Everything Else

Thriller Short Stories

My thriller story, “Words to Live By,” is published today, Oct. 7, 2021. It’s free here only on that day: https://gohavok.com. Below is a list of thrillers, a few hidden gems, to read round the year and then especially at Halloween.

Rappaccini’s Daughter

Thrillers to read any time of the year

Nathaniel Hawthorne. Who doesn’t know The House of Seven Gables? And if you’re like me, you had to read The Scarlet Letter for school. But Hawthorne wrote a little tale of horror many don’t know about named “Rappaccini’s Daughter.” While not overtly scary, this little gem introduces Beatrice—a deadly woman.

Richard Matheson. Of course, there’s the one the Twilight Zone made famous “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.” And there’s “Button, Button.” But deeper in Matheson’s work is the chiller “Prey.”

Ray Bradbury. “The Small Assassin,” “The Veldt,” and “The Jar” are excellent stories and if you haven’t read them. Go out right now and read them! But the best of Bradburyphiles will tell you to not overlook “The Crowd,” “Skeleton,” or “The Man Upstairs.”

Stephen King. The list of his famous short stories is nearly endless because so many movies have been made about them. I’m not wild about “Children of the Corn” (story or movie) or the movie “The Mist” (love the novella). I did enjoy “1408.” But if you’re looking for something that people haven’t talked about endlessly, read “I Am the Doorway,” “The Monkey,” or “Boogeyman.”

And the classic, “In A Dim Room” (Lord Dunsany) A simple story of a tiger chasing a man until the unthinkable happens. Surprised M. Night Shylamalan hasn’t made a movie about this yet.

Thrillers to read near October

The Emissary (Ray Bradbury): A boy and his dog tale that starts sugar-sweet until the eerie ending.
Sorry, Right Number (Richard Matheson): The tension builds when a crank caller continues to call an elderly lady. (A lesser-known but equally creepy Twilight Zone.)

Pumpkin Head (Al Sorrantonio): When the shy girl starts a macabre tale at school, her teacher cuts her off. Too bad the students force her to continue at a Halloween party.

Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper (Robert Bloch): Though set in November, this tale of catching up with Jack the Ripper has all the elements of a campfire tale.

Ghost Hunt (H. R. Wakefield): Told to you as if a radio play, the listener-reader is encouraged to follow along as a “supposedly” haunted house grows more and more sinister.

The Circle (Lewis Shriner): A group of friends gather on Halloween to read their horror tales, but one goes too far.

The Middle Toe of the Right Foot (Ambrose Bierce): The number of times this story’s twist has been done is uncountable but never like this. With its startling beginning to its last few sentences, one of Bierce’s finest.

And we’ll start with who we ended with.

The October Game (Ray Bradbury): Find out how an innocent game turns on its head in the blink of an eye.

Mundigant from Skeleton
Everything Else

Revisiting the Dark Carnival

What is a holy grail to a reader? A lost book by the bibliophile’s favorite author, of course.

Original Version of Dark Carnival

When I was young, I remember my sister holding a book called The October Country by Ray Bradbury. She showed me a pencil drawing from the short story, “The Scythe,” and described it to me. I was more than fascinated—I was enthralled. I had to read this story, and then I had to see if the other stories were as good as that one.

Though I was young and Bradbury’s touch was light, I really didn’t understand many of the short tales of The October Country. But it didn’t matter. I loved his writing. From there, I found The Halloween Tree, more suited to my age then. Later, of course, came Something Wicked This Way Comes, Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, Dandelion Wine, and all things Bradbury. I didn’t read Bradbury…I inhaled him.

The October Country

I read it all.

Or so I thought.

I can’t remember when I found out about Dark Carnival. This rare book—his first—was out of print. I thought it a precursor of Something Wicked until I realized it was a collection of short stories. I read somewhere on the internet (so it must be true) that The October Country was essentially a reprint of Dark Carnival. I considered buying it, but with a price tag in the thousands, I didn’t think about it again for many years. Later, a publisher did a limited run of Dark Carnival, but I missed out.

And then I realized that Dark Carnival’s list of stories didn’t match The October Country. In fact, of the twenty-seven stories presented, only fifteen made it into the later book. What!? How dare so many stories that could be rare treasures not be included! I was insulted, affronted even. How could I get my hands on these stories?

Dark Carnival is not an easy book to find, let me tell you. I spent years trying to find a decent copy. I stumbled over one of the stories in an anthology. Many other Bradbury fans would love a copy of that rare novel and would pay dearly for it.

Reprint of Dark Carnival

Bradbury must have been amused. I think he took his early writing and revised it to his later, more eloquent style. I read a copy of a passage of the short story named “The Crowd” as presented in Dark Carnival versus The October Country, and indeed, The October Country is the superior version. But there are some that want to see the original, the raw materials without it being baked and formed into what it later became. Some of us have to eat the cookie dough.

I also wondered if the early stories were ideas he incorporated into other stories or novels. Did his story “The Maiden” become the character of the Dust Witch in Something Wicked This Way Comes, perhaps? I can’t say as I haven’t read it yet.

So what am I to do? I searched high and low and think I have copies of most of the stories, even the harder to get ones. While not collected in one book, I’m going to build a roadmap and read them, 1 or 2 per day, in October 2021. By the end, will I have read the elusive Dark Carnival and captured the holy grail? Probably not in the strictest sense. But in another way, like Bradbury characters, I will have created my own Dark Carnival in a society that refuses to share. As I read it, I plan to reflect on something I hope Bradbury taught me in many of his stories. They may burn books, but they can’t suppress the hope of readers. I start my version of Dark Carnival with that benighted hope…

Everything Else

Review of Don’t Dance with Death

Warning: If you haven’t read Don’t Date the Haunted or Don’t Marry the Cursed, please be aware that there are spoilers in this review.

Cover Don’t Dance with Death

C. Rae D’Arc’s third novel in her Haunted Romance series comes full circle. In the land of Novel established in the first book, the characters all live in “countries” denoted by literary genre. This is a playful idea that never wanes in ingenuity. The first novel in the series, Don’t Date the Haunted, tells the story of young Pansy Finster who escapes from her land of Horror in the first few chapters. She heads to Contemporary Romance to go to school. Charming and frightening, the first offering sets a high bar for the next two. Yet, the second one, set in Fantasy, meets that challenge and gives us dual points-of-view. So, how does book three fare?

After a prologue, Don’t Dance with Death starts in Fantasy with Pansy and Theo—her husband—living the high life. They’ve had a few years under their belt since Cursed, so the couple now have a son, a young boy learning the ropes of royalty. But all is not hearts and roses. Pansy worries about Theo’s distant nature and wonders if something’s wrong.

But they can’t start to resolve their marital problems as a kidnapping and a race out of Fantasy to Horror become the royal couple’s primary objective. The novel swiftly takes the reader to the land of Horror where the majority of this novel takes place.

Pansy and Theo must join with an unlikely ally and journey to Pansy’s home world. Everything is reversed from the first book in high callback fashion. In Date, Pansy often made a fool of herself living by Horror’s rules in Contemporary Romance. Now Pansy’s the sage; she’s the one who has the knowledge to keep them alive. As it turns out, the rules in Horror make it hard for Fantasy-born Theo to be the hero he is in his homeland.

Though her characters struggle to follow Horror’s maxims, the author doesn’t have the same problem as she follows the rules for a successful trilogy. It’s set up perfectly in the first two books for an exciting, climatic final book. This reviewer has a preference for trilogies in which each book can be read as a standalone, which this trilogy also achieves. Although more fun to start with book one, the third book can be appreciated on its own.

The setting of book three introduces us to only one area of Horror. Though a fascinating setting, a larger-scale chase across the landscape of Horror to learn of all its twisted towns would have added even more flavor. That said, the people, customs, and descriptions of Horror are fascinating. And little do the Fantasy heroes know that the “good people” can be just as dangerous as the bad.

Believable arcs exist for the main characters. Villains are appropriately snarly. And the creative touches I’ve come to expect in this series all exist in the third offering. It’s fast-paced, romantic, horrifying, and even a little gory at times. Despite this, Don’t Dance with Death has one scene at the end that is positively inspiring. Never would I have thought when starting the first book we would end up in such a place, but the narrative leads the reader there without compromising the integrity of the series.

Entertaining in all the best ways, Don’t Dance with Death is a silver bullet of a novel to read late at night. This book is a danse macabre that will have you begging for more.

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HJCHSHK

Review of Don’t Date the Haunted

Review of Don’t Marry the Cursed

The Haunted Romance Trilogy

Everything Else

Loving Friendships – Why include them into your Novel?

Have we lost the art of writing friendships in our modern literature? In English, “love” is such an overloaded term that when we write “X loves Y,” we tend to think romantically. But this isn’t always true. Whatever happened to an enduring and abiding friendship?

Take this true / false quiz and tell me if the love explained here is “deep friendship?”

  • Ripley saves Newt from aliens in Aliens.
  • Westley says “As you wish” to Buttercup in The Princess Bride.
  • Black Widow kisses Captain America in a crowded mall to avoid capture in The Winter Soldier.
  • George Bailey returns home into the arms of Mary in It’s a Wonderful Life.
  • B.J. Hunnicutt spells out “Goodbye” to Hawkeye in M*A*S*H.

Of the above, only two represent deep friendship, or philia. Let’s have a Greek lesson because those Greeks not only threw big, fat weddings, but also knew how to define love.

Philia is deep friendship—the type of friendship that is self-sacrificing. A great example in literature of this is the story of Damon and Pythias. This is the type of friendship I wonder if, in modern literature, we’re not exploring as much.

Eros is passionate, often physical, love. Many recognize this type of love and often associate it with smut. It shouldn’t be, but that is a blog for another time. Think Anna Karenina

Storge is the love families have for each other. Often most associated with a parent for a child, it’s also brotherly or sororal love. In literature, this is the Potters’ parents’ love for Harry.

Ludas is often called a “crush.” It’s the “I’m so in love with X, I can’t think straight” love. In classic literature, I would claim this is David Copperfield for Agnes.

Agape love is an unconditional love for another, or the love of humankind. Often unachievable for any length of time (just ask a parent who has been awakened at 3 AM by a baby’s cry), this should be a goal for us all, religious or not. Many religions claim God has agape love for humankind.

Pragma is love among couples which is long-lasting. It’s sad that in our society we think couples have fallen out of love because eros is no longer present. Normally, the couple has transitioned to this type of love, and it’s just as valid as eros. Returning to my earlier example, I would claim this is David Copperfield’s love for Dora.

(And if you haven’t read David Copperfield, you really should as it has nearly all examples of love in it.)

Now that definitions are out of the way, let’s return to the examples above. I would argue Ripley’s love for Newt is storge. She is a protector, and her showdown with the queen plays off this theme.

The Westley and Buttercup interaction is either ludas or eros. Hopeless romantics would claim it’s pragma, but (in my opinion) they really haven’t known each other long enough to have achieved that level of love.

Ironically, the kiss between Black Widow (Natasha) and Captain America (Steve), as it plays out in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is philia. Surrounded by enemies, Natasha kisses Steve to sneak by, saving his life. After a cute quip, there’s nothing much more to the interaction until later in the movie. After the two are singled out to be killed, Natasha asks him, “Do you trust me?” and Steve responds, “I do now.” 

George and Mary Bailey’s reunion is definitely pragma. Sure, at the start, it’s ludas at the scene around the bush. But at the end of the movie, after everything this couple has gone through, Mary Bailey’s look at George when he returns home displays a wife’s loving concern. That’s pragma.

B.J.. and Hawkeye (and Trapper John before him) were definitely friends and loved each other as philia friends do. The fact that B.J. can’t say goodbye to Hawkeye until that chopper lifts off is a Damon and Pythias moment.

When we write, we should be conscious of the type of love between our characters. If we write so-and-so loves someone-else “like a brother” then this is storge love, not philia. Also, when we describe couples as “best friends,” while that’s true, it’s not an example of philia. Often this is used to exemplify that love has transitioned from eros to philia. Hopefully it hasn’t. A spouse is more than just a best friend.

Examining social media and in my discussions with people, I see a growing need for books with philia relationships. There’s a deep longing to be around people who understand you, who love you for who you are, and stick by you in good times and bad. People are attracted to this type of relationships and connect with it when reaading novels.

When done right, deep friendships make up the wonderful moments you, as a writer, are looking for. So be wary of how you write these relationships and make sure the two parties are friends and nothing else. If you achieve this, you will write some stunning scenes. I’ll leave you with a few I’ve read (or watched) over the years.

The aforementioned Hawkeye Pierce and B.J. Hunnicut final scene in M*A*S*H.

Sarah Cooper’s (Glenn Close) for Meg Jones (Mary Kay Place) when she wants a baby in The Big Chill.

Harry & Hermoine and Harry & Ron in the Harry Potter series. The Harry & Ron relationship, especially after Harry realizes that Ron can be “a bit of a git at times” is especially insightful and where Ron risks his life to save his enemies strictly because Harry tells him to.

The friendships in the Wizard of Oz.

Following is a list of books I’ve reviewed with examples of philia that work. While there are many books with friendships and romance, I’ve chosen those books where philia is the central element rather than eros/ludas.

The Legend of the Storm Sneezer Review

The Legend of the Rainbow Eater

Beggar Magic

Review of Super : The Arca Series (book one)

Review of Blaze: The Blaze Trilogy (book one)

Everything Else

Review of Vision

Vision Cover

Vision by Hope Bolinger is the third novel in her trilogy starting with Blaze and continuing with Den. Both books had similar stories of a young-adult group of friends trying to stay true to their beliefs and ideals. Vision wraps up the trilogy.

Reviewing a trilogy with an ongoing main narrative is difficult without reading all three. While any of the books could be read without the other two, the most satisfying experience is to finish the trilogy and evaluate the set. As such, I’ll review Vision on its own and then provide some thoughts on how the three work together.

Without spoiling Den, Danny Belte, our main character, is assumed to be suicidal and lands in a psychiatric ward. Danny isn’t suicidal, but still ends up with a number of teenagers—mostly his age—who are living with mental illnesses. Danny quickly figures out the ward is run in an atypical manner. Think One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Over time, privileges and rights are slowly taken away from the patients. It culminates in a scheme to discredit anything Danny says or remembers, and what he remembers may just be the thing that will allow him to go free.

Ms. Bolinger has twice before built a hostile environment for her Christian main characters to survive and (in fact) thrive. This trilogy aims to mirror the book of Daniel, and at the same time, is aware of the Bible. While the novel contains some action sequences, Vision is more of a contemporary thriller between the powerless and the establishment. Some reveals happen near the end, but the joy of making it through the book is watching Danny confront the challenges others place in his way.

Does it work? In Vision, an environment of gross neglect stretches the boundary of believability, but the book takes pains to point this out. Furthermore, taken as an allegory, it succeeds on all levels. Certainly, the book knows its Lemony Snicket, as Danny’s ward is truly a Hostile Hospital. And just when you think this is a touchy-feely, lighthearted Christian novel, the author goes dark. I’ll remember this book the next time I play billiards.

Given the premise of the book, the reader unfortunately doesn’t spend much time with friends from books one and two, especially one whose name starts with “H.” But we meet an entirely new set of companions who fill the gap left by Dan’s friends. And a few minor characters from the last book reappear here as well. I also enjoyed the novel’s different take on a hero, one who saves others not by being a superhero, but by doing the right thing. This, in my opinion, makes Danny unique.

The trilogy is now complete and I found it interesting that the epilogue has three parts. To me, each part matches a certain book with the last epilogue matching Vision. It’s a gutsy move to change the setting in the last book when you have a good thing going, but it works here (as it did for J. K. Rowling in the Harry Potter series). Overall, all three novels make for a good thriller, each with something unique on its mind. While I’m not a fan of cliffhangers at the end of novels, now that all three are published, it’s less of an issue. The reader can start on the next one right away.

Vision is a well-plotted and distinct novel in the contemporary genre. It shines a light on abuse, how we view ourselves, and how important faith is in our journey through life. Vision is a conclusion worthy of the other two novels and a fascinating book on its own. 

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1645262936

Links to the other two reviews: Review of Blaze and Review of Den

Everything Else

Review of Party

Party is the sixth in the Arca series by Karen Diem in which a number of coma patients emerged from their condition with superhero powers way back in book one. Arca refers to Zita Garcia, a shapeshifting, teleporting, capoeira-fighting superhero. She’s joined by Muse (real name: Wyn) and Wingspan (Andy) as a trio of vigilante heroes who manage to find—and resolve—trouble in each novel in the series. In addition to their heroic antics, subplots of their personal lives and associated characters continue on in each novel.

The party of Party refers to a rising, independent political party in the United States. This party’s agenda is to imprison or eliminate metahumans, the name given to superheroes in this series. Naturally, this puts them at odds with Arca from the first scene.

Through a series of novels and short stories, the Arca World has introduced interesting new characters and fascinating and memorable plots. Diem always starts with an action scene and this one doesn’t disappoint. She ties in one of her short stories into this novel—a welcome surprise—to set up the events that unfold. Reading all novels and short stories in chronological order has rewarded this reader with a richer experience.

Prior novels have taken its main characters to some fantastic locations. Party turns this on its head and is more grounded than most offerings in this series. On the scale of fantasy to reality, the prior three novels were more speculative than most. This one leans more toward a contemporary tale with superheroes. The last novel, in particular, dismissed most of the subplots and secondary characters for a world-expanding journey elsewhere. Party brings us back into the fold, reintroducing many of the supporting cast and re-establishing many narrative threads.

If you like your superhero novels to be chock-full of action, you won’t be disappointed. Sometimes extending across chapters, scenes of pulse-pounding excitement make up most of the novel. Much like the other books, this one creates scenes in the reader’s head much like a graphic novel.

Along with the action, we get witty banter between Zita, Wyn, and Andy. But all is not peaceful among the three, especially in relation to their romantic interests. Wyn has to endure running into her old girlfriend, and Zita is secretly dating a mysterious vigilante. Andy is seeing someone who Zita strongly dislikes. Why Zita has zero tolerance for Andy’s girlfriend is revealed midway through the narrative—a highlight of the book.

Many people judge superhero novels by their villains. Usually, the Arca series focuses on the heroes and their struggles. The nemesis in this novel isn’t much different. In fact, the “mastermind” is upstaged by one of his so-called lackeys who is the real threat here. I appreciated the sub-villain’s motivation as well. Is there a bit of truth to her ravings?

One of the strengths of Diem’s writing is her humor and it’s present here in full force. Many passages had me laughing. A couple of references to past stories (in particular, squirrels and a certain ice brush) were nice callbacks. Zita’s desire for food when she thinks of pudding or her brandishing a spoodle (and associated comment) were other highlights. If you like the Marvel snark, you’ll get it here in spades.

And props for unusual superhuman powers. Yes, certain characters have strength and flight and the old standbys of teleportation and healing also exist. But an ability connected to pies and the surprising (and very funny) power that emerges in Danz Mizer are all a great departure from the usual. The creativity with which Diem has crafted her characters is evidenced in every chapter.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. Fun, fast-moving, relevant, and with an ending that moves forward the narrative in a large way, Party is truly one party you don’t want to miss.

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098DR4V76

Summary of Arca World Short Stories: The Arca Short Stories

Other reviews in this series:

Book 1: Review of Super

Book 2: Review of Human

Book 3: Review of Power

Book 4: Review of Monster

Book 5: Review of Toga

Everything Else

Review of Legend of the Rainbow Eater

Cover for Legend of the Rainbow Eater

Kristiana’s Sfirlea’s second novel in The Stormwatch Diaries series, Legend of the Rainbow Eater, is like a dream. In fact, dreams pervade the story from the first chapter onward. But this isn’t what I mean. The book itself takes on the aspects of a dream. While reading it, the narrative and character’s actions and motivations make sense, but try to summarize it in a review and it’s like trying to describe that movie that unfolds in your head when sleeping. However, as in the best of dreams, it’s a marvelous book because of the emotional impact it has when it’s done.

Here goes a summary. In a fantasy world, a group of angels who live in an asylum, known as the Blackouts, seek out legends. This time they’re after the wishing mist—a mist that grants a user’s wish. They’ll have to follow the mischievous will-o-the-wisps to find it. The wisps, or wispies, may lead the Blackouts to the legend or to their untimely deaths depending on the wisps’ whims (say that three times fast).

Now throw in lumberjacks, maple syrup festivals, automatronic bears, gypsies, a mysterious hangman, time traveling, body snatchers, and last, but certainly not least, giant, people-eating squirrels and you have a middle grade book unlike any other.

While many other fantasy authors are enticing middle grade readers to experience a familiar world and common characters with supernatural elements (in the vein of “The football captain is a werewolf”), this story takes its readers someplace unfamiliar with larger-than-life characters and asks its readers to keep up. In many ways, it resembles M. T. Anderson’s Pals in Peril series. Legend of the Rainbow Eater challenges the reader in surprising ways. When the narrative is flowing, it interrupts it. When the big surprises seem to be done, even bigger ones are revealed. When you think it’s cute and cuddly, it rips off its fuzzy exterior to reveal its grinning skeleton underneath. Marvelous in world-building, dialogue, and description, Legend of the Rainbow Eater plops you into a one-of-a-kind adventure you never saw coming.

The two main characters here are Rose and Marek. Best of friends since the beginning of the last novel, these two are simpatico in every way. Rose is a relatable and sympathetic hero who is learning to live without her magic in a world where everyone else has theirs. She remains optimistic despite being terrorized by (I can’t reveal what) on a carousel playing a funeral dirge in high Bradbury-esque style. Marek reminds me of that older brother who acts like he doesn’t know what he’s doing but is smarter than everyone else. His friendship with Rose, and paralyzing fright of certain creatures, highlight his engaging personality.

Supporting characters are all solid. My favorites, Cade and Sephone, get a special scene apiece which adds to the overall joy of reading this novel.

The writing and style mirror the first book and are top notch. Words, pages, chapters flow by like water not because it writes down to its audience. Not at all. You won’t find the word “catafalque” in many books these days. But the narrative is an easy read because of the writer’s skill. Though this is Ms. Sfirlea’s second book, it reads like she’s written dozens before it. And it takes a special skill to write a meta-novel, but the author pulls that off too.

The novel is also illustrated in a beautiful way, arriving when least expected, and depict our beloved characters in the best of scenes.

And the humor. The book buzzes when it brings the funnies, and brings them it does. The quips and relatable humor exist as in the first book. Rose’s comment after playing Hangman for six hours straight, the clever word play with a galloping hobble, and Cade’s comment about growing silver hair from her purple tresses stand out.

Yet, Sfirlea takes advantage that others don’t in sequels and introduces some character humor. Building up her characters in the first novel and at the beginning of the sequel, she puts them at a disadvantage here with hilarious results. Prim and proper Cade, in particular, has a miserable night out with Rose because of her attire. And Aiden’s response to the Blackouts idea of who would make a good “date” for him to go to the gypsy camp had me in stitches.

As a second book, it dives directly into the events shortly after the end of the first book. If I had caught a wisp and made a wish, I would’ve wished that Rainbow Eater would orient the reader a bit more before rushing off. However, the length of the novel precludes this extra exposition, and most readers won’t miss the back story.

This all sounds like fun, but is it a rainbow-colored candy with no substance? Absolutely not. Despite the fantastic settings and extraordinary characters, the emotions they feel are as real and true as real life. Rose’s loneliness, Marek’s fear, and Cade’s concern all ring true. Later revelations on honoring the dead aren’t depicted in middle grade fantasy. A central theme of believing without knowing occurs throughout the novel. And the healing of a broken friendship near the end plays with the heart strings like they were harp strings. No matter your age, this novel has a lot on its mind, and it tells it in a deceptively light-hearted way.

Legend of the Rainbow Eater is a worthy sequel to the excellent Legend of the Storm Sneezer. Funny and poignant, creative and relatable, Legend of the Rainbow Eater is a novel to read before you sleep at night hugging a teddy bear (maybe) and dream a little dream of wishing tea kettles and rainbow promises.

Everything Else

Review of Sensational

When Havok publishes an anthology, my son and I read them, approximately one a night, and then compare notes. We give a 1 to 10 rating after finishing each tale. We finished Havok’s latest, Sensational, where the usual blend of mystery, science fiction/fantasy, humor, and thriller offerings are centered on one of the five senses. Havok added a special category of sixth sense to make it an even half dozen.

Overall, most of the stories were rated highly. I consider a 7 rating memorable and well worth reading. Thirty-three of forty-nine received a 7 rating. The remaining were all in the 5 and up category. It’s difficult to rate anthologies because they’re usually uneven, but Havok’s are all in the good to excellent range. Both of us thought highly of this entry in the series.

Many honorable mentions here. Each one of these stories finished off our day on a high note so bravo to all these authors.  Mama Louise’s One-Eyed Gumbo (A. C. Williams), Eyes of the Blind (Rachel Ann Michael Harris), Flee Market (Andrew Winch), Color (Hannah Robinson). Dad was also especially fond of A Spoonful of Spice (Beka Gremikova) and Poisoned Melody (Kaitlyn Emery).

Not all was tranquility when it came to settling on a number. At times, one of us would rate a story higher than the other. This was due to Dad being more interested in mysteries and thrillers and Son being more inclined to humor. Both of us enjoy science fiction and fantasy. Dad’s list of stories that deserve a read even if you’re not a fan of the genre include the chilling and highly effective The Purple Dawn by Michael Teasdale. The Art You See (Kat Heckenbach) married an interesting concept with a powerful ending. The Unseen by Kaitlyn Carter Brown built a lot of action and heart into such a short story. And A Ghost’s Guide to Haunted Hugs (Kristiana Sfirlea) was sweet and sad—not your (para)normal haunted cave story.

Son’s list leaned toward humor. Where’s Santa? by Linda Jane Neidfeldt was a crowd-pleaser and entertained my son to its big “reveal.” Your Nosy Neighborhood Granny (Beka Gremikova) took an oft-overlooked character and made her the star to hilarious effect. And Komainu (Michael Erasmus) showed us that epic battles don’t always occur in the middle of wars.

We each had our favorites. Dad’s was the simple yet enthralling Always Beauty by Linda Sammaritan. All I have to say is “cicadas” and anyone who has ever read it recalls the plot. If the purpose of a story is to make the reader feel, this story succeeded admirably. Son’s choice was The Laundress by Ronnell Kay Gibson. The idea behind this story is what made it stand out. Charming, inventive, and spellbinding with a great and powerful concept, we hated to see it end.

So, delight your senses, especially your sense of sight, and pick up Havok’s Sensational. Sure to have something for everyone, and at least a handful of stories in each sense, this unique collection is worth a read. My sixth sense tells me you will enjoy it.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0942L8FV3

Everything Else

Review of One By One

Mystery and thriller often go hand-in-hand, but some stories are excellent mysteries but not solid thrillers and vice-versa. And then there’s Ruth Ware’s One By One: a mystery, a thriller, and a great book.

Snoop, a company built on a music app, decides to hold its business retreat in the French Alps at a luxurious chalet. When the novel starts, the count is several employees plus two chalet employees—a caretaker and a chef—perched atop a mountain of snow. When a secret business deal is announced, tensions rise. From there, a member of the party is lost, and another member is murdered.

As a mystery, One by One is an offering worthy of a read by any Baker Street aficionado. All the little details add up to a satisfying conclusion. Even chapter introductions play their part. As a thriller, it’s even better. The mystery is solved well before the end of the novel, a nice twist, and leaves the rest of the novel in the world of suspense. How the author orchestrated the finale was better for this reviewer than the reveal of the murderer. The final segment of the book to the climax is exciting to say the least.

One of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” movies was set on the summit of a snowy mountain as well. I couldn’t help but think of that version as I started this novel. Don’t worry, this novel is quite different from that rendition of her excellent novel. The business subplot, the dual points-of-view, the skiing sequences, and the killer’s motivations differ from Christie’s classic. And how the author listed the cast of characters at the start was genius. From that page onward, I was hooked.

One by One is a spellbinder of a novel with engaging characters and a unique setting. Well-written, fast-paced, stylish, and packed with details mystery readers love, this novel is sure to satisfy even the most discerning bibliophile.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084G9Z5C3

Everything Else

Review of Redeemed

Continuing the world started in Reformed, H. L. Burke offers this sequel in her superhero series. In the BCU (Burke’s Connected Universe), superheroes (called sables) are organized as law enforcers with all of the advantages and disadvantages bureaucracy brings with it. Some of these sables have a rehabilitation goal. What if you could take supervillains and turn them into heroes? What if a team could train those “evil gods among men” into law enforcers?

The first book of the series explored this premise with criminal Fade joining a small squad led by superhero Prism. This novel starts with an action-packed scene of the team working together to battle smugglers attempting to escape with some special cargo. After the opening chapter, we meet a teenage girl sable named Alma who is working in an Oliver Twist-like fashion but with an evil version of Fagan called Handler. Handler and his kids are all sables. Prism’s team connects with Alma and sponsors her into the rehabilitation program.

But don’t write “happy ending” yet as Alma hides secrets from the team. At the same time, two of the team members are falling in love. And hanging like a dark cloud over our cast of characters is a death of someone close. Alma’s defensive attitude, portrayed realistically here, threatens to disrupt the rehabilitation.

Redeemed is not a comic book or a Marvel movie for children. The politics of law enforcement and abandonment/foster care are depicted mostly for an adult reader. A frank—and quite refreshing view—on sexual intercourse is also a subtopic. The characters’ view on charity, religion, and grieving are all handled in a sensitive manner. This, more than the zip-bam-boff scenes, sets the series apart from other novels in the same genre.

Technically, H. L. Burke brings her A-game as always. If you’ve read any of her other novels, you’ll enjoy the style here. Multiple points-of-view, voice, nods to the genre—all of these elements work in the book’s favor. Don’t fret about the plot, though! Plenty of scenes contain the action one would expect from a superhero book.

Redeemed is a praiseworthy book in all ways but one. In the final resolution of the big battle, this reviewer had hoped the downtrodden had persevered in a different fashion. On the other hand, the climax of Alma’s fate was well-depicted—a fine denouement to one of our main characters.

Redeemed continues a superhero saga with heroes with foibles, fears, and faith like the normies, or normal people, in their world. An intriguing entry in a compassionate series, this book delights and advances the super characters who turn out to be a lot like us.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BCFQ12F