karlakayjenniges's reviews
819 reviews

DARK TALES by J.D. Allen

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

 "It's scary to think just how quickly a person can become all alone in the world."

 Grotesque body horror, love and loss, death and grief, the living, and the dead, all wrapped up in this compilation of four novellas of the dark and macabre. 

All four stories are so descriptive it scintillates the senses of the mind and heart. Taking us to the dark places of the imagination. 

A doctor that only wanted to complete his daughter once again, but nothing happened as he had planned it. But a sadistic nurse tries to fulfill his wishes to complete the family once again. Creepy vibes similar to The Modern Prometheus.

An analogy depicting the loss of family members and dear loved ones as they drift away. 

A witches curse exacting revenge upon the town of Luna Vista. 

When a man loses his greatest loves, his wife and daughter, his grief is impalpable, but a creepy doll takes him on a journey of an even darker discovery. 

Every one of these stories did not disappoint my horror loving heart. I found myself excited with the anticipation of being able to continue reading every chance I could! The stories brought to my mind the Outer Limits, one of my absolute favorite television series!

This is one I am going to be adding to my top reads of 2024! 

Glass Wings by Elle Kaelee

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

 "All the love that flows from this world is nothing in comparison to how I feel about you."

Set in Ancient Rome, 47 B.C. This is where we are introduced to the Kinnari. Seven ancient immortals with wings of flight. Magical and mystical, they are protectors of the realm of Earth and the realm of Myrilosis where they preside. 

The Vrae are the enemy of the Kinnari. Known as Vampires/Demons, they feed on the flesh of their enemies. 

 
Set in Sacramento, California, in the early 2000s we are introduced to Hadley. Young, naive, and all alone. Struggling to make ends meet and simply survive in a world filled with so much that is unknown. As she takes on a job to earn the money she needs, she has no idea that she has now put her life at significant risk. 

 

As the plot thickens, a battle of revenge and survival has now begun. For the Kinnari, the Vrae, and for Hadley. She learns where she truly has come from and who she truly is. 

 

"Then, she realized that she wasn't the victim. She was the victor who would rise from the ashes after dragon flame burned down everything. Her glass wings would scorch her path with the sun magnifying heat through them."

 

With totally unique characters and a mythical world, this is a dark fantasy like no other. 

 

Two timelines, two realms. Winged immortals, demons, and humans together as their lives are now out of balance, they will do all they can to protect their own. 

 

With book two being released soon, it will be interesting to learn more about the characters and their mythical world. What will they decide and what will Hadley decide? Will they be strong together or will they meet their demise? Will their world fall apart? Will earth survive its plight? These are questions that need answering!

 

As a debut novel, the author did a fine job at writing. It is a bit raw, but there is beautiful prose and a unique world. Love, heartbreak, death, and betrayal. 

 

Try it if you are a fan of dark fantasy. I am looking forward to seeing the journey unfold in book two. 

**A very kind thank you to Nicole Kincaid PA and Elle Kaelee for a complimentary copy, it is very much appreciated!

The Forgotten (The Corner of Her Eye Book 3) by J.J. Carpenter

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 "It was dark, again, like it so often was in the dream."

Charlie's journey continues as she is pulled into the spirit world. She is learning more about herself and the various spirits in the realm beyond. There are much darker spirits than her previous encounters. Much more malevolent and harmful, not only to Charlie, but also to her dearest friends. 

The "Blacks". The lost, unrested souls. Forever seeking that which was promised and the only way that will provide peace. "The stormy blasts of hell with restless fury drives them on." The souls are unbalanced, and Charlie must figure out why to be able to lead them to be balanced once again. "Grief flowed in waves, but not just sadness. Loss, anger, betrayal---despair."

 

"The Forgotten"

 

Enter Raff, a guide of spirits that live in purgatory. The "Blacks." Together, Charlie and Raff must work together to stop the vicious attacks upon Charlie's treasured friend, Tess.

 

They must restore balance, they have no choice, but will they be able to?

 

As with the first two books in this series, this one is just as fabulous. Each has its own focus on the distinct characters, spirits, and settings. Settings throughout Australia along with its rich history. 

 

This one is deeper and darker because of the malevolence of the spirits and the dark realm they preside in. The backstory that causes the spirits to be filled with grief and anger is filled with betrayal and sadness. 

 

I very much enjoyed reading the diary entries set into the story,1909, forbidden love, lost love, death, and despair. 

 

I love this series so much! The characters, the friendships, the history, and the darkness of spirit realms. Finding out why the souls are lost and how Charlie, as a keeper, must restore the balance or there will be even more dire consequences. Keeps me on edge and crossing my fingers as the books open up a whole new world!

 

As a debut author, beginning with "The Keeper: The Corner of Her Eye (Book 1)", I highly recommend reading all of these. J.J. is an author to keep an eye on, her writing is exceptional! I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

"Je t'aimerai pour toujours." 

Mischief Night Massacre by Jason Parent

adventurous medium-paced

4.0

 "We all go a little mad sometimes."

Halloween, a night of mischief, shenanigans, and diabolical scares!

What better time to read a Halloween themed book of short stories than in Spooky October!

Step in and visit a house of horrors, take a late-night walk with a war veteran out for a drink on the Dia De Los Muertos, bullies beware, be careful who you choose to pick on, you may run into a blood sucking creature and receive deadly consequences for your deplorable actions, after all it is All Hallows Eve when the spirits and monsters are restless. 

A robbery gone wrong when the owners are so very welcoming. Scary stories shared while out for tricks and treats in Orlando where Halloween just does not feel quite right. 

What could be worse than severe weather on Halloween night? The night children are excited for, all dressed up in their special costumes, ready to go, finding out they cannot... so extremely disappointed. Dad steps in to try to save the night for his two boys, giving them candy and telling them a scary story. Is it real? or just a terrifying story to scare them?

Do you want to punish a cheating husband? Just take him to Frightmare to exact your revenge! Honestly, no one will ever know! A spooky carnival ride, Woo-hoo! Fantastic way to celebrate or not for everyone, join the fun and find out!

Everyone is ready for a great party, music, drinking, and lots of scares. No one expected it to turn into a bloody bash!

Please do not go deep into the woods on Halloween Night! You may not make it out alive!

Monsters galore, haunted houses and carnival rides, bloody nights, spooky tricks, and treats. Settle in and find the delights within Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween! 

Leave the lights on!! 

Night of the Witch (Crooked Tales Book 2) by Chris Harrison

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

"But as the great Sherlock Holmes often says: when you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

The Crooked house is ever daunting. The souls within stirring and haunting. It continues to unleash its wickedness that lies within. This time a malevolent soul, an ancient witch even more sinister of all that came before. Hunting for the soul of the one that is desired. A force so evil it takes the strong might of all to overcome its wrath. The mystery of "The Crooked House" and its haunted rooms continues to reveal its dark and sinister secrets. The Night of the Witch has begun.

"In the shadows of the past a witch's curse is reborn..."

Meridia's visions are becoming stronger and frightening. She sees that which is occurring and what is to come if she and her friends do not stand strong and fight for their very souls. The events that pull them into the darkness of all that has happened in the past and of that which is yet to come is far more frightening than what they have already battled. Peter, Meridia, Izzy, Kane, JJ, and Zach and their new friend, Father Alexander must solve the mystery of why the witch has appeared and who she is. 

Continuing from the first book The Rising, we learn so much more about the characters. each of them has their own strengths and endearing qualities. Even through the most challenging times, they are a strong unit. They must trust each other to make the right decisions to protect each other. To overcome the evil that has entered their world. What they come upon as they search for answers is pure corruption and black as pitch. So much sadness and truly fear inducing.  

The imagery is so descriptive and unsettling as it gives glimpses into futuristic desolation and into the darkest evil places. Night of the Witch is disturbing and chilling as the horrors are much more sinister, and the witch is malefic and hostile.

Leaving us with an open ending, building up the anticipation of what is yet to come in the next installment of this series, I can only imagine what kind of horrors, thrills, and chills there will be. 

Chris Harrison is truly gifted and one to keep an eye on as he continues to give us exciting and horrifying stories!

Truly thankful to Chris and Wicked Ink Publishing for the complimentary e-ARC! 

The Aggregate by G. Owen Wears

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

 "You assume that the building blocks of life have a sense of morality, that your genes share your ideas of right and wrong. All life is selfish, Lucy Ashwood. There is no virtue in the face of extinction."

MontVida is a vast corporation that controls the majority of land. They have implemented their genetic hybrids to produce super crops, but in the process, they have banned farmers from using their patents. It has caused farmers to do everything in their power to protect their farms from having any crossovers. Filtering, green housing, and fencing. The work is hard, the earth is dry, and the food is sparse. 

MontVida have come to the farm of the Ashwoods, blaming them for violations of their genetic patents. The Ashwoods fight back, and the result ends in blood and death. It also ends life for the Ashwoods as events only continue to get worse and it becomes the downfall of their existence. 

The Ashwoods reach out for help from the Aggregate, notorious for their crimes against MontVida, they have no respect for life and once called upon, you owe them your life. They will stop at nothing to earn their comeuppance. Their goal is to destroy!

Amongst the chaos and death, there is something sinister occurring. There are whispers, voices on the wind, and in the trees the cicadas drone their music upon the ears that hear. It speaks though Wilbur, Lucy Ashwoods Eurasian Boar. She must listen and heed the warnings.  All of life is hanging in the balance of this malevolent being. 

There is a lot that occurs throughout this story. World building and character development, deceit of characters that stay a bit obscured behind the scenes, the cosmic anomaly that causes a mass destruction, their goal to preserve their own existence, and many horrific deaths.

A mix of crime noir, cosmic horror, fantasy, dystopian, and speculative fiction. This takes us on a journey of disturbing imagery and grotesque monstrosities.   

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book as it kept me quite intrigued!

**A very kind thank you goes out to Mar at TBM Horror for sending me complimentary copy, much appreciated! 

Backwaters: 12 Murky Tales by Lee Rozelle

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 "This whole world is catfishing."

Tallapoochee, where the backwaters run murky and sludgy. Filled with toxins that turns anyone who encounters the waters into monstrous atrocities. Abhorrent anomalies and deformities occur, producing bodies with things that dingle and dangle, putrescent, putrid, and pungent. 

The river cult are the worshipers of the murky waters, recruiting others to their cause. 

Scientists creating uncanny, humanoid creatures.

Many minds falling into madness. 

And bugs, lots of bugs! Interesting bugs, but bugs! 

These quirky tales take us into the deep south of Alabama. The characters are telling stories of their bizarre transformations and encounters with the strange and unusual. Each of the stories are interconnected which makes it cohesive but each of the scenes give us different viewpoints for each setting and character. 

Backwaters is unlike any book I have ever read. I have read many other bizarre books, but this one takes the cake. Truly creative and imaginative! I had to give it all the stars because of the originality. Creatures galore, body horror, disturbing descriptions of unnatural occurrences, offbeat twists, and even a little kink. 

If you are a fan of bizarro, sci-fi, horror, and uncanny tales, then you will most likely enjoy this one! 

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

fast-paced

5.0

The Road by JJ Carpenter

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 "La vie, c'est comme une bicyclette, il faut advancer pour ne pas perdre l'equilibre."

Charlie has returned to continue her journey as a keeper of the spirits. The mysteries of the spirits become deeper as Charlie must discover more of how to keep the balance. Her encounters begin again as she was taken to the Old Great North Road. A road built by convicts by hand all while shackled. The task was laborious and dangerous. They were treated poorly, often beaten, and starved.
Their spirits linger, tethered to their past, unsettled, and pained. Charlie must figure out who they are and free them so at last they may be at peace. The effects on Charlie are weakening her strength and she is pulled into the dream more often. She must use all of her strength to stay tethered to her friend and the outside world or become lost in the dream world.

The spirits continue to connect to Charlie much more often which has caused her to solve more than one mystery at a time. It has her questioning the connection and the encounters of certain spirits of which she is not familiar. She must protect the balance, for if she fails, it will cause much worse to occur putting her in more danger and possibly the lives of her dearest friends.

Steeped in the deep history of the Old Great North Road and Australia's First Nation People, the story brings us on a dark journey of mystery and pain. The corruption of the corrections treating the convicts as life with no value, overworked, beaten, starved, scourged, and often put to death by hanging. 

Taken back during a time of unrest added a foreboding atmosphere, but also a richness into the history of Australia.

As Charlie delves deeper into the mysteries, the loss and pain can be felt deeply as it unsettles the heart and soul. Emotionally felt moments causing me to take some time to pause and reflect. But there is so much more. Deepened friendships, love, trust, and protection. 

Charlie is a character that is most intriguing as her story is unique and takes us into places of the unknown. It sparks the imagination and stirs the curiosity. 

I have enjoyed book one and book two and I am quite looking forward to book three! 

Words Made Of Flesh by R.A. Busby

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 "You have chosen this book, but you see...it might just choose you back."

This is a story about an insidious book. A book where words come to life upon the page and must always be preserved, for if not, the consequences may be catastrophic. George Burgess is in possession of this book, and it is now his duty to pass it on to another. 

Harrison is the chosen receiver of this book to protect and preserve. As he sits and listens to George's story, he learns the truth of the horrors of what lies within, and the haunted life of his dear friend. 

Set in 1899, the atmosphere sets us into old Victorian homes and old book shops where the most coveted books fill the shelves. Candlelight gatherings among friends sharing dark stories. It's a haunting tale of forbidden love, and hidden secrets. An abusive relationship between father and child that lingers deep within. But, as with all books, secrets are revealed and the words come to life within our minds and our hearts. 

The prose is stunning and thought provoking. I often returned to many passages and pondered upon the affect that it was having, yearning for more. Not a story to be rushed through for every detail leads us through a whole experience. It unsettles and stirs the heart and soul. 

Beautifully haunting! 

Highly recommended as it has all the reasons that we love books and reading. How important the written word is and how we hunger for the stories. How the words written upon the pages live on forever.

"Books are hungry things. They yearn for our attention, demanding we sit for hours and hallucinate a shared dream. Despite the separation of cultures and centuries, the minds of the writer and reader are fused through the words."

**My thanks and appreciation for the complimentary advanced readers copy from Cemetery Gates Media.