Review: THE DEVIL'S PROMISE by Celso Hurtado

Release: 26 September 2023

THE DEVIL'S PROMISE, a one-day read because I could not stop and sure didn't want to, left me speechless. Not at all surprising, considering my acclaim for Author Celso Hurtado's incredible debut novel, GHOST TRACKS [November 2021], which introduced a remarkable and wonderfully diverse Series Protagonist, seventeen-year-old Erasmo Cruz. This young man is without a doubt one of the most endearing fictional characters I've ever encountered [this in a character-pantheon that includes my all-time favorite Louis, Gay Black assassin and fashion plate of a certain extensive John Connolly Series!] Erasmo is so easy to identify with, so relatable, so eliciting of empathy. So I'm not him and I didn't live his exact life, but so what? We resonate. That's one of the perfect aspects of this Series.

Another is how giftedly Mr. Hurtado writes bullet-train paced Suspense! It's difficult to catch my breath reading his novels! Then the depths--the issues--the lives--the characters: to die for...

The Paranormal/Supernatural: no need for suspension of disbelief here, nor for any skepticism concerning the depths of the abyss of Human Evil. Mr. Hurtado lays it on the line. On.the.Line. Erasmo's Encounters are...simply incredible.

I found the Denouement a little (a lot) shocking....but realistic. And the ending: just glorious. I ended the book turned inside out--shocked--dismayed--frightened--yet ultimately happy. [How often does that happen?]

In my review of the author's debut novel, GHOST TRACKS, back in 2021, I presciently wrote:

"May debut author Celso Hurtado have a long and creatively productive career, because this author is an exceptional wordsmith!"

I'm extraordinarily thankful this hope is coming to pass!

SCI FI SUMMER READATHON JUNE 2023

Sci Fi Summer Readathon

June is SciFi Month AND Pride Month!

Currently Reading:

Wormhole.

My Science Fiction Titles Read:
1.THE SCIENCE FICTIONARY by Robert W. Bly [reference guide] Release 2 June
2. ROOK by Graham Masterton. SF/Occult Horror (#1 in Series)
3.THE MARIGOLD by Andrew F. Sullivan. Near Future Dystopian SF-CliFi Toronto. with Occult Horror.
4. AMAZING OCTOPUS. Explorations of Space and Ocean for children. German-English
5.SNEAK PEEK PATRON SAINTS OF NOTHING. LGBTQ+/OWN VOICES
6. WHY I'M AFRAID OF THE DARK. Author Request. SF/Horror Mount TBR.
7. LOST IN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE
8. SAINT JUNIPERS FOLLY. NG ARC CURRENT LGBT Supernatural/Witchcraft Release June 6
9. SEW INTO YOU. KU. VIRTUAL LGBT. Release June 5 Reread
10. QUEEROES KU VIRTUAL LGBT
11. FOUR FOUND DEAD HOOPLA VIRTUAL
12. THE EYES. GUTENBERG. JUNE 1910.
13. WHAT YOU HIDE. Hoopla Virtual and NG Mount TBR 2018
14. THE SLUMBER PARTY KU Virtual
15. VOLCANIC ADVENTURES. NG ARC Current . (+ Author Request)
16. HARVESTING EVIL. NG ARC Current.
17. SHE STARTED IT. NG ARC Current. Release June 13.
18. THE HANDYMAN METHOD. NG ARC Current
19. THE DONUT LEGION. Release March 2023.
20. THE HORROR AT PLEASANT BROOK. NG ARC.
21. GOOD TOUCH BAD TOUCH. Children
22. MY LITTLE SISTER. Children
23. GRANDMA AND HER MISSING GOAT. Children
24. TAKE ONE MORE STEP. Children
25. THE MONKEY WHO WANTED TO BE A DEER. Children
26. DADDY DONKEY. Children
27. HELL'S CITY (BOOK 2) 28. HELL'S VENGEANCE (BOOK 3) KU VIRTUAL
28.MORAL LESSONS Children.
30. THE MÖBIUS DOOR KU Virtual
31. IT HAUNTS THE MIND. CLP ARC
32. THE FIREBUG KU VIRTUAL
33. THE DROWNING WOMAN. NG ARC MOUNT TBR
34. YOU CAN TRUST ME. NG ARC. Current
35. HOUSE OF ROT. Own. New.
36. CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD. NG ARC. Mount TBR.
37. WORMHOLE. Hard SF.
38. THE ONLY ONE LEFT. Psychological Thriller/Suspense/Generational. Virtual
39. PENUMBRA. Hard SF. Virtual
40.THE DEVIL'S PROMISE. Supernatural Horror/YA/OwnVoices.
41. DRAGGING MASO COUNTY. YA. PRIDE.
42. ELI OVER EASY. MG/YA. PRIDE.
43. SCORPIO. SPACE SF.
44. "HOW IT UNFOLDS." SF.
45. "THE VOID." SF.
46. "FALLING BODIES." SF.
47. "THE LONG GAME." SF.
48. "Just Out of Jupiter's Reach." SF.
49. "Slow Time Between the Stars." SF
50. THE EIGHT CONTINENT. SF.
51. HAVE YOU SEEN HER? Psychological Thriller. New Release.
52. UNEXPECTED HORROR 3: DARK RAINBOW RISING. Anthology. LGBTQ+
53. NEWTON'S WAKE. SF.
54. THE COUPLES TRIP LIBBY VIRTUAL
55. INVERSIONS. EDELWEISS. SF.
56. THE ALTERED MOON. SF. NG ARC CURRENT
57. BINARY SYSTEM NG ARC MOUNT TBR IN PROGRESS to 34% SF

Review: THIS DELICIOUS DEATH by Kayla Cottingham

This is author Kayla Cottingham's second novel, a Sapphic YA Horror with strong LGBTQ+ Rep, including a protagonist who is Lesbian/Bi, her best friend who is a Trans Internet influencer, and their two other close friends. Not only are they bonded by friendship; they are fellow sufferer/survivors of "the Hollowing," a mysterious viral disease which struck the planet without warning, affecting some of the population but not all. This brings in the theme of "outsiders," as [just as German-Americans were ostracized and Japanese-Americans confined to interment camps during World War II, while brilliant American minds sociopathically plotted Eugenics strategies] many of the unaffected populace shunned even their own family members and demanded that the "ghouls" be transported to isolated areas, such as deserts, far away from the untouched. For safety's sake, of course. This condemnation of "outsiders" is of course also reflected in the lives which our protagonists live, as individuals and friends who don't always adhere to the views of the majority. Compounding this is their status as sufferers of "the Hollowing," so that their tight-knit unending friendship is a bulwark and foundation against "normalcy."

Review: IT LOOKS LIKE DAD by Jason Krawczyk

How can I encapsulate my intense enthusiasm for this special novella? How to categorize? Mostly, just read it! I adored it and I think all Horror geeks should groove on this, especially those who also love science fiction, Multiverses, parallel Earths, time travel, wonderful riffs on the enduring Lovecraft Mythos [let me tell you: this author has NAILED the Cosmic deities, in my opinion, in their ineffable characters and complete indifference to humble useless humanity. He's really driven that point home, and then hammered it in.]

IT LOOKS LIKE DAD is also extraordinarily efficient Aversion self-therapy for both Thalassaphobia and Arachnophobia (the story is SO VIVID that I had to Google geographic distance to be certain I was far enough removed from danger!).

If you adore Apocalypse, Lovecraftian Horror, time travel, Multiverses, "super-hero/villains," body-crafting (wait till you read this!), race to read IT LOOKS LIKE DAD.

I read it yesterday and I want to go reread it already. I have one immensely favorite adorable character but I won't identify because I don't want to spoil the intense experience waiting on every new reader of IT LOOKS LIKE DAD. I'll be standing in line for each future offering from Jason Krawczyk and the illustrious Little Ghost Books.

No electrons were harmed in the making of this Review.

Review: CARMILLA by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

CARMILLA is remarkably Sapphic, in my opinion, for a book whose initial serialization occurred in 1861-1872, in the midst of the mostly repressive Victorian Era. [The also sensual DRACULA by Bram Stoker was published in 1897, a full quarter-century later.] Amazingly after many decades of Horror, I had not until now read CARMILLA. If I had as a child, surely I would have missed the sensuality and the obviousness of Carmilla's seduction of Laura, and her recent seduction of the General's niece, his ward. I noticed that her beauty is apparent to and acknowledged by these older men (one a father, one an uncle/guardian) but (thankfully) her beauty does not incite their lust, but only a sort of distant fondness and protectiveness, as a considerate shepherd might for his sheep. Also, CARMILLA is primarily a female-character story: Carmilla and Laura, Carmilla's earlier "incarnations" and her female victims, the older woman (chaperone) who purports (in every one of Carmilla's manifestations) to be the "young girl's" mother. Even the "secondary" victims (peasants and villagers) are primarily women. And of course, for whom is the story named? The deadly, unforgettable, CARMILLA.

Remarkable, I think, for a published mid-19th century story by a Western European (Irish) male author. For who holds the Power in this tale? WOMEN!!!

Note: I gave CARMILLA a 4 star 🌟 rating when I finished it, but a day later while pondering my review, I elevated it to 5 🌟. See my concluding paragraph!

Review: TELL ME WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

5 🌟 TELL ME WHAT REALLY HAPPENED by Chelsea Sedoti is a Super-Wow novel, YA Horror/Thriller/Psychological Thriller, which figuratively glued me to my seat while gluing my eyes open. I couldn't stop reading, and I'm still thinking about it, asking myself, "Well, do we REALLY KNOW the entire story yet?"

The novel is entirely contained in the format of police interrogation interviews (mainly responses)! So right away you realize, "Ohoh! Something really bad's happened here!" Just as Science and Sociology and Psychology has taught us that eyewitness accounts aren't always accurate: people see what they want to see, or what fits their conditioned perspective, plus the human brain automatically slides stimulus input into a framework, because it can't abide a puzzle: everything has to fit. Add in several individuals with their own disparate agendas, acting out of Character, all afraid to reveal the "truth," and the consequence is a hot mess of personality clashes, danger, wild arguments, and of course, two major themes: Internet Influencers...and Bigfoot. Yes, this is the Pacific Northwest, this is camping in a very scary woods, over the century-plus there's been lots of disappearances and deaths.

I appreciate the author's inclusion of both LGBT rep and the viewpoint of an adolescent Black male living in a small, predominantly Caucasian, community. These themes distinctly improved and intensified the story.

Release April 4 2023

Review: PARADISE-1 by David Wellington

Release April 4 2023

I was enrapt with this fascinating Science Fiction novel from the very beginning. I'd read and enjoyed earlier novels by this author, but PARADISE-1 is just special! Amazingly, the farther I read the more engrossed I became ! So happy this is just the first of a Series, as there are so many themes and occurrences yet to be unraveled: some science-fictional, some metaphysical (AI's achieving self-awareness; at what point is humanity no longer human but solely living creature), some-yes-paranornal (about the persistence of life after death, and of psychic manipulation). So very much to delve into, and there is not one spare minute to breathe! Total fascination throughout, and I am rabid for the sequel!