All posts by Jo-Anna W

Dark, Dark Dark and more Dark, Dark Romance, Kindle Unlimited, Novella, Standalone

#Review – No Place To Hide: A Dark Romance Novella (Havoc’s Playground Book 1) by Harper Ashley & Wren Hawthorne 

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Blair
All I wanted was one night.
A simple night of fun with my friends at the carnival.
I didn’t know I’d spend it learning things I never knew about myself.
Every twist and turn of our game brings us deeper into our desires.
But what’s a little pain if it’s mixed with unimaginable pleasure?

Jackson
All I wanted was one night.
A simple night of peace doing my job.
I didn’t know I’d spend it pushing the boundaries with a girl I just met.
The stakes get higher the longer the game goes on.
For the first time in my life, will only one night be enough?

No Place To Hide contains mature and graphic content that is not suitable for all audiences. Please check the content warnings at the front of the book before proceeding.

Oh man, now this is the book I’ve been needing to pull me out of whatever this slump thing is that I have going on here.

While this was a novella, it felt like it was longer. The authors did a fantastic job of that. Sure, I want more but that’s only because I’m greedy. *cough cough* Jackson. *cough cough*

So we meet Blair who is at a carnival and is looking for some fun. She needs some changes from her regular good girl life. She no longer wants to be this picture perfect princess.

Well…in comes Jackson to save the day.

Jackson works at the carnival and is this quiet, grumpy, ex-con. When these two meet, the sparks fly instantly.

Things quickly heat up and they end up playing a game of Hide & Seek. Sounds super innocent right?

This is definitely one of the hottest novellas I’ve ever read and I really can’t wait for book 2 to this. I need to know what happens.

This novella, although it’s short, does come with some possible triggers, so please read with caution. Your mental health matters.

Also, I read this novella just before Halloween, so it fit the season perfectly.

One click here

Novella, Paranormal, Vampire, Werewolf

#Review – Something Wicked by Jenika Snow

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Being wicked never felt so good…

Born from hate and violence, Lathan knows all too well what darkness feels like. He’s centuries old, and an abomination to the supernatural world. With a vampire father who forcibly took Lathan’s werewolf mother as his own, Lathan’s hybrid genetics make him feared by all.

Abbi has no one and nothing of importance in her life, but that doesn’t stop her from living. When Lathan feeds on her and tries to use compulsion to make her forget, she realizes he isn’t just a vampire, but something altogether different. He’s also her mate.

This is a previously published work. It has been revised and edited for Evernight Publishing.

I’ve been reading mostly horror novels this year but I was in the mood for something short and hot. Gotta get those Goodreads numbers up to hit my yearly goal.

So I decided on this one by Jenika Snow. I’ve read quite a few of her books and they’re always the perfect palate cleanser between those longer books. Now that the weather is getting colder, her books are definitely what I need to keep my nights warm.

Something Wicked is about a vampire but there’s a twist. He’s also part something else that has turned him into quite the monster. He bonds instantly with Abbi and she has absolutely no issues with that. The supernatural world is also known to humans, which I always find fascinating when I read about that in books. Kind of reminds me of True Blood.

Like most novellas, I do wish this one was a little longer, so we could get more backstory but that’s a me problem.

This one was hot, short and delicious. Perfect for those colder nights!

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Self-Help, Standalone

#BookPromo – The 12 Hour Walk by Colin O’Brady

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“A master class in athleticism, resilience, and human potential.” —Hoda Kotb, Today

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Impossible First, an inspiring blend of riveting adventure stories and life-changing wisdom that teaches us how to embark on a transformative one-day journey that will unlock our best lives.

Millions of people dream of living a more fulfilling life, yet many settle for a life of comfortable complacency, allowing excuses and negative thoughts to invade their minds. I don’t have enough time…I don’t have enough money…I’m afraid to fail…I don’t have what it takes—we allow these limiting beliefs to control us.

Now, The 12-Hour Walk provides the inspiration—and catalyst—for getting unstuck and realizing your full potential. Featuring life lessons from explorer, endurance athlete, and entrepreneur Colin O’Brady—whose adventures in such extreme places as Antarctica and the perilous Drake Passage and on the peaks of Mount Everest and K2 have seen him establish ten world records—this book’s vivid narrative and powerful insight will show you how you can embark on your own life-changing journey.

With Colin as your guide, The 12-Hour Walk asks you to invest one day in yourself. By walking alone, unplugging, listening to the voice within, and rewriting the limiting beliefs etched into your psyche, you can break free of the patterns holding you back and learn how to cultivate a “Possible Mindset”—an empowered way of thinking that unlocks a life of limitless possibilities. The reward: being the hero of your own destiny.

One Click Here – https://amzn.to/4dgrdab

I’m going to do this walk one day!! – Twinsie Jo

Horror, Psychological Thriller, Standalone

#Review – We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

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Get Out meets Parasite in this eerily haunting debut and Reddit hit—soon to be a Netflix original movie starring Blake Lively—about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit.

As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets them in.

As soon as the strangers enter their home, uncanny and inexplicable things start happening, including the family’s youngest child going missing and a ghostly presence materializing in the basement. Even more weird, the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?

My favourite horror author, Mique Watson, posted about this book and said how it was the scariest thing he’s ever read. So I dropped everything and grabbed this book. I’ve gone in completely blind, so I have no idea what’s going on and I’ll write my review as I read this book.

10% in – I have no idea what’s going on but I feel like something really bad is going to happen. Eve is home alone and is waiting for her girlfriend, Charlie, to get home but this random family shows up. Thomas, the father, said he used to live there. Something is off about this whole situation.

20% in – What is even going on? Charlie is finally home and is acting like nothing is strange about this family showing up. She’s the type to give people the benefit of the doubt instead of assuming right away that they’re horrible or evil. Jenny, the youngest child in the random family, decided to play hide and seek in the basement and is hiding out there. Apparently, just letting her come out on her own is a thing.

30% in – Ok this is getting creepier. Also, something happened and I kept thinking that there’s no way my husband would tell me that he would deal with it in the morning and for me to go to sleep. Like, no way at all.

40% in – I still have no idea what’s going on. I have so many questions. Like what does this family want and why the heck won’t they leave?

50% – I think I’m going to be saying that I have no idea what’s going on until the end of this book. Something is definitely off. With the family. With the neighbor. With the random man living in a rundown shack in the middle of the woods. Everything is off.

60% in – I’m wondering if it’s something having to do with the house.

70% in – I have theories but they’re probably all wrong.

80% – 100% in – Yup, my theories were all wrong.

This book was so good. Like beyond good. My mind is reeling and I have no words, so thankfully I wrote this as I read. I didn’t now what was true or not by the end of the book and it was so well written. I think this is the author’s debut as well? Either way, it was chef’s kiss and I’ll definitely be checking out more by this author.

One click here

Extreme Horror, Horror, Kindle Unlimited, Novella

#Review #ExtremeHorror – Jane Doe: An Extreme Horror by Ash Ericmore

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JANE DOE

Gordon is an everyday seaside psycho, kidnapping and killing for fun, with a quality torture basement to boot. His latest victim is Jane. Sadly for Gordon, Jane turns out to be a handful of energy. Cosmic energy. And everything is about to go wrong, in the bloodiest way possible.

Jane Doe is a novella that some people might find distasteful. Actually, most people might find it distasteful. If you are of a nervous disposition, or have a weak stomach, perhaps you might want to give this one a miss, yes?

Full of blood, gore, brain matter and more, Jane Doe is an extreme horror, painted with the blackest of humour. Consider this a trigger warning for just about everything.

This was a fun quick little read that didn’t take me very long to read. This doesn’t happen often, so I really like when it does. The book starts out with Gordon who is a taxi driver looking for his latest victim. A woman gets in his cab and he convinces her to go home with him for some coffee. Super innocent right? Why, nothing could ever go wrong over some coffee.

Gordon ends up drugging Jane and places her in a room in his basement. He goes to bed and wakes up somewhere else, with no recollection as to how he got there. Things take a different turn for him right away and I was intrigued from the very start.

While reading, I really had no idea who this Jane person was and why Gordon ended up unknowingly doing the things he did. It was hard to predict and that was what I liked about it.

If you want something quick, fun and with some gory details, grab this one now!

Available in Kindle Unlimited

Extreme Horror, Horror, Standalone

#Review #ExtremeHorror – Call Me Son by Mique Watson

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George Marley has it all: the loving wife, the perfect family, and the job that pays all the bills.

It starts with an innocent chat. What harm could come from entertaining a longing he’d had for years?

He never expected to encounter someone like Chasten. The perfect specimen; the embodiment of all his fantasies come to life. Maybe just one meet-up wouldn’t hurt. After all, what his wife doesn’t know can’ hurt her.

But how far is he willing to go? How will he keep his fantasy a secret? What will he do when he finds out just how dangerous a game he is playing?

Oh boy. Okay so this was a delicious slow burn and something I was not expecting. Mique wrote in the beginning of the book how he hopes this story ruins your day. Lol! I didn’t ruin mine. Nice try. Better luck next time. Challenge accepted, Mique? 😉

Anyway. We meet George, who I instantly didn’t like by the way. He has a good life, a loving wife, a family, two beautiful kids, a successful job but of course, something is missing and he wants more.

George ends up on this app and meets Chasten. We find out that George is into some things that involve someone younger. Did I say how much I did not like him?

One thing leads to another and George and Chasten meet. Things take a turn for the worse and George makes a decision that doesn’t just affect him.

We learn that Chasten isn’t such a sweet kid after all.

Like I said in the beginning, this book was more of a slow burn horror for me and once the “stuff” started happening, it happened fast. It involved a lot of blood, gore, fluids, gore and so on. It was extreme.

I did predict one part and was wondering why George was so surprised when this certain thing was revealed. He clearly didn’t understand who he was dealing with and I was like, “Do you know nothing about the people on the dark web?”

This was another perfect extreme horror by Mique. He compared it to Broken Dolls but I think this one is completely different. Still gruesome with plenty of triggers but definitely a horror masterpiece all on its own!

Purchase here.

Aliens, Horror, Kindle Unlimited, Novella, Sci Fi

#Review #Horror #Novella – Don’t Look In The Trees by Jason Nickey

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Don’t Look In The Trees; the main rule in Appalachia. Many question why, but Justin and Billy found out the hard way on their way home from a bonfire party after coming across a fallen tree and mysterious lights coming from the sky. Can they survive the night and the strange beings coming from the forest that surrounds their cabin?

From Jason Nickey, Author of ‘Road Hazards’ and ‘They Come From Within’ comes a new fast paced sci-fi/horror novella.

This was a short fun little read.

Justin and Billy are heading home after a party with their drunk friend Kevin. While they’re driving, they see a bright light from the sky and the rest of their night doesn’t go as planned.

I do wish this story was a little longer but that’s a me problem, not the author’s. When the alien type stuff started happening, it reminded me of many alien movies I have seen over the years. Creepy crawly things coming out of someone’s mouth? Yes please!

If you want a quick read about a couple who are just trying to survive the night while dealing with aliens and the unknown, be sure to check this story out!

Available in Kindle Unlimited – https://amzn.to/4cdipl8

Extreme Horror, Horror, Kindle Unlimited

#Review #ExtremeHorror – Rural Decay by Jason Nickey

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Jack Buckley always admired his father. even after he found out he was a serial killer. As Jack grows older, and he begins helping his father, he begins to develop an unhealthy obsession with him; an obsession that would send both of their lives crumbling into decay.

From Jason Nickey, Author of ‘Wreckage’, comes a new story of extreme horror.

This was a quick fun gory little read and my very first by Jason Nickey. I was in the mood for a short book, so I went to my trusted horror group and came across this one and it did not disappoint.

We meet Jack who caught his father murdering a woman. But that didn’t stop him from loving his dad. In fact, it seemed to only make his love and admiration for the man, more intense.

As the years go on, Jack ends up working with his dad but things take a little turn that throws the father off his course. He doesn’t know how to handle it. After making a wrong decision that costs them both quite a bit, someone looking for revenge makes a little appearance.

If you like quick, gory reads, then I suggest this one. Please remember that this one is an extreme horror. So nothing is off limits.

Available in Kindle Unlimited – https://amzn.to/4d2iGba

Horror, Kindle Unlimited

#Review #Horror – Be My Friend by Mique Watson

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On March 14, 2010, 16-year-old Jacob Stewart vanished.

In the weeks following his disappearance, strange interactions he’d had with a mysterious online figure also known by the name Cronos came about.

This document is a collection of interviews, computer files, public news reports, and online speculation, as well as copies of Jacob’s online interactions with Cronos that were obtained via the Freedom of Information Act.

What we hope to accomplish by bringing this case to light is to reignite the desire to find Jacob and Thomas … because they could still be out there.

I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to this book. This is quite different for Mique and I can now officially say that I’ve read everything he’s published. I’m super proud of this by the way.

This book was written in an interview sort of way and I really liked that style. Maybe I just have a vivid imagination but I could picture myself sitting in the interview with the characters. Either at a police station or in their home. It was a unique way of writing the book, so kudo to Mique for doing it this way.

Now first I’ll say that this is not an extreme horror. But man…I’m not sure what’s worse. Extreme horror with all the gory bloody details or this type that’s depressing and just sad. Oh so sad.

Jacob is lonely. Man is he lonely. I wanted to reach into the pages and give him a hug. His dad passed away and his mom ignores him. His older brother is off doing his own thing and living his own life, so Jacob feels like he has no one. Which technically, he doesn’t. Not in the way he needs.

He finally ends up on this online chat and meets Cronos. I got icky vibes from him right away. Jacob did not and that made me sad. He just wanted a friend. He wanted someone he could confide in. Someone who loved him. He was awkward and shy and anti-social. He had a hard time talking to anyone really. I can’t say I blame him for that. Especially when he tries voicing his thoughts and all his mom does is yell at him.

Jacob ends up finding what he needs in Cronos. After chatting for a few weeks, things get weird. Really weird. And outright disturbing. Cronos has Jacob doing things to make him feel better and to help him heal. But these aren’t your ordinary type stuff. No. It’s dark web crap. It’s called The Blue Whale Challenge. – I looked it up and from what I found quickly on Google, it was a TikTok thing back in 2016.

Jacob ends up going missing and the whole book is about trying to find out where he is. You find out. Sort of. Not in the way people wanted though.

I have to say that this is my favourite non-extreme horror book of 2024 so far and I can’t wait to see what else Mique comes up with.

Available in Kindle Unlimited – https://amzn.to/45NOjTN