Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore

3.5 Stars

Eric Carter - Book 1

I've said this before, I'm not a huge fan of the paranormal horror novel, but this series came recommended by one of my favourite authors, so I figured, what the hell, give it a try. 

And I enjoyed it!

I liked the main character - the book is written in the first person POV - Eric Carter, who can talk to dead people and can wield some magic. He's what they call a necromancer. His voice is easy to read and he has a sense of humour that hit me in my sweet spot - seasoned with a bit of sarcasm. He's basically a good guy, but he has issues, some of which he actually confronts in this first book of the series.  And he likes to dress for the occasion - suit and tie.  *LOL*

  The setting is contemporary Los Angeles and it abounds in lots of paranormal denizens.  Eric has friends there, friends he hasn't really spoken with in 15 years.  I liked his friends.  He also has enemies.  They are good evil enemies.  Ghosts and monsters and gods. And when you make a deal with the devil, so to speak, ... well, it's a deal. 

Now, there's a lot of blood and gore.  Things, living and dead, exploding and melting and destroying and causing mayhem.  And lots of blood and gore.  Usually it turns me off, but I was willing to go with it this time.

So the book has a paranormal noire detective type feel and noire detective hits a lot of my sweet spots - the paranormal I can take or leave.  But this was good. I enjoyed it and I'll be reading the next one. 

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

3.5 Stars

This book is pretty much outside my comfort zone.  Atmospheric ghost stories aren't something I'm drawn to and the only reason I read this one was because a good friend said it was one of the best books she'd ever read.

I will admit that it is a well-written book and it catches you from the get-go, but I also have to say that I totally disliked the main character for the first 1/3rd of the story.  And that's a big deal when the book is written for the most part as a journal.  I never truly liked him though.  I was also glad that the book was only a little over 200 pages.

Did it work as a ghost story?  Yes.  It evoked the spooky, solitary world of the Arctic quite well and the loneliness was genuinely depicted.  (Can I say that?  It sounds odd.) The thoughts and musings of Jack, the main character were very believable and I finally came to find him somewhat sympathetic and thus grew concerned for his well-being for the duration of the book.

Now, the book is set in 1937 and it FEELS like 1937 which is just fine.  Some things, were they said/done today would be found quite ... unacceptable?  But that's how things were in 1937.  I'm OK with that.  The book was published in 2010 but quite honestly, it felt like it could have been released back in the 30s or 40s.  And seeing as it's a journal for the most part, I'd say that's a success.

The book is very British.  Good thing too, seeing as it's main characters are British.  :)  I think it would make a terrific spooky movie.  No blood & gore that is so popular these days, but a truly mind-fucking suspenseful movie.

So yes, good book.  I would recommend it highly to anyone who enjoys ghost stories and spooky stuff.  I see why my friend loved it so much.  That's not my bag, though, so it gets a bit of a lower rating because of that.

Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

4 STARS

Miriam Black - Book 1

This book is so far outside my normal comfort zone that it needs an international number! That being said, I was fascinated. I could NOT put it down, even when it was at its most horrific and I was at my most disturbed. *LOL*

Chuck Wendig has a singular voice. I have been reading his blog for a while now and have dipped into his writing how-to books and what I saw there induced me to give Blackbirds a try. It's written in the present tense, which thanks to fanfic and RPGs I have become accustomed to reading and I have to say it works really, really well. There's an interview with Chuck at the end of the book where he explains some of his process and the background for the novel and it puts into words far better than I why this works. AND why I felt like I was watching a movie in my mind's eye.

Miriam, the protagonist, just has to touch someone, skin to skin, and she's able to see how that person will meet their demise. This book is the story of how she stops just drifting along with the tide of this power. It's a bloody, frightening, disgusting, violent tale, believe me. But the insight into the characters, that's the gem of this book, I think. The beauty with which they are drawn - the craft of it, not that they're gorgeous to look at, if you know what I mean. I was really in awe of the craft of this book, but only realised it whenever I would put it aside. While reading, I was just totally immersed and enthralled by the story.

So... all that being said... WAY outside my comfort zone but a fascinating, immersive read and while I do have the other two books in the series, Mockingbird and The Cormorant, I will need some time before I get to the next one. But get to it I will!

Devil at the Crossroads by Cornelia Grey

4 STARS

A Deal with the Devil Story

(This post originally appeared on Goodreads last year when I read the book. For some reason it did not transfer here to Booklikes.)
My goodness, I enjoyed this! There weren't any surprises, any new twists of a way to write a story, any fancy writing to make it edgy and supposedly new, just some good, solid, story-telling. It felt brief and I guess at a little under 20K words, it is, but it was definitely rich with atmosphere and two characters that I quite enjoyed; definitely how I would expect a tale of a bluesman and a devil to read. 

And the sex was steamy, steamy hot. :)

This is the first work I've read by Cornelia Grey and I would totally read her again. :)