Seeing Evil by Jason Parent

I decided to read this book because of a friend's suggestion. I had thought it would be an ok read but was surprised to find that it is one of the best suspense thrillers I have read in a very long time.
In lesser hands it would have been a decent read but the author's skill in setting the scene, character development, and story telling makes this a far superior novel.
The premise is simple. A teenager who witnessed a family massacre when he was a toddler develops precognition abilities. A police detective who worked on the family massacre and has stayed in his life is working on a case that may not only end her career but her life as well.
I was drawn in from the beginning and found the story just kept building and building to the point where I could not put it down.
Very highly recommended. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Five out of Five. 

Awake by Natasha Preston

I received a copy of Awake from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I requested Awake because I was intrigued by the idea of a young girl who has lost all memory of her early years and a fanatical cult who tries to get her back at any cost. To be honest, if I had read this book from the viewpoint of an adult I probably would not like it, but as this is a YA novel I tried to read it from the viewpoint of a young adult. As such, I enjoyed it. It was a light thriller with the typical love interest. It didn't have enough character development for me to like Scarlett but the author did a good job imagining how a young girl would feel and react if faced with the reality that her family is not what they seem and she is the "chosen" one for a fanatical cult. The same can be said for her love interest. It is hard to like Noah but you are able to understand his dilemma as to what is the right thing to do and how can he resolve knowing that all you have been brought up to believe is wrong? I also feel a bit unsettled not knowing what really happened to Scarlett's sister but then that may be what the author intended. All in all, Awake was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to young people who enjoy psychological thrillers.

Three out of Five stars

Blood and Rain by Gleen Rolfe

Where oh where should I start with describing this book? I love a good werewolf story but have become jaded as it seems hard to find quality horror novels sometimes. Blood and Rain happens to be one of those quality horror novels that keeps you turning pages late into the night. Glenn Rolfe's description of the woods and storms is so well done that you feel as if you are right there listening for sounds (howls) in the woods while you are drenched in the rain in the dark of the night. He develops the characters just as well and you are able to understand each character and know what make each person tick. The werewolves are incredible and are major bad-asses. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to looking up his other novels. I received a free copy of Blood and Rain from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Five Out Of Five Stars

Silk by Chris Karlsen

I have always been interested in the world the infamous Jack the Ripper inhabited: in particular; Victorian London, and Jack's crimes and victims. I requested this novel from Netgalley because of the plot and the incredible cover and was not disappointed.
While Jack the Ripper is stalking London's East End, police are busy searching for another killer. Leading the investigation is Metropolitan Detective Inspector Rudyard Bloodstone. I was impressed by not only the development of the main characters but also the description of a time and place long gone. I have always enjoyed thrillers and mysteries that take place in a different time period (Ellis Peters and Bruce Alexander for example) and which has an interesting main character. This book has both in abundance. I am looking forward to the next book in this promising series.

Haunting Investigation by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

I really liked this book.....a lot. It takes place just after the first World War and has a strong female reporter who is defying society's ideal of a woman's role. There is also a ghost who feels he owes her a great debt. Add a murder mystery and you have the workings of a very interesting story. The author blends historical knowledge with fiction so well that I stayed up late reading. This is the first time I have read Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's novels and this was a wonderful introduction and a treat to read. I am hoping that she will continue this mystery series. I think she has a winner here. I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Red Mohawk by Anonymous

I really wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book. I ended up staying up late to finish reading it. I honestly didn't notice the typos or grammatical errors that others seem to have noticed but then I was engrossed in the story itself. It is very tongue in cheek and needs to be read as a parody. The characters are such obvious stereotypes of typical slasher/horror films characters as is the small town with hidden secrets. There is a lot of blood and gore/sex/gross situations but then if you think back to the cheesy slasher movies of the 70's and 80's, they are chock full of the same. All in all, I found the book to be a fun read which brought back fond memories of cult classic slasher/horror movies. I am not surprised in the least that the novel is being developed into a movie by none other than Tobey Maquire's Material Pictures. Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this fun book!

The Sober Companion by Emily Ford

The premise of this book is very unique and interesting. Vampires exist in the good old US of A but after a horrible war between humans and vampires, the vampires must complete a rehab program to qualify as vampire Americans. A sober companion is assigned to each vampire undergoing the rehab. Throw in a 1000 year old curse that condemns two lovers who are vampire and human to relive the same scenario over and over but with an unexpected twist with the latest rebirth and you have a recipe for an original and thought provoking novel.
I have to admit that when I first read the information about the book I was not sure I would like it but I was surprised to find that I was drawn in from the beginning mainly because of the story line. I also found the "twist" very thought provoking and I appreciate how the author decided to deal with the delicate turn of events concerning the rebirth.
All in all, I found the book an interesting and fun read. Highly recommended for fans of the vampire genre. I received this book in exchange for an honest review.