Defiant Souls by Kathleen Chadwick

Description

When Kyle Chase accepted his Aunt Cindy’s invitation to spend his summer vacation with her, he thought they would be exploring old caves, looking for arrow heads, and honing his skills as a young Archeologist. He never dreamed the fate of the world would rest on his small shoulders. Kyle, his aunt and a small group of travelers have been imprisoned by a mad-man.

Man’s arrogance has opened a doorway of evil and it’s up to Kyle to close it. He will need to trust in his sixth sense, strength, and intellect to escape and find the one man who can help him destroy the evil that holds them captive.

 

 

First off look at this gorgeous cover! That is what first caught my eye before I even read the description.

Kyle's vacation pretty much goes off the rails as he is thrust into a battle of good against evil when he and his aunt are hijacked on the road by an otherworldly being. It was a pretty creative story and although I read a lot of horror I was surprised by some of the gruesome events and language since this was categorized under the teen and YA section. It didn't bother me, but it may bother some who are expecting something a little more tame.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

Final Goodbyes by Signe Christensen

Sophie Weeks is trying to come to terms with the horrifying murders of her brother and his family. In an attempt to find closure Sophie moves in to her brother's old home. Little did she expect the nightly horrors she is about to encounter.



Sophie is devastated to hear that her brother and his family have been found dead. What's worse is that her sister-in-law and 5 year old niece have been brutally murdered and the police believe her brother is their killer and that he took his own life to escape the consequences of his crimes.
Sophie feels strongly that the killer is still out there and she will not rest until she uncovers the truth with or without the help of police.
This was a suspenseful mystery/thriller. I enjoyed it although I felt the dialogue could benefit from a bit of editing and an occasional use of contractions to make it more natural sounding.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

Sinner by Christopher Graves

As a direct descendant of the 19th century vigilante gang, the Bald Knobbers, Ezekiel Woods, Jr. has been indoctrinated into a world ruled by violence and a literal interpretation of the bible his entire life. Now, over a hundred years later, Zeke continues his ancestors’ crusade, spending his days camouflaged as an aloof middle-aged grocery store sacker and his nights in a farmhouse cellar, preparing captives’ souls for their ultimate destiny: redemption or death. His latest abductee, an indomitable Texan working her way through a third-life crisis, chooses another option: escape. Zeke must recapture this lost sheep or face a consequence far worse than any worldly fate: that God has forsaken him.
Available for pre-order


Zeke is a religious fanatic from a long line of murderous child abusing nut jobs who seem to think they are on a mission from God to dole out retribution. With an affinity for torture and murder that could  only be surpassed by Leatherface, Zeke is racking up the body count as he rids the world of "sinners" who of course are women. Not all women are so easily dispatched as Zeke finds out the hard way when one in particular refuses to be his victim in a highly suspenseful heart stopping conclusion.
4 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy for review




About the Author:

Christopher Graves is an actor, filmmaker and award-winning screenwriter based in New York City.

 

Some of his performance credits include Sneaky Pete, Divorce, The Blacklist, Shades of Blue, Nurse Jackie, as well as many network on-camera and voice-over commercials for national brands.

 

He is the creator and writer of the comedic web series, With Friends Like These and the feature-length screenplay, Sinner, which was named Best Psychological Thriller Script by the New Hope International Film Festival.

 

Born in the hills of Mt. Vernon, Missouri, his introduction to the thriller genre started early. At five years old, his mother abducted him along with his younger siblings and fled across the country. They were given new names, a new home and a new beginning–until they were discovered and had to move again.

 

By the time he accepted his high school diploma (from the tenth school he had attended), Christopher had developed an intense affection for the terrifying plots of authors like Thomas Harris, David Lozell Martin, and James Patterson. Identifying with the grittiness in many of those stories, he had grown fond of the adrenaline surges that come with running and hiding.

 

He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two judgmental Siberian cats.

Lost and Lonely by Brian James Freeman

This new collection by Brian James Freeman features characters who are haunted by horrors they think are out of their control, but perhaps the source of their greatest terrors is closer to home than they ever feared possible.

In "Losing Everything Defines You," a bestselling author's family mysteriously vanished three months ago, yet if they're really missing, why is he hearing footsteps in the hallway outside his bedroom every night?

Patty knows that everyone makes mistakes in life and when it comes to "Loving Roger," she wants to fix the errors of her ways and make everything right again.

William Carver and his family fled the colonies to escape a monster stalking their community, but the western plains might not be the safe haven they had hoped for once they hear "How The Wind Lies."

When Melissa was a little girl, her father told her that all children were like "Perfect Little Snowflakes," each was different and unique in conception, but you never knew where they would land once they hit the ground.

And finally, a mother doesn't remember when the coldness began to fester inside her and now she's terrified for her baby as she suffers from "The Plague of Sadness."

These five thought-provoking stories show why Stewart O'Nan has said Freeman's writing has "great velocity and impact," and why Publishers Weekly has called his work "highly readable."

This exquisite collection of short stories by Brian James Freeman will be released next month from Cemetery Dance Publications. Each story is a delicious bite sized morsel of horror, heart-ache, and loss. From loss of a relationship, to loss of a child, the common thread woven through each story is emotional trauma, each one leaving me more unsettled than before.
5 out of 5 stars
I received an advance copy for review