My Favorite Books of 2019

This one is for those who love to read. (My Top Twenty Books of the Year - the first ten were published this year; the last ten were published prior to this year, but I read them this year. Several of these are Novellas, hence there being twenty. Not all of these are horror, but should be enjoyed by anyone who loves different genres.)

In alphabetical order:

(Published in 2019)

1. Hateful Things (Book 2 in the Children of D'Hara series) by Terry Goodkind 

2. The Institute by Stephen King 

3. Island of the Flesh Eaters by Thomas S. Flowers 

4. The Line Between by Tosca Lee 

5. The Pandora Room by Christopher Golden 

6. Resurrection Man by Franklin E. Wales 

7. The Scribbly Man (Book 1 in the Children of D'Hara series) by Terry Goodkind 

8. The Sky People by Terry Goodkind 

9. Wanderers by Chuck Wendig 

10. Wasteland (Book 3 in the Children of D'Hara series) by Terry Goodkind 

Honorable Mentions:

(Published prior to this year)

1. The Black Echo by Michael Connelly 

2. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King 

3. *Flashback by Dan Simmons 

4. The Midnight, Texas Trilogy (Midnight Crossroad, Day Shift, and Night Shift) by Charlaine Harris 

5. Night Fall (Book 3 in the John Corey series) by Nelson DeMille 

6. Pushing Brilliance by Tim Tigner 

7. The Risen by David Anthony Durham 

8. Rough Trade by Todd Robinson 

9. Siege of Stone (Book 3 in the Nicci Chronicles) by Terry Goodkind 

10. Vine in the Fire by Stephen J. Semones 

So there you have my top favorite [22] books that I read this year. If I were to choose an absolute favorite, it would be Dan Simmons' Flashback as Best Book of the Year.

My Top 10 Favorite Films of 2019

These are my Top Ten Favorite Films of 2019, listed in alphabetical order:

1. Brightburn 

2. Doctor Sleep 

3. Joker 

4. Knives Out 

5. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 

6. Ready or Not 

7. Rust Creek 

8. Terminator 6: Dark Date 

9. Trespassers 

10. Zombieland 2: Double-Tap 

Honorable Mentions: 

(these were not released in 2019, but I watched them for the first time, this year)

1. The Clovehitch Killer 

2. Heavy Trip 

3. Christine (2016)

My least favorite films of 2019 were: (shockingly both remakes)

1. Child's Play 

2. Pet Sematary 

My Bottom 3 [Unfinished] Books of 2019

Before I get to my favorite books that I've read this year, I am first going to leave you with my bottom three. I had high hopes for these books, after hearing great things about them, but I am at the point now where there are too many books to read, and I do not want to waste time reading ones that I am not enjoying. So, without further adieu, these three books I started but did not finish:

1. God Bomb by Kit Power

I read the first seven chapters (50 pages) of this one before calling it quits. I just wasn't invested in any of the characters.

2. A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

I read the first nine chapters (56 pages) of this one before stopping. I just couldn't get into it.

3. Starfish by Peter Watts

I read the first five chapters (64 pages) of this one. This one, I just may not have been in the right frame of mind for, at the time. I may go back to this one at a future date. . .

If you have read any of the above three books and enjoyed them, I am happy for you. They just weren't for me. If you haven't read any of these books, and they sound interesting to you, give them a shot, hopefully you will enjoy them more than I did.

Note: None of these books were published this year. I just started reading them this year.

If It Bleeds

This one is a short (90-pages) novella. I was completely sucked into this story. Dawson is really good with his use of metaphors and has written a unique fast-paced story. If you have ever seen the movie Christine (the true story of a TV reporter in the 70's) then you know that movie talks about our obsession with violence. Dawson continues that same theme with this story.

4/5 Skulls

Here is the book's synopsis:

"Moses Mayborne has a steady job in TV news, despite a horrible accident years prior that took the life of a co-worker. Just as his wife, a reporter named Sheila, has given birth to their first child, his boss gives him an opportunity to become a photojournalist. Moses accepts, for his baby son’s future, and to help erase the brutal memory of his past misjudgment.

As Moses scours the city for news, he notices a change in the city’s residents; they’ve become colder, and more prone to violence. He witnesses cannibalism, suicide, and lack of empathy for a dying woman. He sees wild dogs roaming the streets with fangs bared and evil in their eyes. When he pays a visit to a friend who is debilitated by self-mutilation, he begins to understand the connection between the growing mania and the TV station where he works. He fears for himself, his family, and the world.

Guided by the ghosts of his past, Moses dodges the deadly rampages of a savage city in a desperate search for his loved ones. When he finds them, he comes face to face with the evil, and the reality: We are what we see."

Doctor Sleep [Book Review]

Generally, I prefer to read the book before the movie. I bought Doctor Sleep, when it was first released, with the intention of re-reading The Shining and then delving into Doctor Sleep. It didn't work out that way though. Before I knew it, the movie was released, and I decided to go ahead and watch the movie first.

Aside from slight character casting, this book has got to be one of the most faithful book-to-movie adaptations that I have ever read. Of course, you cannot fit everything in a 500+ page novel into a two-and-a-half hour runtime, but Mike Flanagan did a superb job with his screenplay, cutting certain characters and plot points to better streamline his film. (One of the storylines that Flanagan decided to cut left a welcome surprise revelation in the book that I was happy about.)

Needless to say, if you enjoyed the movie, you will definitely enjoy the book, and if you haven't seen the movie yet, this is one of King's fastest paced novels.

5/5 Skulls

Hollow Heart: A Horror Novella

I am a big fan of Crystal Lake Publishing. You can pretty much randomly pick any book out of their library and know that you are going to enjoy it. 

With that said, Hollow Heart was a bit of a misfire for me. I love small town/cosmic horror stories, but I just wasn't invested in the characters in this story (except for Mary, maybe). 

Aside from the disconnection, Ben Eads writing was on point. His style sparks the imagination, and he was able to hold my attention as my curiosity (to what was going on - snow/redwood trees in Florida, a mysterious letter, power outages, vanishing roads, etc) never diminished.

3/5 Skulls

Here is the book's synopsis:

"Welcome to Shady Hills, Florida, where death is the beginning and pain is the only true Art…

Harold Stoe was a proud Marine until an insurgent’s bullet relegated him to a wheelchair. Now the only things he’s proud of are quitting alcohol and raising his sixteen-year-old son, Dale.

But there is an infernal rhythm, beating like a diseased heart from the hollow behind his home. An aberration known as The Architect has finished his masterpiece: A god which slumbers beneath the hollow, hell-bent on changing the world into its own image.

As the body count rises and the neighborhood residents change into mindless, shambling horrors, Harold and his former lover, Mary, begin their harrowing journey into the world within the hollow. If they fail, the hollow will expand to infinity. Every living being will be stripped of flesh and muscle, their nerves wrapped tightly around ribcages, so The Architect can play his sick music through them loud enough to swallow what gives them life: The last vestiges of a dying star."

Resurrection Man

My favorite independent horror author, Franklin E. Wales, has just released a new novella titled Resurrection Man, available in paperback as well as digital. All bias aside, this one will, most-likely, get my vote for "Best Novella of the Year".

It is a story told in first-person (from a Pathologist's point-of-view) with a hard-boiled detective feel to it. Due to its size (under 120 pages) I do not want to give anything else away, though I will tell you that I absolutely love the Epilogue to this story! (It would make for a killer Pilot/TV series!)

Here is the book's synopsis:

"For two hundred years, pastors of unknown origins have set up tent revivals on the outskirts of small towns, preaching their messages of salvation and healing. Are they really seeking to save your soul? Are they hustlers who just want your money? Or, is it something even more sinister? Although he’d attended many such revivals as a child, city morgue pathologist Cornelius never gave it much thought… until the dead woman on his table spoke to him."

5/5 Skulls

P. S. If you are unfamiliar with Wales' work, he is a master story teller! I have read every single one of his books, and NONE disappoint!

When Bane Flowers Bloom [a Bane County Short Story]

If you have thus far enjoyed the first three books in the Bane County series, then you will be happy to know that author J. R. Rice has just released a new short story to help hold us over until Book 4's release. 

This short story takes place during the 3rd book (and also references back to the 1st book). In Book 3, if you wondered what the deal was with the abandoned red car, then this story explains what happened, (with Rice's signature expertise on ratcheting the tension throughout) while also surprising you with a twist ending that introduces a mysterious cult(?) into the Bane County mythos. 

I am definitely looking forward to Book 4's release!

4/5 Skulls

Pushing Brilliance

Pushing Brilliance is Book 1 in the Kyle Achilles series. Here is the book's synopsis:

Some people are naturally brilliant, others have to buy it. What would you pay, to be one in a million?

Framed for murder and on the run, former Olympic biathlete Kyle Achilles is also in the crosshairs of assassins' guns. Why? He has no idea. He's fighting blind against two master strategists and one extraordinary invention -- known as Brillyanc.

Achilles' only ally is the other prime suspect, a beautiful Russian mathematician who is either the best or worst person to ever enter his life. Katya was engaged to Achilles' brother -- before he died.

Chasing clues while dodging bullets, Achilles and Katya race around the globe, uncovering a conspiracy conceived in Moscow, born in Silicon Valley, and destined to demolish both the White House and the Kremlin. Along the way a lost soul finds purpose, a broken heart confronts forbidden love, and America gains a new hero.

Packed with heart-stopping surprises, paced by razor-sharp plotting, and populated with richly rendered characters, Pushing Brilliance will leave you breathless and longing for more.

This author/book was recommended to me by my parents, and I was not disappointed! The characters are well developed, and the plot is fast-paced - one of those books that reads like a movie playing in your head. What I loved most about this book is the learning aspect gleaned in certain situations. (You will understand once you read the book. You see, Tigner writes from personal knowledge/experience.) Here is a synopsis on the author himself:

International Bestselling Author Tim Tigner began his career in Soviet Counterintelligence with the US Army Special Forces, the Green Berets. That was back in the Cold War days when, "We learned Russian so you didn't have to," something he did at the Presidio of Monterey alongside Recon Marines and Navy SEALs.

With the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tim switched from espionage to arbitrage. Armed with a Wharton MBA rather than a Colt M16, he moved to Moscow in the midst of Perestroika. There, he led prominent multinational medical companies, worked with cosmonauts on the MIR Space Station (from Earth, alas) chaired the Association of International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, and helped write Russia's first law on healthcare.

Moving to Brussels during the formation of the EU, Tim ran Europe, Middle East, and Africa for a Johnson & Johnson company and traveled like a character in a Robert Ludlum novel. He eventually landed in Silicon Valley, where he launched new medical technologies as a startup CEO.

Intent on combining his creativity with his experience, Tim began writing thrillers in 1996 from an apartment overlooking Moscow's Gorky Park. Twenty years later, his passion for creative writing continues to grow every day. His home office now overlooks a vineyard in Northern California, where he lives with his wife Elena and their two daughters.

Is that impressive or what?!?

Needless to say, I will definitely be reading the other books in this series as well as any other books written by Tigner, and I recommend that you do the same.

5/5 Skulls

Wasteland [Children of D'Hara: "Episode" 3]

My brain is in turmoil right now. . .

I generally sleep like a rock, however after I finished this book, around midnight last night, I just could not fall asleep! I kept tossing and turning, knowing that I have to wait another three months for Book 4 to be released, and to see the resolution to this book's horrifying cliffhanger.

Richard has been in some bad places before, but nothing like the situation he is in now! Goodkind is a master of his craft!

The good news is that these novellas keep increasing in size (this one is 233 pages). The bad news, like I stated above, is that after an already horrendous event, the end of this one will leave you winded from the brutal gut-punch that Goodkind delivers! And Book 4 is not scheduled to be released until January 6th. (I seriously recommend waiting to read this one, closer to that date, so you will not have an agonizing wait!)

All I will say about this one, is that this is one of Goodkind's absolute best! (hands down the best of this novella series) The title of this book is deceiving, in that the Wasteland is not what you expect/imagine.

The book begins with Richard & Kahlan preparing to leave the People's Palace (where they have been under constant siege from the Golden Goddess) and travelling to the Wizard's Keep in hopes that they will be safer there. (Kahlan is unable to travel through the Sliph due to her pregnancy...)

Before they can head out though, Goodkind introduces yet another new villain - Moravaska "the Butcher" Michec - a Warlock.  (If you thought that Emperor Jagang "the mad dream walker" was bad, you haven't yet met Michec!)

5+ Skulls

The Institute

While not as good as last year's The Outsider (in my opinion), this is still an extremely enjoyable read. I have given my youngest daughter (15) permission to read it next, as she is a huge fan of Stranger Things. (One can imagine Eleven being a character in the Institute.) Before I give you the synopsis, let me leave you with my favorite line in the book (actually stated twice). "Great events turn on small hinges."

Here is the book's synopsis:

In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents—telekinesis and telepathy—who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, “like the roach motel,” Kalisha says. “You check in, but you don’t check out.”

In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extranormal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along, you get tokens for the vending machines. If you don’t, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute.

As psychically terrifying as Firestarter, and with the spectacular kid power of It, The Institute is Stephen King’s gut-wrenchingly dramatic story of good vs. evil in a world where the good guys don’t always win.

5/5 Skulls

Rambo 5: Last Blood

While Last Blood is the best title choice, the title could easily have been Rambo: Excessive Blood.

Now, don't misunderstand me, I am a die-hard fan of Rambo, but this film is so over-the-top in its graphic violence, it comes across as a bit absurd. I felt as if I were watching a Slasher film (think Jason Vorhees with Rambo's training...). In fact, I have seen quite a few slasher flicks with less blood & gore than this movie.

I am not really sure why the film went the ultra-violent route. I guess the franchise just wanted to go out with an overall body count that will be difficult to beat?

Still, it was great seeing Stallone back in character. There were several times I had a huge grin on my face, from some great one liners to simply watching Rambo struggle with attempting to hold his rage back. Once he lets go though, boy do the flood gates open. There is a solid 10-minutes of kill after kill after kill, part of which is set to a Doors song. (I will never be able to listen to that song again without thinking of the tunnel scene in this movie.)

3/5 Skulls

Vine in the Fire

I love discovering a new author, who immediately becomes one of your favorites. Such is the case with Stephen J. Semones. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Semones at a local horror convention, a few weeks ago. He is a super friendly guy, and I ended up buying quite a few of his books, on the spot, as he writes in multiple genres. I took a gamble doing this (I have been disappointed before), but I had a feeling about Semones and that feeling has paid-off ten-fold!

I was actually going to start off reading another of Semones' books titled Gloom (an action/crime drama), but that book is the start of a series (currently 5 books in, with the 6th soon to be released - I bought the first 3). Stephen King's new book comes out tomorrow, so I knew I didn't want to be in the middle of a series, so I went with Vine in the Fire - a stand alone western/horror novel.

Vine in the Fire is written in three Acts, not including the gripping Prologue. (I guarantee that once you read the prologue, you will not be stopping there!) Act 1 is a fast-paced chase sequence, Act 2 takes a 3-month time jump, and Act 3 leads up to the ultimate showdown.

Semones has superb character development skills, giving minute characteristics to each character, making them more relatable, and also giving palatable emotion when needed. I also love it when the title of a book explains itself, which this one does in a cool way.

I am definitely looking forward to reading more of Stephen J. Semones!

5/5 Skulls

Here is the book's synopsis:

After his brother is murdered, Cole Truett leaves the small California town of Temple on a quest to bring the killer to justice. He sets his sights on Jacob Wallace, leader of the notorious outlaws known as "The Wallace Gang". What he doesn't realize is that Jacob harbors an ancient curse, one which makes him not only a deadly adversary, but a terror to humanity itself. Take a ride with Cole Truett through the 'Old West' in this epic tale of evil, revenge, and treachery.

Wanderers

If you like to read a book that completely draws you in, then this book is for you! This is the kind of book where you live out the story with the characters - completely immersive.

Wendig does an excellent job with the pacing of this book. Aside from the mystery itself, you will want to keep turning the pages as the characters are superbly developed. It amazed me, that for an almost 800-page novel, even towards the end, Wendig was introducing/creating new characters that you immediately connect with.

5/5 Skulls

Here is the book's synopsis:
A decadent rock star. A deeply religious radio host. A disgraced scientist. And a teenage girl who may be the world’s last hope. From the mind of Chuck Wendig comes “a magnum opus . . . a story about survival that’s not just about you and me, but all of us, together” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

Shana wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking. She cannot talk and cannot be woken up. And she is heading with inexorable determination to a destination that only she knows. But Shana and her sister are not alone. Soon they are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from across America, on the same mysterious journey. And like Shana, there are other “shepherds” who follow the flock to protect their friends and family on the long dark road ahead.

For as the sleepwalking phenomenon awakens terror and violence in America, the real danger may not be the epidemic but the fear of it. With society collapsing all around them—and an ultraviolent militia threatening to exterminate them—the fate of the sleepwalkers depends on unraveling the mystery behind the epidemic. The terrifying secret will either tear the nation apart—or bring the survivors together to remake a shattered world.

Hateful Things [Children of D'Hara: "Episode" 2]

This is the sequel to The Scribbly Man. The 2nd book in the Children of D'Hara Novella series, told in an episodic format. The continuation of Goodkind's Sword of Truth saga.

Hateful Things is slightly longer than The Scribbly Man, clocking in at 210 pages. I know that I said it last time, but I must reiterate how nice these small hardcovers are, published by Head of Zeus. Superb quality.

With the size of these Novellas, I can't really review too much without giving anything away. All you need to know for this one is that Kahlan is pregnant and Richard does not yet know it, as he has been busy attempting to find a way to thwart the new creatures threatening their world. (These creatures have the ability to suddenly appear, tearing apart and slaughtering people, and then departing back to where they came from.) Goodkind continues to ratchet up the tension with this one!

5/5 Skulls

I am not sure what happened, as this book's release was originally scheduled for August 8th. (I am in no way complaining that it was released earlier than originally planned.) I have Episode 3 [Wasteland] scheduled for release on November 14th. So it may be sooner than then, or not. I will be waiting with great anticipation!

Big Cranky: Fall into Darkness

Big Cranky: Fall into Darkness is the first book published by DeadLight Publishing. It is James Pyne's debut novel. I am not sure what genre to call it, so I am going to just classify it as Cosmic Fantasy.

If you enjoy any sort of mythology; stories of ancient, elder gods and goddesses; angels, demons, seraphim, nephilim, and death dealers; then you will definitely enjoy this book!

From the primordial beginnings through the creation of humans, this book is a conglomeration of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Mayan mythology, with a twist on the "gods" that you think you are familiar with. Throw Cthulhu into the mix. . . yeah, I do not need to say anything more, though I will say one of my favorite parts of the book is when Medusa's dormant Gorgon gene is activated.

Here is the book's synopsis:

Forget everything you think you know about myths and legends, James Pyne’s Big Cranky connects them all in an epic web of deceitful betrayal, love, and loyalty. A capricious tale of gods, showing human quirks are not only wasted on the mortals. A tale of many deities treading lightly around a superior as the world begins.

While the book is kind-of all over the place, Pyne has a way with words and a penchant for action/battle scenes. (I almost want to say this story would have been better suited as a graphic novel.) Still, I am looking forward to seeing where Pyne continues with this story.

3/5 Skulls

Last Call

Synopsis:
In the space of a single day, twenty-year-old Trish West purchases her first car, gets accepted into veterinary college, and finds her rockstar father, Jim Gamble, a man who vanished into the streets before she was born and now clings to life in a Toronto intensive care unit.

Eager to establish a relationship with Mr. Gamble, Trish heads out from her Northern Ontario home that very day to stand at his bedside. But along the way, she crosses paths with a man who will upend her life and the lives of everyone she cares about.

Meet Bobcat, a savage serial killer christened The Dentist by the press, a deranged trophy hunter who sees Trish as the ultimate prize.

Last Call is a story of lost innocence, sociopathic obsession, and moral redemption that is certain to haunt you long after you’ve read the last page.

There is nothing further that I need to say as the last paragraph of the above synopsis is the perfect review in and of itself. Here it is again:

"Last Call is a story of lost innocence, sociopathic obsession, and moral redemption that is certain to haunt you long after you’ve read the last page."

Just be aware that Last Call is a dark novel that pulls no punches.

4/5 Skulls

Flashback

First, let me start by saying that I am a big fan of Dan Simmons (so much so that I have a tattoo of the original cover of 'Carrion Comfort'). With that said, somehow I totally missed the release of this novel, back in the summer of 2011. Thankfully, I came across it during a local Library Book Sale. . .

If I were to make a list of my "Top Ten Favorite Books of All Time", Flashback would definitely be on it! (Yes, I like this one even more than Carrion Comfort.) I was immediately sucked into the story; not only completely absorbed by the characters, but also by the atmosphere of the futuristic America that Simmons has created. I tore through this book! Every aspect of this novel is spectacular, and the near heart-dropping ending. . . Wow! If you have read it, then you know what I am talking about. If you have not read it, head to your local bookstore or download it to whichever device you prefer, but make this one your next read!

Here is the synopsis:

A provocative dystopian thriller set in a future that seems scarily possible, FLASHBACK proves why Dan Simmons is one of our most exciting and versatile writers. 

The United States is near total collapse. But 87% of the population doesn't care: they're addicted to flashback, a drug that allows its users to re-experience the best moments of their lives. After ex-detective Nick Bottom's wife died in a car accident, he went under the flash to be with her; he's lost his job, his teenage son, and his livelihood as a result.

Nick may be a lost soul but he's still a good cop, so he is hired to investigate the murder of a top governmental advisor's son. This flashback-addict becomes the one man who may be able to change the course of an entire nation turning away from the future to live in the past.

5/5 Skulls

The Black Echo

Michael Connelly is an author whose name I was familiar with but had never read, until now.

While at a local Library Book Sale, I was loading up on Nelson DeMille books when a stranger approached me and asked if I had ever read Michael Connelly. I will tell you the same thing that he told me. "If you enjoy DeMille, you will enjoy Connelly."

Was he correct in his assumption?

Absolutely! I loved this book. It is a fantastic mystery/thriller, and I will definitely be reading the others in the [Harry Bosch] series.

Thank you, kind stranger!

5/5 Skulls

Here is the book's synopsis:

For maverick LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch, the body in the drainpipe at Mulholland Dam is more than another anonymous statistic. This one is personal . . . because the murdered man was a fellow Vietnam "tunnel rat" who had fought side by side with him in a hellish underground war. Now Bosch is about to relive the horror of Nam. From a dangerous maze of blind alleys to a daring criminal heist beneath the city, his survival instincts will once again be tested to their limit. Pitted against enemies inside his own department and forced to make the agonizing choice between justice and vengeance, Bosch goes on the hunt for a killer whose true face will shock him.

The Pandora Room

If you enjoyed Christopher Golden's Ararat then you should enjoy this one as well. While not a direct sequel (you need not have read Ararat) it does include two of the characters.

Here is the book's synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling and Bram Stoker Award-winning author comes the sensational new novel that turns ancient lore into a modern-day horror.

In one variation on the myth of Pandora’s Box, there were two jars, one for Pandora and one for her sister. One contained blessings of the gods, the other all the world’s curses…

Archaeologist Sophie Durand has spent her life studying ancient mythology and languages. Years of work have led her to the greatest discovery of her career, a subterranean city deep in the heart of Northern Iraq. When Sophie’s team uncovers a secret chamber whose walls are covered in cuneiform, along with a warning from Alexander the Great, history and mythology begin to merge. The writings confirm the Pandora tale of two jars, but the chamber guards only one. It’s a find that could make history, or start a war.

Weird-science expert Ben Walker is called in as the mystery grows ugly. Those who believe the myth want to know which jar was found, the one containing blessings or the one full of curses. Governments rush to lay claim, but jihadi forces aren’t waiting for the dust to settle. Whatever the jars contain, they want it, no matter the cost. For Sophie, Walker, and the others, the Pandora Room may soon become their tomb.

In a novel that breathes new life into the supernatural thriller, Christopher Golden's pulse-pounding tale is not to be missed.

3/5 Skulls

Rough Trade

Rough Trade is the sequel to one of my favorite books that I read last year - The Hard Bounce.

The below synopsis will tell you all that you need to know. I will just say that Rough Trade is already a contender for my favorite book of the year. I enjoyed it even more than The Hard Bounce, which is saying something! This one takes the craziness of Boo & Junior to a whole new level as things continually go from bad to worse! A must read.

Here is the book's synopsis:

When a waitress at The Cellar asks Boo and Junior to scare her roommate Dana’s harassing ex-boyfriend, Byron, Boo’s white knight impulses kick in and they perform the job with gusto, leaving Byron bloodied but very much alive. So when Byron is found dead, they’re shocked. They’re even more shocked when they learn that nothing is what they originally thought, and they’re being held accountable in the man's death. 

With Junior called in for questioning, Boo is determined to clear their names by finding Byron’s true killer. It’s a quest in which Boo will have to face down crooked cops, crazed guard dogs, a rival security crew, the Irish mob and—worst of all—his own ingrained prejudices. 

Action-packed, outrageously funny, and brutally honest, Rough Trade brings back crime fiction’s favorite bouncers and takes them well out of their comfort zone in a novel that’s whip-smart, hilarious, gritty and above all human, proving that Todd Robinson is one of the most important voices in crime fiction.

5/5 Skulls

mewe.com/i/jasonberry6

Semper Mars [Book One of The Heritage Trilogy]

It's been a while since I've read a really good Sci-Fi novel, so when I saw this one sitting in the "Free Bin" at my local used bookstore, I decided to give it a shot, and I was not disappointed.

If you enjoy military sci-fi, then give this one a go. It has a good story, solid characters, and I will definitely be reading the other books in the trilogy.

3/5 Skulls
(The book started a little slow, for me, but I fully expect the other books to earn a higher rating, now that the foundation has been established.)

The Scribbly Man [Children of D'Hara - Novella #1]

A new Richard & Kahlan story.

For those of you who were sad when Goodkind's Sword of Truth saga ended with Warheart, I have good news! The story of Richard and Kahlan continues, albeit in Novella form.

The Scribbly Man is part one of a new trilogy(?) of novellas. I say trilogy, because Novella #2 Hateful Things (8/08) and Novella #3 Wasteland (11/14) are already available for pre-order. I am not sure why Goodkind is going the novella route, but I am not complaining! Also, I just have to say that Head of Zeus Publishing has done an exceptional job with the format of this book!

Being that the story clocks in at only 149 pages, I do not want to give anything away. Just know that when Richard caused the Star Shift in the last book, he inadvertantly opened a way to travel between worlds. . . and this isn't a good thing!

Here is the synopsis:

From the internationally bestselling author of the Sword of Truth series comes a new Richard and Kahlan novella. 

"They are the monsters under the bed when you are little, the shape just caught out of the corner of your eye when you thought you were alone, the shadow of something in a dark corner that surprises you and then isn't there. They stop you dead with a knot of unexpected terror in the pit of your stomach. We have all seen fleeting glimpses of them. Never long enough to see them as I saw them, but it was them. I recognized it the instant I saw it. We've all seen flashes of them, the dark shadow just out of sight. They could briefly terrify us before but never hurt us because they came from so far distant. They were never able to fully materialize in our world so we saw only transient glimpses of them, the shape of them if the light was just right, if the shadows were deep enough . . . if you were afraid enough. I think that the star shift has brought us closer to their realm so that they now have the power to step into our world and hurt us." —Kahlan Amnell

5/5 Skulls

Night Fall [Book #3 in DeMille's John Corey Series]

As I've stated before, you do not have to read the prior books, but I recommend doing so, not only because they are that good, but because John Corey is such a great character.

Just as The Lion's Game was different from Plum Island, so too is Night Fall different from the first two books. In fact, this book is a fictional story centering around the true story of TWA Flight 800.

DeMille, as always, does a terrific job of sucking you into the mystery, and just wait until you read the jaw-dropping ending!

The Risen

Just a reminder that my book reviews are also on MeWe - mewe.com/i/jasonberry6

Over Spring Break, the family and I went to St. Augustine, FL. Even though I already had a couple of books chosen for the trip, I decided to drop by Barnes & Noble, one more time, before heading out. I discovered this book in their Bargain Section - only $5 (hardcover)!

While not your typical "beach read", I decided to give this one a shot, as the last couple of books that I've read were on the light side.

I have always loved tales of Spartacus, and I devoured this book. It is superbly written! (This is the first novel that I have read by Durham, and it won't be the last.) The book starts off, right away, with the slaves' uprising, and each chapter/section is written from a different characters point of view. The view point shifts between the slaves and the Romans, with time-shifts in between.
It is almost like a big compilation of short stories that intertwine within themselves to make a complete novel.

Definitely head out to your local Barnes & Noble and check their Bargain Books for this great deal. Also, fair warning, this book will make you want to re-watch the Starz television series Spartacus.

Here is the book's synopsis since it tells you all you need to know:

In this thrilling and panoramic historical novel we see one of the most storied uprisings of classical times from multiple points of view: Spartacus, the visionary captive and gladiator whose toughness and charisma turn a prison break into a multi-cultural revolt that threatens an empire; his consort, the oracular Astera, whose connection to the spirit world and its omens guides the uprising’s progress; Nonus, a Roman soldier working both sides of the conflict in a half-adroit, half-desperate attempt to save his life; Laelia and Hustus, two shepherd children drawn into the ranks of the slave rebellion; Kaleb, the slave secretary to Crassus, the Roman senator and commander saddled with the unenviable task of quashing an insurrection of mere slaves; and other players in a vast spectacle of bloodshed, heroism, and treachery.

In the pages of The Risen—the term the slaves in revolt have adopted for themselves—an entire, teeming world comes into view with great clarity and titanic drama, with nothing less than the future of the ancient world at stake. No one brings more verve, intelligence, and freshness to the novel of the classical age than David Anthony Durham.

4/5 Skulls

Night Shift

A good conclusion to the Midnight, Texas trilogy.

As a fan of the television series, I was expecting that the 2nd season was based off of this final book (since the 2nd book was completely different than the show). However, this is not the case. Once again, the book is completely different. I do have to say that the writers of the 2nd season came up with a good story, on their own, utilizing these great characters. I will reiterate though, as enjoyable as the books are (I will say that the 2nd book is my favorite of the three), I still feel that the show is better, which is rare.

Either way, you can't go wrong. Both the books and the show are entertaining in their own right, and I wouldn't mind more of either.

mewe.com/i/jasonberry6

Day Shift

Book 2 in the Midnight, Texas trilogy.

This book is completely different than the second season of the television show, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. While I very much enjoyed Season 2, the book had much more mystery surrounding it. (The only thing the same with the show vs the book is the building of the Midnight Hotel - nothing else, which makes me wonder if perhaps Season 2 was actually based on Book 3? Guess I will have to find out.)

This book is much more character driven than the first book, expanding on what was laid out in the first book, and as I already mentioned, there is a good mystery within the story. Also, there are two different tie-ins with the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) series, which I loved!

Looking forward to Book 3!

The Line Between

The Line Between is a fantastic book! An excellent adventure/thriller that continues to move along at a faster and faster pace. Tosca Lee has created a wonderful story inhabited by fabulous characters, and the science behind her epidemic is fascinating!
Highly Recommended

Another thing that I want to mention is that this is a clean read. I am passing it along to my youngest daughter (14) to read next, as I don't have to worry about explicit language or sexual situations.

Also, unless I am mistaken, I remember reading somewhere that this story has already been picked up as an upcoming television series. If so, it has the potential to be amazing!

5/5 Skulls

Here is the book's synopsis:

In this frighteningly believable thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee, an extinct disease re-emerges from the melting Alaskan permafrost to cause madness in its victims. For recent apocalyptic cult escapee Wynter Roth, it’s the end she’d always been told was coming. 

When Wynter Roth is turned out of New Earth, a self-contained doomsday cult on the American prairie, she emerges into a world poised on the brink of madness as a mysterious outbreak of rapid early onset dementia spreads across the nation. 

As Wynter struggles to start over in a world she’s been taught to regard as evil, she finds herself face-to-face with the apocalypse she’s feared all her life—until the night her sister shows up at her doorstep with a set of medical samples. That night, Wynter learns there’s something far more sinister at play and that these samples are key to understanding the disease. 

Now, as the power grid fails and the nation descends into chaos, Wynter must find a way to get the samples to a lab in Colorado. Uncertain who to trust, she takes up with former military man Chase Miller, who has his own reasons for wanting to get close to the samples in her possession, and to Wynter herself. 

Filled with action, conspiracy, romance, and questions of whom—and what—to believe, The Line Between is a high-octane story of survival and love in a world on the brink of madness.

mewe.com/i/jasonberry6

ICE

Generally, I prefer physical books over digital, but since the last couple of novellas that I have read have been on my Kindle app, I decided to look through my library, before choosing my next physical book. I came across this one, purchased back on September 1st! (I do eventually gets to books I buy!) I will also admit that it was the "Indie Award" sticker on the cover that stuck out.

Here is the book's synopsis:

Archaeologist Leah Andrews stumbles upon something inexplicable in southwestern New Mexico: inside a dark cavern lies an undiscovered, Native American cliff dwelling abandoned for 800 years. While twisting through one of the narrow underground passageways, Leah's flashlight illuminates the remains of a violent massacre.

Ancient human remains--all slaughtered in a long-ago massacre--cover the cavern floor, along with a number of brilliantly colored, granite crystals. The rare crystals are native to only one place on earth: a frozen mountain range in central Antarctica.

Could Native Americans have traveled to the frozen continent of Antarctica 800 years prior to the first known human exploration? If so how? And why?

There's only one person who can get Leah to those mountains in Antarctica: her estranged husband and climbing guide Jack Hobson.

At their destination they make a stunning discovery that will change history and science forever. But Leah's team is far from the only interested party.

As her secret makes its way to the highest levels of government, a race to seize the Russian-claimed Antarctic territory brings the world to the brink of nuclear conflict.

This is an interesting, fast-paced, fun read that  has great, likeable, characters and is full of action and suspense. An excellent debut novel! (worthy of its Indie Award)

This is Book 1 of a trilogy. Book 2 is already out, and Book 3 is due out next month. I will definitely be reading the next two books.

4/5 Skulls

The Sky People & Crazy Wanda + The Scribbly Man

Amazon is slacking! The reason that I follow authors on Amazon is so that I can be notified, ahead of time, when they have forthcoming releases. Earlier this week I was looking up to see if Goodkind had plans for a new Angela Constantine novel this year, only to discover that he has written two new novellas with a third on its way! Amazon never notified me of these releases. (Grrrrrrrr)

The 1st new novella is The Sky People - something new and unrelated to any of Goodkind's prior releases. (it was released on January 12th) Here is the synopsis:

Raging River, priestess of the Sun People, has just done the unthinkable.

The Sun People are bound by an ancient law, left by the long-vanished Sky People: they must never kill. To other tribes, who have no such law, the Sun People are easy prey who will not defend themselves. Their game is poached, their stores are raided, their women abducted, their men killed for sport.

But when Raging River and her sister are attacked by a Wolf People raiding party, River fights back and kills one of the warriors. Worse, she has killed the son of their chief.

Now, with the Wolf People vowing revenge and her people facing annihilation, River must do the impossible. She must prove herself as priestess. She must find the mythical Sky People.

That pretty much sums up all that you need to know. It is only 111 pages, and without giving too much away, if you have ever wondered what a Goodkind sci-fi story would be like, this one comes close.

Goodkind has created another riveting story that makes time fly by!

The second novella is Crazy Wanda. This one actually ties into the Angela Constantine stories, which is what I was looking for in the first place! (It was released on November 26th - the day before my birthday - which would have been nice to know, Amazon!!) This one is only 86 pages. Here is the synopsis:

Trouble always finds Angela Constantine.

And Angela's impulsive, hot-tempered colleague Wanda is about to cause more trouble than anyone could know.

Except Angela.

She's not like the rest of us. She sees things we don't - she can recognize a killer just by looking in their eyes. And Angela knows that sooner or later, one way or another, everyone pays for their sins. 

She'll make certain of it. 

Follow Angela Constantine in this thrilling novella of revenge and justice, as she goes down the rabbit hole after a serial killer in the making.

This one has the perfect title and is a great story! It helps you understand the importance of thinking before acting. Wanda really is crazy!

Both stories get a solid 4/5 Skulls from me.

Now, you may have noticed the third book cover. The Scribbly Man This is an upcoming novella (releasing 4/04/19) This one has me super excited, as it is continuing Richard & Kahlan's story (which ended in Warheart) Here is the synopsis, in case you want to pre-order it:

From the internationally bestselling author of the Sword of Truth series comes a new Richard and Kahlan novella.

"They are the monsters under the bed when you are little, the shape just caught out of the corner of your eye when you thought you were alone, the shadow of something in a dark corner that surprises you and then isn’t there. They stop you dead with a knot of unexpected terror in the pit of your stomach. We have all seen fleeting glimpses of them. Never long enough to see them as I saw them, but it was them. I recognized it the instant I saw it.

“We’ve all seen flashes of them, the dark shadow just out of sight. They could briefly terrify us before but never hurt us because they came from so far distant. They were never able to fully materialize in our world so we saw only transient glimpses of them, the shape of them if the light was just right, if the shadows were deep enough . . . if you were afraid enough.

“I think that the star shift has brought us closer to their realm so that they now have the power to step into our world and hurt us.” — Kahlan Amnell

mewe.com/i/jasonberry6

Island of the Flesh Eaters

The first novella that I've read this year has the potential to be the best novella of the year!

Just released yesterday, I read this one last night, and it is a near perfect read! There isn't a slow point in the story. Coming in at just 100 pages, it reads like a movie playing in your head (and you can read it in the amount of time it would take to watch a movie).

The story is totally engaging, as are the characters, and the descriptions are nauseatingly wonderful. I enjoyed this one even more than Flower's Planet of the Dead.

5/5 Skulls

Here is the synopsis:

THE DEAD HAVE RISEN TO EAT THE LIVING!

From the author of Planet of the Dead and War for the Planet of the Dead... 

Houston, Texas, 1985, while investigating the affluent and seedy Gasper family, Rachel Hawkins, a junior reporter with the Galveston Daily News, stumbles upon a story that will make her career. 

Billy Gasper, son to the billionaire tycoon Gasper Family is missing. His yacht found near the Port of Galveston, abandoned all but for a seemingly deranged captain. Where are the crew? And where is Billy?

Meanwhile, while searching for his missing sister who was last seen with her boyfriend Billy Gasper, RadioShack manager Mark joins an ex-military security team hired by Mr. Gasper to find his son. Hidden away, Hawkins joins Mark and the hired goons as they race across the Gulf of Mexico to a private tropical island resort. 

All attempts at radio communicate with the island have failed. Its as if the entire resort with hundreds of vacationers and staff have disappeared.

What is really going on? And what will the rescue team find when they get there? 

For fans who love Lucio Fulci's ZOMBIE and Bruno Mattei's HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD comes... ISLAND OF THE FLESH EATERS!!!

Midnight Crossroad

I am one of the few who enjoyed watching Midnight, Texas when it aired on NBC, and I was disappointed when they cancelled the show, after only its second season, a few weeks ago. So, I have decided to just read the books that the show is based on. This is book one (of the trilogy).

I am just going to come out and say it. As rare as it is, in this particular situation, I feel that the show is actually better than the book - believe it or not! (Note: I did not feel this way with True Blood. In that case, I felt that the Sookie Stackhouse series was far better than the show.)

First of all, whoever cast the show basically threw the book out the window! (Not really an issue, just saying.) The first season followed this first book very closely, so there were really no surprises. My biggest issue with the book is that the character's supernatural abilities were hardly touched upon. There was only a lot of subtle foreshadowing. For instance, when a woman entered the Rev's church, she immediately ran out "as if a tiger were chasing her". Or with Joe & Chuy's angelic Halloween costumes, their wings looked so realistic. . . (fans of the show will get these subtleties without spoilers)

All in all, I still enjoyed the book. I am just hoping that the next two will expand more upon the characters.

4/5 Skulls

Siege of Stone

After reading Shroud of Eternity (Volume 2 of Goodkind's 'The Nicci Chronicles'), I was slightly concerned that Siege of Stone would seem just as repetitive. I need not have worried! Not only is this book the best of the series so far, it is right up there with some of the best of the Sword of Truth series as well.

This one is perfectly paced and an extremely exciting read. The next book cannot come soon enough!

Here is the book's synopsis:

Set in the world of the Sword of Truth saga, the ramifications of New York Times bestseller Terry Goodkind's Shroud of Eternity extend throughout all of the Old World as familiar allies, dangerous magic, and creatures created by twisted sorcery all work at cross purposes to either save or destroy Ildakar in Siege of Stone.

The Sorceress Nicci, the Wizard Nathan Rahl, and the young swordsman Bannon remain in the legendary city of Ildakar after a great internal revolt has freed the slaves and brought down the powerful wizards council. But as he fled the city, capricious Wizard Commander Maxim dissolved the petrification spell that had turned to stone the invading army of General Utros fifteen centuries earlier.

Now, hundreds of thousands of half-stone soldiers from the ancient past have awakened, led by one of the greatest enemy commanders in history.
Nicci, Nathan, and Bannon have to help Ildakar survive this unbreakable siege, using all the magical defenses of the legendary city. Even as General Utros holds Ildakar hostage and also unleashes his incredible army on the unsuspecting Old World, an equally powerful threat arises out in the sea.
Nicci knows the battle won’t remain in the city; if she can’t stop this threat, two invincible armies can sweep across the Old World and destroy D’Hara itself.

The Ridealong

Is the first book that I chose to read this year the rip-roaring read that I was hoping for?

Unfortunately not. However, it is still worth mentioning as you may enjoy it more than I did . (Based on the reviews, I am in the minority on this one.)

I found the story interesting, yet it never seemed to reach it's full potential. I will say that it is worth reading for the ending alone though.

3/5 Skulls

Here is the book's synopsis in case you are interested:

It was supposed to be just one more ridealong, a night when high schooler Melissa Latham accompanies her father on his patrol. But when a serial killer targets them for a dark, disturbing game, the night turns into a high-speed chase where there is no prize for second place.

They have to find a killer before he murders the next one of their friends.

They have to find a killer before they are caught and charged for the murder of the men he's already killed.

They have to find a killer... before he finds them.