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Book Review: Lady of the Tarot by Juli D. Revezzo

Lady of the Tarot (Reign of Tarot, Book 2) by Juli D. Revezzo
Createspace, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1537434148
Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, audiobook

 

Lady of the Tarot is a historical Gothic novel set during the French Revolution. I reviewed the audiobook version of the book. Although Lady of the Tarot is the second in a series, it stands alone just fine. I didn’t read the first one and don’t feel like there was any parts that were confusing. Book one might enhance it, but it didn’t feel necessary.

Strangely, this relates to the last book I read:  The Sandcastle Empire. The plots were very different, but the aspect of falling from high status was a theme in both. I feel that this book addressed it a lot better, and that was refreshing. Where Emilie came from, and her current status, is constantly on her mind, and I think this would be true in both stories.

The romance didn’t interest me, but it seemed to follow a classic triangle formula. Emilie had to choose between the “right” choice and the one she actually loved. Normally, love triangles really irritate me, but this one was fine, since she wasn’t waffling about her feelings, just trying to figure out if she could somehow be with one she really wanted instead of who she should be with.

The horror is of the lurking type, always in the background, and does not come to the fore until the final act. I wish it were more present throughout. There were vast stretches of the story that only dealt with the mundane horror of losing status, and not the supernatural horror that Emilie ultimately has to battle. I did like the small horrors that showed up from time to time, but I would have liked to see more of them.

Despite the shortcomings it was a fun read.

Reviewed by Nathaniel Olsen

 

Posted on October 20, 2017 by , Reply

Book Review: Of Foster Homes and Flies by Chad Lutzke

Of Foster Homes and Flies by Chad Lutzke

CreateSpace, 2016

ISBN-13: 978-1535073363

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, Audible audiobook

Fatherless Denny Christopher Newman, age twelve, just wants to win the spelling bee. The only thing that may stand in his way is the death of his often-drunk, neglectful mother, rotting in her recliner, during the beginning of a hot summer in New Orleans. Denny’s only friends are the family dog, Ingrid; his classmate, Carter; and Sam, a carefree girl traveling to the west coast, whose words have a positive effect on young Denny. The story is told through Denny’s perspective, after he finds his abusive mother dead.  Despite their blood ties, he only feels dread that he won’t be able to participate in the spelling bee. She always told him his studying for such a thing was a waste of time, that is was a pointless activity. He sets out to prove her wrong, and do something worthy of making his father proud.

Sitting here writing this review, I can still experience the emotional roller coaster when I think about what he went through from the very first page. The horror comes in subtle ways: in the realization that despite that he will never have to be demeaned by his mother’s words and inaction, her body is decomposing in the living room; the need to make his parents proud of something, anything; recognizing he can’t provide for the family dog but not wanting her to remain in the hot house, overheating and suffering herself; and when he finds his mother’s notebook, with her scrawls and terrible words…I wanted to save Denny from the rest of the story.

My emotions were all over the place reading this novella. At times I empathized with Denny, at others I was Denny. Lutzke is an expert craftsman at getting just the right emotional emphasis at the right time. I don’t know how he does it, but Lutzke is able to tap into that awkward part of childhood for those of us who never quite fit in, who experienced strained relationships at home, and who always tried their damnedest only to be batted off into the corner by a few of the adults in our lives. Highly recommended.

Contains: child neglect, some physical and olfactory description of rot

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

 

Posted on September 28, 2017 by , Reply

Book Review: Ink Stains: A Dark Fiction Anthology (Volume 3) edited by N. Apythia Morges

Ink Stains: A Dark Fiction Anthology (Volume 3) edited by N. Apythia Morges

Dark Alley Press, 2017

ISBN-13: 978-1946050014

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

This is the third volume in a planned quarterly anthology of horror short stories published by Dark Alley Press.  The collection presents a variety of ghost stories, in which contemporary protagonists are stalked by ghosts from the distant or recent past, seeking solace, release or revenge.  The other Ink Stains anthologies in the series present stories about death and trust.

Volume 3 consists of 10 short stories of varying length, some written by seasoned writers and others by authors who recently entered the horror genre.  The three most interesting ghost stories were among the longest.  The greater length gave authors more time to develop characters and to add twists and turns to the plots.

New author Andrea Hansell wrote “A Visit from Elizabeth”.  A young couple, Mark and Bethany, buy a Nantucket sea captain’s house and invite former college classmates to spend a weekend.  However, Bethany is insecure and jealous of Mark’s gorgeous ex-girlfriend. Unknown to the couple, the house has a tragic history.  A sea captain built the house for his young bride, Elizabeth, then left to run the British blockade during the War of 1812.  The captain was captured and imprisoned.  Elizabeth was pregnant, and the British blockade caused famine in the island. Malnourished, Elizabeth had a stillbirth and died.  Her ghost watched her husband return, marry again, and raise a family in Elizabeth’s house. Elizabeth appears only to Bethany.  The ghost lures the frantic Bethany up to the house’s widow’s walk, where Mark is standing.  Elizabeth wants something, and will use Bethany’s jealousy to get it.

Diane Arrelle, a veteran horror author, is the author of “Misplaced”.  An elderly spinster, Miss Annamarie Place, visits an antiquated hotel in her hometown.  The room looks like it did over fifty years ago, when she was a teenager.  Annamarie has returned there because someone claiming to be her daughter called and asked to meet her.  But Annamarie has never been married or pregnant.  Could she have forgotten something so important?  Is dementia or psychosis robbing her of her memories?  When she looks into an old mirror, Annamarie hears a baby wailing, then sees the bed and walls covered in blood.  Bleeding, and in terrible pain, she relives what happened in that room.  Is this all a nightmare, or have Annamarie Place’s memories been truly misplaced?

Another new horror author, Olga Monroe, is the author of “The Amsterdam Chest”.  An English couple is renovating a Victorian mansion.  The wife, Francesca, sees the ghost of a teenage girl dressed in a black velvet dress with a corset and bone frame tapping on a large antique chest, purchased by her husband in Amsterdam.  The mansion and estate have a history of tragedy and mystery, and has passed through many owners over time. When the new owners drain a pond, they discover a headstone that has been submerged for over a century.  It has Latin inscriptions, but no name.  There are no remains.  Francesca recently lost her newborn baby.  She is still in mourning and keeps her dead baby’s clothes in the Amsterdam chest.  Only Francesca sees the ghost, and its appearances become more frequent.  At the same time Francesca becomes more nervous and apprehensive.  She is inexplicably wracked with guilt.  The ghost takes Francesca’s hand and leads her to the chest.  The ghost keeps knocking on the chest.  Its face is blurry at first, but finally becomes clear.  Who is she?  What did Francesca do?

These are the strongest stories in the anthology. Others are more predictable. Overall, the stories have well-paced, interesting plots. Fans of ghost stories should be pleased with the collection. Recommended.

 

Contains: gore

Reviewed by Robert D. Yee

Posted on September 15, 2017 by , Reply
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