Hellworld

Book Review

Title: Hellworld

Author: Tom Leveen

Rating: ★★★★.5

Release Date: March 21, 2017

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Genre: YA Horror

Page Count: 320

Stalk Author: Website,Facebook, Twitter

Buy Me! Amazon

Synopsis:

Five years ago, Abby Booth’s mom, co-host of a ghost hunting reality show, went missing while filming in a ‘haunted’ cave in Arizona.

Since then, Abby’s life has all but fallen to pieces, most notably because of her dad’s deep depression and how they’ve drifted further and further apart.

But now, at seventeen, Abby has decided that things will change. She plans to go to the same cave where her mom and the crew went missing and to find out, once and for all, what happened there.

With the help of the co-host’s son Charlie and two of his friends, Abby sets off on a quest for answers…but what the group ends up finding, what they stumble across in that dark, primordial cave in Arizona, is nothing they could have ever imagined.

Abby was investigating a possible haunting… she never expected that there could be something worse

My Thoughts:

I was sent an ARC by the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Hellworld was a very different from my usual reads; I was looking for a good YA horror book and Tom Leveen delivered! I have never enjoyed a horror YA book as much as this one. Abby's mom has gone missing and ever since the investigators stopped the search, she has felt that her mom is still alive. When she finds some evidence that makes her feel like she may be on to something, she decides to call Charlie the son of her mom’s co-host, oh, did I mention her mom has a host for a paranormal show. When she meets with Charlie they decide to go back to the cave were their parents and the whole crew went missing and conduct an investigation of their own; with the help of Charlies friends Alex and Selby.

This book gets its hooks on you from the first page! All you know is that something has gone horribly wrong and they need to find their way out of the cave as soon as possible and to make things even more intriguing the chapters alternate between past and present! So, once you finish one chapter all you want to do is keep reading to find out what’s going on and how they got there! The way Leveen described things was so eerie and I loved it, I like books that give me goosebumps and make me jump from time to time. I can really see this book becoming a movie! I'm one big horror fan and let me tell you, I would be the first in line! I also really enjoyed how each character dealt with what was going on and how their characters grew; that when one would hit a low point the other would take charge and help them snap out of it. Abby was so mature and I absolutely loved it, I hate that she had to grow up so quickly because of the circumstances, but making her as mature as she was made the book even that more enjoyable! Leveen is really a great writer and knows how to immerse his reader into the story and get some really good scares out of them. I can’t wait for the sequel; I need to know what’s going to happen to all this characters and where the story is headed.  

-SandraTheBookWorm

Tom Leveen Author of Hellworld!!

Author Spotlight!

This week I was able to interview the awesome Tom Leveen author of Hellworld which will be released on March 21st! 

Follow Author

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Amazon

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I was born, raised, and still live in Scottsdale, Arizona. It took me 20 years to earn my Bachelor's Degree. I've finished a marathon (in under 7 hours!), finished a Spartan Sprint, and studied fencing, Aikido, Tae Kwon Do, and Kenpo. I'm a Buffy fan, I read mostly non-fiction these days, and as of February will have spent a total of seven years working for various libraries in various capacities. Certainly not least, I've been happily married for more than 10 years and am expecting my second kid this summer!

In your own words, please describe the book.

A girl goes in search of what happened to her mother, the co-host of a ghost-debunking TV show, after she went missing five years ago. What she finds is far worse than any supernatural encounter the world has ever seen. 

Now, that's the plot. Thematically the book is about what we can do when our world feels like it has "gone to hell." It's about Alzheimer's disease and cancer and divorce and anything in life we cannot control and that we are powerless to change. It's very much a scary horror novel, to be sure, but there's more happening underneath the monsters and dark caves.

Have you written a book that you love, but you have not been able to publish?

Oh, sure. There's a middle-grade or two out there that I still hope will find a home. One in particular I've been coming back to for more than 10 years now, trying to fix the biggest problem: The main character doesn't struggle for anything! It's a sweet story but not intriguing because there's no conflict. It's the kiss of death.

Is there any author or book that influenced you in anyway either growing up or as an adult?

I was stealing Stephen King story ideas at a very early age. (I don't do that anymore.) Judy Blume, too, was a big influence, because she used BAD WORDS sometimes! Whoa. Later on, three books really impacted me and made me realize that stories about teenagers were not only legitimate stories, but could be more powerful than any adult novel. They were STARGIRL by Jerry Spinelli, CUT by Patricia McCormick, and SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson. Since become an author I've gotten to meet and thank Laurie and Patty but not yet Jerry Spinelli. Here's hoping!

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I began writing stories in 2nd grade and never stopped. My first full-length story was a novella called DERRO THE WARRIOR in 8th grade, and I finished my first science fiction novel in high school. I wrote ZERO my first year of college, and that ended up being the second novel I published.

How did you come up with this title?

"Hellworld" is meant to be both literal and metaphorical in this particular novel. The characters really do open a doorway that leads to what we'd think of as "hell," but the monsters and creatures that come out of it are only part of the "hell on earth" the story is really about.

Is there anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Yes: I'd like to say that no matter how dark it might get out there, we have to find our tribe and stick together to get through it.

So far, what has been the greatest moment in your writing career?

A high school student won a writing award; I happened to be one of the guest speakers for the ceremony. During her acceptance speech, she told a story about how a year before, she'd been to one of my writing classes at a local library and that was what motivated her to write this story she'd just been given an award for. That was .... humbling. I had her sign one of my books. It was an unreal feeling of like, "So I did make a difference? Even if only this once?" That's not something that's easy to replicate.

How long does it take you to finish a novel?

That depends on the definition of "finish." I can write a rough draft in two to three months, but with revision and editing that's about six to nine months, depending on all sorts of things. When you include the publishing part, it's usually no less than three years from writing the first sentence to it showing up on bookstore shelves.

What are you working on at the moment?

Many things, many things...a lot of non-YA stuff, although I did just submit a YA fantasy sample chapter to my agent. I've wanted to work in some new genres lately, like horror and other speculative genres, but as always, that is dictated by the publishers. I've also had the opportunity to write for the SPAWN series of comic books under Todd McFarlane which has been a lot of fun.

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead characters from your book?

I am old and out of touch, so I'm open to suggestions! Having said that, by the time the filming was being done, I'd take the entire cast of STRANGER THINGS to make HELLWORLD. That would be cool!

Fun questions:

If you could be a character in any novel you’ve ever read, who would you be and why?

The first one that comes to mind is Tom Fitzgerald in THE GREAT BRAIN series. Total smart-aleck boy genius. I was only half of that, and you're free to guess which half. On that note, Encyclopedia Brown would be pretty cool.

If you were written about in the newspaper, on the front page, what would the headline say?

"Some Random Guy Found Weeping in Gutter Clutching Worn Copy of Kirkus."

What mythical creature would you want to be? 

I've always thought minotaurs were pretty cool. Big and scary!

If you could meet anyone from history, who would it be and why?

Very possibly Shakespeare. Which may sound cliche, but he was a total nut, he'd be fun to hang with for, like, a day. Or, closer to home, Carl Sagan.

Add Hellworld to your Goodreads TBR

Wants of an Incubus

Book Review

Title: Wants of an Incubus

Author: Ashley Hill

Rating: ★★★

Date Published: November 19, 2013

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

Page Count: 40

Connect with Author: Website, Twitter 

Buy Me! Amazon

Add me on Goodreads

Synopsis:

Nineteen year old Annabelle hasn’t seen her boyfriend in months, let alone heard his own voice. One night her emotions take over and she can’t help but think of him. When sleep comes, so does her boyfriend. But it’s only a dream, right? 

Deep down, she knows that this one night stand with the love of her life is but a dream. However the next morning she’s in for a shock.

Those nagging feelings she had while with her dream Henry may have been real, telling her that that dream might actually have been a nightmare after all. A nightmare where she may have bonded her soul to a creature that goes bump in the night.

With the help of her mother, who’s a witch by the way and in more ways than one, her talking cat and her unwanted desires towards the nightmare that looks like her Henry, Annabelle will have to defeat the demon that has now crept into her life. 

Warning: sexual Content

My Thoughts:

I was sent an Ecopy by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Annabelle hasn't seen her boyfriend for a while and she has been missing him like crazy! One night while she is drifting into sleep she sees him thinking it's just a dream she sleeps with him, but the next morning she finds out that it wasn't and a dream and it wasn't her Henry. Now Annabelle has accidentally bonded herself to a demon that wants her and only her. She is going to have to fight for her freedom with the help of her mom which she just found out is a witch.

This book was very enjoyable I liked the concept and founded very creepy. I liked the paranormal aspect in this I had never heard about an incubus so, I really liked that I could learn about a new thing that goes bump in the night. Ashley's writing is amazing she really got some jumps out of me. With all that said I did have one little problem with it, I felt that it moved very quickly and at times I felt a little lost there was so much happening is such a short amount of time. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people who are looking for a quick, scary read. 

-SandraTheBookWorm

The Harvesters

Book Review

Title: The Harvesters

Author: Ashley Hill

Rating: ★★★★

Publish Date: November 28, 2012

Page Count: 29

Genre: Horror

Connect with Author: Website, Twitter 

Buy Me! Amazon

Add me on Goodreads

Synopsis:

When she finds her boyfriend shackled to a white metal table Ashley fears for the worst.

On a small road trip of dropping off a package for Jason’s father, the young couple never thought they would be running for their lives. Running away from supposedly friends whom in turn to be a family of harvesters. 

Human harvesters and they're looking for something specific. And Ashley just might be the perfect match.

My Thoughts:

I was sent an Ecopy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I love anything horror, but I'm more into the paranormal horror than the gruesome horror with that said when Ashley Hill contacted me and I read the synopsis I was very intrigued with the story and being twenty-nine pages I took a chance on it and I'm so glad I did. We're thrown into the action right away, Ashley and her boyfriend went to deliver a package to some of his fathers "friends" but the next thing they know they find themselves fighting for their lives. I was at the edge of my seat the whole time reading this when I finished reading I was a little disappointed not because the book was bad, but because I wanted more! This short story has the potential of being a full novel! I do believe that the author Ashley is releasing several more short stories about this and I can’t wait to read them! Especially with that ending!   

-SandraTheBookWorm

Crane ( The Legend Saga #1)

Book Review

Title: Crane

Author: Stacey Rourke

Rating: ★★★★★

Date Published: May 26, 2014

Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing

Page Count: 298

Gere:  Paranormal 

Meet The Author: Stacey Rourke

Buy Me! Amazon, B&N, Book Depository

Synopsis

The Horseman is unending,
his presence shan’t lessen.
If you break the curse,
you become the legend.

Washington Irving and Rip Van Winkle had no choice but to cover up the deadly truth behind Ichabod Crane’s disappearance. Centuries later, a Crane returns to Sleepy Hollow awakening macabre secrets once believed to be buried deep. 

What if the monster that spawned the legend lived within you?

Now, Ireland Crane, reeling from a break-up and seeking a fresh start, must rely on the newly awakened Rip Van Winkle to discover the key to channeling the darkness swirling within her. Bodies are piling high and Ireland is the only one that can save Sleepy Hollow by embracing her own damning curse. 

But is anyone truly safe when the Horseman rides?

My Thoughts:

The author was kind enough to provide me with an Ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was freaking AMAZING!! I loved it so much! I love anything that has to do with Sleepy Hollow and The Headless Horseman and Stacey wrote the perfect retelling. Ireland is going through a horrible break up and decided to move to the town of Sleepy Hollow in search of a new start it is there where she wakes Rip from a year’s sleep and finds out that darkness is trying to take over her and the only person that can help her is Rip.

I loved every second of this book from the first page to the last! When I saw I was almost done with the book I couldn't believe it, it didn't seem like I had been reading for that long this book just sucks you in and you lose track of time; that's how good it is. This book gave me goosebumps and made me laugh like crazy and I absolutely loved it. Rip was such a witty character and I immediately fell in love with him; Ireland was such a strong character I loved everything about her she had me grabbing my sides towards the end, but to find out why you will have to read the book because I don't want to spoil it for you. Stacey's writing is phenomenal! Like I said it sucks you into the book and it’s like you're right there next to the characters and not many writers can do that; the twist she hit me with had me at the edge of my seat and up to the wee hours of the night. This book is told in Ireland's and Ichabod’s perspective and it just perfect because it helps you understand the Headless Horseman's story even more. If you have not picked this book up yet, what are you waiting for? Everyone should read this book especially if you love Thrillers and Sleepy Hollow. This book will not disappoint! Its absolute perfection!

-SandraTheBookWorm

Otaku Friday

Deadman Wonderland

Story By: Jinsei Kataoka

Art By: Kazuma Kondou

Date Published: MAY 2007

English Publisher: Tokyo Pop (Former), Viz Media

Japanese Publisher: Kadokawa Shoten

Genre: Action, Horror, Science Fiction
Volumes: 13

Buy Me: B&N, Amazon, RightStuf, BAM!

Art: ★★★★

Story: ★★★★

Welcome again to Otaku Friday. This week we bring you Deadman Wonderland! (Cue Rock Music Here!) okay now that your all set lets get started with today's deadly sin Deadman Wonderland.

So, What's It About?!

   A massive anomaly ravaged Japan's mainland and destroyed most of Tokyo, sinking three-quarters of the city into the ocean. Ten years later, the story shifts to Ganta Igarashi, a seemingly ordinary student attending Nagano Prefecture's middle school. As an escapee, a survivor of the great earthquake, Ganta has no memories of the tragedy and has lived a normal life. This all changes when a strange person covered in blood and crimson armor floats through his classroom windows. Grinning madly, the 'Red Man' massacres Ganta's entire class but instead of killing him, embeds a red crystal shard in Ganta's chest. Within days of the massacre, Ganta is subjected to a kangaroo court as a suspect and is sentenced to death at Deadman Wonderland, a prison that doubles as a theme park.

   * This story is fantastic, a middle school student blamed for the massacre of an entire class then sentenced to a crazy facility that uses criminals as scapegoats in a family theme park... if this doesn't already catch your attention well I have nothing more to say.

Review Me!

    I watched the anime and read the manga and this is really just so amazing, Deadman Wonderland makes you experience a roller-coaster of emotions and just makes you want to stay all day at home and read! The story was so well written the characters were all so fascinating and different there was not one character that didn't have a kick ass backstory! The art was also enchanting and gory that I stayed minutes taking in it all in. Deadman Wonderland is truly great forever a favorite. As for the manga I am a bit disappointed many main characters from the manga where missing due to the 13 episode count and really had no closure. If you really want to enjoy Deadman Wonderland to its full potential read the manga you wont regret it.

Gimme Them Links!

Deadman Wonderland (Manga)

Deadman Wonderland (Anime)

Watch on Streaming on Hulu Plus And Netflix 

Anime Trailer:

Waiting on Wednesday #23

Daughters Unto Devils

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at BreakingtheSpine in which we spotlight a new release we can't wait to get our hands on.

Title: Daughters Unto Devils

Author: Amy Lukavics

Expected Release Date: September 29, 2015

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Goodreads Link: Daughters Unto Devils

PreOrder Me: Amazon, B&N, 

Synopsis: 

When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly Ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries. 

When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.

Why I need it on my Shelf:

So, I'm ready for fall and in fall I like to read creepy books; I know summer just started but I'm not a fan of it so I'm going to pretend it's fall lol. Now this book just sounds really creepy and the cover just adds to the creepiness. I'm a big fan of horror, so I can’t wait to get my hands on it! What book are you looking forward to? Leave a comment below! I would love to hear from you!

-SandraTheBookWorm