Child Eyes by T. Renee Albracht

Child Eyes by T. Renee Albracht

T. Renee Albracht gets down and dirty with the realites of the way the world can be,such an ugly horrible place. The violence, sexual abuse, rape, and even homelessness is portrayed with her word that everything was so vivid and stuck in my mind, like right now I am having flashbacks of how horrible things must have been.

Jessica struggles through life, it seems to be one thing after another and all of the other characters just made this book come together into a work of art that will be forever in the back of my mind whenever I see the book on my shelf. More people need to speak out the way T. Renee Albracht has with her book, I don’t deem this suitable for children at all but for those between the ages of 18-99+ could really learn how horrible a place this world can be. How dark some people are inside… even how nasty family members can be. 5 Stars

Reviewed by Sarah for Book Reviews by Crystal
www.bookreviewsbycrystal.blogspot.com

The MoonQuest by Mark David Gerson

I loved The MoonQuest, it had everything a great book has; fantasy, the ability to transport you into the book and Mr. Gerson has really captured my senses with his amazing detail.

The story line of The MoonQuest had me from the very beginning, I loved every minute of it and I am now a huge fan of Mr. Gerson. This was the first book I have ever read from him and he is just amazing at holding my attention with the twists and turns around every corner… IT WAS AMAZING! He earned 5 stars and more with this novel!

Reviewed by Sarah for Book Reviews By Crystal

Witch Ember by John Lawson

Esmeree at the age of 6 was living a life that no child should ever have to live. She was used, abused, sexually sought out, and was pretty much a nobody. But Esmeree possesses something very special on the inside, this little witch is about to discover a whole new power from within. A power that is mentioned in legends. Although, she must always be on the lookout for those that are seeking the ember carriers, she is taken under Andelliza's wing as an apprentice so that she can learn to harness her ember's power.


Esmeree is a ruthless child hardened by the life she has lived. She will kill anyone that gets in her way, but she will also feel the pain of seeing people she cares about die. Always on the run and finally accomplishing her dream of being a sellaria, she is still a child... but she does crave the love and lust from one of Andelliza's men, Drake. As young Esmeree's life goes on she is used as a homing device of sorts to seek out others that carry the ember for the Medianists. I think this is where the story begins to escalate into a much needed climax.


Witch Ember by John Lawson is in my opinion a good read for young adults that love fantasy. For me, I didn't start getting interested until Esmeree became a sellaria and worked for the Viscount Jacobus. So that was about halfway through the novel before I really wanted to continue seeing what would happen along the way to Esmeree. The details were great, the characters were very life like, but the storyline just seemed to go on and on without much success at keeping my attention. Once I began this important new part in Esmeree's life, the novel was a quick read and it finally pulled everything together leaving me with the knowledge that a second book is on the way. 4 Hearts

Dead of Winter by Sean Harris

Allysen Coles has just moved to Alaska from Texas in hopes of escaping her past. At the age of 15 after a near fatal car accident, Allysen was left with the gift of clairvoyance. She saw dead people everywhere, it was over whelming and she began to understand these spirits and help them whenever possible. She also had a loving husband, Dave, that used to be a cop. Even death can not keep true love apart, but he’s not so happy when Allysen decides to move on, he even threatens her about crossing over.

Allysen is very discreet about what she can see, and when she is approached by her friend Harry, she can’t turn down what he tells her. A doctor and his wife have a house that is experiencing paranormal activity. And the doctor also sees the woman that visits Allysen in her dreams every time she is asleep, that alone makes Allysen accept the job of ridding the spirit from their home. Although this is not just a regular spirit, there is something dark and sinister lying in wait for Allysen, Harry, and the good Father Joseph.

In the early 1900’s in Alaska was when the gold rush began, and along with that tales of murder and cover-up. With a lot of injuries, the help of a 70 year trapped spirit, and the love of her son she must overcome the shadows lying in the dark… trusting no one!

Sean Harris has just made the hair on my arms stand up. Dead of Winter was a fast paced spooky thriller that makes it a little bit harder to walk into a dark room without turning the light on first. While it wasn’t gruesome, it sure has a shock to it once the ending comes around. I loved it, there was one thing that made me flip back a few pages and say hmmm, but besides that it was an awesome read that many people will enjoy. 4.5 Hearts

Contact Sean: www.myspace.com/seanharrisbooks

Show and Tell by Jasmine Haynes

Trinity Green was everything everyone else wanted her to be. Tall, thin, blonde, the perfect prim and proper wife. The day she walked in on her husband and his lover in their shower was the day Trinity would throw caution to the wind and get what SHE desired. She craved hot steamy passion, and she was just about to see what it would be like to be the wanton risqué woman she fantasized about. It was as easy as answering the knocking on a door.

Scott Sinclair heard the woman in the room next to him, lust over came thought and he knocked on the door and asked her one question that would bring on a dramatic chain of delicious lusty events; Can I watch you? No names were traded that night, he left a business card for her the next morning and now he just had to wait for her call. Trinity wanted more of the uninhabited feelings so she brazenly initiated the contact. He was 15 years her senior, but she could not hide her attraction for him.

And what contact it was, steamy voice mails, secret meetings, and wild out of her mind orgasms. She didn’t have to be the prim daddy’s girl for Scott, she could be who she wanted, Jezebel. When time goes by and Scott still doesn’t know her real name, a business meeting makes everything fall into place; oh and then there’s a little drama with someone trying to blackmail them. Trinity is hiding, she needs everything he can offer, but she needs to earn her own independence… does that leave room for a little tantalizing dessert named Scott Sinclair?

I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again, Jasmine Haynes has a way with setting the readers mind and visual parts of the brain on FIRE! Her books are erotic, romantic and with this one her character throws everything caution to the wind! It was such an outright fantasy come to life, that I think a lot of women could relate to. Have you ever wanted to pretend to be someone you’re not, and enjoy the most titillating night of your life? How would it feel to have a stranger watch you pleasure yourself? Find out how Trinity Green feels the moment tall, dark and handsome comes knocking on her hotel door by picking up a copy of Show and Tell. 5 Hearts

Contact Jasmine: www.skullybuzz.com

Wounded: Collected Tales of Horror and the Grotesque by David Saliba

Wounded: Collected Tales of Horror and the Grotesque is a novel that I'm still not quite certain about. The characters suffered lucid dreams, sexual identity issues, erotic abusive sex, and constantly felt like they were either going out of their minds…or were actually insane.

Each story touches the last story or the previous ones together, making the novel sort of close together like a badly stitched wound. I say that because some of the stories were overly detailed, left open, and a couple didn't really hold my attention and intertwine as a novel often does; more a scattering of short stories and events. You can tell from the point of view that the book was written by a man, (no offense) but the female characters didn’t seem “real”. The writing does read quite easy for the most part; hence the editor side.

I think this is more of a bizarre genre mixed with grotesque. I didn't get a whole lot of "horror" creepy feelings from it. I think the author, David Saliba is a great person and a fantastic editor, but this one is just not for me. I have read the reviews previously given and people really loved this book, so who knows? But, if you're looking for something that will turn your stomach or if you like reading bizarre books with lots of depraved eroticism, then this one is for you.

This novel receives 2.5 Bloody Skulls.

Nature of the Daughters by Elizadeth Hetherington (For SNM Horror Mag)

Identical twins, Renee and Renata were anything but identical. Renee was the socialite, the star of her mother’s eyes and Renata was the wicked wild child, the one hell bent on grossing out her sister, and she was her father’s world.

From a very young age, Renata was verbally and physically abused by her mother while Renee was sent to piano lessons and had a warm breakfast every morning. From the moment Renata was born, she was disowned by her mother. Renata loved her father, he was everything to her and once she became a teenager she started having incestuous feelings of lust for him. She had no friends, no social life, and scars from her mother’s abuse. One day she would have a friend, a boy that she could love… but she couldn’t expect too much from those feelings toward Darien.

On Renata’s father’s side of the family, all of the first born daughters are doomed to the same fate, it seems that history is repeating itself. After years of not getting along the girls begin to make an effort, but that effort may have been left better undiscovered. Now both girls will find out how true the family curse is. They will also learn more about their father and their early childhood.

Elizadeth Hetherington excels in portraying a family that looks normal on the outside but is totally messed up all over the place, inside. The story is gory, sickening at times, and full of hidden secrets ready to be revealed. Elizadeth knows how to pen a haunting tale that I would deem suitable for anyone between the ages of 15-21. 4 Hearts

The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

Nefertari born a princess, was cursed by the blood of her ancestors. Nefertiti, Mutnodjmet, and a long list of her family were all killed in a mysterious fire, but within the pages of The Heretic Queen, the mystery will be uncovered.

Nefertari was the wild child, not suitable enough to be Chief Wife, plus another woman has taken the title of princess from the man she has loved since she was a child. A sabbatical to the priestess temple for a year would change everything. With the help of very strong allies, Nefertari would soon become a young woman that will capture the Pharaoh, Ramsesses’s heart. She must continually fight for her position in the palace, and she must contend with women that want her gone.

A battle between Ramsesses’s other wife Iset, and the High Priestess of Isis seems that it will never end. Nefertari must rise above all of this childish behavior and show Ramsesses that she can be the Queen of all Egypt. But the people are not so welcoming, the still believe the blood of her heretic family runs in her veins and that they’re all doomed to death. Nefertari is blamed for the death of the first son born to Ramsesses, blamed for the four year drought, and for anything else that is “rumored” about her. She must be strong, and in the end, the truth will prevail.

A love triangle, deceit, betrayal, and romance are woven into the novel, The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran. This is the second book by Ms. Moran and where I felt like the first was lacking, this one more than made up for it. I still have issues with the dialect, but this was a much more interesting and exciting read for me. I would consider this a great read for those out there that like the historical type romances, but don’t think that it is a novel that will transport you back into that time period with the spoken words, but the details and events are meticulously planned out and that made it very enjoyable. 4.5 Hearts

Contact Michelle: www.michellemoran.com

Bonded by Blood Anthology Presented by SNM Horror Mag. (not yet released)

Down Corridors of Life by Anthony Bernstein
The Wilting May Flowers by James Cheetham
The Rosebush by Jeanna Tendean
Mind Over Matter by Jason Keene
Symbiosis by Laura Bickle
Henry's Fence by Jade Eckert
Bathtime by Alistair Canlin
The Beauty of Decay by Steven Marshall
Hershell's Motel by Alan Draven
John Doe's Book by Ben Eads
Behind Closed Doors by Charlotte Gledson
The Fittest Survive by Tamara Wilhite
Breakin’ Into Ed's Place by Ken Kupstis
Promise In Obsession by Elizadeth Hetherington
Deadlands by Wendy Brewer

Why did I list all of the authors of the anthology? Because the stories are so great that EVERYONE should be recognized here! Within the pages of this gruesome anthology, you will discover real fear, horror, wickedness, blood -- and death. Each author brings something special to this anthology for each story to be so different. It is neatly sewn together in just the right order. I enjoyed reading all the short stories, as well as interacting and speaking with all of the authors in past SNM interviews. Each author adds their own dimension of darkness to make this a serious contender for Horror Anthology of the Year.

As Mr Marshall states: "This is the best of the best of new horror authors out there and more than just blood and gore, these guys are definitely in the running for much bigger and better creepy endeavors by offering a cerebral Poesque/Lovecraftian element for the millennia." More than once I got creepy tingles going down my spine and actually tried to imagine how these authors could think of something so incredibly dark and horrific. All the contributors within the Bonded by Blood Anthology should be proud of themselves for all the hard work they've put into their stories; it has paid off 100%. So if you're looking for something spooky to share on Halloween, why not buy your very own copy of Bonded by Blood to read in your favorite dark and scary place or anywhere for that matter -- and see for yourself. Don't be afraid of the things hiding in the dark. Be more afraid of the lingering thoughts left in your mind.

This one absolutely receives 5 of 5 Bloody Skulls!
Purchase Info: Contact Steven Marshall at www.freewebs.com/snmhorrormag

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

Mutnodjmet tells the story of her sister, Nefertiti as she rises to be Queen of Egypt no matter the cost. Mutnodjmet is only 14 years old at the start of the story but she seems to be wise beyond her years. She is the one who actually paid attention to the tutors while Nefertiti was always practicing her charm and feminine power over men.

When Nefertiti is chosen to be the new Chief Wife of the Pharaoh she will do everything in her power to keep him to herself and keep his other wife at bay. She goes along with Amunhotep’s ideas of praising the new god Aten and taxing the priests of Amun, he wants to rid Egypt of the priests all together, an idea he has had for quite some time against the wishes of his mother and other high council members.

Beauty and charm are on Nefertiti’s side, Mutnodjmet must do something she is really torn over, and what will be the outcome of Amunhotep’s plans for the New Egypt? Nefertiti is power hungry, will that be her demise?

Michelle Moran’s debut novel, Nefertiti was actually a pretty good read. It has drama, family disputes, and romance. The dialect was not how I see ancient Egyptians speaking, and I think there was not enough “ancient flair,” it seemed like someone in present day telling the story most of the time. Nefertiti was interesting to read, and I didn’t find it boring, a little slow at times but still a nice history lesson written by Ms. Moran. I can’t say I loved the story, but it may be the best story someone else has ever read. 3 Hearts

Contact Michelle: www.michellemoran.com