The Haunting of Paynes Hollow - Kelley Armstrong

 

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow is new from Kelley Armstrong.

Now, I always have a good look at the book's cover before diving in. Try it - what do you see? Does that give you a idea.....

No matter what Kelley Armstrong writes. I've enjoyed the range and style of her pen!

The Haunting of Payne's Hollow gives us everything we need for this story. A dysfunctional family, the death of the patriarchal head, the squabble over his money and his land. Bu there's more to be seen... 

I actually started the book on Halloween Eve on the porch and more than one parent asked what I was reading on Halloween's Eve. 

Here are the first three chapters to try! 

The Sun Down Motel - Simone St. James

I've read nothing but great reviews of The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. 

From Penguin Audio:

"Something hasn’t been right at the roadside Sun Down Motel for a very long time, and Carly Kirk is about to find out why in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. But something isnʼt right at the motel, something haunting and scary.

Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt."

My Thoughts:

I had read so many glowing reviews of The Sun Down Motel. I managed to finally get my hands on an audio copy and ..... wow! What a fantastic listen!

St. James successfully blends a mystery together with the supernatural. Now, I'm not a big supernatural reader, but this pairing is just so very, very right for this story. The supernatural aspects were simple, but frightening. The mystery is in the death of four women in Fell, New York. It was unique to have the case being investigated by two amateurs thirty five years apart. The reader is privy to both narrative and knows more than either Viv or Carly. The search for answers is so really well written from an investigative point of view. The two leads are well drawn and I was happy to drawn into their obsessive search for answers. But I don't know if I would go back to that motel night after night...

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I become so much more immersed in a story when I listen. And this book was fantastic in audio format. The Sun Down Motel is told back and forth in a past and present narrative. Two readers - Brittany Pressley and Kirsten Potter  - were used to tell this story and that was a good decision. They're both award winning readers that I've enjoyed in the past. With two voices, it was easy to discern what time frame we were in and who was speaking. Within their time frame, both narrators employ unique voices for supporting characters. Each captures the danger, the fright, the fear and much more. I often listen when I can't get to sleep. And I have to say that the descriptions of the Sun Down Motel gave me goosebumps - more than once. Doors opening and closing on their own had me listening to every squeak of my old house. Five stars plus! Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt.

The Chill - Scott Carson

Michael Connelly and Stephen King provided glowing blurbs for Scott Carson's newest novel, The Chill. Both are favorite authors of mine, so I definitely wanted to have a listen!

The premise intrigued me, the idea of a lost town under water. In order to bring water to New York, Galesburg, a town that had existed for centuries was flooded seventy five years ago. The residents were not happy of course - then or now. Because, you see, there are ghosts still in the tunnels, working away until they have their revenge. And there are descendants of those lost souls still alive, that are aware of their plans....

The Chill is a character driven novel. I enjoyed the many details of each of the player's lives, especially the two leads, Aaron and Gillian. Carson gives them personalities and emotions that were believable.

Carson did loads of research for this book - there are many details about dams, sluices, reservoirs and how they are maintained and run. Initially I found this interesting, but as the book progressed, it grew a bit boring and repetitive. (But it did make me think about our use of and need for fresh water) I wanted more about the underwater entities. We do meet the 'leader', but I still wanted more interaction. The Chill is billed as a horror novel - and I wanted chills running and up and down my spine. I did, but not as much as I had hoped. Maybe part of it was because I didn't really 'get' how the underwater inhabitants were going to get revenge on New York City. They're busy digging to finish a tunnel. But what then? Flood? Cut off? Poisoned? I found it hard to buy into the 'dying to dig a tunnel' aspect as well.

Now, that being said, I did like the book. I like Carson's writing. And I was entertained by this tale. I do feel it could have been shortened up a bit and still told the same story. I would like to see Aaron again - I think he has unplumbed depths to explore. Pun intended ;0)

I did choose to listen to The Chill. The reader was John Bedford Lloyd. And he was a great choice. He has such a rich, resonant voice. He has a measured way of speaking that lets you appreciate every word and phrase. It's pleasant to listen to, well enunciated and easy to understand. I think his voice suited this book and the genre. Hear for yourself - here's an audio excerpt of The Chill.

(And while looking for Carson's website, I made an interesting discovery - Carson is the pseudonym for an author I quite enjoy...."Scott Carson is going to handle the supernatural stories for me.")

Limetown - Cote Smith, Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie

I listen to a great number of books - but I also enjoy podcasts. One of the podcasts I have lined up to listen to is Limetown. But - there's a newly released audio book prequel called Limetown, written by the original creators - Cote Smith, Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie. So, I decided to listen to this audiobook first before delving into the podcasts.

From Simon and Schuster:

"From the creators of the #1 podcast Limetown, an explosive prequel about a teenager who learns of a mysterious research facility where over three hundred people have disappeared - including her uncle - with clues that become the key to discovering the secrets of this strange town."

I love stories like this - the unexplained, investigative journalism, conspiracies and more. Teenager Lia Haddock is the lead character. Candice Thaxton reads this characters. She's a favorite narrator of mine. She has such an expressive voice and interprets the books she reads very, very well. Her intonation rises and falls in a unique way.She emphasizes and depicts much with her voice. Her voice is also clear and easy to understand. And her voice matched the mental image I had created. Jacques Roy(another favorite) read the male roles - the missing Emile, Jack and more. He has a lovely measured pace of speaking that draws the listener in. He captures scenes of emotion and action with that same lower tone, but with urgency. Again, he's easy to understand and pleasant to listen to.

Listen carefully - the plot is fairly intricate and moves from present to past until the two catch up with each other. I was immediately drawn into the story. With this background, I'm looking forward to starting the podcast. Listen to an excerpt of Limetown.

Giveaway - The Dirt on Ninth Grave

Oh, have I got a great giveaway for you today! The Dirt on Ninth Grave is the newest entry in Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson series, releasing on January 16th. And I have two copies to giveaway!

From the publisher, St. Martin's Press:

"In a small village in New York Charley Davidson is living as Jane Doe, a girl with no memory of who she is or where she came from. So when she is working at a diner and slowly begins to realize she can see dead people, she's more than a little taken aback. Stranger still are the people entering her life. They seem to know things about her. Things they hide with lies and half-truths. Soon, she senses something far darker. A force that wants to cause her harm, she is sure of it. Her saving grace comes in the form of a new friend she feels she can confide in and the fry cook, a devastatingly handsome man whose smile is breathtaking and touch is scalding. He stays close, and she almost feels safe with him around.

But no one can outrun their past, and the more lies that swirl around her-even from her new and trusted friends-the more disoriented she becomes, until she is confronted by a man who claims to have been sent to kill her. Sent by the darkest force in the universe. A force that absolutely will not stop until she is dead. Thankfully, she has a Rottweiler. But that doesn't help in her quest to find her identity and recover what she's lost. That will take all her courage and a touch of the power she feels flowing like electricity through her veins. She almost feels sorry for him. The devil in blue jeans. The disarming fry cook who lies with every breath he takes. She will get to the bottom of what he knows if it kills her. Or him. Either way." Read an excerpt of The Dirt on Ninth Grave.

"Winner of the 2009 Golden Heart® for Best Paranormal Romance for her manuscript First Grave on the Right, Darynda can't remember a time when she wasn't putting pen to paper. Darynda Jones lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, aka the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys." You can connect with Darynda on her website, find her on Facebook and talk to her on Twitter and join her Goodreads Fan Group where you'll find tons of discussions, giveaways, and Q and A's.

Sound like a book you'd enjoy? I have two hardcover copies to giveaway. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Ends January 23/16. Good luck!

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