Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Publisher: Atria Books

Date of publication: May 5th, 2020

Genre: Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit, Mystery, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Adult Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller

Goodreads Synopsis:

Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as ever, with a massive favor to ask. Daphne hasn’t spoken one word to Drue in all this time—she doesn’t even hate-follow her ex-best friend on social media—so when Drue asks if she will be her maid-of-honor at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless.

Drue was always the one who had everything—except the ability to hold onto friends. Meanwhile, Daphne’s no longer the same self-effacing sidekick she was back in high school. She’s built a life that she loves, including a growing career as a plus-size Instagram influencer. Letting glamorous, seductive Drue back into her life is risky, but it comes with an invitation to spend a weekend in a waterfront Cape Cod mansion. When Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend’s siren song.

A sparkling novel about the complexities of female friendship, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most.

First Line:

By the second week of September, the outer Cape was practically deserted.
Big Summer by Jennifier Weiner

I was excited when I saw that Jennifer Weiner had a new book. I had read Mrs. Everything and enjoyed it. I figured Big Summer would be just as good as Mrs. Everything, and guess what? I was right!! Big Summer was a perfect mix of mystery, thriller, and romance.

Big Summer had an interesting storyline. Daphne is an up-and-coming social influencer who has overcome body image/weight issues in high school/college. She is surprised when her ex-best friend, socialite Dru Cavanaugh, asks her to be in her wedding. Ask is not the correct word. Dru begs Daphne to come and offers to pay her. When Daphne agrees, she is immediately thrust back into the role of Dru’s best friend. But things aren’t what they seem with Dru. As the wedding draws closer, Daphne starts to see cracks in Dru’s flawless veneer. And when a murder happens the night before the wedding, Daphne is considered one of the main suspects. Can Daphne find the murderer and prove her innocence?

I liked Daphne, but she got on my nerves during the book. I liked that she had risen above the bullying and comments about her weight and turned it into something positive. But I wouldn’t say I liked that when Dru came back into her life, she immediately fell back into her old role as a sidekick. It made all that progress that she had made go down the drain. Daphne was also blind about Dru. I saw that Dru had something else up her sleeve when she begged Daphne to be in her wedding. It took Daphne until the wedding to realize that maybe Dru was using her again. Other than her willful blindness, I enjoyed Daphne’s character. She was positive, down to earth, and she knew she had come a long way from the girl she used to be.

I was not too fond of Dru as an adult and despised her as a tween/teenager. Let’s talk about Dru as a teenager first. Ever see the movie Mean Girls? She reminded me of Regina (the head of the group, The Plastics). She treated her friends, Daphne mostly, horribly. She would take pictures of kids and post them to an online burn book. She would alternately be all over Daphne or treat her like crap; there was no in-between. I did feel a little bad for her when the author revealed that her home life sucked and that she envied Daphne for her relationship with her parents. But still, it didn’t excuse what she did. Posting that video of Daphne freaking out at the club was unacceptable. Adult Dru was just as bad in my eyes. She used people to further her brand and didn’t care if it hurt them or the ones they loved. Dru was an actress who knew how to reel people in and get them to do what she wanted. She used even her ex-boyfriend (the one that Daphne found).

There are several triggers that I need to let you know about before continuing with the review. The author tackled issues such as fat shaming, online bullying, self-esteem, and body positivity in this book. The author doesn’t hold back regarding Dru’s treatment of Daphne or the video that resulted. It was raw and authentic, and unfortunately, keyboard warriors still think it’s ok to comment/make fun of another person’s weight. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading this book.

The main storyline, Daphne being in Dru’s wedding and the backstory of their friendship, was well written. I could see why Daphne was so taken by Dru. She was a new girl in a new school and had no friends. I also could see how Dru kept stringing Daphne along until college. When she showed up at Daphne’s nannying job and begged her to be in her wedding, I was shocked by how ballsy Dru was. And I wasn’t surprised with how that storyline ended up. What did surprise me was Daphne’s dedication to finding who and why. At that point, I would have washed my hands of everything.

The storylines with the mystery woman and the little boy were left in the air for 75% of the book. It wasn’t until Daphne was in the Cape for Dru’s wedding that the storyline got rolling again. Once it was revealed who the little boy was and how the police handled the case, I felt awful for everyone involved. I also didn’t blame the officer for telling Daphne what he did. That was the one case he couldn’t solve, and he wasn’t going to allow a 2nd case to go cold either.

The storyline with the murder didn’t start until halfway through the book. I was gut-punched at who the murder victim was and how that person died. Daphne’s reaction was typical, but I loved how she got herself together and decided to investigate the case. Being the main person of interest did have something to do with it. I was shocked at who the murderer was and was sad about the motive. That was a twist in that plotline that I didn’t see coming, and the reason was awful.

There is a romance angle that I wasn’t a big fan of. I was thrilled that Daphne hooked up with someone who liked her for who she was. But that person ghosted her after their night together. Not a great way to start a relationship. Also, figure in Instalove. Daphne was head over heels for this guy, and she didn’t even know who he was!!

The end of Big Summer felt a little rushed, but the author did a fantastic job with the reveal of the killer. She also tied up the remaining storylines and gave them all great endings.

I would recommend Big Summer to anyone over 21. There is moderate language, moderate violence, and some explicit sex scenes. Also, see my trigger warning paragraph above.

If you enjoyed Big Summer, you will enjoy reading these books:

The Prisoner of Fear (Doyle and Braham: Book 1) by Chad Miller

Publisher: Hear Our Voice

Date of publication: October 1st, 2022

Genre: Horror

Series: Doyle and Braham

The Prisoner of Fear—Book 1

Goodreads Synopsis:

It is 1889 in Philadelphia, and detective John Doyle is restless. Along with his miserable partner, Thomas Braham, Doyle pursues mysteries, strange sightings, and other obscurities tossed aside and disregarded by the police. For years, Doyle has taken on these cases in the hopes of discovering something supernatural – something that could upend and dispute his long-standing, debilitating fear that immortal souls do not exist.

Doyle’s search for the supernatural remains unsuccessful until he receives a strange letter from an old doctor friend regarding a young woman with a mysterious and rather disturbing illness. When the doctor goes missing in the same town that this young woman resides in, Doyle and Braham decide to take on the case and search for clues regarding their missing friend. In doing so, they discover that there is no longer any suffering young woman, but a dangerous abomination whose origin cannot be explained by science nor modern medicine.

Meanwhile, an unnamed victim has been kidnapped. Trapped in a cell with nothing but a journal to document their experiences, this mysterious Prisoner must undergo terrifying scientific experiments while trying not to lose all hope and sanity.

Inspired by the works of renowned horror and mystery writers like Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe, and Arthur Conan Doyle, The Prisoner of Fear brilliantly weaves questions of mortality and the human propensity for evil into a truly intriguing, unique, and frightening narrative.

First Line:

April 20th-I have always had a fondness for my friendship with John Doyle, but after the events of today, my admiration deepened.
The Prisoner of Fear by Chad Miller

I enjoy a good horror book, and I love them around Halloween. Reading these books around the spookiest time of year makes them even creepier for me. And, to be honest, that is the main reason I accepted the invite from the publisher. I wanted a spooky book to read (not that I have plenty in my TBR….lol).

The Prisoner of Fear is the first book in the Doyle and Braham series. You can ignore the usual stuff I write about reading previous books because it is the first book.

The Prisoner of Fear tells a story about a young woman infected with a mysterious illness. Doyle and Braham get involved when the young woman’s mother writes to them and asks if they could come and investigate. What they encounter is beyond anything that they have ever seen or experienced. In a parallel storyline, an unknown person is kidnapped, thrown into a cell, experimented on, and forced to write a journal detailing their every thought. How are these two storylines connected, and why? What horror did Doyle and Braham experience at that house in Connecticut?

When I started reading The Prisoner of Fear, I wasn’t expecting the format it was written in. It was written in the form of journal entries, police reports, and news articles. At first, it did throw me off. I am not a huge fan of books written in this fashion. But, as the book went on, I grew used to and came to like how it was written. The author did something that I haven’t seen before in a book written in journal format. I liked that he created characters that had a depth to them.

The main storyline of The Prisoner of Fear revolves around Doyle, his partner Braham, and the events in Connecticut. The author drew me into the story by slowly leaking bits of information about Charles, Cordelia, Doyle, Braham, and (to a lesser extent) Braham’s niece, Scarlett. When I can get as involved with the characters as I did, it makes the book even more enjoyable to read.

The parallel storyline with the unknown stranger did confuse me at first. The author introduced this person (I have no clue if they are male or female) halfway through the book. I couldn’t understand why the author did that until almost the end of the book. That was when the author revealed something significant. Then everything made sense (why the author introduced this person). I wish the stranger’s identity were revealed and the redacted parts of the diary revealed names. The author deliberately did this, and it frustrated me. I am not the type of person to wait until the next book. As Veruca Salt famously says, “I want it now!!“

The author very well wrote the horror angle. From the beginning, I had mild anxiety while reading the lead-up to Doyle and Braham’s trip to Connecticut. But, once they got to Connecticut, my anxiety grew. I knew something terrible was going to happen. I didn’t expect how it happened and the fallout from it. I was genuinely creeped out by Cordelia’s condition and her mother’s dedication to keeping her happy. What they found in the basement and the journal excerpts pulled out of the fire added to it. Also adding to my discomfort was how Charles’s sister was acting. It was weird and offsetting, to say the least, and made me wonder if what happened to Cordelia is happening to her.

The end of The Prisoner of Fear was interesting. I say interesting because while Doyle and Braham solved Cordelia’s case, there was still so much up in the air. I wanted to know what was happening to Jessica (Charles’s sister). There was also the matter of the person being held captive and what was done to them. The author did say that there was going to be a book 2, and I hope it answers those questions.

I would recommend The Prisoner of Fear to anyone over 21. There is mild language, no sex, and moderate to graphic violence in parts of the book.

The Man without Shelter by Indrajit Garai

Publisher: Indrajit Garai

Date of publication: September 5th, 2022

Genre: General Fiction

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Lucy, a young lawyer, is on fast track to partnership in her firm. Arnault, a convicted felon, leaves prison after two decades through a piece of evidence in his favor. The two of them come together during a rescue operation at the centre of Paris, and then they go on with their separate lives.

Months later, their paths cross again at a camp for migrants on the edge of Paris.

First Line:

The key turned twice in the lock.
The Man without Shelter by Indrajit Garai

I almost declined when the author’s assistant contacted me about reviewing this book. I was trying to clean up my backlog of books and keep up with the incoming requests. But, seeing that I had reviewed his previous book (The Bridge of Little Jeremy) and enjoyed it, I decided to give this book a chance. I am glad I did because The Man without Shelter was a great read.

The Man without Shelter had two interesting storylines. The main storyline features Arnault, a Middle Eastern-French man, who is in prison serving time for a crime he didn’t commit. The book starts with Arnault being released from prison. There was DNA evidence found that exonerated him. Arnault is released with little money, very few personal effects, and nowhere to go. The book follows Arnault through the lows and highs of his new life.

The other main storyline features Lucy, a young up-and-coming lawyer in Paris. Lucy accepts a job with an international group of lawyers who work to free unjustly imprisoned people. Lucy gets the case involving Arnault. Lucy needs to find Arnault and serve him papers that would erase his 20 years in prison. But finding Arnault proves tricky, and Lucy is searching homeless shelters, homeless camps, and migrant camps to find him. Will she find Arnault? Will she serve those papers?

The Man without Shelter was a differently-written book. I say different because there was barely any dialogue between the characters. The author took much of the book from Arnault and Lucy’s perspective, and I saw Paris through their eyes. It was a different Paris than what I have usually read about. This Paris, which is away from the touristy areas, has problems with crime and homelessness. But it was almost pure what I saw through Arnault’s eyes. He considered living in a tent with geese as companions as something good. Same with living in the migrant camps. Instead of being described as chaotic and frightening, those scenes were described as people helping each other cope. It was a refreshing way of looking at it. Lucy’s Paris, though, was a little different. Through her eyes, I saw a Paris where people didn’t care enough and were out for themselves. The people that did care were stretched thin. There was almost a hopelessness in her perspective until she met Arnault. Then it started to change, and Lucy changed with it.

I rooted for Arnault the entire book. From the minute the warden gave Arnault the “good news” to the last scene in the book, I was his number one cheerleader. I felt terrible for him only when his girlfriend killed herself. Besides that one chapter, his storyline showed how he overcame everything to succeed.

I wasn’t sure what to think about Lucy when she was introduced. She did come off as somewhat naive (the whole business with her firm and what they were doing). But she did grow on me as her storyline progressed. As I stated above, I liked seeing her eyes open to what was happening around her and her attitude change.

The end of The Man without Shelter was interesting. I loved how the author wrapped up Lucy and Arnault’s storylines. There was justice served in Arnault’s girlfriend’s suicide too.

I would recommend The Man without Shelter to anyone over 16. This is a clean book with no apparent sex. But there is language and moderate violence. There is also a scene where suicide is explained; people disfigured themselves so they could panhandle, and rape is alluded to.

The Lost Son by Aidan Lucid

Publisher: Jongleur Books

Date of publication: October 27th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Young Adult

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

A NEW EPIC FANTASY ADVENTURE BEGINS!!

It’s November 5th, 1945. Captain Edward Johnson and Sergeant Conor MacCall are flying somewhere over the Bermuda Triangle. What should have been a routine patrol mission turns into a fight for their lives when they are attacked by two dragons! After barely escaping, they think the worst is over. It’s not.

Fast forward to present day America and seventeen-year-old Henry’s life is turned upside down when he finds a magical gold coin. It takes him to Zargothia. There he meets the US Airforce pilots and Jasper the cat. Together they learn that they have been chosen to free King Argoth and the people of Zargothia from a cruel oppressive race known as the Sadarkians. With King Argoth’s army being vastly outnumbered, however, will Henry and his friends succeed?

In this fast-paced fantasy adventure, danger lurks around every corner and nothing is what it seems.

First Line:

Avram and Temrok, both Sadarkian, in their black armor, jumped as the throne room’s double doors slammed shut.
The Lost Son by Aidan Lucid

Part of the reason why I started this blog was to feature indie/self-published authors. Some of my best books have been from self-published/indie authors. So, it is a given that if I get an email request, I take it. I might take a little bit (I unplug on the weekends), but I will answer. This happened when the author emailed me to read/review his book. I am glad that I accepted his request. This book was a fun, action-filled book that I couldn’t put down.

The author kindly included a glossary at the beginning of the book. That glossary showed how to pronounce the names of the different people/races/countries in The Lost Son. I enjoyed that because I wonder if I am pronouncing things right. What would have also been great is if the author had included a map of Zargothia. It wouldn’t have to be anything fancy, just something that showed where everything was so I could visualize it.

The Lost Son had a complex and exciting plotline. I say complicated because the author wove several different storylines together and did not have them overshadow each other. The main plotline is basic: Henry finds a coin that takes him and Tracey to the land of Zargothia. While there, he learns he has been chosen to free the people of Zargothia from a cruel race, the Sadarkians. As Henry trains, he discovers hidden secrets about himself. Can Henry do it? Can he save Zargothia from the Sadarkians?

As I stated in the previous paragraph, the secondary plotlines were very much intertwined with the main one. They added an extra depth to the book, making it wonderful to read.

Henry was a relatable main character. He wasn’t perfect, and the author didn’t attempt to make him a perfect character. All of Henry’s flaws and faults are on display throughout the entire book. In my eyes, that made him a better hero. While I like perfect heroes, I also like ones who are messy (which is why I like The Boys so much).

When I first started reading the book, I didn’t understand why King Zakarius hated King Argoth. I did have several ideas floating around in my head about what could have happened, but I wasn’t expecting what was revealed. Everything that King Zakarius was doing was based on lies told to him by another person. It made me sad because of the mental anguish it caused and how that turned into hatred.

Let’s talk about Tracey. I didn’t like her at first, but as the book continued, she started to grow on me. When her backstory was revealed, it ripped my heart out.

Many secondary characters added additional depth to the book. The author spent some time building up minor characters (like Karina and Hannorah). The RAF pilot and his co-pilot were featured constantly, but they were also kept in the background. They were instrumental in teaching Tracey some defensive moves that would come in handy during the final battle.

The fantasy angle of the book was well written. I loved that the author included a unicorn queen. Unicorns are one of my favorite mythological creatures, and having them be shapeshifting badasses was utterly incredible.

The adventure angle was also just as well written. I loved exploring the different areas of Zagorthia with Henry and his friends.

Going hand in hand with the adventure angle was the action angle. During the book, there was a lot of combat. I wasn’t the biggest fan of it, but I did understand why the author included it.

The young adult angle of the book fits it perfectly. Henry and Tracey were both 17 and, wait for it; they acted like it. They acted like immature teenagers throughout the book. It was a refreshing take on the teenage hero. Usually, when I read these books, teenagers act like they are older, which isn’t believable. But in this book, it was.

The end of The Lost Son was great. I will not go into it because of spoilers, but I thought everything ended perfectly. There is so much lore, and that last scene threw me for a loop!! I am hoping that the author will write another book in this universe.

I would recommend The Lost Son to anyone over 13. It is a clean book, just a few kisses. There is violence and some very mild language.

If you enjoyed reading The Lost Son, you will enjoy reading these books:

Nightmares & Daydreams by Dominic J. Anton

Publisher: Violet Venom

Date of publication: October 17th, 2022

Genre: Fiction

Purchase Links: Amazon | Violet Venom

Goodreads Synopsis:

Nightmares & Daydreams unravels the dark consequences of suppressing one’s innermost traumas and pain. Kalim, a 27 year old songwriter living with his boyfriend in Marseille, becomes tortured by nightmares, hallucinations and out of body experiences, as the trauma from his past starts to ripple from the depths of his subconscious. An entity starts to emerge through the fog of his tortured mind, haunting him within his nightmares.

First Line:

The warm, crimson blood slowly dripped down from Kalim’s cheek towards his forehead as his body hung upside down in the flipped car.
Nightmares & Daydreams by Dominic J. Anton

When I read the blurb for Nightmares & Daydreams, I was intrigued. I wanted to know what memories Kalim was suppressing and why. This book did not disappoint.

I am going to throw up some content and trigger warnings. I usually do not do this, but this book deals with some serious issues. Homophobia, child abuse, drug use, the traumatic death of a loved one, and mental illness are featured. The author doesn’t hold back with anything but the child abuse (those scenes are toned down). I strongly recommend not reading this book if any of these triggers you.

The plotline for Nightmares & Daydreams was fast-paced and exciting. Kalim is a British citizen living in Marseille with his boyfriend of 8 years. Kalim starts lucid dreaming about an older woman, and those dreams quickly turn into nightmares of his past. Soon, his nightmares begin to bleed into his waking life as hallucinations. Why is this happening? What has Kalim suppressed? Can Kalim come to terms with his trauma before it destroys his relationships and sanity?

I felt awful for Kalim from the first sentence of the book. No one and I stress this, could live through what he did and not have issues. He seemed to be living a good life in France, but the more into the story the author got, the more I saw that Kalim depended on sleeping pills to get him through the night. His nightmares were genuinely horrific, and there were several scenes where even I, the reader, couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or not. And his hallucinations were frightening. He saw an older woman in places she shouldn’t have been. I was apprehensive about his sanity during his London trip.

His trip to London seemed to hasten everything that was happening to him. Add his relationship with his abusive, homophobic father and his return to using drugs to numb to pain; I was pretty confident he would hit rock bottom.

The author did show the strong support system that Kalim had with his boyfriend, his friends, and his mother. I just wished that he had confronted his demons sooner in the book. That way, I could have seen what his life was like afterward.

The end of Nightmares & Daydreams was a little opened ended. I will not go into what happened, but I will say that it fits the book. I also liked the poetry at the end.

I would recommend Nightmares & Daydreams to anyone over 21. As I stated above, there are several content and trigger warnings. They are homophobia, child abuse, drug use, traumatic death of a loved one, and mental illness. There is also language, violence, and no sex.

Fleshed Out: A Body Horror Collection by Rob Ulitski

Publisher: Pastel Wasteland

Date of publication: October 14th, 2022

Genre: Horror

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

A hair-obsessed serial killer…

A flesh-eating motorway pileup…

A grotesque holiday illness…

Forget what you think you know about the human body. In Rob Ulitski’s debut short story collection, get ready for a thrilling, gut-churning ride through death, disease and destruction.

Boasting thirteen unique stories and a whole host of brutal bodily afflictions, ‘Fleshed Out’ explores the fragility of flesh and blood, and the gruesome ways our bodies can twist, contort and transform into our worst nightmares.

First Line:

Natalia was soaked through with blood, fresh tangles of hair dangling from her puckered lips.
Fleshed Out: A Body Horror Collection (story Hair) by Rob Ulitski

I know I have said this before, I am not a fan of reviewing anthologies/short story collections. When the author sent me the email for this short story collection, I did sit on it for a few days. Mainly because of what I said in the first sentence. But then I figured, “Hey, why not” and accepted the invite. I am glad that I did because this book was fantastic!! I never say this, but this author is going places!! Also, this would be a great October/Halloween read.

If I did a complete review of every story, this post would go on forever. So, I will do this review by breaking down each story and giving my take on them. I will briefly describe whether I liked the story and what I thought about it. Sound good? Awesome. So strap in for some truly unique and gross stories. And before I forget, the author included drawings of the story at the beginning. Again, another remarkable thing about this book.

Hair:

Hair is a story about a serial killer named Natalia. Natalia likes to go on dating apps, find victims (mainly women), kill them, and eat their hair. Natalia also wanted to be a mother. But Natalia has a secret, which is about to explode.

So, this story was very gross for me to read. I have never read a story about a serial killer who wants to be a mom and eats human hair. I was gagging during those scenes. The end surprised me because I thought it was going another way. So, if you have a strong stomach, this book is for you.

Carnage:

Carnage is a story about a man who is scorned. Morgan was enraged after finding out that his girlfriend had slept with his brother. Driving erratically over a bridge, Morgan commits a murder/suicide by driving off the bridge and onto another below road. Hitting a tanker and causing it to lose its bearings, it crashes into commuters while spraying everyone with orange liquid. What should have been instant death instead was because of something different. Morgan, Jessica (the girlfriend), and all the other accident victims are still alive and aware of their surroundings. For Morgan, this is great because Jessica will be with him forever. But is it?

Carnage reminded me of a cross between the old horror movie “The Blob” and a grotesque Romeo and Juliet. Again, this was a story whose ending took me by surprise. Morgan was unhinged for the entire story, but I did feel bad for him. It still didn’t excuse what he did.

Crystalline

Crystalline is the story of Helena. Helena is the full-time caregiver for her brain-damaged brother. She is barely making ends meet by working as a cam girl. Threatened with eviction, she comes up with a plan to make money to keep her in her apartment when something weird happens. A rock flies through her window into her kitchen, and the debris cuts her. Not thinking anything of it, Helena notices a large lump on her forehead. Thinking it was a pimple, she squeezed it and popped out a diamond that was large enough to pay off her debts. As more diamonds grow (and more ravaged her face), Helena realizes that the biggest is yet to come. She can send her brother to a hospital with this money for treatment. But at what cost? Will her friend, a webcam customer, come through to help her one final time?

This one didn’t scare me so much and gross me out, as it did make me sad. I lost my brother 14 years ago to a terminal disease, and I could relate to what Helena was going through. I also could understand why she immediately thought of her brother when the diamonds started happening. I wasn’t too surprised by the end, either.

Heal

Leah, Jamie, and Todd are urban explorers who were part of a website called Urbexjunkies. They were exploring Egglemore Hospital. This hospital suddenly shut down years before, and there is supposed to be a healing garden in the center. Finding a notebook written by a doctor who disappeared when the hospital shut down, the trio figured out a way in. Leah has the most to lose…she is terminally ill. But the hospital is hiding a secret, and that secret is hungry.

Again, I wasn’t as scared by this story as I was sad. Again, I understood the lengths that Leah was willing to go through to save her own life. I wasn’t surprised by what was revealed in the notebook entries and what the trio saw at the hospital. I was surprised by the twist it took, and I wish I could have seen that confrontation.

Doug

Dan is not having a good day. He finds out that his wife is cheating and throws her out. Somehow, he ends up at Shapton Woods. The woods are known as a local gay hookup spot, and why Dan is there, he doesn’t know. Following the directions from a 7-year-old message, Dan witnesses two men engaging in a sexual act. Going back the next day, Dan sees a hand sticking out of the ground, grabbing for a used condom. Curious, Dan returns the next day, and there is a face, two arms, and two hands in the ground. So begins Dan’s relationship with a foul-mouthed, sex-crazed being called Doug. Can Doug help Dan see the truth about himself? Or will Dan forever be denying his sexuality?

This was my favorite story. Dan was such a relatable character. And Doug, I laughed at his sexual innuendos, potty mouth, and way of looking at things. I will not say much more because I already said too much in the intro. But, hands down, my favorite story.

Circles

Imagine waking up in a bright white hospital room and being thrown into scenarios that cause your death. Imagine waking up after dying and you are fully alive and unhurt. Imagine waking up in a cell with no idea how you ended up there. This is Ben’s life. It all changes when he meets Robyn and discovers he is being experimented on. What are the experiments? What does Robyn want?

I got chills reading this story. I was rooting for Ben and Robyn until the end of the story. I wasn’t a big fan of how it ended. I wanted it to end well if you know what I mean.

Vending Machine

Marty Michaels is a terminally ill man. He has been treating his illness homeopathically, but nothing is working. His life consists of the walks he takes around town and the pain his illness costs. Everything changes when Marty finds a strange vending machine in a rundown mall. This vending machine only dispenses one jelly-like cube. Marty is hesitant to eat it, but when he does, he feels like he did before he was sick. The effects of the cube end, and Marty is forced between eating another cube and feeling like he is dying. What does Marty do?

This story made me a little sad but frightened me at the same time. I emphasized with Marty. He was so sick, and all of this bad stuff had happened to him on top of it. So, eating the jelly didn’t seem like a bad thing to do. He just wanted to stop hurting. I stopped emphasizing with him, though, once the machine started asking for weirder and weirder things. At one point in the story, I was internally urging him not to go back to the mall. So, I wasn’t surprised by what happened.

Dropoff

What would you do if a man dropped out of the sky, got pulverized before you, and was still alive? Would you help, or would you leave him there? That was our nameless main character’s dilemma when Brock was splattered on the pavement in front of him. Choosing to help Brock and deliver him to his wife was only the right thing to do…..right? What else could happen?

This was a story that made me queasy to read. The visualization still makes me gag, and what the hero did to scoop up Brock still makes me sick. Brock’s story, though, was interesting, and I loved that the hero was willing to take what was left of him to his wife. Speaking of her, she was awesome!!! I loved Brock’s wife. What I didn’t like was what happened to the hero. I wasn’t a fan of it.

Fused

Campbell had a crappy year. His dad walked out, leaving his mother and himself to fend for themselves. They had to move to a crappy neighborhood, where his mother would spend the days in bed in a deep depression. Campbell, on the other hand, is determined to help his mother. Going from business to business, handing out resumes, he arrives at a diner where he meets Spence, Kit, and Weasel. But something weird happens after meeting them. His hand fuses with his knife, and something horrible happens to one of his new friends. What happened? And why does everything seem to be changing in Campbell’s world?

This was a good story. The author had me thinking one thing and then switching it around at the end. I wasn’t prepared for what was revealed. Mainly because I felt it would be something 100% different than what it was.

Neoton

Elijah is on the verge of doing something amazing. He is building a virtual world where no one dies, hurts, or is depressed. This is the virtual world of Neoton which is accessed through a virtual processor in the side of his head. He spends 100% of his free time in Neoton. Tara is Elijah’s wife. She is done with him being online constantly. She is done and does something awful that strands Elijah in the virtual world. Can Elijah make it out, or will he stay in Neoton forever?

The author told this story from the viewpoints of Elijah and Tara. I could feel Tara’s frustration over Elijah being online constantly. I could also feel Elijah’s pride in building something that could help people online. I did understand why Tara did what she did. She didn’t expect it to end up the way it did.

Roe

Maggie is retired and wants to live her life in quiet. Going to Scotland and living off the land seems just the thing to do. Until she starts hearing godawful screeching, driving her crazy, Maggie traces the screeching to a beached salmon. Killing it, Maggie makes a meal out of it. That was the wrong thing to do because…..

This was probably my least favorite story. I understood why Maggie wanted quiet (don’t we all?), but instead of moving the fish, she kills it and eats it. So, I wasn’t surprised by the events afterward. It serves her right.

Smothered

Jared has a lot on his plate. He is freshly divorced from Kate and is forced into looking after his estranged mother, Maude, while she recovers from contracting worms while on vacation. He wants nothing to do with his mother but feels obligated because she’s his mother. But everything is not what it seems with Maude. There is something wrong with her, and that something wants Jared. Will it get her?

This was the 2nd of my least favorite stories. I wouldn’t say I liked Jared or Maude. Jared had issues, and most of those centered around Maude. Maude had her problems and was trying to make amends with Jared. There was incest feel to the story towards the end. I wasn’t a big fan of that.

Replacement

Clara suffers from a rare skin disease and uses a product called FleshKey. FleshKey is a custom mold made to suit the person using it. Clara has been using this product for years. Imagine her surprise when she opened her newest FleshKey and found a sentient being instead. She begins an investigation by contacting her boss, the editor of a gossip magazine. That leads her directly to the factory where FleshKey is made. What she finds out will shake everything she knows.

I enjoyed this story and felt so bad for the sentient beings in this story. After Clara got over her disgust, she felt terrible too. But she brought in too many people into her secret investigation, which comprises it. I wasn’t thrilled with this story’s end and got a little sick to my stomach reading it.

I would recommend Fleshed Out to anyone over 21. There is graphic violence, language, and sexual acts.

Owl Manor—The Final Stroke (Owl Manor: Book 3) by Zita Harrison

Publisher: Zealous Arts Publishing

Date of publication: August 10th, 2022

Genre: Gothic, Horror

Series: Owl Manor Trilogy

Owl Manor: The Dawning—Book 1 (review here)

Owl Manor: Abigail—Book 2 (review here)

Owl Manor: The Final Stroke—Book 3

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

For a quarter of a century, the horrors at Owl Manor have been buried under dust and decay, forgotten and unheard.

Then Dolores hears the whispers.

Dolores, a young artist, feels the pain all around her. It is the subject of her paintings. Strangely, once the pain is on her canvas, it diminishes.

A fated encounter takes her and her two best friends to Owl Manor in the Rocky Mountains. Ignoring the rumors of a gruesome past and ghosts, they take up residence. What’s the worst that could happen?

But it is the past that has summoned Dolores.

The owls begin to circle the sky again. The whispers get louder, seeping into each of their souls. And Dolores, besieged by the pain of brutal murders in the manor’s history, has no choice but to paint.

For the lives of those close to her hang in the balance.

Inspired by authors like Edgar Allan Poe (The Raven), Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn), and Shirley Jackson (The Haunting of Hill House), Owl Manor – the Final Stroke is the third and final book in the Owl Manor trilogy of Gothic Suspense novels. It follows Owl Manor – the Dawning and Owl Manor – Abigail.

First Line:

My worn books squelched through mud and grit as I trudged down the main thoroughfare of a town.
Owl Manor—The Final Stroke by Zita Harrison

I cannot stress this enough (and I have mentioned it a few times in the previous two reviews for this series), I cannot read Gothic/horror without my husband being home. After finishing this book, I couldn’t close my eyes without seeing several of Dolores’s paintings, Kitty’s theater, or even Rachel’s descent into madness. I was so unnerved by this book, and that was a good thing!!!

Owl Manor—The Final Stroke is the 3rd book in the Owl Manor trilogy. While you can read this as a standalone book, I recommend reading books 1 and 2 first. That way, you can learn about the events that lead up to this book and how they influenced the events that take place in this book.

The author did write a forward to the book explaining how it was written. This book is written in language that was common for the time. She explained that the language combines British English and frontier dialect but is moving towards an informal American dialect. She cited a website (etymobline.com) that she used in her research to make sure it was as authentic as possible.

Owl Manor—The Final Stroke takes place around 30 years after the events of Abigail and around 50ish years after The Dawning. Dolores, Kitty, and Rachel are three friends looking for a place to open a combination restaurant/theater/art gallery. Dolores finds a carved owl at a local fair, and the seller, a young boy, tells her it is from a mansion in the mountains outside of Denver. After seeing the estate, they decide to buy it and renovate it back to its former glory. But, once living there, Dolores (an empath) starts painting pictures of murdered women, the victims of Rafe Bradstone. Her dreams reach a fever pitch as women are being murdered in Denver, and she is compelled to paint them. With Kitty going down a path that includes opium use and promiscuity and Rachel spiraling down into madness, Dolores needs to get to the heart of the mystery, Owl Manor. But can she do it in time to save herself and her friends? Or will they end up being more victims of Owl Manor?

I loved Dolores’s character. She was your typical turn-of-the-century artsy girl who dreamed of doing nothing but her art. She was also an empath who used her art to channel the pain of what she was feeling to canvas. So, when she started having nightmares and was compelled to paint them, it wasn’t new to her. But what was new was how graphic and terrifying the paintings were. The author could take Dolores’s initial feelings and expand on them. Dolores became alarmed at what she was doing. She did try to stop (the scene where she tried to burn the painting will be forever etched in my head) but couldn’t. I was terrified for her when she started painting murders that had just happened. I am going to stop there because of spoilers.

I liked Kitty’s character, but I was not too fond of the turn she took. She had a great vision for her theater, and I thought her first two shows were great. But then, she listened to Cecil, and everything turned. She went from this bright, vibrant girl to someone I didn’t even recognize. It saddened me and made her suspect when prostitutes were being killed in Denver.

I was not too fond of Rachel. She rubbed me the wrong way the entire book. I wasn’t surprised when she started hearing (and eventually seeing) Rafe. I wasn’t surprised by her attitude towards Kitty or how she refused to listen to Dolores. I did, however, think it was interesting that she was the one who looked up Owl Manor’s past, and she was the one who found Rafe’s letters to his father. I did feel bad for her in the end, mainly because she ended up being a pawn in something much bigger than her.

I enjoyed reading the storyline with Dolores, the girls, and their business. I was fascinated to see how it would do. Despite what was going on and how everything turned out, I was still rooting for them to succeed.

The storyline with Dolores and her paintings was frightening. I didn’t blame her for being as scared or fighting it as she was. I knew her paintings connected to Rafe, but I wasn’t sure what the connection was. I thought she might have been Abigail’s daughter, but that was dashed relatively early in the book.

Kitty’s storyline was a little frightening. It showcased how someone like Cecil could easily lead someone as naive as Kitty down the wrong path. Her 180 change of morals and attitude didn’t help with that conception either. I admit that I thought it was Kitty doing the killing until almost the end.

Rachel’s storyline was sad to read. While I didn’t like her, I did think that she had a valid point about being so angry early on in the book. But, as Rafe’s spirit drew her in, I could see her falling down that rabbit hole. I was verbally yelling “No” as she started acting more erratic.

The storyline with Rafe, Eva, and the ghosts was terrifying. I felt terrible for Rafe and the fact that, even in death, he was lost without Eva. So, having that part of the storyline wrapped up the way it did make sense. But the other part of the storyline, the one with the ghosts of the women he murdered, was chilling. I understood that they wanted their stories told, but possession was a little too far in my eyes.

The storyline with the killer was interesting. There were quite a few characters to pick from, and I felt that any of them (except Dolores) could have been the killer. Heck, I even had Gabriel on the shortlist!!

I felt that the author wrote the horror angle of Owl Manor—The Final Stroke amazingly. I was creeped out by what was happening in the manor. I was also creeped out by what was happening mentally and physically to the girls.

There was a slight romance angle to the book that I wasn’t too fond of. But, it didn’t get in the way of the main storylines, and it did add some extra depth to Dolores’s character arc.

The end of Owl Manor—The Final Stroke was interesting. I had chills reading it!! I loved how the author wrapped up the storyline of Rafe and Eva. I also liked how she wrapped up Dolores, Kitty, and Rachel’s storylines. As for the killer, I was shocked at who it ended up being. That person didn’t even make my “who is the killer” list or was even on my radar.

I would recommend Owl Manor—The Final Stroke to anyone over 21. There are sexual situations, mild language, and violence. There is also drug use (Kitty taking opiates) and forced sexual encounters (again, Kitty during the last of her theater dates).

If you enjoyed reading Owl Manor—The Final Stroke, you will enjoy these books:

Owl Manor: Abigail (Owl Manor: Book 2) by Zita Harrison

Publisher: Zealous Arts Publishing

Date of Publication: August 13th, 2020

Genre: Gothic, Horror

Series: Owl Manor

Owl Manor—The Dawning: Book 1 (review here)

Owl Manor—Abigail: Book 2

Owl Manor—The Final Stroke: Book 3

Purchase Links: Amazon | Indigo

Goodreads Synopsis:

14 years ago, Owl Manor trembled with echoes of madness, mysterious deaths, and marauding owls.

In 1870, Abigail fled the horror of Owl Manor with her fiancé, Peter. But she carried with her the terrible notion that she is unworthy of love, instilled by her reluctant mother. If her own mother could not love her, how would anyone else?

She trusts no one and keeps herself buried in a crypt of churning emotions, away from the world. Deep inside, her soul screams at the thought of dying alone and unloved.

Now she is back. Abandoned at the altar, and with nowhere to go, she returns to Owl Manor. Thus begin the nightmares of violent rage and destruction, ghostly images.

What really happened 14 years ago?

Enter Victor, the complete opposite of Peter, yet frighteningly familiar at times.

And the owls circle the sky once again.

First Line:

The white owl sat on the gnarled limb of a tree, deep in the gloom of the woods, its ghostly feathers frothy in the cold.
Owl Manor—Abigail by Zita Harrison

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked Owl Manor: The Dawning. So, picking up Owl Manor—Abigail was easy for me. And I am glad that I did because this book was just as fantastic as the first book.

Owl Manor—Abigail starts 14 years after the events of Owl Manor—The Dawning. Abigail, raised by the remaining staff at Owl Manor, is now a young lady. Living in New York City, she is engaged to Peter, an up-and-coming lawyer. But, when Peter gets cold feet and leaves Abigail at the altar, she returns to Denver and Owl Manor. After opening a long-term boarding house at the manor, Abigail is introduced to an exciting group of people. Victor, a boarder, has caught Abigail’s eye. But there is something very unsettling and something familiar about Victor. Abigail doesn’t have time to dwell on that because the owls have returned and, with them, murder. Who has riled the owls up, and what is that person’s connection to the house? Will Abigail, her staff, and her boarders survive a murderer in their midst?

Owl Manor—Abigail is the second book in the Owl Manor trilogy. While you don’t need to read book 1 to understand what is going on in this book, I do highly recommend reading it. The backstories of Abigail, Patty, and the house are quickly explained, but reading book one will give you some insight into what is going on in this book.

I felt terrible for Abigail in this book. Her mother’s neglect turned Abigail into a person who was afraid to open herself up. I was internally cursing Eva for what she did to that poor girl. I did think that Abigail was a little rude during the book. There were several scenes where she berated servants and her boarders for talking about ghosts. But there was a reason behind her doing it: Abigail didn’t want that gossip attached to her boardinghouse. She was trying to run a respectable business, and that gossip would turn people away. When Abigail started getting involved with Victor, I was happy. I felt that she could finally be happy. The author decimated that idea in the next chapter—all I could do after that was read and see where and how her story would end.

I thought Victor was an interesting character to read. I understood why he wanted to keep his identity a secret at first. He was trying to figure out who Abigail was and why she ended up with Rafe’s money and house. I think his feelings for Abigail were true in the beginning. But, as the book went on, his slow slide into madness was genuinely riveting. The author weaved his story around Rafe’s so that they became the same, and I loved it!!

The love triangle between Peter, Abigail, and Victor was interesting. I wasn’t a big fan of Peter when he showed up. The guy left Abigail at the altar and stewed for months afterward, trying to figure out his feelings. I was 100% team Victor until one of the servants overheard some interesting information at the local pub. At that point, I was content to sit back and see how the author would unfold this triangle. And I wasn’t disappointed!!

The storyline about the manor, what happened before, and how it was connected to the murders was amazingly written. That storyline was one of the main reasons why I couldn’t put the book down. I couldn’t figure out who the murderer was. I thought it was someone else until that person was killed. And when the author revealed who it was, I couldn’t believe it.

The horror angle of the book was well written. This book kept me up at night (after I finished it). I kept thinking about Owl Manor and how evil it was. I couldn’t understand why Abigail didn’t take the advice in the end. I know I would have.

There is a paranormal element to the book that is amazing. The author took your typical haunted house/possession and made it her own. The parallels between the first book were uncanny, and hearing Rafe asking for Eva (through Victor) was chilling. And it got even more chilling as the book went on.

I wasn’t surprised at the end of Owl Manor—Abigail. But I was surprised at who survived and how a specific person met his end. The way the author ended the book, I knew there was going to be a book 3, and I was very excited to read it.

I would recommend Owl Manor—Abigail to anyone over 16. There is violence, mild language, and no sexual situations (other than some kissing).

If you enjoyed Owl Manor—Abigail, you will enjoy these books:

Owl Manor: The Dawning (Owl Manor: Book 1) by Zita Harrison

Publisher: Zealous Arts Publishing

Date of publication: October 15th, 2018

Genre: Gothic, Horror

Series: Owl Manor

Owl Manor: The Dawning—Book 1

Owl Manor: Abigail—Book 2

Owl Manor: the Final Stroke—Book 3

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks | Alibris | Indigo

Goodreads Synopsis:

A tale of unspeakable murder, a doomed alliance, and retribution from the beyond
Sometimes the tide sweeps us into a fog where dark forces are at work…suddenly good and evil become blurred. Powerless and defenseless, we swim toward it, and wonder if we’re going mad.

Eva is born in the wrong era. In 1800s America, women are required to obey their husbands without question and to submit to their presumed superiority. But Eva wants more. Willful and ambitious, she considers herself equal to men. But the times are unrelenting, and it is her curse to remain unheard.

Rafe is a misogynist. Born of a demented mother who shattered his childhood and family, he is forever tormented by a scathing mistrust of women.

The tide brings them together at Owl Manor, a place shrouded in darkness, forsaken by the sun. A place where owls breathe in the very fabric of the walls, and shadows wander the passages. Where good and evil blur.

Will Eva make the right choice?

Owl Manor – the Dawning, the first in a trilogy of Gothic suspense novels, is inspired by authors such as Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn), Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Shadow of the Wind), Shirley Jackson (The Haunting of Hill House).

First Line:

The owl appeared from nowhere, its ivory wings billowing like a ghostly cloak against the dusky sky.
Owl Manor: The Dawning by Zita Harrison

Horror, mainly the gothic subgenre, is something that I tend to stay away from when reading for pleasure and reading for reviews. I can get easily unnerved by what I am reading, and with my husband traveling 2-3 days a week, I have learned to stay away from those genres. But with him being home (new job=more at home time), I decided to take a chance and read Owl Manor. I am glad that I did because this book was incredibly creepy and very heartbreaking at the same time.

Owl Manor: The Dawning is book 1 in the Owl Manor series. This is the first book in the series, so there will be no gentle suggestions about reading the previous books.

Owl Manor: The Dawning had exciting storylines. There was Eva’s storyline. Raised by her aunt and uncle, Eva is a headstrong, intelligent young woman determined to make it in a man’s world. But then she gets pregnant, is forced to marry a man beneath her station, and is turned bitter by these events. But, Eva is a dutiful wife and mother who follows her husband to Denver (in Kansas territory) during the gold rush. In Denver, she finds mind-numbing poverty. After her husband becomes ill from working in the mines, Eva is forced to find employment. She is offered a job as a maid at Owl Manor, a mansion decorated with owls in the Rocky Mountains. What Eva finds at Owl Manor is a home and a companion with its mysterious owner.

The second storyline is about Rafe. Rafe is a wealthy Englishman who is damaged. His deranged mother abused him, and he was also forced to witness his father being humiliated by his mother. After his mother leaves Rafe and his father, Rafe is dealt the blow of finding his father after committing suicide. Then, Rafe vowed to kill any woman who was a harlot (aka a prostitute). He thinks that by killing them, he is doing the world a favor. Moving from London to the States for school, Rafe settles in Morganton, NC, and continues his killing spree. He then moves to Denver and builds a mansion in the mountains. Rafe also continues killing. But, this time, something mystical happened, and owls started attacking Rafe whenever he left the house. Soon housebound and covered with scars, Rafe starts having manic moments where he destroys his study and bedroom. That stops when he meets Eva. Taken with Eva, Rafe can forget the horror of his past and suppress his urges to kill. But that only lasts a little while before Rafe has the desire to kill again. Everything comes to a head when Eva discovers Rafe’s secret. What will happen to Eva? What will happen to Rafe? Will his secret be kept at Eva’s expense, or will something terrible happen?

I wouldn’t say I liked Eva for most of the book. I don’t know if the author intended the reader to dislike her, but I did. Eva was very unpleasant until she went to Owl Manor. She was an inattentive mother who discussed why she didn’t want children in front of Abigail (yes, that led to issues). Eva blamed her husband for her financial straights, yet she did nothing (except beg and consider prostitution) until she was offered a job at Owl Manor. But, when she got to Owl Manor, there was a gradual change in her attitude towards life and her family. Her attitude toward life improved, but it worsened for her family. Those scenes where she visited her sick husband were tough to read. Even when she was elevated to companion/mistress to Rafe, I was still “meh” about her. But it wasn’t until the very end of the book that I started to feel bad for her. She had gotten herself and her family into a situation that would be impossible to escape. I wasn’t surprised at what happened to her at the end.

I felt terrible for Rafe, but I wouldn’t say I liked his actions. He was shaped by what his mother did and his father’s inaction. It was a classic case of nature vs. nurture, with nature winning this round. I firmly believe that if he had been treated better by his mother, he wouldn’t have gone down the path he did. I did find his reaction to Eva a little heartbreaking. In those scenes, you could see who he could have become if he hadn’t been abused or witnessed everything he did.

I found the use of the owls in Owl Manor very creepy. It unsettled me a little when the author explained that souls used owls to fly to the Underworld. I got chills whenever there was a scene where owls were involved. They were hanging out on the house, waiting for Rafe to come out, and then would attack him, sending chills through me.

The horror angle was well written. The author was able to scare the heck out of me by insinuating things. A drape that moved or a reflection in the glass. I got goosebumps just reading those passages!!

The end of Owl Manor was a mess. I don’t mean a mess writing-wise (nope, the author was spot on with that), but a mess with everything that happened. Also, add that what happened to Rafe at the end was anti-climactic. I was left shaken by what happened and looking forward to reading book 2!!

I would recommend Owl Manor: The Dawning to anyone over 21. There is violence, mild language, and very mild, non-graphic, sexual situations/scenes.

If you liked Owl Manor: The Dawning, you will enjoy these books.

The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses by K.N. Smith

Publisher: Two Petals Publishing

Date of Publication: September 15th, 2015

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Adventure, Action, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Thriller, Mystery, Contemporary

Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome or unwelcome. Fate has arrived.

A suspenseful incident in a forbidden preserve heightens the senses of five friends. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become super-gifts that forever change the world. But furious battles confront the boys as they try to understand their sensory super powers in a race to save mankind. With light beings and mysterious strangers complicating their plight, can the boys defeat the evil Druth before it’s too late? Get prepared for the twisting and grinding of this award-winning, action-adventure story — an edge-of-your-seat narrative for young and mature readers alike.

First Line:

An alluring midnight seeped through the preserve, where huge, wavy leaves dances beneath the moonlight.
The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses by K.N. Smith

Fantasy has been one of my go-to genres to read since I was a child. I remember reading The Hobbit for the first time and thinking, “I like this!” But I wasn’t a contemporary or urban fantasy fan until I was a little older. And when I say a little bit, I mean in my late 30’s, lol. But, once I started reading them, I liked that subgenre. When I was approached to read/review The Urban Boys, I considered how I felt about the genre/subgenre and decided to accept the invite. I am glad I did because this book was a great read.

The Urban Boys had an exciting and somewhat complex plotline. Five boys acquire magical powers that affect their five senses. They also learn that they are responsible for keeping a peaceful alien race secret and protecting the human race from a being determined to enslave them. But it isn’t easy because the boys need to learn how to control their powers and work together. Can they do that? Can they overcome Druth and save the world?

The pacing of The Urban Boys went from fast to medium and back to fast. It didn’t bother me because I could keep up with the shifting pacing. Plus, when it did shift, it allowed me to take a breather (as a reader) and process everything that had happened up to that point.

I loved that there were five teenage boys (all of various ethnic backgrounds) as the heroes/main characters of the book. The author did something I considered difficult and gave each boy a distinct personality. So, if the book shifted to that character, I immediately knew who it was.

As stated, each of the boys acquired a heightened sense that turned them into superheroes (for lack of a better word). They are (in no particular order):

Hearing—Jordan
Sight—Kinsu
Touch—Chase
Smell—Rhee
Taste—Alex

I enjoyed reading as the boys discovered what had happened to them. It was interesting to read each boy’s response. The responses went from thinking it was cool to wishing they never had it.

The villain in this story was an evil person, but I felt terrible for him simultaneously. He felt neglected by his parents and forgotten by people that mattered to him. But, it doesn’t excuse what he did. He used the powers he was given by the Naculeans and exploited them. He turned that power into a weapon of destruction and used it to hurt countless people.

There were a lot of secondary characters in The Urban Boys. I did have a minor issue keeping them straight until I realized I could make notes of them on my Kindle (and so I did). The main secondary characters were The Dark Stranger, Mason, and Alina Alcaraz Olivas. The other secondary characters consisted of Druth’s main thugs, the Naculeans, the parents/guardians of the boys, and Alex’s girlfriend. They were all well written. Some I wished I had more info on, and others I wanted were more involved in the plotline. But all added an extra depth to the overall plotline. I will say that I wouldn’t have been as cool as the parents/guardians were when they found out the truth.

I do want to mention the Naculeans. I found them and their backstory fascinating. They were genuinely peaceful beings who tried to help humans. But, I liked that the author made them make mistakes. The big one was telling Druth a half-truth about his powers. They realized that and ensured they had the right people (the boys) before they again bestowed the powers.

There is a lot of action in The Urban Boys. It primarily centered around the boys learning about their powers and fighting Druth’s thugs. I did enjoy it because it showed the boys’ growth as people and as a fighting unit.

A substory line was running in the background of The Urban Boys. It involved the parents of a couple of the boys, Druth, Alina, and The Dark Stranger. I was wondering how the author was going to tie everything together. I wasn’t disappointed and was very surprised by what was revealed.

The end of The Urban Boys was interesting. I loved how the author resolved the main storyline. It was a classic good versus evil battle, and I was on the edge of my seat. Of course, there is a lead-in to the next book, which I can’t wait to read.

I recommend The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses to anyone over 13. There is violence, mild language, and some kissing scenes (otherwise, a clean book).

If you enjoy The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Fives Senses, you will enjoy these books;

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

14 years ago, Owl Manor trembled with echoes of madness, mysterious deaths, and marauding owls.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: