Jed: A Psychic Surveys Supernatural Thriller ~ Review ~ #Fiction @shani_struthers

From the bestselling Psychic Surveys series comes a full-length, standalone novel featuring one of its most treasured, formidable, and mysterious characters – Jed.

As soon as Ava Kent spots Jed in her local rescue centre, she knows, just as much as he does, they are perfect for each other. It’s love at first sight, and despite her husband’s misgivings, she offers him a home.

Not much is known of Jed, other than he is a stray picked up from the streets of Eastbourne, but he soon proves himself a loyal and loving companion – in fact, he’s something of a lifesaver. When Ava suffers the traumatic birth of her first child alone at home, it’s Jed that somehow escapes the house to find help.

Ava, though, is plunged into depression. She feels lonely and vulnerable as a new mother, an outcast. It’s as though a darkness has attached itself to her, when previously life was blessed. And it won’t let go.

She’s surrendering to it, bit by bit, almost willingly.

As loving and as loyal as Jed is, he’s just a dog.
Can he save again, someone who doesn’t want to save herself?

About the Author

Shani Struthers is the author of twenty-six supernatural thrillers (so far), some set in various locations in England, others in more far-flung destinations such as Venice and America. Having been brought up with an understanding of the Occult and alternative views on religion, she threads this knowledge throughout her books, often drawing on real-life experiences of her own, from people she has known and from well-known Occult figures. Her Psychic Surveys series has proved very popular, becoming global Amazon genre bestsellers. There is also the This Haunted World series – standalone books set in and around the world’s most haunted places. They too have topped the Amazon genre charts, along with the more romantic Jessamine and Comraich, plus the Reach for the Dead series. Standalone psychological thriller, Summer of Grace, is also set in America, in the dark heart of Kansas! For Christmas Ghost Stories, check out Blakemort, Eve, Carfax House, The Damned Season and Wildacre.

To keep up to date with new releases, hit the ‘Follow’ button on Amazon and/r subscribe to my newsletter via my website: http://www.shanistruthers.com.

Our Review

The story opens with a married couple looking for a puppy at a rescue centre.

Ava is pregnant and wants the baby and puppy to grow up together.

That plan was scuttled as soon as Ava sees Jed, a magnificently large black Labrador.

Definitely not a puppy, but I would have chosen him too.

A new house, a new dog, and a new baby. And all possible disasters just waiting to happen.

When the baby decides to arrive early, Ava is alone with only Jed for company. This is where the story changes.

At first, a positive change, swiftly followed by darker, more sinister ones.

A nightmare made real…

Surprise Review for The Scarlet Ribbon…

This beautifully written review from James J Cudney better known as Jay was a lovely surprise this morning. I hope this is not too confusing as my name is Jaye too!

You can find Jay, Author, Inspirational Blogger, Book Reviewer & Promoter at This Is My Truth Now

Jay’s Review for The Scarlet Ribbon

Scarlet Ribbons, also known as The Scarlet Ribbon, by Anita Dawes is a contemporary fiction novel that focuses on the afterlife and how one woman deals with the tragedy of a single moment in time, a moment she couldn’t prevent from occurring. I became familiar with the book after following the author’s blog and learning more about her collaboration with Jaye Marie on a variety of a projects.

In this tale, Maggie Haynes is hit by a car. Her husband witnesses the accident and is forced to watch his beloved wife put on life support when she falls into a coma. When Maggie goes under, her life seems to separate into reality and another world. In one path, she recovers and finds herself heading down a certain troubling existence… and in another, she’s somewhere beyond the Earth… not quite heaven or hell… not even clear of the specifics, but this new world can be quite scary. She’s able to ‘cross over’ to see some things happening back home, and it’s not always a good thing.

Can you imagine being able to watch your loved ones grieve? What if they decided to move on? Are you aware of how long you are in the coma? When Maggie discovers various connections with new people she meets in her confusing new life, she can’t help but think about how much is real and how much might be a dream. Is she trapped somewhere? Will she wake up paralyzed from the accident? Is she secretly already dead? What does her family think has happened? So many amazing questions to ponder while reading this book…

I enjoyed the writing style. At times, the author whisks you away into a dreamy state; even I was uncertain which world Maggie resided in during these moments. It’s a tough and scary topic, but Dawes pushes you to consider all the options and angles. What if you were meant to disappear for a while so that you could save someone else? A child who desperately needs your help deserves unselfish reactions, right? Maggie and her husband chose not to have kids but was this a reality check? When she visits previous periods in her family’s life, learning what it was like for them to grow up, it destabilizes her core… Maggie can’t be sure which life she wants to hold on to – new or old. And can she change her mind?

In the end, she dives deep into understanding her new world, with the help of some friends and possible a foe or two, and she comes out stronger. But it is the shocking surprise finale that left me wondering… how much of this could really happen in our future? Dawes pushes me to think about past lives, reincarnation, soul therapy, and so much more. I enjoyed the writing style and development on the worlds most of all. If you’ve got an open mind and a love of ethereal and other worldly existences, this is a good one to read. I’m left wondering what additional themes the author explores in her other books now! Must check one out in the near future…

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About Jay: For those new to me or my reviews… here’s the scoop: I’m Jay, a contemporary fiction, family drama, and mystery author who lives in NYC. My stand-alone novel, Father Figure, can be purchased on Amazon as electronic copies or physical copies. My family drama series, Perceptions of Glass, has two books: (1) Watching Glass Shatter and (2) Hiding Cracked Glass. My clever and cozy mystery series, Braxton Campus Mysteries, will fit those who love cozy mysteries and crime investigations but with a twist. There are six books: Academic CurveballBroken Heart AttackFlower Power TripMistaken Identity CrisisHaunted House Ghost, and Frozen Stiff Drink. I read, write, and blog A LOT on this site where you can also find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. I also launch new features all the time, including Tips & Advice, Spotlights & Alerts, Book Bucket Lists, and the 365 Daily Challenge. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

James is my given name; most call me Jay. I grew up on Long Island and currently live in New York City, but I’ve traveled all across the US (and various parts of the world). Since college, I’ve spent ~20 years working in technology and business operations in the retail, sports, entertainment and media industries. In 2016, I focused again on my passions: telling stories and connecting people through words. My debut novel is Watching Glass Shatter, a contemporary fiction family drama with elements of mystery, suspense, humor and romance. My second novel is Father Figure, a contemporary drama about two young women’s journeys on a college campus filled with secrets and tragedy. My third through eighth novels are a mystery series focusing on Braxton Campus. To see samples or receive news from my current and upcoming books, please subscribe with your email address at my website: https://jamesjcudney.com and you can buy the books via Amazon.

Our review for Watching Glass Shatter can be found HERE

#Book of the Week! Himself by Jess Kidd #Greco-Roman Myth & Legend Fantasy eBooks

A charming ne’er-do-well returns to his haunted Irish hometown to uncover the truth about his mother in this “supernaturally skilled debut” (Vanity Fair) and turns the town–and his life–upside down.

Having been abandoned at an orphanage as a baby, Mahony assumed all his life that his mother wanted nothing to do with him. That is, until one night in 1976 while drinking a pint at a Dublin pub, he receives an anonymous note implying that she may have been forced to give him up. Determined to find out what really happened, Mahony embarks on a pilgrimage back to his hometown, the rural village of Mulderrig. Neither he nor Mulderrig can possibly prepare for what’s in store…

From the moment he arrives, Mahony’s presence completely changes the village. Women fall all over themselves. The real and the fantastic are blurred. Chatty ghosts rise from their graves with secrets to tell, and local preacher Father Quinn will do anything to get rid of the slippery young man who is threatening the moral purity of his parish.

A spectacular new addition to the grand Irish storytelling tradition, Himself “is a darkly comic tale of murder, intrigue, haunting and illegitimacy…wickedly funny” (Daily Express).

Our Review

From the first word of the powerfully written prologue, I couldn’t stop reading Himself.

I fell completely under the spell of this mysterious story, all about the living and the dead and the search for truth in a quaint Irish village.

The star of Himself is Mahony, a young Irishman searching for the truth about his birth, assisted by the colourful characters and ghosts in Mulderrig, a place with more secrets and mysteries than most.

I loved the way the people in this story speak, such wonderful vocabulary and fascinating insight into the minds of Irish people. What at first seems light-hearted banter, soon changes into dark, menacing humour and a terrifying journey as Mahony uncovers the truth he seeks…

©Jaye Marie 2020

#TuesdayBookBlog ~ This Haunted World Book Three: Highgate: A Truly Haunting Supernatural Thriller by Shani Struthers @shani_struthers

“A triumph in modern Gothic fiction – hard hitting, dark and powerful.”

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From the author of the bestselling Psychic Surveys series, comes a brand-new series of STANDALONE novels, set in and around the WORLD’S MOST HAUNTED PLACES and BLENDING FACT WITH FICTION. In Book Three discover Highgate, perhaps the most famous cemetery in the world, renowned for its Victorian Gothic splendour, famous residents, its vampire and, of course, ghosts… NB: With sometimes harrowing scenes, this is her darkest novel yet and not for the faint-hearted!

Lucy Klein, 42, is not only obsessed with Highgate, she works there too, organising tours for those with an interest in some of the finest Victorian funerary architecture in existence. Single, and on the shy side, she is nonetheless content with her life, or so she thinks. When she meets the enigmatic Zak Harborne, she realises what she’s been missing and quickly falls in love. He’s everything she’s ever wanted…isn’t he? 

1972, and Emma Matthews, a 19-year-old history student, also feels as though she’s on the outside. After visiting a derelict Highgate with a group of friends, she starts to feel a connection, a sense of meaning to her life, in amongst the tombstones, the crosses and the angels. Returning to Highgate over and over, she discovers both a paradise and a garden decidedly more savage.

Grace Derby is just 11 when she encounters the gentleman, tall and with a tall hat, a long black coat and a cape about his shoulders. It is the 1850s and street urchins such as her are not accustomed to kindness from those belonging to the upper echelons. Proffering money for food, for her and her family, he asks nothing in return. Curious about the man with the kind blue eyes, she follows him one day… all the way to Highgate.

For some, it seems, all roads lead to Highgate… 

 

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The three women in this story are all connected to Highgate Cemetery. Their ghosts probably haunting it still.

Three very different women, on the surface at least.

But underneath it all, I felt something that they all shared.

Something disquieting.

Quite poetic really, that there should be a triple timeline for the last heartbreakingly real, last book in the trilogy.

This story is deliciously dark, spanning nearly two hundred years and centres around Highgate Cemetery.

A fascinating Gothic burial place.

The closing scenes broke my heart, but in a good way and was the perfect ending. As was the poem by Christina Rossetti, someone who worked so hard for all those unfortunate souls who had passed away, leaving no record of their passing.

I have visited Highgate Cemetery and clearly felt the presence of the dead when I walked its lonely pathways, and as I read each haunting chapter of this stunning story, I remembered the chill of the place, even on a sunny day…

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Born and bred in Brighton, Shani Struthers is the author of fifteen supernatural thrillers (so far), some set in various locations in England, others in more far-flung destinations such as Venice and America. Having been brought up with an understanding of the Occult and alternative views on religion, she threads this knowledge throughout her books, often drawing on real-life experiences of her own, from people she has known and from well-known Occult figures too. Please Note: her books tend to revolve more around PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR than pure horror, which in her opinion, is far more terrifying. You won’t find gore, vampires, werewolves, zombies or any such like in her fiction. Her Psychic Surveys series has proved very popular, becoming global Amazon genre bestsellers. Her new series – This Haunted World – is a set of standalone books set in and around the world’s most haunted places and again, weave fact with fiction. They too have topped the Amazon genre charts, along with the more romantic Jessamine and Comraich.

 

5* Review for The Light by Marcia Meara~#UrbanFantasy @MarciaMeara

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The Magic is Back!

For Robert MacKenzie Cole—or Rabbit, as he’s known to all—the chance to accompany his family to see North Carolina’s infamous Brown Mountain Lights has him nearly dizzy with excitement. And what better night to watch this unexplained phenomenon unfold than Halloween?

But when the entrancing, unpredictable lights show up, Rabbit gets far more than he bargained for. He’s gifted with what folks in the Appalachians call “the Sight,” and it’s this extrasensory perception that enables him to spot the one light different from all the rest.

In his biggest challenge to date, Rabbit—aided by his daddy and his newest friend, Austin Dupree— begins a quest to learn more about the mysterious light. Their investigation unveils a web of cons and corruption none of them expected and exposes a brutal murder along the way.

Throughout all, Rabbit is unfaltering in his commitment to do whatever it takes to understand the truth behind the glowing orb and to determine how he can help it. After all, it followed him home.

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Our Review

I had been looking forward to reading Marcia Meara’s latest Wake-Robin Ridge story, as I am a devoted fan of the adopted, delightful eleven-year-old star of the previous books, Rabbit. I expected to be welcomed back and was not disappointed!

This story is all about the mysterious Brown Mountain Lights, a very real phenomenon, something that has puzzled people for years and had Rabbit entranced. I wondered if he would end up discovering something connected to his own special gift, his ability to ‘read’ people and sometimes see the future.

Along the way, he becomes involved in a murder mystery, turning what I thought would be a light-hearted story into something seriously more complicated.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Light. The quality of the writing, the wonderful cast of characters and the sublimely complicated plot left me in awe of the author’s talent.

Cannot wait for the next in the series!

Streets Ahead Book Promotion Club ~ Wisp by Adele Marie Park

Streets Ahead Book Promotion Club

This week the author is Adele Marie Park, the book with the fabulous cover is Wisp, a magical supernatural story.

I have goosebumps just thinking about reading it!

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Edra; a world where magic flourishes and where dark secrets are concealed by those who rule. Secrets which can get the innocent killed without a thought.

When the body of an elf is discovered in a treacherous area of the city, Wisp a young Law Enforcer is assigned the case. He soon realises the case is far from simple. As soon as he finds one thread another one leads him to unravel a tapestry woven from lies, secrets, corruption and evil. When friendship turns to love, Wisp`s life, as he knew it will completely change.

 

What started out as a murder case ends in a grisly battle which Wisp and his companions seem to have no chance of winning.

Author Biography

I love writing, it`s my passion. My genres include fantasy, horror, urban fantasy, and a mixture of all those. I love telling stories;period. I am married to my wonderful wife, who is my rock. Our daughter and our dog, german shepherd collie cross, are also my passions. To experience a moment of pure love is to experience the world.
Creativity is something I couldn`t live without.
I am also a Supernatural geek, and love my music. Punk, Goth, Rockabilly and visual Kei music from Japan.The paranormal is my normal.
oh, and I also totally believe in faeries.

#Throwback Thursday: Will O’ the Wisp by Craig Boyack @coldhandboyack #Supernatural

It is Halloween again, and the perfect time to run my favourite spooky book again!

There is something evil up Bergamot Holler, and it’s been targeting the Hall family for generations. Patty Hall is fifteen years old. She loves stargazing, science fiction, and all things related to space exploration. This leaves her perfectly prepared for the wrong problem.

Patty is afraid her mother will send her to a care facility if she tells her what she’s seen. If she doesn’t figure things out soon, she’s going to join her father in the Hall family cemetery plot.

Patty has to come to grips with her own physical handicap, face the wilderness, and an ancient evil all alone if she’s going to survive.
Will O’ the Wisp is suitable for young adults. It involves elements of suspense and is set in the mid-1970s.

 Our Review

I have long been a fan of Craig Boyack the brilliant writer and blogger.     Been meaning to read his book, Will o the Wisp for ages too, so what better time than Halloween?

Will o the Wisp is a very spooky story about the single-minded determination of a 15-year-old girl, Patty Hall, to rid her family of an ancient curse. Something she knew nothing about until noticing a glowing light in the woods near her home, when it seemed to attack a college student with gruesome results.

Patty is quite a character, funny and smart, despite suffering the constant bullying at school because she wears leg braces. She decides to find out more about the lights and her family’s connection to them.  A school History project gives Patty the opportunity to research the lights. What she learns and the lengths she is prepared to go to, and the risks she takes, will earn your admiration. I thought she was amazing, so brave and determined to save her family.

I loved the chapter where Patty visits an old haunted library in Washington, alone. What happens there made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I wonder if I would have been as brave at that age.

This was a hard book to review, as describing all the good stuff would have revealed spoilers, but I recommend reading Will o the Wisp, you will not be disappointed, but you will be scared to death!

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Here are a few words from Craig himself…

I’m on the verge of being an empty nester, and I like to write fiction. This blog is to share ideas with readers and writers. I have a decent body of work on Amazon, and I hope you’ll check some of them out. They are all speculative fiction, but seem to stay closest to science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy.

I have other interests that may sneak in from time to time. I like the great outdoors and all it has to offer. Morels and huckleberries are particularly fun. I once caught and released a 7-foot white sturgeon from the Snake River.

I’ve posted using categories to make everything easier. They work like this.

Writing: This is me talking about writing, asking questions, or discussing my projects.

Blogging: When I figure something out, it will go here. There might be something about my number of followers, or a new milestone. I tend to follow those people who interact in the comments.

Muse: This one gets pretty crazy. This is where I consult with my Muse, Lorelei. It involves some of the characters from my books.  There are a few characters that are unique to the blog too, like a raven named Doubt. I try to make it about writing, and there are sometimes subtle lessons included. New readers will appreciate the Entertaining Stories Primer.

Short Stories & Vignettes: Sometimes I get fully detailed scenes from my Muse. This is how my stories are born. If I have a good one, I’ll post about it. Some of them might turn into books, some won’t. I have a plan to post some micro-fiction here too. If this stuff interests you, check out the category on the sidebar.

The Idea Mill: I post about things I find online that fuel my imagination. Push feeds make this easy, and when something is particularly interesting I save it for one of these posts. These are the kind of ideas that could fuel an entire novel, or add an element to something you’re in the process of drafting. I may include some of them in my stories, I may not. Let me know if something here fuels your imagination.

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Lisa Burton Radio: This is the newest category. The main character from my first book is Lisa Burton. She’s a robot and makes regular appearances on this blog, usually under the Muse category. In early 2015 I decided to make her into the spokesmodel for this blog. There are posters, free paper dolls, and she started making guest appearances on other blogs. As her popularity grew, I decided she could interview the characters of other authors to help them promote their stories.

Uncategorized: This is where everything else goes. I might post about fishing, gathering wild morels, sourdough, or anything else that strikes me.

I try to keep my two most recent titles in the sidebar with direct purchase links. There is a slideshow with all my covers, and they are all available through my Amazon author site. That is also linked in the sidebar.

My books are all e-books. Don’t panic if you don’t have a Kindle. Amazon provides a free app for almost every electronic device in existence. I included a link at the top of my sidebar to make it easy for you.

Come on in, it’s fun here.

P.S. I am declaring this to be an award free blog. I appreciate your finding me worthy, but your comments are enough.

Craig