Review: You Killed My Brother

You Killed My Brother by Keith Rommel

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Thriller
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: People who like very dark stories
Trigger Warnings: murder, suicide

My Thoughts: I read and quite liked this author's earlier book, The Cursed Man (review linked here). As a result, I had fairly high expectations for this book. Unfortunately it was only mediocre.

First of all, the characters were all caricatures. The noble doctor, his perfect wife, the honorable police officer, the scumbag gangsters... There was very little depth to any of the characters, and what depth there was only ended up being exposed right at the very end. The editing also was less than stellar, including such things as “baron” for “barren” and “gruy're” for “gruyere”.

Finally, while I do enjoy dark fiction, and even horror, the existential angst that this book caused me was almost more than I could bear. The overall message is about how negative reactions will simply lead to more negative reactions in a never-ending cycle of death and despair. I'm okay with this sort of storyline in horror or fantasy, but this was realism and highly depressing.

Nonetheless, I think a lot of people will enjoy this book, especially if you like gritty reality in a thriller, and very dark fiction, so if it sounds like the sort of thing you like, go ahead and check it out.

Disclosure: I received an ARC e-book copy from LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Rainer is a successful doctor and father of two. He’s a celebrated member of the community for his exceptional care and charity work. Brick is a local street thug that can’t keep his nose clean. When fate brings the two together through tragedy, the life of Rainer is changed dramatically. 

Glenn is a seasoned cop and Rainer’s younger brother. Trusting the justice system, he keeps his desire for revenge in check as Brick is brought to trial. But when the jury hands Brick a lean sentence, Glenn sets out to avenge his family’s suffering. But what he forgets in his rage is that for every action, there is a reaction.



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Review: The Warrior Who Carried Life

The Warrior Who Carried Life by Geoff Ryman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Fantasy (Epic/Mythological)
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of mythology, epic fantasy
Trigger Warnings: torture, mutilation, killing, mass murder, slavery, murder of children, cannibalism
Animal Abuse: Several dogs are killed

My Thoughts: This book was originally released in 1986, and was re-released earlier this year by ChiZine. This is a very strange story, designed in homage to both the creation mythology of the Bible and of the epic of Gilgamesh, among other things. It's long-term, sweeping nature is sometimes a bit hard to follow, but in the end, it is very much worth it. I do recommend that if you read this book, you take the time to focus and concentrate on the story. I read most of it in short bits and pieces and that made it a bit hard to follow.

While there wasn't a lot of it, I really liked the part of the book written from Galo's point of view. Everything to him is strange, including pain and water and cold and light. It was fascinating, and I can guess that the section was short due to the very strangeness that the author had to inhabit to write it.

There is plenty of bitter with a bit of sweet. The Wordy Beast (which I think was a griffin) was really neat. There is a great deal of metaphor is vagueness in this, which leaves the reader to interpret things as she likes. I think a lot of people will enjoy this, especially if they like mythology and epic fantasy.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from ChiZine in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: To defeat her enemies . . . she must make them immortal.

Only men are allowed into the wells of vision. Cara’s mother defies this edict and is killed, but not before returning with a vision of terrible and wonderful things that are to come . . . and all because of five-year-old Cara.

Years later, evil destroys the rest of Cara’s family. In a rage, Cara uses magic to transform herself into a male warrior. But she finds that to defeat her enemies, she must break the cycle of violence, not continue it.

As Cara’s mother’s vision of destiny is fulfilled, the wonderful follows the terrible, and a quest for revenge becomes a quest for eternal life.



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@jimgiammatteo #Review "A Bullet for Carlos" by Giacomo Giammatteo

A Bullet for Carlos review
Author: Giacomo Giammatteo
4 out of 5 stars

Book Info: Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of suspense/thrillers
Trigger Warnings: murder, rape, drugs, torture, domestic violence
Animal Abuse: attempted cat murder (with arrow), torture of small animals (snake specifically mentioned), dog murder, attempted dog murder

My Thoughts: While this is the second book this author published, I'm reading it first since the other two books I have by him are in the same series, while this one is a separate series. However, Frankie Donovan, a minor character in this book, is one of the main characters in the other series.

One of the cool things about this book is that there is not just one case on which Connie is working, and not all of them are connected. This is much more realistic toward actual police work, and is handled very well in this book. Characters are also very well developed. I really like the dichotomy and tension created for Connie by her being a cop but her family are mobsters. It adds a great touch, and gives her a lot of dynamism.

There is a lot of brutality in this book, of course, but it's about some very not-nice people—mobsters and drug dealers and serial killers—so that is really to be expected. However, sensitive readers should take note of my trigger warnings. This is not a pretty book.

That said, it is a highly enjoyable book for fans of suspense/thrillers. A Bullet for Dominic will be the next book in this series (Blood Flows South), scheduled for sometime in the next year. A novella is currently available, called Finding Family; it is a prequel outlining Dominic's youth. I definitely want to continue reading these books. An outstanding story, and a talented author.

Disclosure: I won this book in a giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Detective Connie Giannelli's life has been torn apart several times. First when her mother died and then years later when she found out her Uncle Dominic was in the mob. Her life is about to be shredded again, and this time it could destroy her.

Connie’s love of family and her badge are both threatened when an undercover drug bust leaves two cops dead and the drugs missing. Internal Affairs is looking for any excuse to take her badge, but she’s not worried about them finding the missing drugs—her secrets could prove to be far worse.

Now Connie’s racing against the clock to figure out who killed her partners and took the drugs—dirty cops or Uncle Dominic’s friends. And she has to do it before IA pins the whole damn thing on her.

Review: The River Within

The River Within by Baxter Clare Trautman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Please note: I read this book in June 2011 from a copy I received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis: “The River Within” focuses on the lives of Greer Madison – a war journalist who has covered the ‘Stan beat for decades and who was recently involved in a situation where she was seriously injured and a young woman, a photojournalist, who was with her was killed – and Darlene, Doug and Katie Richardson, whose son (Darlene and Doug) and brother (Katie) Christopher recently died while serving in the Middle East as a corpsman for a group of Marines. Darlene knows exactly how Christopher died, but refuses to tell Doug and Katie, and mourns Christopher with an obsessiveness that is driving the rest of her family away. Greer, by contacting the men that Christopher was serving with, has also discovered exactly how he died and tries repeatedly to get Darlene to tell her family the truth. The story is so much more than that, though – it is a poignant journey into the hearts and minds of a group of people who are grieving, for different reasons and in different ways, and by doing so are each cutting themselves off from those who might help them.

My Thoughts: I was amazed by how much I loved this book; I’m not normally one to enjoy something with so much pathos, but this story engaged me from the first page and refused to let me go. The characters are all accessible, even when behaving in a manner that made me what to smack them, and carefully crafted and drawn to create a bond between them and the reader. Baxter Clare Trautman has done an amazing job in creating a story that walks the fine line between hope and despair, growth and stagnation, and I believe that almost anyone would take something great from this story.

Characters: One thing I particularly liked is that such a variety of people are included in the story. Greer is a self-described lesbian; Katie’s best friend Anthony is gay; Darlene and Doug have distinctly different, but compatible, personalities. We never actually meet Christopher, but get to know him through his letters home, which are sprinkled throughout the book and which provide us a very accurate portrayal of his personality and how it has changed through his time in the Middle East.

Issues: The only problem I saw throughout the book was some issues with copy editing – there were a lot of instances of the misuse of “your/you’re” and possessives that should have been caught by a careful copy editor. This is, unfortunately, quite common among modern publishers and it is rare you find a book without these sorts of issues.

Recommendations: I highly recommend this book for anyone who can get their hands on it. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up – it’s a keeper!



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Review: Goldenland Past Dark

Goldenland Past Dark by Chandler Klang Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Dark speculative fiction
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of the journey
Trigger Warnings: murder, clowns

My Thoughts: I think this book would have been better if it had focused more on Dr. Show's circus. As it is, about halfway through the action jumps ahead five years and Webern and Nepenthe join another circus. A lot of the heart goes out of the story when that happens with the loss of so many characters with whom we had bonded.

Don't misunderstand, this is a well-written book, with great descriptions and well-developed characters. I just wasn't as engaged as I had hoped to be, and I really have no idea why other than what I mentioned above. I think people who enjoy the journey more than the destination will like this book well enough.

I really liked Bo-Bo. She was just such a character, and the scene with the coffin was hilarious (the first one, I mean). I would read an entire book just about Bo-Bo and her activities and adventures. Unfortunately she was a very minor part of the story.

I did wonder if a chimp would be capable of all the things that Marzipan does all the time, cooking and cleaning and knitting and so forth. I also had to wonder how old she was. It is mentioned that she is “graying,” but not how long she had lived with Bo-Bo. Chimpanzees can live up to 60 years in captivity, but often become aggressive as they age.

So, not a bad book. It made me think and I did quite enjoy several of the characters, but there was just something missing from it. Still, if it sounds like something you would like, check it out.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from ChiZine in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: A hostile stranger is hunting Dr. Show's ramshackle travelling circus across 1960s America. His target: the ringmaster himself. Struggling to elude the menace, Dr. Show scraps his ambitious itinerary, ticket sales plummet, and nothing but disaster looms. The troupe's unravelling hopes fall on their latest and most promising recruit, Webern Bell, a sixteen-year-old stunted hunchback devoted obsessively to perfecting the surreal clown performances that come to him in his dreams. But as they travel through a landscape of abandoned amusement parks and rural ghost towns, Webern's bizarre past starts to pursue him, as well. Along the way, we meet Nepenthe, the seductive Lizard Girl; Brunhilde, a shell-shocked bearded lady; Marzipan, a world-weary chimp; a cabal of drunken, backstabbing clowns; Webern's uncanny sisters, witchy dogcatchers who speak only in rhymes; and his childhood friend, Wags, who may or may not be imaginary, and whose motives are far more sinister than they seem.



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Review: The Book of Thomas: Volume One: Heaven

The Book of Thomas: Volume One: Heaven by Robert Boyczuk

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Dark Speculative Fiction
Reading Level: While the characters are MG to YA, this book is definitely written for adults
Recommended for: Fans of dark speculative fiction, those who like having a riddle to solve, philosophy, comparative religions, etc.
Trigger Warnings: rape (m/m, m/f), pedophilia, violence, bullying, killing

My Thoughts: The last book I read by Robert Boyczuk was one of only three books in my entire life to give me nightmares. So I had high expectations. This book surpassed them. On its surface it appears to be about the boy, Thomas, and his attempts to survive after his father is killed as a heretic. But if you pay attention, the story is much deeper. I don't want to spoil things, but when I had my epiphany I was so excited I started babbling like a crazy person about this book.

“It is not those who are unashamedly evil that we need fear the most, for their intentions are plain; rather, our fear should be reserved for those equivocators who would allow evil to flourish, and name it good so they might sleep better at night.”

As is often the case in this sort of story, religious authorities are shown to be thoroughly human and fallible, despite the dogma that says otherwise. The idea of this... world? Planet?... that is made up of 14 level of spheres one inside the other, from Heaven down to Hell, is interesting. I spent a lot of time early on in the book trying to figure out when it was set, because mention is made of Napoleon, Shakespeare, and city names that currently exist, but the population is much less, and the technology medieval at best, except for a few “magical” artifacts. I'll let you draw your own conclusions, but I have my suspicions about when and where this is taking place, and I can not wait for the next book in this series. Unfortunately there is no word on when that might be. To Robert Boyczuk I say, “Write! Write like the wind!” That is two series by this author that are on my must-read list for the future.

If you like dark speculative fiction, stories that give you riddles to solve, philosophical thoughts and theories on religions, you should enjoy this story. It is not a pretty world, and some fairly awful things happen to some of the characters, but it's a really good story. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel from ChiZine in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: "The mind is its own place and in itself, can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." — John Milton, Paradise Lost

In the beginning, the Church ruled all the Spheres of the Apostles. But that was millennia ago, before the origins of this massive, artificial realm were forgotten. Now, drought, plague and war afflict the Spheres that make up the world of Man, fragmenting society into antagonistic sects that carry out ruthless pogroms.

A young orphan, Thomas, is thrust into the midst of this upheaval and embarks on a journey to the highest of all Spheres, Heaven. As he struggles through his chaotic, crumbling world, Thomas witnesses cruelty and violence beyond measure—and chances upon unexpected moments of courage and self-sacrifice. In this turmoil, his belief becomes doubt as he is forced to make soul-rending choices between what his faith tells him he should do, and what he must do to survive.



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Review: Phoenix Angel

Phoenix Angel by Amanda Gerry

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: Fans of YA Fantasy
Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, assault, violence

My Thoughts: I'm a bit torn on this book. On the one hand, it is a really interesting idea, even though the reader doesn't really know what the idea is until the penultimate page. On the other hand, it is just so stereotypically YA with all the angst and drama and drama and angst that made me want to beat my head against the wall. I know that teenagers are prone to drama and angst, but for crying out loud, do we really need to be along for the whole ride? Then there are the characters...

Maggie is pretty unlikeable from the start. She is prickly and often cruel with a tendency to push everyone except Lily away. Yes, I understand, this one guy was mean to her three years ago; for crying out loud, move on! Lily, on the other hand, is too nice to be believed, and despite being in a school with hundreds of students she knows everyone, and has been Homecoming Queen since she was a Freshman? Seriously? In my school, only Seniors were eligible to be Homecoming or Prom Queen. Their characters are like caricatures of real people. Then there is Kyle. Why does he talk like a Southerner when he's from California? If he's so devoted to Maggie, why does he pull that bonehead move with Katie?

Then there is the cover. Why is there a weeping elf on the cover? There is not a single mention in the entire book of an elf. The actual Phoenix Angel is again not mentioned at all until the next to last page, in the epilogue, and then just a couple sentences that don't really explain much. Of course, this is the first book in a trilogy, but this book felt like mostly a build-up. I think quite a lot of the angst and drama could have been cut out and the story would have improved vastly.

Fans of YA fantasy will probably like this, and those who like YA romance also. I am ambivalent and probably will not read the rest of this series.

Disclosure: I received a copy from a representative of the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: What is happening to us? I’ve asked this question a thousand times, but there is no answer.

I was a normal teenager, trudging my way through senior year with my best friend. Then a boy named Kyle Spencer came to Idaho Falls, and since then everything has fallen apart. Something mysterious has passed among the three of us. We’ve developed terrifying abilities—strange powers that separate us from normal people.

Even worse, someone—or something—has taken a deadly interest in us. We never know when they are going to strike, or how to protect ourselves. We don’t even know who they are.

All we know is that they want one of us alive, and we don’t know who. The others they want dead.

Which will I be?



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@k_h_koehler #Review "The Devil's Companion: A Guide to Nick Englebrecht's World"

The Devil's Companion: A Guide to Nick Engelbrecht's World review
Author: K.H. Koehler
5 out of 5 stars

Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy companion guide
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of, or those interested in, this series.
Trigger Warnings: murder, necrophilia

My Thoughts: There is some really cool stuff in here for fans of the Nick Englebrecht series. The glossary is fairly basic, but would be a great reference to have on hand while reading. I was a bit disappointed that the link to the playlist was not clickable from the Cloud reader, nor could I copy and paste anything, but I imagine in a tablet it would work. The pictures scattered here and there are pretty cool.

The short story is seriously twisted as Nick tries to figure out who is murdering people by stealing their organs, cutting out the pieces while the person is still alive. It's pretty chilling stuff, but that's what the Nick Englebrecht stuff is all about.


The Q&A with Vivian is very cool. She expresses a lot of great ideas, and explains why she's so obsessed with Maleficent.

If you've read and enjoyed the Nick Englebrecht stories, this is a must-read. If you are interested in learning more, definitely grab this, since it gives the first three chapters of both books for you to test read. Great stuff!

Series Information: Nick Englebrecht series
Book 1: The Devil You Know, review linked here
Book 2: The Devil Dances, review linked here

Disclosure: I picked up a copy free on Amazon. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Before you read The Devil You Know, learn all you can about Nick Englebrecht's world of witches, demons and other nasty things that go bump in the night, including the different castes of angels, the shady characters that populate the town of Blackwater, and the cults striving to claim the Godhead for their own nefarious purposes.

The Devil's Companion includes:

• a full glossary of terms
• three chapters of The Devil You Know and its sequel, The Devil Dances
• a previously unpublished Nick Englebrecht short, "And Death Shall Have No Dominion" 
• a playlist where you can listen to the music that inspired the books
• beautiful, full-color artwork depicting the devil down through the ages
• a special introduction by Ramsey Campbell

Review: The Devil Dances

The Devil Dances by K.H Koeler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy (Fairly dark)
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of darker urban fantasy, the first book
Trigger Warnings: rape of young girls, threats of rape, killing, murder

My Thoughts: A year has passed since the events of the first book, when things go crazy for Nick again. When a young man dies in Nick's shop, and Nick suspects he is Amish, Nick and Vivian travel to the nearest Amish community—Zion—and search for answers. What they find... is way more than they expected.

“I realized then that my life had reached a new low. The Devil was sitting with me in a haunted grove, and I was sighing with relief, thankful that it wasn't something really scary.”

The cool thing about the Devil in these books is that he is really quite charming. Nick is also quite charming, and is just a person most of the time. There are some interesting theological thoughts in this book, such as the idea that Yahweh defeated all the Old Ones and took over Earth from them, and redecorated, basically, and also the idea that the Devil was made exactly the way he was supposed to, to serve a vital function.

I love the character development in these books. While they are all in first person, Nick is a trained observer, and he notices things about the other characters that allow us a glimpse into their lives. I just loved several of the Amish characters. This is not a typical Amish community, by the way; the Ordnung has some rather shocking differences from a normal community of the Plain Folk.

I really like this series. I also hope desperately that there will be more books, since there are a couple threads that still need to be tied up. There is no word as to if or when there will be more books, but I'll be watching. I really like this author's style, and she has several other books out, so I plan to go through and add more of her stuff to my collection. If you like darker urban fantasy with some fascinating theological ideas, then definitely check these books out.

Series Information: Nick Englebrecht series
Book 1: The Devil You Know, review linked here
Book 2: The Devil Dances
See also: The Devil's Companion: A Guide to Nick Englebrecht's World for more information about the Nick Englebrecht universe. Includes glossary, playlist, sample chapters from the books, full-color illustrations and more.

Disclosure: I received an e-galley from Curiosity Quills via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: “You want to know something about me? Something important? When I was a kid, I used to read a lot of comics. I watched all the TV shows. Hell, I wanted to be a superhero. Then one day I grew up, and I learned I wasn’t the Lone Ranger. I’m not Spider-Man or Captain-Fucking-Marvel. I’m not a good man, and I never will be. My name is Nicholas Englebrecht and I’m the heir to hell. I’m the Angel-breaker. I’m the goddamn son of the fucking devil and you should know that if you piss me off, things are going to go very bad for you…”

Nick Englebrecht is lured to a strange, isolated Amish colony by the mysterious death of a nameless young man. It’s supposed to be a simple enough investigation. Find the kid’s family. Find out what happened to him. But when you’re the devil’s kid, with angels and demons gunning for you at every turn, things have a habit of turning bad fast. Before Nick knows it, he’s up to his ass in bodies, femme fatales, and ancient, bloodthirsty gods with a taste for human flesh.



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@CynthiaEHansen & @LadyReaderStuff #Cover Reveal "It's a Shame" C.E. Hansen

Title: IT’S A SHAME (Blood and Tears, #2)

Author: C.E. Hansen

Expected Release Date: November 11, 2013 

Genre: Contemp | Suspense | Romance

Grace and Cole were trying to put the pieces of their broken lives back in place, working towards a future together. It seems as though things were just starting to get back to normal. Well, as normal as things could be for the survivors of a twisted serial killer.

What they did not know, what neither of them expected, was that their nightmare was just beginning. They were about to be pulled back into the clutches of a madman, but this time, they weren't the only potential victims.

Was their love strong enough to get them through the next disaster? Do they have what it takes to stay together, or is what’s lurking around the corner too much for them both?   

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C.E. wrote her first romance novel at age fourteen when she discovered writing about boys and girls was much easier than actually having a relationship of her own. Since that time, her relationship skills have not improved, but she likes to think her writing has. After earning an associate’s degree in literature from WC, she worked in a bus company, a law office and a wine and gourmet food Shoppe. But she never abandoned writing.

She now lives in New Jersey with her husband and Maltese Zoe. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to chocolate.

C.E. Hansen's debut novel IT'S A CRIME will be released May 2013, her follow up novel IT'S A SHAME, will be released November 11, 2013. If you want to read more posts like this one or follow her insane journey to debut author hood, you can find her here...indulging in her passions...whether they be writing, or eating chocolate...

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