Posts Tagged YA Horror
REVIEW: BLEED by @daxvarley
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews on October 27, 2015
BLURB
LIFE IS A NIGHTMARE for Miranda Murphy. Without knowing when or why, blood oozes from her palms—an anomaly that makes her feel like a freak. But her abnormality is now the least of her worries. She’s just enrolled at “Suicide High.” Three deaths in three months—one occurring just days before her arrival.
When she bumps into a cute boy named Jake, things don’t appear so glum. Especially since Jake’s a psychic who can predict the immediate future. But his gift of sight can’t prepare her for the horrors that await.
Through Jake, Miranda meets three other extraordinary students:
Topher – who can heal by touch.
Sam – who eats the sins of the dead.
And Xyan – who speaks and understands all languages.
It’s then that Miranda learns the secret behind why she bleeds.
When it becomes evident that supernatural forces are at play, the five determined friends team up. Now it’s up to them to destroy the evil that’s infecting their school.
A great YA Horror!
This is not your usual good vs. evil novel, as Dax Varley is an exceptional YA novelist! I’m always amazed with the skillful manner in which she connects with all ages!
Immediately, the story packs a punch! We’re given narration from several view points, including that of a very nasty culprit, with remarkable precision. The writing is so good, there is no lull, no confusion, and definitely no lack of imagination. The rag tag team representing the good is an authentic version of kids today, and the evil is concealed brilliantly.
I enjoyed this immensely, as I’m a fan of horror. There was comedic relief to balance the terror, the gory scenes were perfectly gross, and there’s even a sweet little romance involved. Highly recommend.
**I recommend for High School aged YA & above due to violence, subject matter, and language.**
ABOUT THIS LITERARY CHEF
Dax Varley writes the kind of young adult novels she wishes were around when she was a teen. She’s a lover of humor, horror and all things paranormal.
When Dax isn’t writing, she’s collecting odd photos online, reading
recaps of her favorite shows or kicked back with a good book.
She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband, a shelf full of action figures and about a dozen imaginary friends
LINKS:
REVIEW! DARKNESS by ERIN EVELAND
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews, YA Fiction on September 10, 2014
One Girl. One Boy.
And the Masters of Darkness.
See the Shadow Creatures.
They are everywhere.
But you can’t run from the shadows.
At the age of sixteen, Catherine lives with an alcoholic mother and impoverished welfare. While searching for a way to tell her only friend Nathan of her desire for him, a hidden world starts to unfold with the coincidental meeting of a man in black, Jorgen. With this encounter, questions arise and unexplained events start to occur, causing Catherine to confront her past and an uncertain future.
Upon graduating High School, Nathan cooks at a local bar wondering how he can leave town with the girl he’s fallen in love with, Catherine. All seems hopeless until a man in black, Artros, introduces himself offering power greater than all the money that drives the world.
Ancient enemies with the power to control the Darkness and its Shadow Creatures, two Masters will fight to the death for what one girl may hold – the ultimate power of Light.
REVIEW
A wonderfully disturbing read! The author made me think of my own hometown and how hard it can be to escape such a black hole. Mill towns are the perfect setting for a horror novel, and Eveland delivered with exceptional precision.
Catherine comes off a little creepy at first, but after a while it’s hard not to like her. The traumatic life this young woman has to endure is heartbreaking, and her resolve is incredible. Nathan is a sweet young man who’s easy to relate with and very lovable. These characters and their story become rather addicting as friends become foe, and unimaginable creatures fill their lives with darkness.
I received a copy of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
BOOK PAGE:
http://www.darknesstheseries.com/
BOOK TRAILER:
ABOUT THIS LITERARY CHEF:
Known for her short stories in the horror-genre, and as a mother of four, Eveland has published works in Dark Moon Books, Mocha Memoirs Press, Cromaine Press, and Dreamscape. Her forthcoming dark fantasy novel, Darkness is unique in style to bring art and music to the reader using the Quick Response Code.
With children, work and life, Erin usually writes between the hours of 9pm and 6am. She didn’t start writing until she turned 30. Through the following years of dedication and persistence, she has created a staple in the writing community, in which she grows, discovering new writers and listening to their stories – personal and written.
Erin loves spending time with her children and the great outdoors of Michigan. As a musician and songwriter, she enjoys music and the arts. She’s a nerd for how-to-books and as boring as they come across she likes discovering new things and believes one of the greatest values in life is to never stop learning.
AUTHOR LINKS:
//
REVIEW & GIVEAWAY..SMORGASBORD by Jagjiwan Sohal
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews, YA Fiction on July 11, 2014
Title: Smorgasbord
Author: Jagjiwan Sohal
Genre: Middle-Grade/Young Adult Comedy Horror
Length: 170 pages
Release Date: March 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0615971919
Imprint: Mythos Press
SYNOPSIS:
When Anna Lopez’s zombie attack video goes viral, no one could believe that the high school cheerleader had taken a bite out of the undead monster – and liked it! Now nothing will ever be the same for supernatural beings…because humans have discovered they taste freakin’ DELICIOUS!
And when a zombie boy gets in the crosshairs of a gang of hungry-human hunters, Julie, a young vampire loner, jumps in for the rescue. But now Julie’s got more than she bargained because taking care of a rambunctious undead creature who only knows one word (“brains”) is NOT easy. And when Julie and her zombie pal stumble upon on a crazed soccer mom, they find themselves on the run from a trigger-happy family who want nothing more than to grill them up for a neighborhood barbecue bash!
Ceecee’s son: a rising 7th grader’s review
My thoughts:
I’ve always liked fantasy books, and they haven’t always been as action-packed as this was. This was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. What I liked the most was the concept. It was both great and funny that Julie and brains were trying to not get eaten by the humans, same goes with the other monsters. I am going to tell my friends about this book!
CeeCee’s Review
Reading & Discussing this creatively adventurous novel with my sub-teen was a blast!
There are several characters that make this book amazingly unique, but our main focus is on Julie, a teen vampire, and a zombie- child whose only vocabulary is “brains”. While these two run for their lives, they’re lucky enough to encounter more paranormal creatures with the same problem: they’re the newest culinary fad. Unfortunately, there’s a psychotic woman leading a group of hunters that makes ted nugent look like mr. rogers. Throw in a zombie rancher, his spokeswoman, and a reporter scorned, and you have one heck of an adventure!
For the record, I’m not a zombie fan, but I truly enjoyed this book! This author is brilliant! I highly recommend picking this one up!
As a parent, I must warn that there is some descriptive violence involved here. Although my son & I had a wonderful time reading this, I wouldn’t recommend this novel for children below the 6th grade.
we’re GIVing away 10 copies!
AUTHOR INFORMATION & LINKS
Born and raised near Toronto, Canada, Jagjiwan Sohal works in the Canadian film and TV industry as an up-and-coming screenwriter and producer. His short stories have been published by The Horror Zine, Scribal Tales and Hello Horror. Smorgasbord is his first novel.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
The Literary Melting Pot 