertaining, and chilling, author Alan McGill’s “Red Door” is the perfect gothic horror and fantasy novel for the spooky season and a definite must-read of the year! The brilliant world-building, haunting imagery the author infused into their writing, and the captivating characters made this a stellar novel that readers won’t be able to put down, and I can’t wait to see what comes next in the A Cry in the Moon’s Light series. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to grab your copy today! 

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Alan McGill is an American author who lives in an old farmhouse with a clowder of cats. Alan was close to his grandparents, who grew up during the Great Depression. They were married young and remained together until his grandmother’s passing. His grandfather served in the Navy during WWII and was a gifted storyteller who wove humorous tales about tough events. Alan grew up listening to these stories of right and wrong and watching fictional heroes–such as the Lone Ranger, Adam West’s Batman, and Captain America–stand up to bullies and protect those who count not protect themselves. This inspired him to always do what was right in his own life and shaped his love of storytelling. He is a multigenre author whose debut novel, A Cry in the Moon’s Light, combines horror, romance, and mystery. As with all his books, A Cry in the Moon’s Light centers on characters who strive to do the right thing regardless of the adversity they face. The book focuses on the theme of love–a pure and deep love that defeats all evil.

https://www.instagram.com/alanmcgill14/

https://twitter.com/AlanMcGill14

https://cryinthemoonslight.podbean.com/

Sleep Savannah Sleep by Alistair Cross Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

One man’s journey to rebuild his family after a tragic loss turns into a nightmarish journey to discover who was behind a small town’s grizzly murder in author Alistair Cross’s “Sleep Savannah Sleep”. Here is the synopsis.

The Synopsis

The Dead Don’t Always Rest in Peace 

Jason Crandall, recently widowed, is left to raise his young daughter and rebellious teenage son on his own – and the old Victorian in Shadow Springs seems like the perfect place for them to start over. But the cracks in Jason’s new world begin to show when he meets Savannah Sturgess, a beautiful socialite who has half the men in town dancing on tangled strings. 

When she goes missing, secrets begin to surface, and Jason becomes ensnared in a dangerous web that leads to murder – and he becomes a likely suspect. But who has the answers that will prove his innocence? The jealous husband who’s hell-bent on destroying him? The local sheriff with an incriminating secret? The blind old woman in the house next door who seems to watch him from the windows? Or perhaps the answers lie in the haunting visions and dreams that have recently begun to consume him. 

Or maybe, Savannah herself is trying to tell him that things aren’t always as they seem – and that sometimes, the dead don’t rest in peace. 

“SLEEP SAVANNAH SLEEP hooks you with a small-town atmosphere that quickly turns ghostly cold. Beware a plethora of twists and turns …” – Michael Aronovitz, author of Alice Walks and Phantom Effect 

The Review

This was an incredible story. Author Alistair cross continues to shine as one of the horror/thriller genres best writers. Feeling like a successor to greats like Dean Koontz and Stephen King, the author captures the mystery and intrigue of a murder-mystery while bringing in an emotional story of a father trying to hold his family together in one piece after losing his wife. 

The story itself is intriguing, as it keeps you guessing all the way to the book’s end who could be behind this senseless violence. It’s a story of family, loss (both physical loss and the loss of a spiritual or mental variety), and the impact the past has on the present. The setting is incredibly vivid, bringing to mind the small town horror stories fans have grown to love from authors like Koontz. It was a roller coaster of emotions as you felt for protagonist Jason. Why was he chosen to be thrust into this investigation, and will he be able to protect his family from the true killer? That’s the quest the author takes readers on.

The Verdict

Overall this is a must read thriller. Filled with action, suspense and fantastic characters that draw the reader in, the novel is incredibly powerful and a prime example of how modern day horror thrillers need to be. If you haven’t yet be sure to grab your copy of Sleep Savannah Sleep by Alistair Cross today.

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Alistair Cross’ debut novel, The Crimson Corset, a vampiric tale of terror and seduction, was an immediate bestseller earning praise from veteran vampire-lit author, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and New York Times bestseller, Jay Bonansinga, author of The Walking Dead series.In 2012, Alistair joined forces with international bestseller, Tamara Thorne, and as Thorne & Cross, they write – among other things – the successful Gothic series, The Ravencrest Saga. Their debut collaboration, The Cliffhouse Haunting, was a bestseller. They are currently at work on their next solo novels and a new collaborative project.

In 2014, Alistair and Tamara began the radio show, Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!, which has featured such guests as Anne Rice of The Vampire Chronicles, Charlaine Harris of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and basis of the HBO series True Blood, Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter novels, Jay Bonansinga of The Walking Dead series, Laurell K. Hamilton of the Anita Blake novels, Peter Atkins, screenwriter of HELLRAISER 2, 3, and 4, worldwide bestseller V.C. Andrews, and New York Times best sellers Preston & Child, Christopher Rice, and Christopher Moore.

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The Steps by Iveta Redliha REVIEW

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews, UncategorizedLeave a comment

An attempt to create the perfect family leads to secrets and tragedies in Iveta Redliha’s novel, The Steps. The Latvian author, (along with a beautiful translation from translator Karina Loza), builds a haunting world in which two decades collide and a haunted past could lead to a bloody future. Here is the official synopsis:

“Shivers ran down Reyna’s spine. For a moment she thought his last words were meant as a threat. The stranger’s look had been so sharp and penetrating, horrifying and exciting at the same time. She embraced herself and shuddered once again. This time it was due to the pungent wind that was becoming stronger as the evening grew closer. For a while she stood there watching Lucas walk away, then finally looked away.”

Bradbury is a gorgeous property that stands amidst dark secrets. One fine day a young reckless woman Leonora, driven by desire for easy money that a rich couple would offer their surrogate mother, comes to live at the mansion, unsuspecting of the paths this seemingly carefree life and lust for money will bring to.
Meanwhile, Reyna’s steady life is turned upside down the moment her mother dies in suspicious circumstances and leaves her an unknown property and dark secrets from her turbulent past. Around that time handsome yet secretive Lucas comes into Reyna’s life. At the end the truth about the young man and the horrors of his past that haunt him, not allowing him to give in to his feelings, serves a final blow to Reyna.

Iveta Redliha (b. 1977) is a Latvian writer. With great passion she unravels in writing destinies of people of different walks of life, and their entangled feelings. “The Steps” was born out of the writer’s imagination and built on inspiration from gothic love and detective novels.

This Gothic Thriller is extremely unique and delivers a chilling story. The characters are flawed, human and sometimes terrifying. The story of a young woman’s mission of greed becomes a horrifying family drama, while another woman meets a mysterious man and learns he may have a dark side he is hiding from her. Telling the tale of a powerful family ruled by money and influence, and those that get ensnared in their power struggles and selfish desires is something we’ve seen play out time and again, and yet it’s given a breath of fresh air from author Iveta Redliha.

The writing is exceptional, delivering a spine-chilling account of two worlds colliding in messy and unexpected ways. It was a fast paced read with
lots of twists and turns, and while there are a few spots where you can see where the grammar didn’t match up with the translation, overall the
book was greatly translated for the English speaking audience, delivering a powerful literary experience that is wholly unique and fun.

Overall this was a fantastic read. The atmospheric nature of the Gothic genre blends perfectly with the mystery of the thriller genre in Iveta
Redliha’s The Steps, and if you haven’t yet I highly recommend you pick up your copies today!

Rating: 8/10