Book Review - The Deep by Alma Katsu

 

The Deep by Alma Katsu is about a young woman who travels across the ocean on a haunted ship. Annie Hebley decided that she needed a change of pace. She was in a relationship with someone and it took an unexpected and unwanted turn. When she saw that a cruise ship was hiring for maids, she found herself drawn to the prospect of traveling.

Annie is surrounded by some of the wealthiest people in the world. In her small village in Ireland, people never saw that much luxury as she has experienced on the ship and with the guests on board. As Annie tries to do her job and help the guests, she feels an ominous presence. She feels that something is amiss. It doesn’t help that one of the guest’s errand boys dies mysteriously and things are unexplainably going missing. When Annie feels that she finally understands what is going on, the ship hits an iceberg, plaguing her and her fellow guests into a night they would never forget. 

A few years later after that unfortunate night, Annie is trying to piece back her life together.She wants to overcome the trauma of the Titanic sinking. However, one of her friends, Violet Jessop, a survivor from the Titanic’s final journey,  reached out with an opportunity she thought Annie would like. 

The Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic, has been refitted as a hospital ship to ferry wounded soldiers from World War I. Violet and Annie both decide to work as nurses on the ship’s sixth voyage. As she takes care of the ship’s patients, she notices one of her charges looks very familiar. 

It turns out the soldier is no other than Mark Fletcher. He was one of Annie’s charges that she had taken care of on the Titanic. She was excited that he survived that fateful night. She always felt a  romantic bond towards Mark and she hopes that since he is on this ship that they could have a relationship together. As she tries to connect with Mark, she feels that something is off and has an eerie haunted feeling like she did when she was on the Titanic. 

I was very excited to read this book as I have read a few books about the Titanic.The book started off interesting. It alternated between the past and present and it was mostly narrated from Annie’s point of view. They did have some chapters that were narrated by the other passengers from both ships along with articles and a doctor’s journal.  It was interesting to learn that the Britannic and Violet Jessop were based on truth.  However, the book would jump back and forth between the characters and the two different ships that it got confusing at times.

My attention and interest started waning around the halfway mark. There were too many characters and their side stories to keep track of. The book would go on for pages without the story progressing at all. The book was billed as a horror and scary book but nothing scary or horrifying really happened and the events that did occur were so spaced apart that it didn't have any spooky appeal. The book started picking up on the last few pages and got interesting. It tied up all the loose ends between the two story arcs. However, I wish this was done earlier because at that point I just wanted the book to be over with. I felt that I would have enjoyed this book more if it was edited down and had more spooky elements to it.

Book Review - Ghostcloud by Michael Mann + Giveaway

 

Twelve year old Luke Smith-Sharma was kidnapped and forced to shovel coal underground. He feels that if he keeps his head down, he can win his freedom from Tabitha Margate. Everything changes when he realizes that one day he is able to see things others can't. He is able to see spirits and other otherworldly things. He befriends a ghost girl named Alma, who can bend clouds according to her will and ride them through the night sky. Luke discovers his innate powers with Alma's help. However, he discovers a darker truth behind his kidnapping. Luke is desperate to escape but, will they be able to find a way out?

The novel was an entertaining read and it remind me of one of my favorite childhood author, Roald Dahl. The book had delightful world building details. The characters were all well developed albeit quirky.  The more we learn about Tabitha's nefarious plot, the more we worry for our beloved characters. The book does wrap up the story but, the author left a potential thread for a second book.

 

**Disclosure - I received a free unedited copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion. **

 

About The Book:

Title: GHOSTCLOUD

Author: Michael Mann

Pub. Date: September 27, 2022

Publisher: Peachtree

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 320

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

 

A riveting, magical escapade about finding friendship and the courage to set yourself free against all odds.

Kidnapped and forced to shovel coal underground, in a half-bombed power station, 12-year-old Luke Smith-Sharma keeps his head down and hopes he can earn his freedom from the evil Tabitha Margate. Then one day he discovers he can see things that others can’t. Ghostly things. A ghostly girl named Alma, who can bend the shape of clouds to her will and rides them through the night sky. With Alma’s help, Luke discovers his own innate powers and uncovers the terrible truth of why Tabatha is kidnapping children and forcing them to shovel coal. Desperate to escape, Luke teams up with Alma, his best friend Ravi, and new girl Jess. Can Luke and his friends get away before they each become victims to a cruel and sinister scheme?
 
Debut author Michael Mann delivers a wildly imaginative middle grade fantasy set in a smoke-stained world that’s sure to entertain readers who are eager for an adventure with paranormal superpowers.

 

About Michael Mann:

Michael’s first writing success was for a poem about potatoes - in a competition run by a Yorkshire school catering company. As a ‘reward’, he had to shake hands with a giant potato mascot in front of his entire school. It would be many years before he dared write again.

These days, Michael is a teacher by day, dad by night, and mostly writes when he should be sleeping. He owes the idea for his middle grade novel, Ghostcloud, to his coal-mining grandad and a lifelong love of cloudspotting. He’s half-Indian and passionate about diversity in children’s literature, and loves books that keeps kids turning the page.

He has a first-class degree in anthropology, lives in East London with his (very patient) partner and their (less patient) toddler, and can be found playing board games when he’s not busy losing his wallet. Michael was an Undiscovered Voices 2020 finalist, and his debut middle grade novel Ghostcloud will publish with Hachette in October 2021.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of GHOSTCLOUD, US Only.

Ends October 4th, midnight EST.

 

Rafflecopter Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba21520/?

 

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/19/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
9/19/2022	laura's bookish corner	Review/IG Post
9/20/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
9/20/2022	Beers Books Boos	Review/IG Post
9/21/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
9/21/2022	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Review/IG Post
9/22/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
9/22/2022	Lisa-Queen of Random	Excerpt/IG Post
9/23/2022	@ablueboxfullofbooks	IG Review
9/23/2022	onemused	IG Spotlight

 

Week Two:

9/26/2022

Eli to the nth

Review/IG Post

 

 

Book Review - The Haunting of Leigh Harker by Darcy Coates

 

Leigh Harker considers her suburban home to be her sanctuary for more than a decade, until she starts to notice things. Things around her house keeps moving around and then there is a dark figure looming around in the dark. The figure is watching her sleep at night. Leigh refuses to abandoned her home to the mysterious figure even if she unable to sleep or feel comfortable in her own home. As Leigh tries to investigate the dark figure, she realizes that she is trapped within the walls of her home.

I usually love reading Darcy Coates' novels but, this one was a huge disappointment. The entire first half of the novel was boring, repetitive, and felt disjointed. It felt like the author spent majority of time building the mood and ambience. The entire novel was so boring and just dragged on. It was only towards the end did the novel pick up but, the ending seemed so unbelievable and far-fetched to me. After reading this lackluster book, I think I might take a break from the author's books for awhile.

Book Review - The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox

 

In 1846, Gabriel Stone is desperate for a fresh start. He decides to move to Maine to escape the ghost of his past that haunts him in Massachusetts. After the death of his wife, he decides to take the position of a minister in the remote town of Pale Harbor.

When Gabriel arrives,  the town isn't as quiet as he thought. There are strange and unsettling things that started happening when Gabriel arrives. The townspeople are certain that Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow, is responsible for all the heinous acts. Sophronia lives with her spinster maid, Helen, at Castle Carver. The townspeople believe that she is a witch because she reportedly killed her husband.

The incidents start to escalate from benign creepy to dangerous acts of violence. It becomes clear to Sophronia and Gabriel that the person is copying the stories of  Edgar Allan Poe. The pair realize they must work quickly to find the culprit otherwise, there might be more bloodshed.

I thought the novel was an interesting read. I thought the main characters would be spending more time figuring out who the culprit was. Instead, they spent most of the time pining for each other. I thought the novel was going to be a murder mystery and not heavy on romance.  I found some of the characters and their actions questioning. For example, Gabriel coming to Pale Harbor to honor his wife. However, he makes such a lame attempt to be a proper minister. Or Sophronia claiming Helen is like a doting mother or sister figure but, barely knows the woman or her past. Then there are times that Helen is openly defiant to Sophronia and acts like she is the mistress of the house. The story moved a bit slower than I would have liked but, I found enjoyed the mystery portion of the book.

Book Review - A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

 

The Barrett family lives in suburban area of New England. They were like any other "normal" family until their fourteen-year-old daughter, Marjorie starts displaying signs of acute schizophrenia. Her parents try to help Marjorie as best as they can. They take her to a therapist but, it doesn't seem to be working. Instead, Marjorie progresses further into madness, and their entire household is turned into chaos. The desperate family turns to a local Catholic priest for help.

Father Wanderly suggests that the family perform an exorcism because Marjorie might be a victim of demonic possession. He also contacts a production company who will document the Barretts' plight. John, Marjorie's father, has been out of work for more than a year and Marjorie's doctor bills are rapidly growing. The family agrees to be filmed, and they find themselves to be stars of a hit reality show, "The Possession". However, as the show's popularity increases, a tragedy occurs and the show and the Barrett family become known as an urban legend.

Fifteen years later, Merry, Marjorie's younger sister, is being interviewed by a bestselling writer. Merry tries to recall the events that happened when she was just eight years old. Merry discloses secrets that were forgotten and painful memories that clash with what was filmed on television.

I am not sure I was a fan of this novel. I found parts of the novel interesting and entertaining. However, I hated the blog posts that began each section. I found then irritating and redundant to read. I actually ended up skipping them but, I feel like that causes me to miss part of the story. However, I didn't care enough to actually go back to read it to find the missing parts. I didn't care for any of the characters in the book and found some parts of the book to be boring filler. This book was a complete miss for me as I kept expecting more and it didn't deliver.

Book Review - The Haunting of Rookward House by Darcy Coates

 

 

Guy is going through a tough time and had to move back home with his mother. He decides to thank his mother for taking him back in by cleaning up her attic. While cleaning her attic, he finds a deed for a house. He decides that he will clean and update the house and he will be able to sell it for a profit. He figured it would be a great opportunity for him and his mother.

When Guy visits Rookward House, he feels like he is being watched. However, Rookward House doesn't have any neighbors within its vicinity. The locals claim that the house is haunted but, Guy doesn't believe in ghost stories. He decides to spend a week at the crumbling estate to do repairs.  He figured nothing can go wrong during his weeklong stay. However, there is a reason why the mansion has stayed empty for years. There is something buried deep within the walls that's yearning to be free. Almost forty years ago, a woman tormented the family that lived in Rookward house. Her ghost clings to the house and now that Guy moved into her house, she has no intention of letting him go.

I enjoyed reading this story but, I felt like the ghost story was very predictable. This book along with her other works follows the same basic format. I didn't feel like there was a lot of spookiness to this book but, maybe shock/creepy factor. I did feel like the novel was a bit lackluster compared to the other books I read from her. Overall, I am still a fan of her novels and look forward to reading her other books.

  **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates

 

 

 In the small town of Ipson, everyone knows about the Ashburn House. There are rumors that the old owner, Edith went mad and that the house is haunted by ghosts. The ghost stories hint at a cruel supernatural being that dwells near the house. When Edith dies, Adrienne inherited the house. She is beyond ecstatic at her good fortune as she is in dire need of a new home. She has no money and has nowhere to go. Adrienne looks at the house as a chance to start over.

Adrienne notices that there are strange messages scratched into the walls. When she leaves a room, the furniture moves around. And when the night falls, something is lurking in the darkness. When exploring the area around the house, Adrienne finds a grave in the forest. The grave has a vague headstone but, it hints at a dark secret. As Adrienne tries to unravel the mystery behind the grave, she discovers that something is hunting her and it won't stop until it gets its prey.

 This was my first novel by the author and now I am hooked! The story was suspenseful and an entertaining read. I did feel that the novel progressed very slowly with many frivolous details. The story had a few predictable elements along with a few twists. I enjoyed reading the parts with her cat, Wolfgang.

**Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Photo Credit - Amazon

The novel follows four Native American men after a dark event from their childhood. An entity is bent on getting revenge because of the incident causing the men to struggle and worry about their lives. The four friends are not involved in following their culture and traditions causing them to be placed in the entity's crosshairs.

I love horror novels and I was looking forward to reading this. Unfortunately, I just couldn't finish reading it. I finished more than 90% of the book but, I just honestly couldn't be bothered anymore. I found the writing style hard to follow and I had to reread the same sentences multiple times and it still didn't make sense. I found the story to be very slow and I can't say I liked any of the main characters.

**Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Rules For Vanishing Rules For Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall

Photo Source - Amazon

Once a year, a magical road appears in the middle of the forest. Near the end of the road, the ghost of Lucy Gallow is waiting for new travelers. The game isn't for the faint of heart as losing can cost you everything. 

One year ago, Sara's sister, Becca disappeared. Sara knows that Becca went to find the ghost of Lucy Gallows. However, Becca is trapped on the road and unable to return to back to Briar Glen. Nobody believes that the tale of Lucy is real. However, Sara knows it's real and she is going to prove it.

Sara gathers her friends in the woods to search for Becca when the road appears in front of them. All they have to do is walk down the path. However, they soon learn that the path is filled with mysterious things and many of them are not from this world. They learn that following the path means following its rules and there will fatal consequences for anyone who breaks them. Will Sara be able to pay the toll necessary to find her sister?

The novel was an interesting and engrossing read. I like included "transcripts" of text messages and voicemails. However, I did find portions of the book confusing and the ending left me with a lot of questions. I am hoping that there is a sequel or this is made into a movie because it was a really interesting story!

  **Disclosure - I received a free unedited copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Toby's Trouble by Carole Brown + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Toby Gibson is well loved by everyone in his community. He is an active member in the community and owns a thriving antique store. However, Toby thinks his store, Undiscovered Treasure, has a ghost.  When a few disturbances occur, he believes it could be an intruder. His childhood friend, Amy Sanderson, is drawn into the search for the culprit when her store, Bloomin' Life, was broken into. Amy and Toby must work together to solve the mystery but, Amy is deeply in love with Toby. However, Toby only sees Amy as a friend and a little sister.

The cozy novel is a fun read for those who like the genre. The mystery is easy to solve but, the reason behind the crime is revealed towards the end. Toby was a bit of a character that he keeps thinking of Amy as a sister and friend but, gets jealous when she does things he doesn't like. It was fun to read the first few times but, it got a bit repetitive after awhile. This is the fourth novel in the series and while it could be read alone, it would be more helpful to read the series in order for more background on the characters.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

About the Book

Book Title: Toby’s Troubles
Author: Carole Brown
Genre: Romantic Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Release date: July 1, 2018

Everyone loves Toby Gibson. A co-owner of Undiscovered Treasures, a unique shop of antiques, collectables and junk, Toby is friendly, generous to a fault, the director of the local plays in Appleton and supports his church’s youth functions. But the minute his sister, Caroline and her new husband, take off for their honeymoon, a “ghost” begins to haunt the shop—or maybe it’s just an intruder. If so, Toby has no idea for what he is looking. To add to his troubles, he suspects Amy, not only is bidding for the property he’s wanted forever, but is in love with him. And he’s not interested.

Amy Sanderson who owns the only flower shop in Appleton—Bloomin’ Life—is drawn into capturing Toby’s “ghost” when her own business is damaged by a destructive intruder. Having loved Toby from childhood, she’s more than willing to join forces with him. But she has no interest in being his best friend or like a sister to him. And if she has to resort to schemes of outbidding him at his frequent auction attendences to get his attention, then so be it. She can be just as stubborn as the man who’s determined to ignore her love.

In between the break-ins, destruction of property, thefts and personal competitions against each other, Amy and Toby work together to find the thief who seems so determined to find a valuable item, he’ll stop at nothing.

About the Author

 

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carole is giving away a grand prize that includes winner’s choice of one of the two attached mugs, winner’s choice of a print or kindle copy of Toby’s Troubles and a tote bag!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d1c2/toby-s-troubles-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Review - The Silent Children by Amna K. Boheim

Photo Source - Amazon

In 1938, Annabel Albrecht's life takes a turn for the worst. Her favorite maid, Eva disappears then her friend Oscar leaves as well. Annabel is left alone when her brother is murdered and her mother is taken away after being accused of his murder.  Around 70 years later,  Annabel has passes away and  leaves her house to her son, Max. While trying to cope with his mother's death and cryptic dying message, he begins to unearth deep, dark, and deadly secrets. Will these secrets help bridge his relationship with his mother or will it keep them apart forever?

A haunting modern day ghost story with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until you turn the last page. I like how the novel alternates between  in the past with Annabel and then modern day with Max. It was very interesting and kept me hooked until the last page. Little by little, all perceptions of what you know to be true is torn down.

**Disclosure - I received a  uncorrected book in exchange for my honest opinion**

Book Review - The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum by Kirsten Weiss

Photo Source -  Amazon

**May Contain Spoilers**

Maddie Kosloski had a promising career as an international executive but when she loses her job she decides to return home to figure out  her next steps. Adele, Mad's good friend, "tricks" her into managing the town's paranormal museum whose own future and past are mysterious. Local town rumors say the museum is haunted and now even more so when a dead body is found in it. The detective on the case is Maddie's own high school bully who seems more concerned about getting even with Maddie than with finding the real killer.  When her friend is arrested, she must manage through a wide cast of eccentric characters to prove Adele's  innocence.

The book was a quick and easy read. I found the book to be a bit boring at times and not enough "excitement".  It is billed as thriller but I found it to be more of an easy going book to read at the beach or as I did on the train.

**Disclosure - I received a copy of an uncorrected ebook for my honest opinion --- this had no impact on my review and feedback**