Review: Everything is Temporary by Jon Cohn

Everything is Temporary

by Jon Cohn

Release Date: November 2, 2023

2023 Deadbolts Books

Ebook Edition; 252 Pages

ISBN: 9798988061939

ASIN: B0CM9KRW8D

Audiobook: B0CNDHHPGR

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from author

3.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

After a tragedy strikes the Barnes family, Sarah's husband Tom begins acting strangely. It starts with wild mood-shifts and accusations at their thirteen-year old daughter, but quickly escalates to the attempted murder of an off-season mall Santa. From what Sarah can tell, Tom's only motive seems to lie behind a mysterious hatred for Christmas that burns year round. What's worse, Tom's only defense lies in a long-forgotten book he wrote detailing a traumatic event in his childhood that seems too far-fetched to be believed. His entire case revolves around the notion of talking Christmas trees, a living army of toys, and worst of all, a monster masquerading as Mrs. Claus.

My Thoughts

Everything is Temporary is a book within a book story, featuring Tom relieving a traumatic event from his childhood after seeing someone at the mall, and Tom as a child dealing with a traumatic event that almost had him and his friends killed. I'm not typically a fan of the book within a book scenarios, but this one worked for me and the author used the concept quite skillfully.  

The overall story was quite fun, and I loved the fact it revolved around Christmas. Creepy Christmas horror can be fun, and while I didn't find this one scary or creepy, I did find it engaging.  Sometimes though, you need something lighter and this fit the bill. The alternating POVs worked, and I liked seeing the multiple perspectives of Tom's erratic behaviour and the impact it had on his family. To be honest, I would think my husband was losing his mind if I was every in that same situation.  When your husband starts talking about talking Christmas trees and evil Hummels, well...how do you respond to that? I did like the themes that were discussed in this book: trauma, loss, grief, bullying, redemption, and friendship. 

 

The characters were all interesting, but honestly, I don't think I connected with them all that much.  I just felt like they needed to be fleshed out a bit more so we could fully understand their motives and why they chose to do some of the things they did.  They were relatable however, and I definitely enjoyed the on-going references to Home Alone and Home Alone 2. I did feel like the kids acted a bit older than their 12 years and were quite quick to set up a home to kill like in the movie, something that took me out of the story a couple of times as it jarred with what was happening, but like children, there was no comprehension of the consequences until something happened.   I had to remind myself of their ages a few times.  

 

Verdict

Everything is Temporary was a fun Christmas horror that was light and fast. I like how the author takes these things we associate with the holidays and turns them into little, or big, monsters that can be frightening, using something we treasure to kill.  I did think the characters and the story could have been fleshed out a bit more, but overall, if you are looking for something light, quick, and fun, then I recommend this book for you. 

 

Review: Into Misty Ruse by H.A. Growler

 

Into Misty Ruse (The Harmonycan Chronicles, Book 1)

by H.A. Growler

Release Date: September 1st, 2023

2023 H.A. Growler LLC

Kindle Edition; 370 Pages

ISBN: 979-8988648604

ASIN: B0CGQWJGSZ

Genre: Fiction / Juvenile Fiction / Fantasy

Source: Review copy from author

 

5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

It has been thirty-seven years since the Big Boom blasted magic into the world of Harmonyca and nearly destroyed it. And it’s been almost two years since Zyk’s dad disappeared, for reasons unknown. The powerful institution of FAHLT says that Magic Is an Affliction and has strictly forbidden any association with magic or magical creatures. But twelve-year-old Zyk’s most fervent desire is to learn more about magical TOMBs (Treacherous Obstructive and Malignant Botanicals). Just when his dream feels completely out of reach, events start befalling Zyk, one after another. Now he’s stuck in a magical settlement, in hiding from FAHLT knights. Is magic truly an affliction? Are magical creatures really evil? If so, why are they helping him? And will he ever be able to cure the curse he’s been hit with and go back home to his mum?

 

My Thoughts

Into Misty Ruse is the first book in The Harmonycan Chronicles and I thought this book was fun and very creatively written. Even though it was aimed at a much younger audience, I was immediately engaged by Zyk's story as well as the story building.  To be honest, I had a hard time putting this down and pretty much read it in one sitting.  I

 

Zyk is a great main character and I loved following him on his journey as he becomes stuck in a magical settlement due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Making the best of a difficult situation, he is treated with kindness by those who find him as he learns to navigate a world very different from his own.  The secondary characters are as engaging as Zyk and I developed a huge fondness for Pitch and Eva as well as all of the others we meet. 

There were a lot of important themes running through this book, ones that I think would make great discussion topics in a classroom or with your own child, such as loneliness, loss, grief, friendship, acceptance, racism, judgment, pre-conceived notions, growth, separation, and consequences to one's behaviour.  There is a huge emphasis on different does not mean something to be destroyed, but that co-existence is necessary for everyone to thrive.  With that in mind, the way Zyk was treated as a newcomer to the society was used as a way to develop these themes, and I enjoyed all of the situations in which he found himself, from dealing with dangerous plants to dealing with difficult students and adults.  Everything was done with compassion and care.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed was the discussion around plant life as Zyk was very interested in plants, especially magical ones.  He has a huge affinity for them and this is one of the ways his magic first manifested without him realizing what had happened. I thoroughly enjoyed his predicaments when he got entangled in situations where he assumed plants that looked fine turned out to be extremely dangerous. The creative names given to these plants and the scenes involving them kept me riveted to the page, sometimes laughing out loud. I thought the whole magical system was quite whimsical and creative.  Personally, as a kid, I would have loved to visit this place.

Verdict

Into Misty Ruse was a delight to read, and I loved the magic, the story, and the characters.  I was captivated by the world-building and enjoyed the descriptive storytelling. The characters were well-drawn out, each with their own unique personalities, and thought the mystery was perfect for a book for this age group.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story, and I am definitely looking forward to the second book when it is released.

 

Review: Murder Under the Mistletoe by Liz Fielding

Murder Under the Mistletoe (Maybridge Murder Mysteries, Book #2)

by Liz Fielding

Release Date: October 31, 2023

2023 Joffe Books

Kindle Edition; 288 Pages

ISBN: 978-1835262252

ASIN: B0CKXXGBBJ

Genre: Fiction / Cozy

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Abby Finch heads to the old church hall armed with mistletoe and holly ready to help decorate in time for the festive season. But she arrives in time to witness a horrifying sight. Edward Marsh reaches to test the antique star at the top of the tree. There’s a fizz and the lights go out. Abby hears the sickening thud of a body hitting the ground. When the lights turn back on Edward is dead.

It soon becomes clear it was no accident.

The real victim should have been Gregory Tatton, a dapper silver fox, popular with the ladies of the seniors’ lunch club. And a known blackmailer . . .

 

My Thoughts

Murder Under the Mistletoe is the second book in the Maybridge Murder Mystery series and while I enjoyed it quite a bit, I did think the first book in the series was quite a bit stronger and much more interesting.  Abby is a reliable main character and while I understand that she and her family are going through a difficult time, I felt like the author was trying to create drama between her and her new romantic interest, something that didn't need to happen. The mystery was strong enough to stand on its own and so was the family dynamic the author described in this book. 

 

I liked Abby as a main character and enjoyed the relationships she had with those in her community. Due to the circumstances of her ex-husband's death, she has had to deal with some nasty rumours and fallout, but the community has come together to show their support to her and her family.  When she discovers that others are being threatened, she realizes there is a whole layer working beneath the town of which she was unaware and soon that threat affects her personally.  I enjoyed learning about the other members of the community through her interactions with them as she investigated the murders and really liked the fact she didn't put herself or anyone else in danger by doing so. She just took advantage of the opportunities when they arose. There are quite a few characters in this book and there seemed to be this assumption that the reader was familiar with the first book just by the way the characters interacted, as if you were already on intimate terms with them.

 

The mystery itself was quite good, but then I like a story about blackmail as I always wonder how far someone will go to protect their secrets, and that is exactly what this book was about.  Yes, I was able to figure out the mystery quite early, but enjoyed it for its own sake. I liked how the author intertwined Abby's family issues within the mystery as her kids were dealing with their first Christmas without their dad. I was not a fan of Abby's relationship as I felt like that was unnecessary drama, stirred up for the sake of just adding more drama and the whole thing felt forced.  Not my favourite part of the book.

 

Verdict

Murder Under the Mistletoe is a good story about blackmail and how far you can push someone before they finally give in under the pressure. It's interesting as I was just watching a new Poirot film about this very same thing, and the result always seems to be the same, desperation.  The overall flow of the book was somewhat off, but the mix of dialogue and description was good, and I definitely enjoyed all the Christmas scenes.  I do feel that readers would benefit from reading the first book before reading this one however, so go, take a look, and enjoy Murder Under the Roses.

Review: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes, Book #0)

by Travis Baldree

Release Date: November 7, 2023

2023 Tor Trade

Ebook & Audiobook Editions; 352 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250886101

ASIN: B0BQGGVB4K

Audiobook: B0BVKT64RG

Genre: Fiction / Fantasy / Cozy

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5  Stars

 

Summary

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she'll never be able to return to it.

What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn't possibly imagine.

My Thoughts

Bookshops & Bonedust is the prequel to Legends & Lattes and I loved the early exploration into Viv's life and where she may have gotten her inspiration to open a shop of her own.  I love cozy mystery novels and I enjoy fantasy, so reading a cozy fantasy is something that I find really intriguing. While I enjoy my grimdark, heavy as hell, pull no punches fantasy, there are times when I want something much light, but still is in the fantasy genre, and this one definitely meets my expectations of a fun, wholesome story that has fun characters and an intriguing story. 

This book is a prequel to Legends & Lattes, but it in no way influences that book and the choices Viv makes in that book. It is meant for the reader to understand Viv a bit more as she begins her career as a mercenary soldier, one who two-months into joining the Ravens, gets hurt and has to take some much-needed rest. At first, she is restless and doesn't know what to do with herself as she can't train and do the things she normally does, so she ends up in the local bookstore. Having the time to read, something she doesn't normally do, makes her scoff at those who do read, but when she starts to immerse herself into those worlds, something unexpected happens. Viv realizes there is whole other side to her personality that she has been neglecting and begins to explore that other side to her.

 

I loved the characters we meet in this story and enjoyed learning more about them. Diverse and interesting, I couldn't help but compare Viv's experiences to those of the sequel and how these experiences may have shaped her choices in the other book. And this time we are dealing with a book store, a dream for all book lovers.  And my heart just soared as Viv opened herself up to reading more and exploring books and began helping to reshape the book store into what it could be. Now, I would have liked to have seen a bit more with regards to that as that is why we read these books, but it was still fun to see everything develop and grow.  And Viv discovers there is much more to life than just fighting and battles and killing.  And I couldn't help but laugh when Viv discovered the 'spice' in some of those books and her reactions to it. Hilarious.  

 

Verdict

Bookshops & Bonedust was like a breath of fresh air.  The characters were charming and fun, and I liked comparing them to the ones in Legends & Lattes and seeing how they impacted Viv's choices later in life.  I don't think it had all of the same charm as the first book, but it was still interesting and I think part of that is I knew she wasn't going to stay. We know it will twenty years or so before Viv finally leaves the Ravens and opens up her coffee shop, so the relationships she develops, while influential, won't follow her on the road.  I did wonder if the epilogue would have better served as the prologue.  Anyhow, I definitely enjoyed the bookshop element to the story and naturally loved how the community came together when there was a major threat due to Viv's influence in the town. Definitely a fun read. Looking forward to reading the next standalone in this series as the author has already said there will be at least three more.  Yeah!!

 

 

Review: A Book Club to Die For by Dorothy St. James

A Book Club to Die For

by Dorothy St. James

Release Date: November 1st, 2023

2023 Berkley

Mass Paperback Edition; 320 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593098646

ASIN: B09PZSBCVW

Audiobook: B0BKP6YWFL

Genre: Fiction / Cozy Mystery

Source: Review copy from author

3 / 5  Stars

Summary

The Cypress Arete Society is one of the town’s oldest and most exclusive clubs. When assistant librarian Trudell Becket is invited to speak to the group about the library, its modernization, and her efforts to bring printed books to the reading public, her friend Flossie tags along. Flossie has been on the book club’s waiting list for five years, and she’s determined to find out why she’s never received an invitation to join.

But not long after Tru and Flossie arrive for the meeting, they’re shocked to find the club’s president, Rebecca White, dead in the kitchen. Rebecca was a former TV actress and local celebrity but was not known for being patient or pleasant. She’d been particularly unkind to the book club’s host for the evening, who also happens to be the mother of Detective Jace Bailey, Tru’s boyfriend. And Rebecca had made it clear that she didn’t think Flossie was book club material.

 

My Thoughts

A Book Club to Die For reminds me a bit of a cozy locked room mystery as we have a woman who is killed in a kitchen, with a variety of suspects and clues available to pursue if you know where to look.  All of the regular characters are present in the book, and while I do find some of them particularly annoying, including Tru herself, the overall mystery was engaging and I always enjoy a mystery that features a book at its core.

 

First of all, the main characters True and Jace, while I do like them, are kind of wimpy in my estimation. Tru is controlled by her mother while Jace is controlled by his relationship with Tru and some of her behaviours, something that always rubs me the wrong way. And to keep blaming everything on Southern manners and traditions drives me bonkers.  Tru is a grown-ass woman who can decisions for herself and to have her mother constantly nagging at her about what she eats, what she buys at the grocery store, and threatening to come to her house and clean out all her food is annoying. And to have to hide food in your own house from your mother? Maybe I don't understand southern thinking, but really?  And Jace. To threaten someone's position on a force because of your relationship? I did think the other characters were interesting and really enjoyed the relationship Tru has with her best friend.  

 

I did find the mystery to be interesting as there are book snobs to be found all over the world, and I love how the author includes that in her mystery.  To have the mystery focused around an elite book club was fun, and I definitely enjoyed the irony and sarcasm around the comments in the book about people's reading preferences and styles and what they should be reading.  And I liked how in a small town, such a book club could be incorporated into social status and be used to further one's career prospects.  Philosophical clubs were used this way in the past (elite men's clubs), so it's not surprising to see them used this way in today's society, and the pressure to conform would be enormous.  

 

The plot moved along rather quickly, and the pacing was even.  Because of the nature of the murder, Jace was not allowed to investigate, so Tru got involved simply because she was there when it happened and people like to talk to her.  The flow of conversations felt natural and Tru doesn't do stupid things like in other books or hinder the police in any way.  I did find the solution to the mystery to be a bit bland, and wished it had been more complicated than it was so I felt a bit let down. The book does suffer from repetition, especially concerning the hidden library, something I still find a little silly, but I do love that cat.  I think the discussions surrounding the use of technology versus the use of physical books to be quite fascinating, but the hidden library thing needs to be better developed. Anyone with an eye could figure out what was going on with that. And I'm still wondering if I should be upset at who died as she was a miserable piece of work. For the life of me, I just could have garner an ounce of sympathy. 

 

Verdict

A Book Club to Die For is a light, cozy read that was fairly predictable and did have a tendency to ramble on at times, especially when it came to that secret library.  The characters were typical, no one actually stood out, although I think Flossie's job needs to be explored more as that kind of rankled, and the mystery was light, fun, but so, so easy to figure out.  If you are looking for a light, fun read, then this is definitely for you. 

 

Review: The Great Vampiric Deception by Jolene Gettler

The Great Vampiric Deception

by Jolene Gettler

Release Date: November 16, 2023

2023 Stay Awkward Publishing 

Ebook Edition; 382 Pages

ISBN: 978-1738835638

ASIN: B0CK7DV8VS

Genre: Fiction / Romantic Fantasy / Urban Paranormal

Source: Review copy from author

3.75 / 5 Stars

Summary

Vampires exist. The use, abuse, and discard.

Victoria suffered unimaginable horrors and trauma from her four-year relationship with her vampire ex-boyfriend.  She was one of the lucky ones.

Years later, she enjoys a life of solitude and just wants to be left alone in her new mundane, uneventful life. Her quiet routine shatters to pieces when an unexpected guest joins her vampire victim support group, while an unknown danger stalks her from the shadows.

Who is stalking her? Are they connected to her past? Or did her newest member bring more than a century's worth of trauma into her life?

 

My Thoughts

The Great Vampiric Deception is not your typical vampire book, and that is precisely one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much.  Vampires are not romanticized; in this book they are, for the most part, still relatively hidden from the human population, and those who do come across them are traumatized and abused, often for years, manipulated into doing a variety of things they do not wish to do. Personally, I prefer the dark, sleezier side of the vampire world than the romanticized one you see in Twilight, so this was much more to my liking. 

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and was immediately drawn into Victoria's world. I was honestly horrified at the things she suffered just in the Prologue and was honestly wondering what I was in for, considering the trigger warnings I was given before starting the book. For the most part, the author does not go into graphic detail about any of the abuse so a lot of it is left up to your imagination, and I have a lot of imagination so I don't know how Victoria managed to survive the four years she was with Lucas, her vampire boyfriend.  In order to cope with the trauma she experienced, she started a support group to have a safe environment to be able to discuss the traumas they suffered and to be able to cope with life after leaving the vampiric world. Despite the seriousness of the discussions, there was a lot of levity as well, and there were times I was openly chuckling when the group was trying to explain the difference between Interview With a Vampire or Twilight to one of the members who was somewhat clueless about the reality of vampire life.  These are the kinds of things that made this book really fun to read, and lightened the seriousness of the subjects/themes present in the book.

The characters were well drawn out and I loved, loved, loved Grayson the most. He was a vampire himself, having survived his own abusive relationship within the vampire world, and joined the suppor group for help having no where to turn for help. Victoria was vehemently against the idea as she is prejudiced again the vampire population in general, but is vetoed by the other members. We now have a this yang/yang effect between the two of them where Victoria is trying to figure out the Grayson's motives and she is trying to decide whether she can ever have a relationship again. The results let to some interesting consequences, one of which entirely broke my heart. It also let to some issues I had with the book.

 

I've been thinking about this for days, but there are some things in this book that bothered me. First of all, while I understood Victoria's trauma and the abuse she suffered, there were some things in here that really send the wrong message when it comes to manipulation and the start of manipulative behaviours in relationships. Questioning your partner over why they do certain things is not manipulative behaviour, especially if the other partner drops the subject and never brings it up again as they were just asking where the behaviour comes from.  Grayson is over 150 years old, did it never occur to Victoria the behaviour he was questioning was something women never did during his time period and he may not be familiar with it? Gosh, my husband and I are always questioning each other. If you are afraid to question you partner, that is emotional abuse. And my biggest beef, which led to the biggest consequence of all, Victoria unable to deal with her own emotions and behaviour, so she does what she does and IT IS JUSTIFIABLE BEHAVIOUR? Never, in my book.  It left such a bad taste in my mouth, it spoiled what was to that point, a 5-star read. Was the author trying to show how twisted thinking can be when a person does not deal with trauma? Hard to say, but I am hoping that is what it was.

 

Verdict

The Great Vampiric Deception was  a well-written novel of the effects and consequences trauma can have on relationships and on life in general. I loved how she described Victoria's daily routine and how a new person can impact established safe routines on a person who is dealing with the after-effects of an abusive relationship.  While the author didn't go into graphic detail, there was enough to be able to understand how horrific Victoria's life was when she was with her vampire boyfriend. I thoroughly loved Grayson and the novel did make me think about the themes of abuse, relationships, and consequences.  I chose to take it from the viewpoint of someone who is having difficulty dealing with their trauma, and the consequences of that, although I am not quite sure if that is what the author intended. 

 

Review: The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

The Reformatory

by Tananarive Due

Release Date: October 31, 2023

2023 Gallery/Saga Press

Ebook Edition; 576 Pages

ISBN: 978-1982188344

ASIN: B0BHTN8L13

Audiobook: B0BRNYV5GM

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory.

Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it’s too late.

 

My Thoughts

The Reformatory is a raw and emotional reminder of the Jim Crow era, one that should never be forgotten. This was an incredible read, and some of the things that were described were difficult to read about, as they should be, and I have to give credit to the author for the incredible amount of research that must have gone into this book. However, as much as I enjoyed it, it read much more as a historical fiction novel with a few paranormal elements to it as opposed to a horror novel. So the question to be asked here is, was it scary? No, not really. Was it psychologically disturbing? Yes, definitely, as it should be. But when you put it all together, it didn't quite work for me despite the incredibly strong first third of the book.  

First of all, the setting is amazing and I loved reading every description that was given about the reformatory school.  I definitely appreciated the level of research the author did in order for her to be able to describe the grounds and the buildings the way they would have looked in the 1950s.  And even getting a hint of some of the horrors those building contained was enough for me to read feeling tense wondering when we would visit those buildings and what we would find there when we did. And who in their right mind would name a whipping shed 'The Funhouse'. Twisted people. 

This is a long book, something I don't usually mind, but I did find the pacing was off which did affect the overall story.  I thought Gloria's story line was unnecessary, and she was annoying a lot of the time. I understand her panic and stress, but I think she was only used to show some of the racial issues that existed during that time period, otherwise her part could have been cut out completely without having any impact on the story. Personally, I thought it would have been better without the interruption.

Robert's story line was the more impressive of the two and I loved the paranormal element that was added to it. The things that Robbie and his friends endured are heartbreaking and absolutely terrible. Other than a couple of scenes though, the author didn't go into detail about what happened and the information was left to the reader's imagination.  This is the reason this felt much more like a historical fiction read rather a horror read; instead of feeling truly horrified, I was able to distance myself from what was happening rather easily as there were no descriptions of most of the things the boys went through, just the aftermath. When one of the boys has a broom and the Superintended gets mad because that is his special broom he uses with the boys, it is not as impactful as it could have been.  I am not complaining, but horror-wise, it could have been so much worse to read, and this is what I was expecting, even if I was hoping not to, if that makes sense.

I enjoyed Robbie as a main character, and wished more of the other characters had been more fully fleshed out; there was certainly room to do so at 500+ pages.  I did wonder at times if the author was unsure if she wanted to focus more on the historical ill-treatment of children at this school or on the paranormal aspect of the story as the two did not always blend together well.  

Verdict

The Reformatory is one of those novels over which I have mixed emotions; one the one hand, I loved the descriptions of the school and thought the unjust Jim Crow laws were definitely something that need to be highlighted again, especially with regards to what is currently happening in Florida. However, I did feel like Gloria's story line was unnecessary and the pacing was off which affected the overall tension of the story.  I would have liked the secondary characters to have been more developed as they were fascinating in themselves, and although I really enjoyed the paranormal element to the story, I did feel like it conflicted with the main story line at times.  Well worth the read just to learn about the school on which the story was based. 

 

Review: Santa vs. Satan: Extreme Horror by D.W.Hitz

Santa vs. Satan (Custer Falls Extreme Horror, Book #4)

by D.W. Hitz

Release Date: November 3, 2023

2023 Fedowar Press LLC

Ebook Edition; 185 Pages

ISBN: 978-1956492392

ASIN: B0CF3Z6W4V

Genre: Fiction / Extreme Horror

Source: Review copy from author

4.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

All Danny Robinson wants for Christmas is a drone to help make his first horror movie. He has a few friends who can join him if they survive the holiday season. What Satan's general wants is a way to bring her army to Earth. But is Christmas the best time for world domination? What Santa wants is a new Mrs. Claus. Some of that old bedroom magic's gotten a little mundane, and her elf pot pie isn't as good as it used to be.

Can Danny get his drone, or will Satan run free? And will Santa be able to save Christmas or be stuck with the same old pie?

Santa Vs. Satan is EXTREME HORROR containing graphic SEX, VIOLENCE, and GORE. 

 

My Thoughts

Santa vs. Satan is the fourth installment in the Custer Falls Extreme Horror series, and will definitely take you on a bloody and depraved ride, one from which you will never view Santa Claus the same way again.  I have not read the previous books in this series, but it didn't seem to matter as I had no trouble understanding what was happening. 

For such a short book, this was a complex story, well-written, fast-paced, full of fascinating characters, and a fantastic plot. At first, I had no idea how the characters connected to each other, but as the book progressed, it all made sense.  Because the story focuses a lot on body horror as well as graphic sex, the story does revolve around some pretty depraved and graphic descriptions around different scenarios involving all the characters, including Santa.  So many vile images that will take a while to get out of my head.  

I don't think I've ever read a book with such a vile Santa before, one who is looking for a new Mrs. Claus, and who brutalizes his elves and other workers with such ease and contempt. And poor Danny, all he wanted was a drone so he could film an amateur horror film with his friends, but got caught up in the depravity because he went where he should not have gone, against his instincts. If there is a lesson in this story, don't go where you should not go and if it's glowing and it looks like a pentagram, stay the hell out.  

Verdict

Santa vs. Satan has definitely ruined by childhood version of Santa, but this was such a fun and twisted read.  The dual story lines blended seamlessly, coming together in an epic showdown that I couldn't even guess the resolution, with supernatural elements, rituals, monsters, and a conclusion I loved, made this a book you will want to read if you love extreme horror.  I have read worse when it comes to extreme, but it was the writing style that made it so epic.