Tag: Supernatural

Book Review

Kill Call

TheShelfLife

Kill Call by Jeff Wooten

Publication Date: February 2024 |Thanks Edelweiss for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A unique premise with promise, but that doesn’t deliver. Any suspense is off-set with plot points that don’t make sense.

1.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Jude was born with the ability to see murders before they happen, just like his father before him. Seeing murders happen through the eyes of the killer, Jude has trained to do as those with the Dream must do- kill the killer. When Hanna rescues herself instead of letting Jude take care of her murderer, everything begins to go wrong. Together Hanna and Jude begin to unravel the mystery of the killers motivations.

My Analysis: I was really excited about the premise of this book, and for the first 25% of it I was really into it. Around that point in the novel though, the story began to fall apart. There are too many plot points that didn’t make sense or seemed very forced. Had the author kept this a father and son duo and even included the idea of a mystery to find the killer I think it would have worked, but unfortunately he didn’t. Adding in an overarching entity was way too over the top. I think overextending the story was to its detriment. There were a couple things that I did like about this book. I really enjoyed the character Coop. I thought he was witty, likable and a good addition to the cast of characters as he is introduced. I also liked that this novel included the element of football. This is something that is very important to Jude, and I thought it was weaves into the plot nicely. I think those readers who also play football would find themselves drawn to those moments. So in conclusion, really cool and unique concept but poorly executed.

Book Review

The Invocations

TheShelfLife

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

Publication Date: January 2024 |Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A beautifully written but ultimately unsatisfying story revolving around witches and the occult.

3/5

Book Summary: Zara Jones will do anything to bring back her murdered sister, even if that means partaking in the occult to raise the dead. Jude Wolf is cursed after a deal with a demon went horribly wrong, and she has been suffering the consequences ever since. Emer Byrne is a cursewriter, helping desperate women exchange part of their soul for power. As these three paths cross, the more each realizes they must work together for their goals to succeed. When Emer’s clients start to be murdered, they turn to one another for answers.

My Analysis: Sutherland’s writing is beautiful. The imagery she provides is outstanding. The story however- absolutely boring. I had hoped this one would be an improvement over House of Hollow, but to me it wasn’t. Both written elegantly but the plots just aren’t interesting enough. I’m not sure if she’s just trying to hard to make it this gruesome story that has shock value and is failing, but the overall story is not satisfying. The characters she portrays are well developed, and I did appreciate their relationships with one another. Especially given the fact that these characters are pushed together as strangers who become friends. If you’re really into witches and the occult, it’s worth a read, but if not I say it’s one to skip.

Book Review

Here Lies Olive

TheShelfLife

Here Lies Olive by Kate Anderson

Publication Date: October 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: If you are very into reading ghost-related material and have exhausted everything else on the topic, give this a read. If not, it may be best to skip this one.

1/5 Stars

Book Summary: Ever since Olive had a near death experience, she has been obsessed with what comes after we die. She has decided to keep everyone at a distance, with the thought that the Nothing that comes after death makes creating relationships pointless. Olive finds herself faced with a ghost, who she strikes a deal with. She will help him locate his unmarked grave if he tells her what comes next in the afterlife. A somewhat unlikely crew bands together on this endeavor in hopes of getting answers and saving the town from some suspicious events that occur.

My Analysis: I had a really tough time getting into this book. The premise sounded interesting, but overall, I just don’t think it was executed well. I really liked the descriptions in the beginning of the dark tourism of the town, but unfortunately it went downhill from there. I think ultimately it would be better suited as a middle grade book (with the removal of some more YA moments) and would appeal more to that audience. Olive’s mental health struggles with death were done well, as were her relationships with the other characters. As much of a horror book as this set out to be however, the supernatural aspects and ghosts represented fell flat. I had thought by the summary that Olive would be the only one able to see the ghost in the story, and I think that would have been much better for the plot. Understanding that some suspension of reality must occur in this genre, the supernatural abilities seemed overly coincidental for the characters who happened to get together in the narrative.

Book Review

The Scarlet Veil

TheShelfLife

The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin

Publication Date: September 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Give it a read if you really enjoyed the Serpent and Dove series and it’s characters and are willing to put up with a slow moving and sometimes predictable plot.

3/5 Stars

Book Summary: Set after the Serpent and Dove series. Celie has taken her vows to become the first female Chasseur. A new evil is on the horizon, resulting in many dead bodies. As Celie works to investigate, she finds herself in the company of vampires. How far is she willing to go to do what is right? What will she learn about herself in the process?

My Analysis: I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it fell short for me. I am a big fan of Mahuin’s Serpent and Dove series, and as soon as I heard this was coming out, it was immediately on my TBR list. The same world and characters and the inclusion of vampires? Sounded like a win. Overall there were some really interesting parts to the book, and I thoroughly enjoyed the vampire characters. To me, getting to know them was absolutely the best part. My biggest hang up with this story was Celie’s character development. I can understand the author trying to share the feminine side of this protagonist, but to me she seemed to come off as way too weak and innocent. More so than she really needed to be to get her point across. The Scarlet Veil is written as Celie’s story and as such the first 60% of the book was rough for me to get through because of her character. The story does pick up though towards the end and it is action packed (although somewhat predictable) until the last page. Ultimately, if you really enjoyed Serpent and Dove, want to read more about those characters and can put up with a slower pace, this is worth a read.