Dark Entry by John B. Kachuba

Description

In the 18th century, members of the Dudley family settled in the deep woods of the Dark Entry Forest in northwestern Connecticut. Only a century later, Dudleytown was a ghost town with nothing left in the encroaching forest but cellar holes. Legend has it that the Dudleys were descended from a family in England that came to a bad end and that a curse followed them to America, a curse that drove residents of the settlement to murder and suicide.

In 1989, Sandy Lawrence, fleeing her abusive boyfriend, is given the use of her friend’s house in Dark Entry, one of the few homes in the isolated forest. She is unaware of the legends about Dark Entry but soon discovers the horrifying truth—something evil is alive and well in the deep woods, something intent upon murder. What began as a peaceful retreat from her domestic troubles now becomes a terrifying fight for her life.

 

 

This was a quick read, that begins with a horrifying act in the 18th century before our unsuspecting main character heads to a house in these cursed woods to clear her head after an upsetting break up. Sandy doesn't know the stories of the spirit eater that haunts these grounds, an evil ghost that preys on souls. Not long after her arrival, she learns of the local ghost stories but it takes more than folk tales to make her a believer. I love ghost stories set in New England, as a life long resident I have always been interested in the spooky tales that abound in our small towns. Looking at this cover is like looking through my own childhood window at night, so of course I was instantly drawn to this book.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

I received a complimentary copy for review.

Lies by T.M. Logan

WHAT IF YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS BASED ON LIES?
When Joe Lynch stumbles across his wife driving into a hotel car park while she's supposed to be at work, he's intrigued enough to follow her in.

And when he witnesses her in an angry altercation with family friend Ben, he knows he ought to intervene.

But just as the confrontation between the two men turns violent, and Ben is knocked unconscious, Joe's young son has an asthma attack - and Joe must flee in order to help him.

When he returns, desperate to make sure Ben is OK, Joe is horrified to find that Ben has disappeared.

And that's when Joe receives the first message .



Joe and Mel Lynch appear to be a happily married couple, raising their young son in their modest but comfortable home. Mel is the main breadwinner in a modern twist, and Joe works part time and is the main care giver of their young child. One ordinary day when Joe is driving his son William home, William just by chance spots Mel's car on the road and wants to surprise his mommy. Joe follows in his car, but it is he who ends up being surprised by what he sees.
This was an intriguing and twisty family drama/thriller about a man who slowly unravels the lies he's been believing about his happy marriage. There were a few points in the story that I could not help but think he was a bit more gullible than the average man would probably be, but his trusting nature was pertinent to the story line. I enjoyed it.
4 out of 5 stars.

I received an advance copy for review.

Behind the Door by Mary SanGiovanni

FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!

Occult specialist Kathy Ryan returns in this thrilling novel of paranormal horror from Mary SanGiovanni, the author of Chills . . .

Some doors should never be opened . . .

In the rural town of Zarepath, deep in the woods on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, stands the Door. No one knows where it came from, and no one knows where it leads. For generations, folks have come to the Door seeking solace or forgiveness. They deliver a handwritten letter asking for some emotional burden to be lifted, sealed with a mixture of wax and their own blood, and slide it beneath the Door. Three days later, their wish is answered—for better or worse.

Kari is a single mother, grieving over the suicide of her teenage daughter. She made a terrible mistake, asking the powers beyond the Door to erase the memories of her lost child. And when she opened the Door to retrieve her letter, she unleashed every sin, secret, and spirit ever trapped on the other side.

Now, it falls to occultist Kathy Ryan to seal the door before Zarepath becomes hell on earth . . .

Available for Pre-order. This item will be released on August 28, 2018.


This is a series I will most definitely want to stick with. I had previously read "Chills" by the same author which is where I first met the character Kathy Ryan. I loved her then and I love her now. In fact I think she was my favorite part of Chills.
The people in the small town of Zarepath have more than their share of secrets. The deepest and darkest secret of them all is one they have shared amongst the townspeople for generations. Hidden in the woods is a door that can rid you of your misery or it can rain misery upon you if you don't follow the rules. Your request must be in writing and you are in for a world of suffering if it isn't worded exactly the way you intend.
The characters are perfectly imperfect and managed to evoke my sympathy for them even as I raged against the pain that some of them had caused and things they had done. The fright factor is deliciously high and the writing style is imaginative and flows beautifully.
5 out of 5 stars.

I received an advance copy for review

The House of Nodens by Sam Gafford

In 1975, young Bill Simmons is the new kid in New Milford. Bullied and struggling for acceptance, he meets four other boys who form the ‘the Cemetery League’, a group devoted to the weird, exotic and bizarre in movies, comics and television. Each boy carries their own secrets which combine to come to a violent and fiery conclusion in a lonely Connecticut forest. Now, nearly forty years later, the events of that night come back to haunt Bill Simmons as, one by one, the members of the Cemetery League are targeted by an unknown force that may have unnatural links to their past. Has something, or someone, come to exact a bloody vengeance? And how is it linked to a serial killer’s twenty year spree throughout the Nutmeg State? To answer these questions, Bill Simmons will have to face his greatest fears and the failure that destroyed his life and left him a hopeless alcoholic. But will it be enough?



There's a reason why Bill spends his days alone and lonely in an alcoholic haze. It's his way of coping with a traumatic past. There was a time, when as a child, Bill thought he had made some genuine friends. Boys of a like mind who loved horror movies and super hero comics. Boys who would stick by each other no matter what. Friends that would help each other through any situation, be it bullies or abusive families or just plain loneliness. Slowly at first, that friendship began to change, as something dark and evil was awakened in the woods where the boys would meet. Bill was able to escape it's clutches once, but now it wants him back.
4 out of 5 stars.

This was my first time reading anything by Sam Gafford. I will be on the look out for more. It was this gorgeous and creepy cover that first caught my eye along with a chance to win a free copy. Imagine my shock when I, who never wins anything was randomly selected as one of the lucky winners. Thank you Dark Regions Press!