The Crescent Scar: A Dark Tale of Detectives and Deadly Games by J.T. Ravenwood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A mystery thriller.

The writing is solid, and the story is edited. I enjoyed it and would label this short story as a thriller. The chapter names add another allure to this novella, but it would benefit from giving the characters backstories. For example, more character development would have helped me connect better with the Lieutenant and Carver’s sister, Mia.

The action scenes were crafted well and weren’t rushed. I prefer reading stories without cursing and blaspheming, and while it wasn’t overdone, I saw enough of it where I noticed it bothered me. My reading engagement was high throughout the story. I recommend it and would re-read this story. Hopefully, this will turn out to be a series, chiefly with the conclusion of this story.

The book cover caught my eye; it’s excellent.

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Shadows of Fear by Maggie Ford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It’s fantastic.

Pros:

1. It’s an excellent psychological thriller.
2. It’s novella length.
3. It’s the beginning of a series.
4. My reading engagement was high.
5. It’s expertly written.
6. The book cover is good.
7. The mystery.
8. The cliffhanger.
9. It’s a clean read.
10. The twists.

Cons:

1. Emily never gets a gun.

I recommend this book.

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The Visitor by Sergio Gomez

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It’s better than I expected.

Pros:

1. The book cover is noticeable.
2. It’s novella-length.
3. It’s well written.
4. The cuss words are not overbearing.

Cons:

1. I won’t re-read this.

I don’t understand nor agree with the bad ratings.

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A Colossal Injustice

by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.

Giveaway ends January 31, 2025.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

It is perfect for James Patterson and Robert Galbraith fans, as it features alternating POVs and a blend of genres.

The Secret Gift by Daniel Hurst

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Exciting.

Pros:

1. It’s short.
2. The book cover is fantastic.
3. Perfect for the holidays if you’re into thrillers.
4. It’s well-written.
5. It’s edited.
6. It’s realistic.

Cons:

1. I won’t re-read this.
2. The police might be smarter in real life than what Daniel Hurst portrays in this book.

I won’t re-read this short story, but I would be open to reading more books from this author.

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Xmas Break: A Christmas Thriller by J.E. Rowney

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It’s better than you think.

Pros:

1. It’s a good read.
2. Several genres are blended into this story, such as romance, thriller, mystery, and horror.
3. The title is fitting, mainly after reading the story.
4. It’s an atmospheric thriller, which I enjoyed.

Cons:

1. I didn’t like the main character, Isla.
2. I don’t like Isla’s name, chiefly when compared to Greg, James, and Clara.
3. I didn’t like some one-liners.
4. Some of the romantic stuff made me cringe.
5. I won’t re-read this.

I’d be open to reading more from this author, but the romantic aspect of this story makes me cringe.

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Flesh Eaters Ate My Neighbors by Brian Berry

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Unique.

Pros:
1. The book cover is fantastic.
2. It’s edited.
3. I can tell that Brian G. Berry had fun creating this book.
4. A couple of laugh-out-loud moments.
5. There were little illustrations that added to the fun.
6. A sequel is in the making.
7. Private Sanders and Heather.

Cons:
1. I won’t re-read this book.
2. Profanity and blaspheming.
3. Some funny parts were unrealistic.
4. The storyline for Cats is better than this one.
5. The explanation behind all the monsters appearing wasn’t enough for me.
6. Although this is a horror book, I did not find it scary.
7. Zak.



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The Town That Cried Werewolf: Second Edition by Danny Dantas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Excellent storyline.

Pros:
1. The second edition’s book cover is fantastic. The black, hairy werewolf in the center, roaring against the red backdrop, is attention-grabbing, and I’ve wanted to read this book for a while because of it.
2. The story revolves around a town, creating a range of suspects. The storyline is outstanding.
3. I enjoyed how Danny Dantas kept me guessing who the killer was until the end. This added to the suspense and gave me time to figure out whodunit. After figuring out who the killer was before they were revealed, I felt I had accomplished something spectacular.
4. I enjoyed this novella’s blend of horror, mystery, thrill, and suspense.
5. The epilogue was a pleasant touch.
6. The alternating POVs increased my reading engagement.
7. I would re-read this story.

Cons:
1. The Town That Cried Werewolf would benefit from improved character development.
2. I noticed two errors while reading this novella (one of them was capitalization).
3. Profanity and blaspheming.

I recommend The Town That Cried Werewolf to mystery and horror lovers. Danny Dantas’s debut is marvelous, and I would read more of his stories.



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Cats by Brian G Berry

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Well written.

Pros:
1. Fantastic book cover.
2. Expertly written.
3. Highly imaginative.
4. I like how Brian G. Berry used the weather to add to the horror.

Cons:
1. Profanity and blaspheming.
2. This book would benefit from keener editing.
3. Cats needs to be proofread.
4. The ending is partially unrealistic. I do not want to spoil it for other readers.
5. I won’t re-read this book.
6. I don’t like Eddie.

This book is worth a read if you’re into cats and horror.



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Underdogs: The Enemy | Book 3 by K. Weikel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good.

The series continues this time from Malcom’s point of view. Is he an ally or an enemy? You’ll have to read this book to find out.

Pros:

1. It’s a clean read.
2. It’s novella-length. I could read it in one day.
3. K. Weikel is a talented wordsmith.
4. The cliffhanger is good.
5. The bonus content is a welcome addition.
6. It was interesting to see how the first two books aligned with this. Chiefly, the ending.
7. There is a lot of fantasy packed in this book.

Cons:

1. I don’t see myself re-reading this in the future.

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City of Spores by Austin Shirey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A strange whodunit.

Private Investigator Johanna Kolibrik reluctantly agreed to a case to keep her struggling business afloat. Unfortunately, she gets wrapped up in something bigger as Madripol has gigantic problems. Old Town is a dark place, and the enemies she encounters are vicious.

Pros:

1. Worldbuilding.
2. A mysterious, original story.
3. An appealing book cover.
4. It’s novella-length.
5. Austin Shirey used his experience in Prague to create this book.

Cons:

1. Blaspheming and profanity.
2. Not having a glossary to reference.
3. Not including a map.
4. A lack of interior illustrations.
5. The interior formatting could have been better for the e-book. This was the version that I read.
6. Johanna walking through the sewer system without personal protective equipment was unrealistic. The bacteria, pests, smell, and waste should have made her sick.

Not including a glossary and illustrations hurt this story. It was hard for me to keep up with everything because there wasn’t a glossary to reference. I took a star away because Johanna walked through the sewer system without PPE. This should have made her sick, as it could reek of rotten eggs down there. It could also cause her to vomit, have nausea, dizziness, a lack of concentration, or a combination of these symptoms.

The cons listed above are why I did not issue this book a five-star rating. Despite issuing this book a three-star rating, I enjoyed it.

Austin Shirey should think about building a series off of this book. It would be a waste to leave it as a standalone.

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

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“…a page-turner that will keep you up at night…”
—Reader Views ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CD14P5CH

Read the editorial review here: https://readerviewsarchives.wordpress.com/2023/08/18/the-nocturnal-devil-hernandez-jr/