Bilingual book in English/Spanish for Intermediate Learners: A Thrilling Crime Mystery (The Dark Series) by Ariel Sanders

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A good short story combined with language learning.

The idea of combining two languages for learning while reading is great. I honestly believe that this boosted my score of this book from four to five stars, as it gives this short story added readability. For those wondering, it’s only seven chapters long. The Spanish translation and glossaries make me want to reread it.

I recommend this book in either eBook or paperback format, as both are excellent for reference when learning Spanish. The beauty of this book truly revealed itself after reading it in English.

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The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Solid.

The Sun Down Motel has plenty of twists and a solid mystery at its core. The book cover is excellent, and it features a few catchy mentions in this book, such as Psycho. The alternating POVs helped increase my reading engagement, and this story flowed nicely. I didn’t enjoy the blaspheming and profanity, but Simone St. James wasn’t overbearing with it.

Overall, it’s a great ghost story that is worth your time for at least one read-through. I will not reread this novel, but you might.

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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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Lavender by Eric Williford

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Lavender could have been better.

Pros:
1. It’s short.
2. The psychological horror is present.
3. Clean.
4. The book cover caught my attention.
5. I like how the blurb is short and sweet.
6. I enjoyed Lavender and would re-read it.
7. This story required me to go back to learn more about the main character at the end of the book.

Cons:
1. Lavender would have benefited from being longer. Eric Williford should rewrite this into a novelette or novella, but it can still be a standalone. Even then, novelettes and novellas are still considered short stories.
2. While the word “lavender” was often in italics in this book (because the main character was thinking of it), it sometimes did not have a period after it.
3. The ending was fake to me. This ties in with the main character’s run-in with the cashier.
4. This story would benefit from more character development.
5. The setting of Lavender should be crafted more.
6. I can’t help but want more from this story.

This horror tale can be improved.



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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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The Cat from Hell by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fantastic short horror story featuring a cat.

Pros:
1. Creepy.
2. Original.
3. Shocking.
4. Well written.
5. Great storyline.
6. It’s a quick read.
7. Vivid descriptions.
8. I would re-read this story.
9. It’s a prior work made by Stephen King.
10. Cats, like rats, fit the horror genre well.

Cons:
1. I wish there was a sequel. This horror tale reminded me of Macabre Cats by E.P. King.
2. The book cover could be better.



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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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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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My Very Bad, Very Sad Day by Daniel Weaver

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A tear-jerker.

Gizmo is an old dog that can no longer function normally.

I like the illustrations and formatting. The pictures were unique. They looked like they were painted or made with oil pastels. The ending information about veterinarians was shocking. This story is realistic, even describing Gizmo’s bad breath because he was an old dog.

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

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The Reviewer by M.K. Alexander

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Original.

The hero, an aspiring indie writer with potential, falls prey to the villain, the reviewer.

Pros:
1. It’s a clean read.
2. It’s a short story.
3. There is one laugh-out-loud moment.
4. Re-readability. I’ve already read it twice.
5. This book will resonate with indie authors.
6. The hero is well-developed.
7. This tale exposes a harsh reality.
8. The prose is well-edited.
9. M.K. Alexander put a lot of thought into the narrative.
10. M.K. Alexander is a talented writer.

Cons:
1. It’s a standalone.
2. The book cover could be better.

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Lucky Numbers: A Small Town Horror Story by Elliott Dahle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Better than expected.

Sam and Nadine are a married couple that have had their difficulties. Things have been sour between them for several years, leading Nadine to believe it’s time for them to separate. But a lucky occurrence comes their way, which changes everything.

Pros:
1. Despite being a short story, I felt satisfied with the book’s length (it’s a novelette).
2. Excellent premise.
3. Fantastic ending twist.
4. Good book cover.
5. Elliott Dahle gives backstories for the characters.
6. The writing and editing is good.

Cons:
1. Blaspheming and profanity.
2. The ending is predictable (if you’re paying attention).
3. It’s a standalone, despite the book’s length.


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TAILS OF LOVE: Canine Parables for the Heart by Daniel Weaver

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent.

The book cover is excellent. The illustrations are fantastic and they stand out. I like how there are different stories for different canine breeds. The storyline is unique, and I can tell that the author put a lot of work into this book. I enjoyed the overall theme of this book. I recommend this book to dog lovers.

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