Charles W Jones

The first thing I thought when I finished reading Prey for the Dead was that the male characters are jerks yet the female leads, Linda and Shana, are in love with them no matter how badly they treat them. The men are vampires, but still, it left me with an uncomfortable feeling. That aside, I did enjoy the story with the many twists thrown in Linda’s path as she discovers what is actually happening in Oasis. I felt confused about what was happening at times, but everything was answered for me as the story unfolded. Please know that this is part of a series and is Book Two of The Dead Game Series, and I recommend reading the first, if you haven’t already, as a few details from the first are intertwined and explained in this chapter. I gave Prey for the Dead 4 out of 5 Stars, and I must say that enjoyed the first book in the series better. Prey for the Dead by Susanne Leist @SusanneLeist #BookReview #RRBC Click To Tweet About Prey for the Dead Linda Bennett’s dreams of happiness have alw

The Altar Boy is one of those stories that I had difficulty putting down as I wanted to know what would happen next. I related to Carl with his fears of the dark field and creepy people in his hometown and a few of his other experiences. Phil did a fantastic job taking me back in time to an era that I’ve heard so much about but not experienced because I wasn’t born yet. I loved the music references. They gave an extra dimension to the story, making me enjoy it more. And I swear, at one point, I smelled a hint of patchouli. The Altar Boy is one of the most chaotic tales of growing up that I have ever read, and I am happy to have spent time with Carl and his family. I gave The Altar Boy 5 out of 5 Stars. The Altar Boy: A Dark Tale of Comedy Sorrow and the Catholic Church in the 1960s by Phil Stephens #Book #Review #RRBC Click To Tweet About The Altar Boy: A Dark Tale of Comedy Sorrow and the Catholic Church in the 1960s Black-robed nuns, priests, bishops, the select fraternity of Altar B

The One Betrayed is the third installment in the Chronicles of the Diasodz and shows what happened to Rafe after Sofia went with Ar’ch and Angel (basically an overlay of Book 2). This book is quite the page-turner, and I had a hard time putting it down even when my eyelids started to get heavy. If you haven’t read this series, I highly recommend it. I gave The One Betrayed 4 out of 5 Stars. The One Betrayed by Yvette M Calleiro #Fantasy #Review #RRBC @YvetteMCalleiro Click To Tweet

I read Practical Demonkeeping when it was first published in 1992 and only remembered one scene from it, so when I came across it on Amazon I couldn’t resist getting a copy to rekindle the memories. I’m glad I did because this is a great read. I also learned that this is part of a mini-series of sorts about Pine Cove, the fictional town where it’s set. The dark elements in this novel are amazing and they are offset slightly by the comedic interludes. The layers of stories within the story are great and done perfectly, keeping me turning the digital pages and losing track of time. I gave Practical Demonkeeping 5 out of 5 Stars. Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore #Horror #Comedy Click To Tweet About Practical Demonkeeping In Christopher Moore’s ingenious debut novel, we meet one of the most memorably mismatched pairs in the annals of literature. The good-looking one is one-hundred-year-old ex-seminarian and “roads” scholar Travis O’Hearn. The green one is Catch, a demon with a n

The way the lead characters are introduced and past events are discussed, I thought Baubles to Die For was two or three in the series. Then I noticed the statement in parenthesis,  A Shell Isle Mystery Book 1. The story follows Page Wright and her cousin Betsy Ross as they unravel a mystery that falls onto their laps while vacationing on Shell Island. There was so much in the first half of the book that made it feel like I’d been reading it for weeks that when I reached that fifty percent mark, I was on the verge of boredom. But since I made it that far, I finished it. Once the clues fell into place for Page and Betsy, it went fast, and then it ended, abruptly. All in all, it wasn’t a bad read, and I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. Baubles to Die For by Tonya Penrose #Cozy #Mystery Click To Tweet About Baubles to Die For Gifted sleuth Page Wright’s inner world is anything but ordinary, yet her outer world craves a revamp from her mountain bookshop’s continuing demands. A summer escape to her

Betaken is a fantastic look into a place that I’ve heard and seen stories about for years, giving a view that hooked me from the first page. It’s about dark events that happened in the late 1970s to early 1980s in the Appalachians. From the first chapter, I was whisked away into this strange world and shown many things, including ones I didn’t want to know. There’s suspense lingering in the air throughout the book and I know something is going to happen in the backwoods, it’s just a matter of when. One thing bothered me was the use of the word “set” in places. I understand that its usage was to convey the accent, though at times it was used in the wrong places. I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. About Drema Drema Ferrell graduated with honors from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, acquiring majors in both English and Social Studies. Upon graduation, she taught school in the coal fields of West Virginia, where she was born and raised. Afterwards, she and her husband resided in

The Edge of Fear is about a couple who lose their child to revenge kidnapping because the kidnapper thinks he’s owed because she’s his ex-wife. I was captivated by the intensity of the emotions that Brennan conveyed. Each page was filled with scenes that felt real. At one point in the story, it stalled, which made what I was reading more real as I can expect that a parent that has lost a child to kidnapping would feel that their life had stalled as they waited for their child to walk through the door. The Edge of Fear is well written and gripping and that is why I gave it 5 out of 5 Stars. About Mara Beth Maura Beth lives in a small town in the pinelands of New Jersey. A lover of words and books since childhood, she found ways to incorporate writing into a variety of jobs, from editing an organizational newsletter to writing for the federal government. Now pursuing writing for pleasure, she is the author of two full-length novels, as well as a number of short stories. When not writing,

No Pedigree by Nonnie Jules No Pedigree tells the tale of Baylee (no spoilers because you must read this). The way Nonnie wrote this story made it feel real as I walked along with Baylee. This short story is a must-read as it conveys how racial bias plays too strong of a role in the world. I enjoyed No Pedigree and gave it 5 out of 5 Stars. Unwelcomed by John Podlaski Unwelcomed is a well-woven short that brings suspense I wasn’t expecting and that wasn’t the only emotion I felt by reading it. This story pulled me in with the first paragraph and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. If you’re looking for a quick thriller this is the story for you. I gave it 5 out of 5 Stars.  

On Amazon, The Garden of Fragile Things is categorized as Occult Horror and Occult Fiction, but I’m not sure that’s where I’d put them because the horror was few and far between, and I just didn’t feel the occult. That aside, I enjoyed the book and found it entertaining. The memoir style is well crafted, as are the letters to a psychological institute and “the author” at the beginning. The story is about Joe’s life and how he ended up in the institute. There are creepy parts, but as I said before, not very many, and most of them occur toward the end of the story. So if you are expecting scares through the entire story, you won’t find it here. I gave Garden of Fragile Things 4 out of 5 Stars. About The Garden of Fragile Things In the late 1970s, Joe Godwin was just twelve years old, living in a working-class neighborhood. Plagued by bullies and a volatile home life, Joe spends his time with his three friends in search of adventure. The discovery of an abandoned mansion during a simple c

Death Room is a short story by R.P. Healy, revolving around Edward, a lonely office worker looking for something extreme. He takes to watching pay-per-view snuff films on the internet and finds himself experiencing what he’s viewed. Yes, this story is not for everyone with hardcore content, including murder, sexual content, and rape fantasies. Those things aside, the way Healy wrote the story makes it hard to digest at times. Here’s an example of the first paragraph. It was quiet outside. There was a heavy mist, there were a few birds out, chirping, probably freezing, too. Even with the problems with the way it was written, I was captivated by the story itself and the strange twist at the end, giving it a “Fan Fiction” feel for Clive Barker’s Hellbound Heart (Hellraiser). I gave Death Room 3 out of 5 Stars.   [button id=”88d415ce4ca959dac3b484ba0e0bf542″ label=”Get Death Room” button_type=”{‹²›button_type_select‹²›:‹²›normal_button‹²›,‹²›normal_button‹²›:{‹²›link‹²›:‹²›https://amzn.to/

Had I known Fear in Souls: Reaper was about zombies, I probably wouldn’t have read it, because, well, I’m just not a fan of them. But what Hesham does with them is intriguing and I’m glad that I read the book. The zombie part aside, the story of the people and the changes in them are what is imparting in this story. Violet and her brother both survived in a way that was unexpected, keeping me interested. The world Hesham created is horrifying with rich visualizations of the monsters and the settings as the story progresses. Now, if you’re worried about not reading Fear in Flesh Book 1 before reading this one, don’t as it seems like an anthology series and this one focuses on Death. I 100% recommend this book and give it 4 out of 5 Stars. About Fear in Souls Fear … Hatred … Judgment … Deliverance For what’s worse than Death itself coming after your soul? Violet Turner is wrapped inside a cocoon of darkness, knowing not where she stands, losing her will to survive. But what of the four r

S.A. Felix created a strange world where “Undead” come to life with the assistance of a Riser. Then there are Witnesses who find them and help them pass on. Sorry folks, no traditional zombies in this one; there’s not even horror. What is there is the charming tale of Atsushi (a Witness), who falls in love with an “Undead,” Yoshiki. That part is a little creepy if you look at it from the necrophilia side of things. But the story isn’t even about that. It’s more like a man falling in love with a ghost, who then gets the chance to change events in the past. The biggest problem with this book is the editing. It felt like S.A. Felix wrote it in Japanese, then used Google Translate for English. If that is the case, it needs a thorough edit from a Native English speaker to work out the kinks, because the story is amazing. I did enjoy the accent though, helping me feel as though I were in Japan. I admit, at times, I giggled at the strange wordings and phrases, reminding me of old Godzilla mov

I want to say that poetry has never been high on my list to read until I saw the beautiful cover for My Soul Is A Witness on Instagram. There is something about its simplicity and 70s style that drew me in. As a white gay man, I definitely didn’t know what to expect reading the prose and felt like a fish out of water, but as I read, I felt a sense of inclusion, though the strife in my life no way competes. Many of the poems in this collection are about celebrating life and people of color as well as motivational to write and live life to its fullest. I am very impressed with Yecheilyah Ysrayl’s voice and I hope that everyone will pick up a copy of My Soul Is A Witness. I give it 5 out of 5 Stars. About My Soul Is A Witness My Soul is a Witness is a collection of poems that reminds us that there is still hope in our darkest moments. Nothing we go through is without a purpose. No pain we suffer, and no trial we experience happens without reason. It all ministers to our education and the

The world of vampires takes an unexpected twist in The Dead Game: Book One of the Dead Game Series. When I started reading The Dead Game, I was shown a dark scene with a family trying to escape a house, then it fades to black and returns with Linda moving to Oasis to start a new life away from New York City. It’s quite obvious that something isn’t right in Oasis, though, I’m not sure what, and I’m drawn into this world of bizarre events that make me want to know more about what is happening. There are some very frightening scenes in The Dead Game that reminded me of the SAW movies. On top of that, there’s some steamy romance happening that made the characters real with their attractions and interactions. The suspense with what was going to happen next kept me turning the pages. If you are looking for a well-written, gripping vampire story, this is a must-read. I give The Dead Game 4 out of 5 Stars. About The Dead Game Linda Bennett moves from New York to Florida to live a quieter life.

Black Bayou: Scary Supernatural Horror with Demons (Dark Legacy Series Book 1) actually scared me, which is saying a lot. From the beginning, the terror began and didn’t let up. The story revolves around Marigold La Roux who, after suffering significant trauma from the hands of her parents is thrown into a world filled with demons and voodoo. Each page clearly shows Marigold’s new world and the agony she suffers.  If you’re looking for a great fright, this book is for you. I give it 5 out of 5 Stars. About Black Bayou Marigold La Roux had a perfectly average existence…until the night her parents tried to murder her. Barely escaping with her life should have been the end of Marigold’s living nightmare. Unfortunately, it was just the beginning. Her entire world starts shattering. She moves to New Orleans to stay with her only living relative, her aunt Delilah. She believes the bustle of Bourbon Street will help her get a fresh start, but strange things start happening to Marigold at the

Dead Wave (The Naysayer’s Trilogy #1) is one of the most intricate stories I’ve read in many years. There are so many characters and character flashbacks that at times I wasn’t sure what was happening or did I know who was who. At times, I thought to put Dead Wave down and walk away a few times, but I couldn’t, I needed to know what the next bizarre twist was going to be. The reason I pondered stopping reading it is that it is difficult to read in the way it is presented. The story itself is well developed and thought through. In the end, I liked Dead Wave and give it 3 out of 5 Stars. Dead Wave by Bryan Tranka #DarkFantasy #Review Click To Tweet About Dead Wave “This is a dark tale of the after-life with tragically flawed characters and the human condition. It’s a rare view of the middle ground between heaven and hell.”……Bryan Tranka, Author About Bryan Tranka Retired from the US Army after 20 yrs. Indie Author, Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Veteran, Father, Husband, Advocate of Mental Heal

Two Mothers is one of the most spine-tingling stories I’ve read in a while. I had a hard time putting it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The story revolves around Anna who is alone in a new house with a baby, waiting for her husband to arrive in a week. The overlaying story provides horrible details about a ghost and her desire to keep her baby. I recommend Two Mothers and I give it 5 out of 5 Stars. About Two Mothers A mother’s depression. A ghost’s obsession. A baby caught in the crosshairs. Anna Jenkins is a new mother suffering from postpartum fatigue. While her husband is finishing up his Army duties before retirement, she travels to South Carolina to set up their house, an old farmhouse her husband bought sight unseen. It’s not long before Anna realizes there is something eerie about her new home. Although it’s the dog days of summer, the house is unusually cool even without the A/C running. And her baby, who usually screams nonstop, is mysteriously

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up a copy of Real Skin but based on the book blurb I was intrigued so I moved it to the top of my reading list. Throughout the story, there are ads for Androids With Real Skin that are absolutely creepy. Real Skin has an uncanny resemblance to Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris in places and at one point Mr. Green calls it out in the book, which gave me a chuckle. There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor that is suiting for this book, and other unexpected goodies that I couldn’t put it down. Oddly enough, Real Skin is set in my neighborhood, which added a few additional chills to it for me since it is so close to home. Being set in 2030, it gave me some relief, though SSK would technically be active now. This book is not perfect though, and I’m not sure (since I’ve never read any other novels by E.A. Green) if it was on purpose. The formatting isn’t like anything I’ve read before with capitalized words in the middle of sentences and the lack

The Last Wrong Turn by Amy Cross isn’t much different from the film franchise Wrong Turn, however, there is a weird supernatural twist that I’m suspecting was explained in the previous story (I didn’t know existed until I searched Amy), Perfect Little Monsters; maybe, not. To be honest, I’m not running out to read it based on my experience from this one. The thing that bothered me the most about The Last Wrong Turn was the use of first-person present tense because it wasn’t just one character, it was all of them. Yes, the story is separated into sections for a character’s point of view but it was still confusing and I’ve never been a fan of that style. I expected more horror/terror, based on the cover alone, but I was sadly disappointed. The tagline “If you’re out late at night and you see her face, it’s already too late.” is quite misleading too, but intriguing enough for me to grab a copy. Most of the story involves Penny trying to find the farm again to save her son, which happens.