No Road Home by John Fram

 

For years, single father Toby Tucker has done his best to keep his sensitive young son, Luca, safe from the bigotry of the world. But when Toby marries Alyssa Wright—the granddaughter of a famed televangelist known for his grandiose, Old Testament preaching—he can’t imagine the world of religion, wealth, and hate that he and Luca are about to enter.

A trip to the Wright family’s compound in sun-scorched Texas soon turns hellish when Toby realizes that Alyssa and the rest of her brood might have some very strange plans for Toby and his son. The situation only grows worse when a freak storm cuts off the roads and the family patriarch is found murdered, stabbed through the heart on the roof of the family’s mansion.

Suspicion immediately turns to Toby, but when his son starts describing a spectral figure in a black suit lurking around the house with unfinished business in mind, Toby realizes this family has more than murder to be afraid of. And as the Wrights close in on Luca, no one is prepared for the lengths Toby will go in the fight to clear his name and protect his son.

After a whirlwind romance, single dad Toby marries wealthy Alyssa Wright, the granddaughter of a famous televangelist. The newlyweds along with Toby's young son Luca are headed to the Wright family compound, for what Toby thinks is Alyssa's birthday celebration. 

Before long, bigotry, cryptic messages, and a murder mystery occur and Toby realizes he needs to take Luca and escape this family's evil plan for his son, but a sudden storm and washed-out roads make leaving impossible and lack of phone or internet prevent calling for help.

The first thing I have to do is disagree with the blurb that claims Toby must "protect his queer son" Luca is a very sweet and sensitive child who has not labeled himself queer so let's not do it for him. There is a line in the book that strongly suggests he may be transgender, which does not equal queer. Not everyone who is transgender is gay.

Anyway back to the story, the Wrights are not the only ones with secrets. There are mysteries and traumas in Toby's past. Toby has unbearable memories that he tries to lock away in his mind. To repress the pain of his sister's death, the loss of his parents, his troubled childhood and the truth about Luca 's mom.

I can't say much else about the plot without spoiling it, so I will just say it is intricate and twisty and I never saw that ending coming. The author has managed to weave together a story of corruption, revenge redemption and the supernatural and kept all these plates spinning at once while never dropping one.

My thanks to Atria Books.

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Dastardly Damsels Edited by Suzie Lockhart

 

A transcendental anthology of women in horror, altering all you know by revamping traditional lore while exploring the unfathomable and the obscure.

Prepare yourself for a harrowing journey through Dastardly Damsels, an anthology that redefines horror with a powerful lineup of female authors. This collection dares to explore the darkest corners of the human psyche and the supernatural, presenting a diverse range of chilling narratives that will captivate and unsettle you.

This was an awesome anthology of short stories and poems by a talented group of women who know what horror is all about.

A drug addict gets clean but with horrifying results, an Indian goddess of misfortune teaches a racist jerk the error of his ways, a young girl meets her secret crush in the woods but danger lurks, a babysitter has ulterior motives, an artist puts herself into her work...

There are just so many great stories in here.

Tales of werewolves, witches, unearthly beings, and a version of Snow White that the Brothers Grimm would never have dared to tell were among my many favorites.

I loved the suspense and psychological twists. There is even a sentient elevator that is displeased when the elderly elevator operator is fired. 

I laughed, I cheered, and I sometimes cringed. These ladies are not afraid to spill their guts or yours to have a good time.

My thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing.

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The Nightmarchers by J. Lincoln Fenn

 

In 1939, on a remote Pacific island, botanical researcher Irene Greer plunges off a waterfall to her death, convinced the spirits of her dead husband and daughter had joined the nightmarchers—ghosts of ancient warriors that rise from their burial sites on moonless nights. But was it suicide, or did a strange young missionary girl, Agnes, play a role in Irene's deteriorating state of mind?

It all seems like ancient family history to Julia Greer, who has enough problems of her own. A struggling journalist, she’s recovering from a divorce and is barely able to make rent, let alone appeal the court’s decision to give sole custody of their daughter to her ex-husband. When her elderly great-aunt offers her an outrageously large sum to travel to this remote island and collect samples of a very special flower, as well as find out what really happened to her sister Irene all those years ago, Julia thinks her life might finally be on an upward swing. She’s also tasked to connect with the island’s Church of Eternal Light, which her great-aunt suspects knows more about Irene’s tragic death than they’ve said.

But Julia finds this place isn’t so quick to give up its secrets. The Church is tight-lipped about the deaths that have contributed to its oddly large cemetery, as well as Irene’s final fate. The only person who seems to know more is a fellow traveler, Noah Cooper, who thinks that Julia's not the only one on a mission to find the rare flower...which, if the rumors are true, could have world-changing properties.

What Julia does know is that the longer she stays on the island, the more the thin line begins to blur between truth and lies, reality and the fantastical...until she finds herself face to face with the real reason why the island is taboo....

This was a slow burn, twisty mystery. It took some time to get to the horror. I was intrigued by the opening which starts off with journal entries from the now deceased Irene Greer. Her writings are increasingly more alarming as we are not sure if she has spiraled into madness or been besieged by something supernatural.

In the present day, we meet her descendant Julia, who is struggling with finances and depression because her ex-husband has left her with nothing after their divorce. With no way to pay her bills and no way to scrape up funds to visit her daughter, she accepts a strange offer from her great aunt, the sister of Irene, to travel to the island where Irene died to find out what really led to her demise all those years ago.

I liked the atmosphere of this mysterious island. What was once a religious group in Irene's day has turned into a cult in the present day. I liked Julia but I didn't care for the way every negative or intrusive thought she had was attributed to her ex-husband.

 I enjoyed the parts about the past and the secrets that were revealed in Julia's family. The scientific parts didn't always work for me. There is a lot going on here. Science, horror, the mysterious properties of the island, family secrets, dark history... It was a lot to take in. Knowledge is power but some things are best left undisturbed!

My thanks to Gallery Books

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American Rapture by C.J. Leede

 

A virus is spreading across America, transforming the infected and making them feral with lust. Sophie, a good Catholic girl, must traverse the hellscape of the midwest to try to find her family while the world around her burns. Along the way she discovers there are far worse fates than dying a virgin.

Sophie is a 16 year old girl who has never had a friend or been allowed to attend any classes other than at church. To say she has had a sheltered life is an understatement. Raised by devout Catholics who believe that even the simplest, most innocent of pleasures are sins, Sophie is not allowed TV or music, and her reading choices are monitored. There is nobody she can trust or confide in ever since her parents sent her twin brother away for his sins.

When the virus hits, the most protected are the least prepared. As Sophie tries to make her way to reunite with her brother across a dangerous land that she would have already found frightening in normal times, she will meet many obstacles, the least of which is a challenge to all her beliefs and everything she has ever been taught.

I wasn't sure I was ready to read about another virus. Throw in a coming-of-age tale during the end of the world as we know it, and the next thing I knew I had devoured 80 pages when I only meant to take a peek at the first chapter. The dangers lurk on every corner. The infected are not only spreading the virus but are fueled by lust and unnatural strength. The ultra-religious believe it is God's will and a cleansing of the earth. Sophie is a brilliant girl but with zero street smarts from living such an isolated existence. Can she survive? The characters she meets along the way will help shape her path, be they villains or saviors. American Rapture is a fast-paced, violent, and bloody trek across the Midwest with an ending that ripped my heart out.  

This was my first read by this author and I intend to change that as soon as possible.

5 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Tor Nightfire for the Hardcover copy

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