Review: Grave Intent by Deborah LeBlanc

  • Mass Market Paperback: 374 pages
  • Publisher: Leisure Books (June 21, 2005)
  • ISBN-10: 0843955538
  • Source: Personal copy
  •  Michael & Janet Savoy run a family owned funeral home, and have for several years since Michael’s father, Wilson, ran out on the family.

    Wilson has returned, begging his son for money to pay off a loan shark.  At the same time, the Savoy’s are approached by a gypsy family, requesting that their young daughter’s service be held at the family funeral home.  They offer to pay top dollar for their services. 

    The service is full of strange customs, including burying the young girl, Thalia, with a gold coin in her hand.  The coin is meant to pay her passage into the afterlife.  When the coin goes missing, Michael instantly suspects his father.

    Horrible things begin to happen the Savoy family. They are warned that they have two days to return the coin or a member of their family will meet an untimely death. Their own young daughter, Ellie, begins acting out of character, uttering phrases in a strange language.  She claims to see two spirits following the family; an old mean man and a woman.

    Michael must rush to find the coin, now missing, in order to save his family.  Dozens of obstacles stand in his way, literally leaving him minutes to save his daughter’s soul.

    LeBlanc paints an outstanding horror novel through her very vivid and detailed characters.  We learn a great deal about each of the main characters and this clearly adds to the storyline.  The setting-Lousiana-adds its own bit of mystery & intrigue. Grave Intent contains a lot of supernatural elements, but is not an overtly scary read. I would highly recommend this book to someone new to the horror genre, or someone looking for something spooky, but not too spooky, to read to celebrate the upcoming Halloween holiday.

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    Posted in Fright Fest, Horror, Review | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

    Guest Review: Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

    Taking a little break from Fright Fest, I’m particularly excited to welcome a special guest reviewer to my blog today: my husband, John! John has reviewed here before and although it’s been a while, it’s been worth the wait!  So please welcome John!

    • Hardcover: 904 pages
    • Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The; 1St Edition edition (October 5, 2010)
    • ISBN-10: 1594202664
    • Source: Publisher

    In “Washington:  A Life”, Ron Chernow illustrates the “Father” of our country with a complexity, beyond the venerated figure presented to most of us during our history classes of adolescence.  With great detail, Chernow presents the experiences of Washington and how they lead him on a seemingly providential path from a Frontiersman all the way to the Legend so many Americans revere today.

    The chronicle begins with a brief review of Washington’s lineage and the familial tendency to expire at an early age.  Chernow recounts again and again, the misfortunes with health of family, loved ones and contemporaries and pointedly displays how Washington directly and the United States of America indirectly benefitted from those events.  From the early expiration of a beloved, older half-brother to the passing of Daniel Custis, the wealthy first husband of the future First Lady, he paints a portrait of an almost predestined journey to the role of iconic, founding father so associated with the birth of a nation.

    This deference to circumstances should not be mistaken as blind worship of Washington or of providing another layer of grandeur to the lore of the first President.  Chernow does a fantastic job of piecing together historic events from letters, journals and newspaper articles of the day to demonstrate the hardships endured by Washington along the way.  His volatile temper, youthful exuberance and virtually inexhaustible ambition; all virtues, at times were greater liabilities than assets to a younger Washington that we rarely read in our history books.

    Chernow continues by demonstrating Washington’s ability to side step personal obstacles including his inability to receive a formal education in England after the premature passing of his father.  He also illustrates numerous difficulties in his professional pursuits such as the inability to obtain a commission in the army of the British “regulars” that presumably has an influence on his ideals of citizenry and equality.

    All of the usual fanfare, regarding the man after which States, cities and monuments are named is present.  Fortunately, Chernow spares us from the romanticized history that we all grew up with.  The common knowledge of Washington is generously sprinkled in to ground us and provide context.

    “Washington: A Life” is a grand review the life of George Washington.  Chernow provides an engaging exploration of the journey through the experiences of a complex and flawed man, instead of focusing on the destination of the great figure Washington is known as today.  As I have, you will enjoy relearning about Washington as Chernow recounts HIS story without genuflecting to the rose colored glasses of history.

    Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing John this opportunity to take part in this tour.  Please be sure to check out the other stops:

    Tuesday, October 12th: American Creation

    Wednesday, October 13th: A Reader’s Respite

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    Posted in Historical Non-Fiction, Review | Tagged | 9 Comments

    Guest Post & Kindle Giveaway: Octoberness by Scott Nicholson

    I’m beyond excited to welcome horror author extraordinaire Scott Nicholson to guest post today.  Scott is the author of several of my favorite horror books, including The Red Church and They HungerScott is hosting a Kindle giveaway! See below for more details.

    Octoberness

    By Scott Nicholson

    http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/

    October has always been my favorite month.

    I’d like to think it’s a deep affection for the melancholy, the contradiction of all that is transitory in life, the deeper messages in going from green to brown, the frail and ephemeral nature of existence, the crisp, sparkly magic of frost and woodsmoke and fairy forests of scarlet and ochre and umber.

    But it’s not. It’s a candy Jones.

    My daughter informs that, if you lined up all the candy corn in the world from end to end, it would circle the world four times. First, that sounds like a cool international arts project, especially the part about getting them to float across the oceans. Second, that sounds kind of disgusting.

    Candy corn looks and smells wonderful, and its very brightness is sure to kindle the flames of sugar junkies everywhere. And the first few are spectacular, sweet, flooding sensations of oral delight. And then the stuff takes over, corn syrup seeping into every bone of your body like a zombie infection, until you want to throw a dirty sheet over your head and shamble through the neighborhood, moaning with your hand out.

    So give me chocolate any day. I mean, GIVE it to me. Now.

    If Halloween was every week instead of every month, I’d weigh 563 pounds and have to be pushed from door to door in a wheelbarrow. (Though the costume would be simple: just drape a circus tent over me.)

    I’m not a pure chocoholic, as I like the blends better. The little Snickers with caramel and nuts, or a Reese’s cup (we all say “Reecies” in the South), or even one of those Mallomar things that are harder to find these days. A Heath crunch is fun, because I like a little texture, too, which is why a Milky Way is way down on the list, because you bite it and it squirts away before you get a good handle on it.

    Occasionally, I’ll indulge in some organic chocolate, or dark chocolate, which is slightly more bitter but has some staying power. But combining two of my top addictions in one is the best way to juice up in October: some cocoa in my coffee, or a palmful of chocolate-covered coffee beans. Jack me up on some of that, I become a door-crashing fiend bent on plundering your house of every morsel of candy you have, leaving little kids bawling on the sidewalk with empty plastic pumpkins.

    Fear me, October! I am caffeinated and I am hellbent for chocolate. Give it to me NOW!

    What’s YOUR favorite candy?

    ————–

    Scott Nicholson is author of The Red Church (on sale for 99 cents!), Drummer Boy, The Skull Ring, Speed Dating with the Dead, and nine other novels, five story collections, four comics series, and six screenplays. A journalist and freelance editor in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, he often uses local legends in his work. This tour is sponsored by Amazon, Kindle Nation Daily, and Dellaster Design.

    To be eligible for the Kindle DX, simply post a comment below with contact info. Feel free to debate and discuss the topic, but you will only be entered once per blog. Visit all the blogs on the tour and increase your odds. I’m also giving away a Kindle 3 through the tour newsletter and a Pandora’s Box of free ebooks to a follower of “hauntedcomputer” on Twitter.

    For each book that cracks the Top 100 in the Kindle store, I’ll throw in an extra Kindle 3 giveaway. So tell your friends and help out. Thanks for playing. Complete details at http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/blogtour.htm

    Posted in Author Guest Post, Fright Fest | 134 Comments

    It’s Monday! What Are You Reading This Week?

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    It’s Monday! What Are You Reading This Week? This is a weekly event to list the books completed last week, the books currently being reading, and the books to be finish this week. It was created by J.Kaye’s Book Blog, but is now being hosted by Sheila from One Person’s Journey Through a World of  Books so stop by and join in!

    Books Completed Last Week

    In A Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Schwartz
    Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
    Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
    The House of Dead Maids by Clare Dunkle
    Flu by Wayne Simmons
    The Bell Witch: An American Haunting by Brent Monahan
    Holy Ghosts: Or, How a (Not So) Good Catholic Boy Became a Believer in Things That Go Bump in the Night by Gary Jansen

    Currently Reading

    The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (audio)
    Grave Intent by Deborah Leblanc

    Books to Complete This Week

    Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
    Vaults by Toby Ball

    Solitary (Solitary Tales) by Travis Thrasher

    What are you reading this week?

    Posted in It's Monday What Are you Reading This Week | 7 Comments

    24-Hour Readathon: The End

    So….I decided to take a nap at midnight, waking up at 7:15 am.  I never planned on staying up the entire 24 hrs.  I have to be awake and perky today! So, here are my final stats:

    • Currently reading: THE BELL WITCH
    • Books finished:ROT & RUIN, HOLY GHOSTS, I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER, FLU
    • Running total of pages read: 712
    • Running total of time spent reading: ~12 hrs.

    My boys are up, cinnamon rolls have been made.  I’m going to finish the last 70 pages of THE BELL WITCH then get to writing some reviews.  I hoped everyone enjoyed the readathon; I found it to be much more relaxing this time around!

      Posted in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon | 7 Comments

      24-Hour Readathon: Hour Sixteen


      Progress so far:

      • Currently reading: THE BELL WITCH
      • Books finished: ROT & RUIN, HOLY GHOSTS, I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER, FLU
      • Pages read:32
      • Running total of pages read:612
      • Amount of time spent reading:3.5 hours
      • Running total of time spent reading: 11.5 hrs
      • Mini-challenges completed: 1
      • Other participants I’ve visited: 10
      • Snacks: salami & cheese wrap, baby carrots
      Posted in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon | Leave a comment

      24-Hour Readathon: Hour 12

      It’s the start of hour twelve here! After a lovely dinner of chili and homemade cookies, I’m quite content!  I’m happy with my progress, I’ve finished three books, starting on my fourth!

      Progress so far:

      • Currently reading: FLU by Wayne Simmons
      • Books finished: ROT & RUIN, HOLY GHOSTS, I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER
      • Pages read:63
      • Running total of pages read:349
      • Amount of time spent reading: 3.5 hrs
      • Running total of time spent reading: ~9hrs
      • Mini-challenges completed:
      • Other participants I’ve visited:
      • Food: chili & cookies 🙂
      Posted in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon | 12 Comments

      24-Hour Readathon: Hour 8


      Progress so far:

      • Currently reading: I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER
      • Books finished: ROT & RUIN, HOLY GHOSTS
      • Pages read: 29
      • Running total of pages read: 286
      • Amount of time spent reading:
      • Running total of time spent reading: ~5 hrs
      • Mini-challenges completed:
      • Other participants I’ve visited:
      • Snacks: Mustard pretzels

      Still going strong.  The break to attend my son’s black belt ceremony helped; I’m on a roll once again!

      Posted in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon | 6 Comments

      24-Hour Readathon: Hour 4 Update

      It’s the start of hour four (noon here!) and shortly I’ll be taking a break to take my son to his black belt ceremony.  Since I have to take a break anyway I thought this would be a good time to update you on my stats!

      Progress so far:

      • Currently reading: Holy Ghosts by Gary Jansen
      • Books finished: Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
      • Pages read: 82
      • Running total of pages read: 247
      • Amount of time spent reading:3 hours 15 minutes
      • Running total of time spent reading:
      • Mini-challenges completed:
      • Other participants I’ve visited:
      • Food: Had a banana nut muffin for breakfast, then a blueberry cake donut for snack.  Lunch was leftover Italian.  YUM!

      Ok, my next update will be around 4 pm!  Thanks for all the cheering, it’s really helped!

      Posted in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon | 4 Comments

      24-Hour Readathon: The Beginning!

      I’m awake!  I have on my comfortable lounge clothes (essential), banana nut muffins are in the oven, and I have my coffee in hand!

      As I mentioned, I’ll only be updating every 3-4 hours or so.  In years past, I spent so much time doing update posts that I lost valuable reading time.  I will be doing hourly updates on Twitter (@jennsbookshelf) so feel free to follow my progress there as well.

      Following is the format of my update posts:

      Progress so far:

      • Currently reading:
      • Books finished:
      • Pages read:
      • Running total of pages read:
      • Amount of time spent reading:
      • Running total of time spent reading:
      • Mini-challenges completed:
      • Other participants I’ve visited:

      I’m starting off with Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. I’ve technically already started this book and had hoped to finish it before the read-a-thon started, but that didn’t happen.

      Anyway, good luck to all who are participating.  See you in 3-4 hrs!

      Posted in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon | 8 Comments