#BookReview Dark Screams: Volume Seven by Brian James Freeman @DelReyBooks @Marablaise

Dark Screams: Volume Seven by Brian James Freeman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Robert McCammon, James Renner, Kaaron Warren, Brian Hodge, Bill Schweigart, and Mick Garris reveal sinister secrets and unsavory pasts in a haunting anthology of short stories collected by acclaimed horror editors Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar.

LIZARDMAN by Robert McCammon
The lizardman thinks he knows about all the mysterious dangers of the Florida swamps, but there are things lurking in the bayou that are older and deadlier than his wildest dreams.

A MONSTER COMES TO ASHDOWN FOREST (IN WHICH CHRISTOPHER ROBIN SAYS GOODBYE) by James Renner
Although every child dreams of visiting Hundred Acre Wood, only one has ever actually frolicked in that fabled forest—and survived.

FURTHEREST by Kaaron Warren
She’s been going to the beach since she was a child, daring the other kids to go out past the dunes where those boys died all those years ago. Now she realizes that the farther out you go, the harder it is to come back.

WEST OF MATAMOROS, NORTH OF HELL by Brian Hodge
After the success of their latest album, Sebastián, Sofia, and Enrique head to Mexico for a shoot under the statue of Santa Muerte. But they have fans south of the border who’d kill to know where they get their inspiration.

THE EXPEDITION by Bill Schweigart
On a quest to bring glory to the Führer, Lieutenant Dietrich Drexler leads his team into the ruins of the Carpathian Mountains. But the wolf that’s stalking them is no ordinary predator.

SNOW SHADOWS by Mick Garris
A schoolteacher’s impulsive tryst with a colleague becomes a haunting lesson in tragedy and terror when he’s targeted for revenge by an unlikely, unhinged rival.

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This collection of short stories had more misses than hits for me. Frankly, there was just one story that I truly enjoyed and that was A Monsters Comes to Ashdown Forest. There is just something so chilling when it comes to a horror tales about beloved figures from children's books. This tale was haunting and really good and I wished the rest had been as good.  - 4 stars to this tale!

Then we have Lizardman and The Expeditions. They were OK, not as good as A Monsters Comes to Ashdown Forest, but they didn't bore me and had an interesting story to tell. What they lacked, however, were any chilling feeling. - 3 stars to these tales.

Finally, at the bottom, we have Furtherest, West of Matamoros, North of Hell and Snow Shadows. These three stories really didn't work for me. When a short story feels too long then you know you have a problem. Furtherest was just odd and not in a good way. I was bored reading that one. West of Matamoros, North of Hell could have been interesting, with the Santa Muerte theme. But, it was just a long short story that I couldn't wait to get through. And then we have Snow Shadows. I just don't see the point of adding this story to this collection? Now the other two at least felt like they belonged in this collection (even though I didn't enjoy them). But, this story? Sure, it seems like there is some kind of ghost thing going one, but it was lacking anything remotely chilling or thrilling. - 1 star to these stories. 

There we have it. Not the best collections I've read, although I need to check up James Renner's work.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

#BookReview The Devil's Colony by Bill Schweigart @DelReyBooks

The Devil's Colony by Bill Schweigart
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The greatest monster is man. From the author of The Beast of Barcroft and Northwoods comes a chilling descent into the depths of horror and human depravity.

Ben McKelvie had a good job, a nice house, a beautiful fiancée . . . until a bloodthirsty shapeshifter took everything away. Ever since, he’s been chasing supernatural phenomena all across the country, aided by dedicated zoologist Lindsay Clark and wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance.

Now they face their deadliest challenge yet. In the New Jersey Pine Barrens, a man named Henry Drexler operates a private compound called Välkommen, which is Swedish for “welcome.” Indeed, Drexler welcomes all visitors—so long as they’re racists, neo-Nazis, or otherwise in cahoots with the alt-right. But Drexler is no mere Hitler wannabe. Once he was Severance’s mentor, and his research may well have summoned a monster to the Pine Barrens.

To find out the truth, Ben and Lindsay must enter the camp incognito. There, under the watchful eyes of Drexler’s bodyguards and sociopathic son, they will learn that the most dangerous beasts lurk in the human heart.

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I'm sorry to say that The Devil's Colony is just not as good as the two previous books. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised about how lackluster this book is. It's like all the energy was put on the two first books and nothing was spared for this book. Characters that I previously cared for did I find uninteresting and quite frankly very flat. I wanted to learn more about Severance when I read the previous books, but in this book did he feel like such an uncharismatic person and his love story felt really, really off. And, Ben and Lindsay, I didn't care a bit about them, and I was really worried about them in the previous book Northwoods. Even when they got in trouble didn't I feel a thing for them.

The story, well, compared to The Beast of Barcroft and Northwoods was the story in this book just way too dull and actionless. Ben and Lindsay's undercover mission was just not that interesting to read about, and the things that happened in the woods around the camp didn't for a moment race my pulse. I loved the horror of Northwoods, but there was no horror in this book. Just a lot of boring talk and even when everything started to go wrong did I find myself not engaged in the story.

The Devil's Colony is a book that didn't work for me. The Beast of Barcroft and Northwoods are great books, but the conclusion of this trilogy was unfortunately not a strong ending.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

Bout of Books 19: Reading list

Next week the Bout if Books readathon starts and it doesn't really come a good time, to be honest. since I started Assassin's Fate by Robin Hobb just a couple of days ago and it will take me some days to finish the book since it's almost 1000 pages. I do plan to listen to some Swedish audiobooks (perfect for outdoor walks, working etc.) and try to read some ebooks if I get some time over. I will not set any goals, instead, will I enjoy this week and try to read as much as possible.

eARCS

AUDIOBOOKS

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The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, May 14th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 19 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

The Beast of Barcroft by Bill Schweigart

The Beast of Barcroft by Bill Schweigart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this book, we met for the first time Ben Mckelvie who together with his fiance moved to the Barcroft, a suburb in Washington, D.C. However, what they didn't know that they would be neighbours with crazy raccoon-loving Madeleine Roux. Everything just gets worse with Ben's fiance leaving him and his poor dog gets killed. But, it even gets worse than that when the predator that killed his dog seems to start to kill his neighbours one by one...

I read Northwoods and absolutely loved the book so I had to get The Beast of Barcroft that is the first book in the series. And, this book is good, not amazingly good as Northwoods, but still pretty darn good and I especially liked getting to know how Richard Severance, Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud first met. And, now everything I read about Barcroft in Northwoods makes much more sense. Ben McKelvie is a normal guy and he never expected to have to deal with a supernatural predator that seems to be targeting his neighbours (and him), but thankfully with some help from new "friends" will he try to save the neighbourhood (and himself). And, it's action, some gore and even some humor in the book. Just the way I like it!

I'm a big monster fan. I just love those X-files episodes with monsters in the woods, etc. So, reading books like this, well-written and interesting and intense is pure happiness for me. The Beast of Barcroft is thrilling to read, but it never gets as fascinating and heart pounding to read as Northwoods did. I guess partly because I was more worried about whom would live and who would die in Northwoods, but also because I found the story in Northwoods with its monster more exciting.

So, if you like monster books, then I recommend this book to you and after you read it should you definitely go for Northwoods. Me? I'm waiting for the next book to be released!

Northwoods by Bill Schweigart

Northwoods by Bill Schweigart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ex–Delta Force Davis Holland is now working for the Customs and Border Protection up in the North. It's a more peaceful place to work than Douglas, Arizona where he worked until his bosses transferred him up north after an attack against him. But that is about to change when he and a local sheriff stumbles over a massacre in the woods. Someone or something is loose in the woods, something dangerous.

Wealthy cryptozoologist Richard Severance sends Ben McKelvie, Lindsay Clark, and Alex Standingcloud to investigate. They have not seen each other for around a year, not since a deadly shapeshifter almost killed dem in Barcroft. Now they must once against face danger together.

Northwoods is the sequel to The Beast of Barcroft and despite the fact that I haven't read the book was it quite easy to get into the story. The three main character Ben, Lindsay, and Alex have all bad memories of facing down the shapeshifter the year before and now they are once again investigating something paranormal.

Davis and Barnabus Sheriff Gil were attacked in the woods where the massacre took place and they are still a bit jumpy 2 months later when Ben (and his cat Gus), Lindsay, and Alex travels up north and soon all hell breaks loose.

This book is really great, I find that Bill Schweigart did a marvelous work with creating both very likable characters and an intensive story. I loved the setting of the peaceful towns like Barnabus and how everything very fast goes to hell when the town is attacked. When people start to die and Ben, Lindsay, Alex, and Davids have to start fighting then the book really gets thrilling. I was constantly worried that something would have happened or the main characters or poor Gus the cat and I was almost exhausted when I finished the book after worrying so much about the characters.

Northwoods is one of the best monster books I have ever read. I love the monster-of-the-week episodes X-files when Mulder and Scully were out in the woods hunting bigfoot etc. and this book had some X-files vibes. Now I really want to read The Beast of Barcroft!

Thanks to Hydra and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!