Popping in to say...

OMGosh, I just realised that it's been quite a while since I last posted something that wasn't a book review.

So, here I am! ☺️

How are you? How's July treating you? What's new? Anything exciting happening in your life at the moment?

I have to admit that in some ways, this month hasn't been the best. Well, some things have been great because spending time with my husband, and going on suburban adventures with him, is always fun and exciting. Not to mention that July is my birthday month. And we got a new fancy washing machine!

We've also been watching The Boys (great finale), Evil, and discovered some 90s episodes of Columbo on Prime! Which are totally addictive. 😅🔍

Winter has hit really hard, which I don't like. I can't wait for the longer days to come back...

Between the stress of routine health checks and what happened online, I've been dealing with a lot of stuff.

Anyway, I don't want to get into the nitty-gritty details because if you're on social media you probably already know what happened, but a bunch of my books are no longer published/coming soon. If you've taken a look around my website you probably already noticed.

And I'm once again really sorry if you pre-ordered Wings of Sorrow because it wasn't released as previously scheduled. 

Yep. I now have a bunch of homeless horror stories, but that's okay. I think my hard drive is the best place for them at the moment.

Although it's taken me weeks to clear my head enough to really deal with what happened, I'm finally ready to think about what to do next. I have to admit that the experience has been hard on my mental health, has left me with some trust issues, and a lot of disappointment. It's funny (weird, not haha) how situations like this can bring out the worst or best in people. And I've taken note because I don't forget gaslighting or being tossed aside for no reason. 🫤

But I'm not here to dwell on any of the uncomfortable things I've gone through lately because the routine tests came back good, and I had a great meeting with my Film/TV agent the other day. 

I just want to move on from all the other stuff. It's time to think about the future.

Well, that's it. Just thought I'd pop in and say a few things about how the last two turbulent months have affected me. And I also want to say that I'll keep you posted on what's next for my stories.

Watch this space. ☺️

Thanks for reading and have an awesome day!

MISTRESS OF ALL EVIL by Serena Valentino

Mistress of All Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy (Disney Villains 4) by Serena Valentino
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yesterday I tried to read the third book in this series and unfortunately DNFd it halfway through, but I still decided to give this one (the fourth) a go.

Maleficent is often called the Dark Fairy, the Mistress of All Evil. Yet, there's a lot more to her story. Starting with the reason why she cursed an innocent princess and is determined to destroy everything...

Well, this turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed it! I liked the portrayal of Maleficent in this dark fairy tale, and actually didn't mind all of the other characters either. I liked the explanation for her actions, and how she's misunderstood by everyone because they refuse to see things through her perspective.

The daughter angle was an unexpected surprise that adds a whole new level of emotion and motivation to a character who's so often shown as a one-dimensional villainous caricature.

I'm intrigued by the Odd Sisters, and although it made sense, the ending annoyed me.

Also, this reminds me that I need to watch the movies.


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THREADS OF ASH: SOUTH by S.H. Cooper

Threads of Ash: South by S.H. Cooper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've wanted to read this book for a while now, and picked it up last night because I couldn't wait any longer. 😁

Yaveta has lost everyone and everything that mattered to her because of the weeping blight. So when a warrior called Wulfren saves her life, she decides to go with him on an adventure across a devastated world that provides more questions than answers...

Wow. What an awesome dark fantasy tale this turned out to be. It's got the right combination of fantasy and horror. Plus the worldbuilding is intriguing, and the writing is wonderful. It's set in a dangerous, but lovely, place that constantly surprised me and kept me glued to the page.

I really liked Yaveta, a young woman who's been through so much she doesn't realize she's strong at heart and might. Wulfren is a brooding big guy who hides behind his strength and isn't prepared to deal with someone like Yaveta. And together, they make an odd but great pair. Also, I love Svir! So cute.

Well, I enjoyed everything about this fast-paced, interesting book that has a bit of everything. Including some great body horror and plenty of gore.

Can't wait for the next book!


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INSOMNIA by Sarah Pinborough

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I picked this up because Sarah Pinborough never lets me down.

Emma Averell is a busy woman. She's got a career and two children. Luckily, her husband stays home to look after the kids and the house. But that all changes when her fortieth birthday draws near, and both her mother and sister return to her life. Now she's losing time and sleep...

Wow. What an awesome, twisty story!

As expected, this book hooked me from the very beginning. I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Especially since so much of Emma's POV is riddled with paranoia and disorientation.

This author has such an addictive way of sucking the reader into the seemingly average lives of people who slowly reveal that they aren't that normal at all. And instead, are riddled with complications, secrets and so many issues.

I knew there would be a twist, so when it hit: 😳! Absolutely loved it. Yikes.

And one last thing, this story is nerve-wracking pretty much all the way through, but the second half kept me on the edge of my seat.


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RED by Daniel Lorn

Red: A Horror Novella by Daniel Lorn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This week I've had a bit of a hard time engaging with every book that I started on my Paperwhite, so I was really excited when I started reading this and couldn't put it down.

It's the festive season but this guy doesn't have anything to celebrate. Especially when his marriage is going to shit and his job is pretty much done...

Yikes. This is an unsettling story about a man who doesn't feel very festive. Not when his life is falling apart, his troubled past is catching up with him, and his mind has decided to break.

My favourite part about this tale is how ambiguous everything is. At first, I was convinced I'd just met a creature of the night. But as the events moved along and I fell deeper into the character's head, I started to doubt that. Maybe I was spending time with a serial killer. Or a simple man desperate for revenge. By the time I got to the end of this violent but excellent story, I realised it could be all of those things. Or none of them.

Yes, that's the beauty of this story with such a cool cover.

But I'm certain about two things: the writing style was as lovely as it was brutal, and I felt a lot of sadness for what this man endured as a child.

Seriously great novella!!

 

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