Julie's Review: Lock Every Door

Author: Riley Sager
Series: None
Publication Date: July 2, 2019
Publisher: Dutton
Pages: 384
Obtained: publisher via NetGalley
Genre:  Horror, Psychological Thriller
Rating: 3/5
Bottom Line: Kind of expected a bit more
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Library

Summary: No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind. As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story...until the next day, when Ingrid disappears. Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's sordid past and into the secrets kept within its walls. What she discovers pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent. ~amazon.com

Review: The first part of Lock Every Door totally freaked me out. So much so that I debated it reading the book before going to bed at night.  It was giving me some wicked dreams as well. Jules is having a bit of bad luck (lost job, cheating boyfriend) when she seems to get perhaps a bit of good luck might be coming her way. She interviewed to be an apartment sitter in the exclusive Bartholomew. She's not even put off by all of those rules that seem a bit excessive. Plus if she completes the 3 month stint she'll get $12K.

She quickly becomes acquainted with another apartment sitter, Ingrid, who seems a little scattered and agitated when they meet at the park. Jules blows it off until the next day when Ingrid doesn't show up for their lunch date and won't answer her texts. This sends Jules on a wild goose chase to find Ingrid.

In a lot of ways I understand why Jules' sister disappearing years ago fuels her fire to find Ingrid but she ignores a lot of red flags for a person she's known for 2 seconds. That perhaps is the thing that drove me most nuts about the novel. Why would you put yourself in harms way for someone that you don't even know without protecting yourself?!

While it was definitely a thriller, I felt that it definitely has elements of horror in it as well. While there are twists and turns, I didn’t feel that the ending was completely surprising.

For what it's worth, I think Final Girls was a better novel.

Julie's Review: Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker
Series: None
Publication Date:February 20, 2012
Publisher: Audible Studios
Length: 15 hours and 28 minutes
Narrators: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, etc
Obtained: purchased via audible
Genre:  Classic, Horror
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Really can't go wrong with this one
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Summary: Because of the widespread awareness of the story of the evil Transylvanian count and the success of numerous film adaptations that have been created over the years, the modern audience hasn't had a chance to truly appreciate the unknowing dread that readers would have felt when reading Bram Stoker's original 1897 manuscript. Most modern productions employ campiness or sound effects to try to bring back that gothic tension, but we've tried something different. By returning to Stoker's original storytelling structure - a series of letters and journal entries voiced by Jonathan Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and other characters - with an all-star cast of narrators, we've sought to recapture its originally intended horror and power. ~audible.com

Review: So, I finished this at the beginning of the month and my intention was to originally finish it in October but there's a little thing called life and more simply work. That didn't stop me from enjoying this audio version immensely. To say that it transports you to another time and place would be cliche, but it does. You can feel the drafts in the castle and you can feel the fear and horror as the characters uncover what is going on.

As I listened to the story, bits and pieces of it came back to me. Now I have no clue when I read it but I'm sure I did and what struck me as the most noticeable was how the Count wasn't the main character. He was the catalyst for the horror and was in the peripheral but never the main focus of the novel.  It's funny how Hollywood changes the story and since that's what most people know, they never get the true depths of the novel.

What Stoker does so well is create a great sense of foreboding that keeps building and building until the very end of the novel when it explodes. I love that the entire novel is based on journals/diaries of all of the main characters. It is through this that we get a well rounded view of the characters and the horror they experience.

My favorite character has to be Dr. Seward. Perhaps it's because one of my favorite actors narrates his sections but I found him to be refreshing and even having a little humor at times. He also seems to be the rock that keeps them from becoming completely unhinged. On the other end of the spectrum was Lucy, she was just the most annoying character. So shallow and vain. It's a wonder her and Mina were even friends.

The ending of the novel happens furiously and rapidly. I had to pause it and start it again several times, afraid I was going to miss something important. I also enjoyed having an epilogue to see where the characters ended up and how they got on with their lives.

If you've never read Dracula, then I highly recommend this audio version. You can't really go wrong with Simon Vance, Alan Cumming and Tim Curry each playing a part.


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Alice's Review: The Winter People

Author: Jennifer McMahon
Series: None
Publication Date: February 11, 2014
Publisher: Doubleday
Pages: 336
Obtained: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre:  Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Wonderfully creepy
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie. Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara's farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister, Fawn. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that suddenly proves perilous when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished without a trace. Searching for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother's bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked deeper into the mystery of Sara's fate, she discovers that she's not the only person who's desperately looking for someone that they've lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself. ~www.powells.com

 Review:  I don’t read stories about the occult.  I hate being scared.  I believe in ghosts but I don’t need to see one in confirm that belief.  When I picked up The Winter People, I didn’t know it was about the walking dead.  Had I know, I’m pretty sure I would have passed it up.

I was pulled into this story from the very first page.  I was engulfed in a mystery that was bizarre and brilliant.  This novel made me constantly question what was real and what lived in the dark corners of Ms. McMahon’s mind.  It was wonderful.  The story flows beautifully, jumping back and forth through time and characters with ease.  

I really enjoyed the characters with my favorites being Ruthie, her sister Fawn, and the heartbroken Katherine.  I think Ruthie was such a well-rounded girl.  It was great to see how she matured through the novel, how brave she became when there was nothing to do except be brave.  I loved how the sisters banded together to find answers.  I will always be amazed at what a person is willing to do for those they love.  They can be completely irrational, clinging to the smallest amount of hope.  Or they can take on the biggest challenges together and not give up until the truth is revealed.   

Katherine was wonderful as well.  She was a study in grief.  Her centric chapters left me sad and mournful of what she lost.   I felt her sorrow, her pain.  I loved that she channeled that angst in her art.  To me, she was the most authentic.  I felt the same way towards Sara Harrison.  Grief is an interesting emotion to write about, an author has to get it just right or else it comes across as unauthentic.  Ms. McMahon knows sorrow. 

This novel is straightforward.  Each chapter opens up the story a bit more, gradually feeding the reader information while building up tension until a masterful twist is exposed.   The Winter People was thoroughly creepy, and I couldn’t put it down.  And man, how many times did I wonder if something like this could be real.  It felt real.  Occasionally I read a novel that is so stinking good, I wish I was more eloquent in describing it.  I wish I had the words to convince you of the power of that story.  I take books I rate 5 very seriously and I searched and searched for something to question that rating.  I found nothing.  The Winter People is that good.

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Julie's Review: Starter House

Summary: Promising talent Sonja Condit makes her debut with Starter House, an eerie and mesmerizing tale about a young couple whose new house holds deadly secrets from the past, sure to appeal to fans of Heart-Shaped Box and The Thirteenth Tale. From the moment Lacey sees the house with the beautiful wood staircase, she knows she’s found her dream home. Growing up rootless with her flighty mother, Ella Dane, a self-proclaimed psychic, Lacey is determined to give her unborn baby the stability she never had. But shortly after she and her husband, Eric, move in, the warm and welcoming house becomes cold and dark. There is something malevolent within these walls that wants to hurt her unborn child—a terrifying presence that only she can sense. And there is Drew, a demanding and temperamental little boy who mysteriously appears when Lacey is alone. To protect her unborn child and save her family, Lacy must discover the truth about her dream house and the troubled Drew—a decades-old mystery involving secrets, violence, and guilt—and confront an evil that has lingered in wait for years. ~harpercollins.com

Review: I don't typically do horror or creepy books. I like my thrillers with a psychological bent but Starter House peaked my interest when reading the summary. I thought "ooh, it's a mix of all the things I like in my books". Yeah, a mix it was but in a way that made you crazy.

Off the bat the husband, Eric, bothered me. He has no backbone at all. He speaks his mind but only when it's too late and cruelly. He is extremely self-centered and self-pittying. There is a point in the book when he's making a list of reasons why Lacey should come home and instead of "Because I love you" being number 1, it's number 9. That struck me as cold. Lacey isn't much better. I think I would have liked pre-marriage Lacey better. Plus as a couple I never felt the love for each other through the book. I felt that they were married for convienience or some other reason.

Starter House was all over the place. There were subplots within subplots. It was like Ms. Condit was trying to cram three different books in one. Some of the subplots were out of left field making you wonder WTF? Not necessarily in a good way. It got to the point where I just wanted to know the story with Drew and to see if they could get him out of the house. Even that resolution was a bit perplexing.

What Ms. Condit does well is to keep you in suspense throughout the novel. She knows how to hook you and keep you intrigued enough to stick with it. The downfall of the novel is that it meanders. I never sticks with one or two plots to focus on. I would definitely be interested to see how her writing changes from this debut novel to her next one. I don't think I'll run out and get it but it might be library book.

Final Take: 3/5



TLC Tour Dates:
Tuesday, December 31st: Jenn’s Bookshelves
Wednesday, January 1st: Girls Just Reading
Thursday, January 2nd: A Bookworm’s World
Monday, January 6th: Kritters Ramblings
Tuesday, January 7th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Wednesday, January 8th: BoundbyWords
Thursday, January 9th: Ace and Hoser Blook
Monday, January 13th: Sweet Southern Home
Tuesday, January 14th: Booked on a Feeling
Wednesday, January 15th: Book Addict Katie

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Group Review: Graveminder

Summary: Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't at tend, and at each Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."

Now Maylene is dead and Bek must go back to the place--and the man--she left a decade ago. But what she soon discovers is that Maylene was murdered and that there was good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in placid Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected. Beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D--a place from which the dead will return if their graves are not properly minded. Only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk. ~ blurb

Alice's Review:  I admit I am fairly addicted to certain ghost shows on TV.  When I received Graveminder last year, I was intrigued.  A novel about a woman whose job is to keep the dead dead seemed all right to me.  I really wanted to like this.  It was spooky enough, scary enough but I draw the line at zombies.  And the walking dead eat people.  That’s just creepy.

There were some things I couldn’t ignore.  Overall, the novel lacked something.  I think the writing was a bit elementary.  The premise was interesting, but the execution could have used some work.  In defense to Ms. Marr, I received an ARC of Graveminder.  I’m sure the finished novel was better.  I know the dead and zombie’s are no laughing matter but this novel definitely needed a dose of laughter.  Something, anything, to lighten it up.

I liked how Bek embraced her role as Graveminder.  She knew it was her destiny.  I thought she was a strong character.  She knew what needed to be done and didn’t shy away from her responsibility.  My issues lay with Byron.  I didn’t like that Byron’s  rose-colored love for Bek made him blind to everything else.  Maybe I’m just a cynic, but seriously, the guy needed to settle down.   Yes, I know as her Undertaker they are forever linked and he’s supposed to protect her, but still.  It was nauseating to watch someone that clingy.  It was creepy. 

My favorite character was William, Byron’s father and Maylene’s Undertaker.  Of all the characters, he was the most real to me.  Ms. Marr portrayed his grief beautifully.  Although his role was limited, there was such grace about him.  I wish Graveminder was about him and Maylene instead of Byron and Rebekka. 

I have several questions, especially about Mr. D (Charles).  I like Rebekkah, but can’t really stomach Byron.  My opinion of the novel changed frequently during the reading.  Sometimes I liked it, sometimes I didn't.  Although in the end, I felt a glimmer of like but it might have been joy that it was finally over.  I do believe if you are a fan of this genre, you will enjoy this novel.    Me, not so much.

Final Take: 3/5

Jenn's Review:  This is my first Melissa Marr novel, having had her YA books on my TBR list for a while but not getting to them yet, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Graveminder.  As paranomal genre goes it was different, and I liked that about it.    Graveminder is also a stand alone novel for now.  The last bit may or may not be a good thing.

I think that there were several potential books in Graveminder; there is so much plot exposition that doesn't get fleshed out.  I found myself wishing for more details in the world of the dead.  I'm not sure I understood everyone's relationship and/or motivation.  I'm still not exactly sure what happens over there.  I wanted to know more about Abigail.  I also wanted to learn more from the journals and clippings that Rebekkah and Byron found.  Melissa Marr has put together a nice little scrapbook of information on the history of the Graveminders and Undertakers, but I still don't think it's enough. I thought the part about the way the jobs pass from generation to generation was confusing too.

The plot itself was fascinating and their was a huge twist that I never saw coming, though in hindsight, perhaps I should have; I think it was too heinous for me to have guessed.  While I enjoyed the character's of Rebekkah and Byron, there were definitely times I was frustrated with both of them, especially Rebekkah.  Her hot-cold act wore thin after awhile.

I love that it's a novel with a play list; I'm a sucker for that and I will be checking it out this week (I just wish there were embeded links).  Graveminder has certainly peaked my curiosity about the rest of Melissa Marr's work and moved  closer to the top of my TBR list.

Final Take:  3.75/5

Julie's Review: Let's just say that paranormal isn't my usual fare and I can say that Graveminder didn't do anything to change my mind. I did like some aspects of the storyline, although I wish it had been a different paranormal angle. While wishing that, I also realize it would have been a completely different book then.

I found that I was intrigued by the story of Rebekkah and Byron more than anything else. The Underground world was interesting but I found that it confused the story more for me than anything. It were these parts of the story that interrupted the flow of what was going on in the living world. I realize that both worlds are connected to each other and if one fails, the other one does as well. What I did think was interesting was that Rebekkah and Byron had very different experiences when they went to visit Mr. D and Abigail. What Rebekkah saw enchanted her and what Bryon saw repulsed him.

I didn't think the story that gave Rebekkah the background to being a Graveminder to be all that clear. In fact, I think I found it to confuse me even more. Perhaps if I read more paranormal books, it wouldn't confuse me as much.

In the end, there were things that I did enjoy but if there were to be a sequel to Graveminder , I would probably pass on it. If you are a paranomal fan and haven't checked out Melissa Marr, then I'm fairly certain you should. Graveminder is her first foray into Adult novels.

Final Take: 3.25/5

Jenn's Review: Married with Zombies

Summary:  A heartwarming tale of terror in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.

Meet Sarah and David.

Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they're on the verge of divorce and going to couples' counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things - the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat.

Meet the Zombies.

Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn't mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don't eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

Review:  This is a fast but amusing read about a couple on the rocks who get it together while fighting zombies together.  Sarah and David use the cheesy advice that Dr. Kelly has been doling out to help them fight their new issues, zombies wanting to eat their brains.  Nothing like the living dead to help you set aside your petty differences, right?

While I didn't find this as raucously funny as some reviewers, I still was chuckling to myself quite a bit -especially over the marital advice that describes each chapter, such as,

"Balance the workload in your relationship. No one person should be responsible for killing all the zombies."

And far more frightening then the zombies are the religious cults that pop up trying to amass more followers by force and fear.

Jesse Petersen has a fun website put together too with a marital quizzes (like How Long Would Your Relationship Last in a Zombie Apocalypse?), lists of what movie titles should have been zombie movies, etc.  It's definitely worth checking out.  You can also sample the first chapter of the book to see if you think you're ready to be Married with Zombies (first chapter link).

This story fits my twisted sense of humor, though as zombie books go I think Pride and Prejudice and Zombies may have been funnier because of the juxtaposition of the mash-up.  I will certainly continue to read Living with the Dead series for levity.  It makes a great summer beach read... if your warped like me.

Final Take:  3.5/5.0

Author Interview: Norm Applegate

I want to thank Norm Applegate for taking time out of his schedule to answer a few questions for Girls Just Reading. Please enjoy the interview.

When and why did you begin writing?

Started writing in the 90’s while traveling to share my experiences with my wife. But began my first novel, Into the Basement in the mid 90’s. It took me a couple of years to get into the daily habit of writing, and reading everything I could about developing a story, it took a while to find the zone
Always wanted to write a book, didn’t know how, thought it was beyond my capabilities, but while working in New Zealand it began. The hypnosis career changed my life, and realizing nothing is impossible, began writing short notes, tales, and just life experiences to my wife back in the States.

How did you come up with the title?

Blood Bar, A Vampire Tale...what the hell is a blood bar? Sounds creepy, but intriguing. The premise for Blood Bar, was what would happen if you found out you were turning into a vampire. Where else to be initiated but a bar. So I built the plot around my murder mystery sleuth and heroine Kim Bennett, she’s in my first two novels, murder at a bar for vamps, gothic dressed men and woman, and your basic role playing vampires, however it’s fertile ground for picking up fresh meat...if you like that sort of thing. Are you going ask if blood bars exists, I can’t disclose that here for fear of being arrested...blushing sinfully.

Do you have a specific writing style?

Yes, I have found my voice. I weave factual information into the plot. For instance, in Blood Bar, a vampire tale, the references, and murder descriptions to Jack the Ripper are all real, as are the facts about the Brooklyn Bridge, did you know John Roebling the builder, died before the bridge was complete, tetanus, cut on something they believe, I think he was bit by a vampire. Here's an example of factual information built into a story.

Excerpt from Blood Bar:

The Grand Central book store of Manhattan was a seven day a week operation with study rooms along the outer wall for scholars and students researching the one of a kind gems that couldnʼt be found anywhere else in the city.

It was eleven-fifteen in the morning as Kim followed the owner to the back of the building, and with Cheyenne staring at volumes of documents, sensed he was way out of his league in this world of academia.

“You should have called before showing up here,” Professor Albert T. Mortimer told Cheyenne.

They walked down a narrow hallway out of sight from everyone and Kim felt her strength coming back.

Mortimer opened a door for Kim. “You look like youʼve been through hell. You might have considered dressing a little more appropriate, we take this place very serious.”

Not as serious as what Iʼve been through,” Kim said and realized she did look like shit, bloody clothes, drained face, and barely smiling itʼs not surprising she was getting the look from everyone.

Cheyenne immediately laid the document out on the table, switched on the overhead lamp, and turned to Mortimer. The large rectangular desk in the middle of the room now held something that few people had seen before.

Albert T. Mortimer eyed both of them and then backed away. “This is real or you both wouldnʼt be here I take it.”

Kim nodded, he had her full attention.

Leaning over the Testament, Mortimer adjusted his glasses, securing their fit against his nose and raised his chin. “Have you seen the news in the past half hour?” Mortimer asked.

“Are we mentioned?” Kim said.

“You tell me, an Indian and a brunette are wanted for questioning about leaving the scene of an accident.”

“It was no accident. Are you going to help us or not?” Kim said.

Mortimer had read more about the vampire community than any other mortal before him. He had interviewed hundreds of people in search for the truth behind the folklore. Politicians, religious leaders, law enforcement and historians, if any one knew about the Black Testament it was Mortimer. As Professor of Chemistry at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, Mortimer had spent the last 18 years researching ancient alchemy, related physics and their relationship to life after death, which explained his interest in vampires.

“Whatʼs this seal at the top?” Kim pointed to a round imprint in the document.

Picking up a large jewelerʼs loupe, Mortimer adjusted it to his right eye.

“Itʼs the Roman Emperor Domitian.”

“So, does it mean anything?” Kim asked.

“He is mentioned in the Apocalypse and is called The Beast.”

Kim studied the letters, and with her penchant for numbers and memorization, realized in the Greek Gematria A.KAI.DOMET.SEB.GE totals 666.

“You said the beast?”

Mortimer peered over his glasses, looked at Kim, nodded, and wasnʼt quite sure where she was going with the question.

“Domitian was an interesting leader, infamous in his sexual exploits and he had a wife that participated.”

Kim smiled, “The Roman orgy, what year was that?”

Mortimer paused, “He ruled the Roman Empire between 69 and 96 AD,” and thought Kim was very quick to pick up on the sexual thing.

“Itʼs speculated that the Book of Revelation was written during his reign before he was murdered in a conspiracy. Interestingly, he believed in an astrological prediction that he would die around noon, and was always restless when the sun was at its fullest.

“The vampire fear of the sun,” Kim whispered. “Doesnʼt the Book of Revelation suggest that 666 is the number of the beast?”

“And the Devil,” Mortimer said.

Kim couldnʼt help herself, “Itʼs the sum of the squares of the fi rst seven prime numbers, 22 + 32 +52 +72 + 112 +132 +172 = 666.”

Mortimer shot a glance at Cheyenne, she was right, “Itʼs also a palindromic number.”

“True, pure symmetry the number remains the same when you reverse it.” Kim said.

Mortimer was having a newfound respect for Kim. “Youʼre a lot smarter than you appear,” he said “Oh really, did you know if you sum all the numbers on a roulette wheel it totals 666, how about the first Apple computer sold was priced at $666.66?” Kimʼs voice had a bite to it and Mortimer understood the shot she took at him was well deserved.

Cheyenne was silent. This number game was beyond his capabilities and he was surprised with Kimʼs knowledge.

“Are we finished playing games?” Kim said.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Mortimer went back to studying the document. “Itʼs real, the Black Testament. I never thought I would see it.”

“What can you tell us, any idea where the rest of it would be?” Kim asked.

Mortimer was doing something obvious to Kim, he was hesitating. He had seen a clue and wasnʼt sure if it had meaning or not.

“What is it?” Kim pushed.

“Look here,” Mortimer pointed to the last date where the Testament was ripped. “Maybe itʼs just a coincidence but there was a time capsule put in a supply chamber in the Brooklyn Bridge on that date.

“The Brooklyn Bridge?”

“Yes, inside the bridge are cathedral-like chambers. You could call them a vault or catacombs.

The bridge engineer...”

“John Roebling,” Kim interrupted.

Again, Mortimer was taken by her knowledge. “Yes, he designed the space to be used as a vault for the national treasure.”

“Like London Bridge,” Kim said.

“Exactly, and today you can tour the towers.”

“How do we get there?” Kim turned to Cheyenne. “Subway or car?”

“Car, we drive over the Brooklyn Bridge, take the first exit which is Cadman Plaza West, and the entrance is under the overpass.

Mortimer looked at Kim, “I wish I could join you.”

“Sorry, this is serious work and youʼre not dressed appropriately.”

What have you learned about the writing process?

Some of what I've learned is from making mistakes, a lot from my mentor David Hagberg, and others from studying how writers put it together. For example, let's call this the "golden rule," pick an author you admire, a best seller, and type out a few chapters, this will show how the pro's do it.

A common mistake young authors make is to repeat words, here is a very simple example: he pulled the gun from behind his back, fired one shot from the gun, and casually tossed the gun into the bushes. As you can see the word gun is repeated, a better choice would be, he pulled the gun from behind his back, fired one shot from the pistol, and casually tossed the weapon into the bushes.The point is don't repeat but use different words.

The first paragraph of each chapter should set up the scene, place, time, action, people, and events.

The main character should be likable, but flawed, honest with no bullshit, and to help us identify with them we need sympathy.

Editing: people read at 250 words per minute, we write at 10, therefore the rule is read your work at speed, but edit slowly and re-write until it works. Read the sentence, take a word out----- does the sentence still work? Continue with a paragraph then the chapter, and if it needs more use layering. This will make it longer, slows it down, but the added descriptions make it interesting with, place, people, setting, weather, and time.

Refer back to your characters POV every three or four paragraphs. I would say these are my top rules when writing.

How do you make space for your thoughts in this busy world?

Don't let a day go by without writing.
Think about your writing in the shower or driving your car.
Become a good day dreamer, and learn to compartmentalize your brain.

What are your current projects?

Just finished re-editing Into the Basement, was never happy with what my previous publisher did to it. Next is the screenplay to Basement, written by Nicholas Grabowsky and myself, we have a producer/distributer interested, and the movie is cast with Courtney Gains, then my next novel in the Kim Bennett series that I’m tentatively calling Black Sun Rising, is another vampire tale. You can go to http://www.intothebasementthemovie.com/ to read more about the cast, director J.L. Botelho, and see his trailer for Into the Basement...it’s wicked, prepare yourself, you don’t want little kids watching this, seriously don’t let your kids see this.

Blood Bar on Amazon.com

Blood Bar is Norm Applegate’s third book; his website, http://www.normanapplegate.com/, is stuffed full of links to horror sites, authors, actors, and other interesting stuff.

Jenn's Review: Blood Bar

Summary: Vampires don't exist... yet, on the brownstone back alley side streets of New York, a vampire dies. Desperate, his lover turns to Kim Bennett, author Norm Applegate's (Into the Basement) quintessential heroine whose passion for S&M led to celebrity status as a hell-and-back murder mystery sleuth who's been there, done that, and then some. This time, Kim finds herself caught between a secret vampire society's attempts to locate The Black Testament (a sacred document written by Jack the Ripper), the modern-day vampire hunters bent on their destruction, and a white-knuckled journey of self-discovery that catapults her into the bowels of hell and the arms of the ultimate vampire... ...courtesy of The Haven, New York's ultimate BLOOD BAR...

Review: It's been a long time since I've read a book like this. How best to describe it to you? Think Anne Rice meets Thomas Harris and Stanley Kubrick in a dark alley. This is a gripping tale of blood lust, sex, and violence that combines two of my fascinations: vampires and Jack the Ripper. Any regular to our blog knows that I'm no fan of starting in the middle of a series, but that was not a problem here at all. Norm Applegate puts in just enough plot exposition from his prior books to help bring the new reader up to speed. And speed we did. This fast paced and complicated adventure reads like a script that twists and turns through to the very end. The death toll is high and the trysts plentiful. Though the prose aren't polished and the loopholes in the plot are several, it is easy to gloss over the details because Applegate is a master at weaving a dark tale. Besides, if you're reading Dark Fantasy Horror, it's for the thrill anyway, right?

My one disappointment with this book is poor editing. There are several open ended sets of quotation marks and, in some places, quotation marks in other fonts. While this shouldn't reflect on the novel, it detracted from my reading experience because I couldn't help but notice.

His first two books in the series (Into the Basement and Into the Spell), while not about vampires, do sound interesting and the first one is already being made into a movie. This is definitely an author on the forefront. While I don't recommend this book for the faint of heart, I do think if you're looking for something incredibly dark and forbidden, that you should put this on your nightstand... just don't expect a lot of sleep.

Final Take 4/5.0

Julie's Review: Darling Jim

Summary: Like the itinerant Irish storyteller at the crux of this riveting novel, Danish-born author Moerk mixes mythology, Arthurian legend, fairy tales, noir and horror in his American debut. When reclusive Moira Hegarty and her two nieces, Fiona and Róisín Walsh, are found dead in Moira's secluded home in a Dublin suburb, evidence suggests the sisters were imprisoned for months by their aunt, along with a third person, perhaps Róisín's twin sister. The young women left behind two diaries, one of which a postal clerk finds. Three years before, they fell under the spell of Jim Quick, a séanachai (or bard), whose tales of wolves and kings gave him rock star status in the sleepy town of Castletownbere. Only the Walsh sisters appear to have seen beyond the charm of darling Jim, whose presence coincides with several women's murders. Moerk tightly meshes each separate plot strand—the murders, the diaries and Quick's tales—into an enthralling story that never falters. ~amazon.com

I don't normally read horror or goth books but Jason at Henry Holt was lovely enough to pass Darling Jim onto me and I'm glad he did. The book might be labeled as the aforementioned but it's really about family, love and survival. This book was riveting from the first page and it definitely didn't slow down. Mr. Moerk weaves quite an excellent story from beginning to end. He even wraps it up with a somewhat neat bow, but leaves you wondering just enough.

Since it's a mystery/thriller I can't tell you too much without ruining the story. You can't help but be entranced by the Walsh sisters even if we only get to know them from their own point of view via their diaries. I did feel that they were honest enough to tell you their faults along with the good. We are first introduced to Fiona and we get her perspective on how Jim walked into their lives and messed it up for good. That's the thing about bad boys... they look harmless enough but they really do a number on you. Jim is quite the charmer and manages to infiltrate himself into the Walsh family, by first getting to Fiona. It's quite sick how a man can tear a family apart. Even if Aunt Moira is off kilter even to begin with.

Niall picks up the 2nd part of the story and his adventure into the story is just as interesting as the story itself. He is our bridge from the past to the present. He follows Fiona's story and ends up with more than he bargains for in doing so. He's a perfect catalyst for finding out the story within the story because he's a storyteller himself, albeit via graphic novels.

The climax of the story is wonderful and satisfying. I will say that I did figure out one of the twists but it wasn't the major twist so it didn't take away from the story.

Mr. Moerk is quite the séanachai himself. His ability to weave many different complex stories and to tie them up together was amazing. Most authors will leave you hanging on the little details but not in Darling Jim.

I will definitely be reading more of his work as they are released in the US.

For more on Christian and for an additional glimpse into one of the characters from Darling Jim click here.


Final Take: 4.75/5

Group Review: Frankenstein

Summary: Frankenstein, loved by many decades of readers and praised by such eminent literary critics, seems hardly to need a recommendation. If you haven't read it recently, though, you may not remember the sweeping force of the prose, the grotesque, surreal imagery, and the multilayered doppelgänger themes of Mary Shelley's masterpiece.

Jenn's Review: Every once in a while I find that it's time to read through a classic... and it was time. This is an incredibly dark tale and I was a little surprised at just how dark. It's depressing (welcome to the Gothic novel). I could help but think that if it was written today it might be picked to pieces by critics, but for it's time, what a chiller!!! It's the classic argument of nature vs. science and actually could have some interesting modern interprtations of the like. I didn't realize prior to picking it up that it was conveyed in letters from a third party to a fourth. Looking back on it, I could have done without a little of the third party exposition, but the third party was necessary to finish the final account of the days.

I can't help but feel sorry for the creature, not to the point where I could empathize the murder of innocent bystanders, but I did sympathize with him. I got frustrated with Frankenstein though, as he continued to create more problems for himself than he solved, and effecting all he loved in the process. All in all, I'm glad I read it, but I think I'll stick to Romantic thrillers, such as Dracula, from here on out.

As for Frankenstein, I favor Mel Brook's interpretation. "Puttin' on da Riiiitz"

Jenn's Final Take: 4.0/5


Julie's Review: I didn't know what to expect when Jenn chose Frankenstein for our group book. I've never really watched Hollywood's version of this novel (ok I do kind of think of Mr. Munster) and I'm glad I did not have any preconceived ideas regarding the deamon/monster. See now I always thought that the title Frankenstein referred to the name of the monster, but alas I was incorrect, it is the surname of the deamon's creator, Victor Frankenstein.

I found the book to be a great read and sorry that I hadn't read it long ago. I'm amazed that Mary Shelley wrote this book at the age of 18 given the themes throughout. I was intrigued by Victor's need to create life from death and the reasons he went this direction. His rejection of his creation made me wonder what would have happened if God had rejected Adam after creating him? Since Adam was made in God's likeness, did Victor create the daemon in his likeness? If so, was that how he viewed himself? Also, what path would Victor and the daemon gone down if Victor had embraced him?

I think this also brings up interesting points on nature vs. nurture. Was the deamon destined to be a monster? Or would his demeanor been different if he had been embraced and loved? Even if Victor had created the Bride, was the deamon too far lost to turn his destiny around? Were the two of them destined to destroy each other? To be miserable? To be so set on revenge?

I believe the book also addresses societal views on attractiveness. If someone looks different than us, do we automatically judge them based on this? I think so, especially when it comes to physical deformities. Most of the time we don't know how to deal with the differences and therefore reject the person or persons. I think it was brilliant insight of Ms. Shelley to incorporate this into her book. It's a theme that resonates still today. (What does that say about how far the human race has come?)

I enjoyed how the story was written. I enjoyed that we heard the story from Victor's point of view through Captain Walton. I thought the ending was fitting to the book even though a part of me wanted a great big showdown. My only complaint was how quickly the deamon learned how to speak and feel. This takes human's years to learn, but because it was a horror novel I suspended reality.

If you haven't read it, I recommend it since it's a story that will resonate for decades/centuries to come.

Julie's Final Take: 4.25/5