COMIC BOOK REVIEW: "Starblood" by Carmilla Voiez (18+)

Title: Starblood
Writer: Carmilla Voiez
Artist: Anna Dmitriveia
Publisher: Vamptasy Publishing
Release Date: May 29th, 2015

Join the Facebook Release Event on the 29th for purchase info!

Purchase the Starblood Trilogy novels: http://smarturl.it/TheStarbloodTrilogy

Trailer video: https://youtu.be/cZ69NaAhKVo

A tragic love triangle between Goth, magician and demon.
What would you do for the one you love? Satori would travel worlds and battle demons but, however much Star begs, he just cannot let her go.

I received an advance copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

So, by now you guys know my love of two things: horror and comic books. I have read a few of my favorite horror novels that have become comic books (The Dark Tower series; Dracula), and I am always entranced with the art that accompanies the story I had already visualized in my mind many times.

Starblood, by Carmilla Voiez, is one Hell of a visual series! Her lyrical writing does not suffer in this comic as many novels-to-comics do. I have seen great works become vapid and empty in the transition. This comic does the exact opposite: it exacerbates the dark beauty of the words. Ms. Dmitriveia's art is lovely, some of the best I've seen in a long time. It enhances the words and brings to morbid life the scenes of sex, death and darkness that words can't capture.

Each character is detailed beautifully, and look exactly how I pictured them. The art captures the sensuality of the story, and (in contrast) the brutality. If it were possible for their to be a perfect marriage of talents, this book is it.

I will warn readers who haven't read the books, the story is graphic: both violently and sexually. But, instead of seeming to be done for shock value, it fits. I always found it difficult to not have dark magic and demons be related to sexual desires, but violence can often be overdone. While brutal, it's fitting. Not for the faint of heart, but if you like your horror bloody and hot, you can't go wrong with Starblood!

I seriously can't wait for this to be released, because this is the type of thing you read where you immediately call up your best friend and say, "You've GOT to get this yesterday!" Since I consider my readers friends, let me tell you: you've GOT to get this!

It's nice to see horror alive and well in the age of high school-attending vampires and teen werewolves!

5/5--Sexy, bloody and spellbinding

BOOK REVIEW: "October Harvest" by Douglas Draa

(Story is currently being serialized in Schlock Magazine; link will be below.)

Horror author Douglas Draa scared us to death with his story in Wishful Thinking, and he's here to do it again with October Harvest, the story of delinquents who try to rob the rich pumpkin farmer in their town and get much more than they bargained for.
The story isn't just a frightening ride with evil scarecrows, a crazy farmer and stupid victims. There's a small moral in here, too, in what happens with the kids who trespass on the farm, and I love that. Few horror authors bother to write anything into their stories that isn't just there to give the readers nightmares.
Some parts of the story were absolutely disgusting, I'll admit it. I actually cringed at one point, which I thank Mr. Draa for. Rarely do I get scared or squeamish anymore.
I can't say much else about October Harvest, because it's a short story, and I don't want to give anything away. But I will say that I loved reading this, and I think everyone should become a fan of Douglas Draa now, before he blows up in the horror scene! (By the by, this only gets a four instead of a five only because I don't think it's a story anyone could read. You do need to like horror already to enjoy October Harvest: this is not a good introduction to the genre.)

4/5--gave me chills!

Purchase Schlock Magazine on Amazon to read October Harvest!

BOOK REVIEW: "The Bootlegger's Wife" by Terri Lee

Frances Durant is the daughter of a high profile society family in New York in the 1920's. She's wild and reckless, svorning the life her family demands that she live: bored and rich, with a suitable husband and never, ever speaking her mind.
She then meets Frankie Lee, a Marine, and falls deeply in love, but he's poor with no family and her parents don't approve of the engagement...but they don't care.
This is the story of rebellion, true love, struggle, the Depression, prohibition and loss...of more than one kind.

I will give everyone reading this a warning: BUY TISSUES. If you don't cry, I highly suspect that you have no heart.
I have no words for The Bootlegger's Wife. It's the story of a young woman with a heart and soul as bright as the rising sun, who doesn't take no for an answer, who rejects the loveless life her parents have and want to force on her. Frances is one if the most delightful characters and a great role model for young girls today.
Frankie, likewise, is a wonderful leading man, with a lot of heart and sweet personality.
The supporting characters, like Lucy abd Sophia, are lovable, while others, like Lena, are absolutely detestable...but they need to be.
It's about forbidden love and hard-won happiness during a dark time: after WWI and during the Depression. While there were some editing errors, I couldn't find fault in this book. I read it in a day, and want to read it again. It's a sad story, but full of hope. There's no Hollywood ending, there's a real life ending.
I LOVED every word of it and want to read more!

5/5--a tearjerker.

Purchase The Bootlegger's Wife via:

Amazon

Goodreads

Book Trailer

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BOOK REVIEW: "Curse Your Lips" by Imogen Karo

Astrid is being haunted by a man who makes violent love to her in her dreams. When she meets him one night in real life, he asks to have her...and a friend.
But with a "man" named Curse, is Astrid in for more than she bargained for?

Curse Your Lips by Imogen Karo, published by Hot Ink Press, is a short tale of desire and death. It features a completely original creature and situation, offset by very common women, and that gives it a certain je na ses qoi you don't really see in modern paranormal erotica.
It's about obsession, sex and what you're willing to give up to have your heart's desire. I enjoyed it, but I'm now very curious about just where, exactly, Curse took Astrid!

4/5--unique and wickedly sexy!

Purchase Curse Your Lips via:

Amazon

BOOK REVIEW: "Monsters All The Way Down" by Ryan McSwain

What would you do if you were waned for murders you didn't commit and the suspect sketch looked just like you? Worse still, you knew all the victims!
For Brennan Wade, when that happens, he goes on the hunt for the man framing him but what he finds just might push him over the edge...

Monsters All The Way Down by Ryan McSwain (Pithos Publishing) shocked me. I have read a lot of thrillers and watched a lot of crime shows/movies. Rarely does a suspect turn out like this, which is why I'd classify this as sci-fi as well as a thriller.
I can't review this as thoroughly as I do others because I can't give too many spoilers. This is a book you HAVE to read for yourself!
I can't say the characters are great, but there is great development of them all and the narration is wonderful. Joan, Brennan and even Tom are all unique, with individual personalities and a very strange story. At some points, I'd even go so far as to call it twisted.
You've never read anything like this!

5/5--wonderful!

Purchase Monsters All The Way Down via:

Amazon

Goodreads