MOUNTAIN HOME by Bracken MacLeod wasn't quite what I expected, but it was still a very solid read.

Joanie is ex-military. She's purchased a home with a view up in the mountains. Trying to move on with her life after a tragic experience during her time overseas, she runs into more trouble with a local. This is the final straw. Life's kicked her ass, now she's ready to strike back. It certainly had a Rambo/First Blood vibe in spots, which was cool.

What this book needed was more Joanie. All the scenes and bits with her past and present were compelling. I would have liked it better if the entire book was written from her POV.

I just couldn't get into the diner characters. I found myself wanting the story to move along and get back to Joanie. Unfortunately, the majority of the book is the diner and its cast and how they are dealing with being under fire.

I loved the set up and the ending of MOUNTAIN HOME and really was captivated by Joanie and her background.

I give MOUNTAIN HOME 3 stars!

Splatterpunk Fighting Back by MULTIPLE
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The definition of "splatterpunk" should give an idea of what this volume entails: characterised by the explicit description of horrific, violent, or pornographic scenes. With an abundance of monsters, gore, and sexual tones, it stays true to the nature of the sub-genre. My advice? Just be prepared.

(WARNING: This review contains spoilers.)

I never would've known about this analogy had I not joined the one and only Horror Aficionados on Goodreads, and took part in their January group read with author invite. Being new to the horror sub-genre of splatterpunk, I expected that it would probably involve some disgusting and gruesome "what the hell did I just read?" moments, and I quickly discovered that I was correct. I enjoyed some stories more than others, however as a whole I consider it a great piece of horrifically violent and graphic literature.

Listed below are each individual tale, starting with my most favourite. I also thank the authors for being so pleasant to talk with, and for donating all proceeds of sale to charity.

Check out my blog to see the Q&A with some of the authors.

* * *Hellscape by Rich Hawkins* * *
Even this quick glimpse into this forsaken world left me completely engrossed. A twisted, bloody apocalypse? My cup of tea any day of the week. The Cthulhu-theme fascinated me, as I've actually never read any such thing before (I know, shame on me). Even though it was short, and seemed to drop the reader right in the middle, I was immediately pulled into the maternal desperation of the protagonist, as well as that drive of trying to keep the madness at bay. I loved every gruesome detail and the sheer brutality.

* *Feast of Consequences by WD Gagliani & Dave Benton* *
Victims fighting back - it's a particular favourite of mine. This one actually began as rather typical, reminding me of the whole Texas Chain Saw Massacre trope, yet it turns into something else entirely. The inclusion of the "Sasquatch" type monsters made my skin crawl, as I suspected the family had a rather... intimate relationship with them. Definitely images I didn't need in my head.

*Extinction Therapy by Bracken MacLeod*
This one made me think a lot, admittedly a bit more in comparison to the others. There's a belief that we all have it inside ourselves - an animal, primitive, left over from our ancestors. What if that gets tapped into? Even good people can do bad things, and we all have unwanted thoughts that seep to the forefront sometimes. I found Spencer's journey to be fascinating, and I couldn't help but want a full-length novel.

Darla's Problem by Kristopher Rufty
A classic, isn't it? The monster in the closet, or beneath the bed. I really liked this one and, sure enough, the monster creeped me out! It made me think about how we so readily dismiss children when they speak of monsters or other such creatures that don't fit into our notion of reality - no wonder it's been the plot of so many books and movies. Also, poor Darla.

They Swim by Night by Adam Millard
If it's one thing I love, it's mythical creatures, especially when an author involves their own personal twist. Ana was portrayed with such raw sexuality, and I loved the hold she had over the men in her midst. This one in particular sparked my imagination; I couldn't help but ponder over Ana's origins. She struck me as an apex predator, but also something more. Ancient. Malevolent. Like at one point in time her kind were respected and feared, yet they faded away into nothing but stories and superstition.

The Passion of the Robertsons by Duncan Ralston
Well, this one certainly took religion to the extreme, and delved into the sheer insanity of two individuals. Being an atheist myself, I wouldn't want to get on the Robertson's bad side. Really, I think the couple would've been better suited to the good ol' days of when atrocities in the name of religion were the norm. Whilst I enjoyed it for what it was, it lacked in something to really make an impact. The ending was good, though!

Limb Memory by Tim Curran
To think if we lose a part of ourselves, a piece of our soul goes with it. Despite the added humour to the otherwise eerie tone of this one, I didn't favour it as much as the majority of other readers. Disembodied limbs generally don't interest me all that much.

Molly by Glenn Rolfe
My partner has pediophobia and while I often tease and laugh, I admit that there's something unsettling about dolls. It's the uncanny valley, right? I was left with a lot of questions regarding Molly, and I would've liked a bit more information for the events that transpired to make sense. She was able to clean up after her own murders? I felt like there was perhaps too much telling and not enough showing.

Melvin by Matt Shaw
I admit, this one made me laugh, but there was a tinge of discomfort below the absurdity. The detail was disturbing - such as Claudia's skin darkening from her insides being torn apart. It makes me shift in my seat when I think about it even now. The ending? Well, it was a great ending. However, despite my brief flare of enjoyment, I can't say I favoured it highly.

Only Angels Know by George Daniel Lea
I get the impression this was supposed to be intentionally hard to follow - as it was a piece written by the character himself, of whom was a very intense and unstable individual. I had to read it twice, and still I'm not sure exactly what happened. I know he had a procedure done to himself, but it doesn't give details, and I'm left wondering if that's the whole point. Whatever we come up with in our minds might be bad enough, if not worse than what George Daniel Lea intended. Was he getting parts of himself surgically removed? Getting parts of other people stitched onto him? Maybe I just missed it completely, and it's lost within his jumbled rambling!

The Going Rate by John Boden
Honestly, this one was just too short for me to get a real feel of anything. I liked the idea, of a neighbourhood having to give their pound of flesh to appease the demon, but I was left with too many questions. Like a flash, it was just over, offering what I felt like very little. I would've loved this had it been longer.

In conclusion - There's something here for everyone, but be aware of the pushing of limits. It's not pretty!

© Red Lace 2018

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Das Versorgungsschiff Arctic Promise ist auf dem Weg zu einer Bohrinsel als es sich mitten in einem eisigen Sturm befindet. Schiff und Mannschaft kämpfen gegen Wind und Wetter an bis sie merken, dass sie mitten in die eisige Dunkelheit abgedriftet sind. Sie sitzen auf einer Eisscholle fest während die Crew unter einer mysteriösen Krankheit leidet.

„Im finsteren Eis“ zählt meiner Meinung nach in die Kategorie Mystery-Thriller. Mysteriöse Begebenheiten treffen auf spannende Actionszenen, während die Mannschaft des Schiffes mit Unruhen an Bord und der Natur zu kämpfen hat.

Gleich die ersten Seiten haben es in sich. Die Arctic Promise kämpft gegen einen eisigen Orkan an, der einem beim Lesen das Blut in den Adern gefrieren lässt. Das Schiff wird vom Wind getrieben, peitscht zwischen gigantischen Wellen hin- und her, während es die Crew mit dem Eis aufnimmt, das den sicheren Untergang bedeuten würde.

Denn die Arctic Promise ist in eiskalten Gewässern unterwegs. Hier ist es so kalt, dass sogar das Meer gefriert und die Eismassen ganze Schiffe zerdrücken können.

Genau diese unwirtliche Umgebung hat mich sofort gereizt. Es fasziniert mich, wenn sich Menschen an Grenzen wagen und genau das ist bei einem Versorgungsschiff dieser Art der Fall.

Die Ereignisse werden aus der Sicht des Protagonisten Noah geschildert, der sich zu meinem Leidwesen als erheblicher Störfaktor entpuppt. Wegen des Geldes und aufgrund privater Probleme hat er den Job auf der Arctic Promise angenommen. Er hat zwar Erfahrung auf See, ist aber bisher nie auf einem Schiff wie diesem tätig gewesen.

Hier hat es mich erheblich gestört, dass er sich so aufgespielt hat. Für den Verlauf der Handlung ist es wichtig, dass er als Protagonist sozusagen die Führungsrolle übernimmt. Jedoch ist dieser Umstand für mich nicht nachvollziehbar. Warum sollte sich ausgerechnet er gegen die Entscheidungen des Kapitäns stellen? Immerhin ist eine Handvoll weitaus erfahrenerer Seebären an Bord! Ständig geht er in die Offensive und greift den Kapitän - der auch sein Schwiegervater ist - an. Dass dieser davon nicht begeistert ist, kann ich sehr gut verstehen. Denn ich gehe mal davon aus, dass er nicht ohne Grund Kapitän geworden ist.

Zusätzlich sind diverse Feindseligkeiten innerhalb der Crew von Beginn an gegeben, wobei Noah immer der Buhmann ist. Das empfand ich deutlich übertrieben und es hatte für mich sogar etwas von testosterongesteuerten Zickenalarm.

Nichtsdestotrotz ist der Verlauf der Handlung gut. Wenn man emotionale Kleinkriege, beiläufige Anfeindungen und persönliche Differenzen einigermaßen überwunden hat, taucht die Handlung in ein mysteriöses Ambiente ab, was mir sehr gut gefallen hat. Es ist kalt, das Schiff ist auf dieser Eisscholle aufgelaufen und viele Männer leiden an einer seltsamen Krankheit. Doch am Horizont - über eine unvorstellbare Eismasse hinweg - ist ein Punkt zu sehen, der eventuell ein anderes Schiff sein kann …

Meiner Meinung nach hätte der Roman ein bisschen weniger künstliches Drama, dafür mehr von der eiskalten Atmosphäre vertragen können. Eventuell ist es auch ein Buch, das Männern besser als Frauen gefällt. Ich bin jedenfalls mit der Arctic Promise auf der Eisscholle gelandet, habe mir den Hintern abgefroren, furchteinflößende Dinge entdeckt und über die Männer an Bord den Kopf geschüttelt.  

Stranded is the second book I've read by Bracken MacLeod, although the first one hasn't been published yet, it was enough to make me realize that I didn't just want to read Stranded, I needed to. I will also need to read anything that he writes/publishes in the future. Stranded was definitely worth all of the hype and I happily have a signed copy on my bookshelf from when I met Bracken for the second time in person.

I'm sure by now everyone has told you the plot. I wouldn't be rehashing it, even if I wasn't a bit late in posting my review. What I will tell you is that as a woman who is not real current on my sailor jargon, the book started a bit slow for me. This is entirely why it has taken me so long to write this, because I don't know how else to say it. I wasn't sure how to tell you that I thought it started a bit slow and that I don't think it detracted from the book, whatsoever. That said, by 40% I could not put this book down and the rest went fast, too fast. At first I was a little bummed at the end; I wanted more. But the more I have talked about it and the more I have thought about it (which has been a lot), it's either entirely fitting or a great opening for a sequel. (hint, hint)

So how do you write a review that sounds like you don't really like the beginning or the end? Like this. You say that Stranded is one of the best books you have read this year. That Bracken MacLeod is a literary force to be reckoned with. And you say that you maybe could have loved this book a bit more but it was pretty damn good anyways.

I received an e-arc of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

© 2016 by Andi Rawson of Andreya's Asylum

"Badly battered by an apocalyptic storm, the crew of the Arctic Promise find themselves in increasingly dire circumstances as they sail blindly into unfamiliar waters and an ominously thickening fog. Without functioning navigation or communication equipment, they are lost and completely alone. One by one, the men fall prey to a mysterious illness. Deckhand Noah Cabot is the only person unaffected by the strange force plaguing the ship and her crew, which does little to ease their growing distrust of him."

"Dismissing Noah's warnings of worsening conditions, the captain of the ship presses on until the sea freezes into ice and they can go no farther. When the men are ordered overboard in an attempt to break the ship free by hand, the fog clears, revealing a faint shape in the distance that may or may not be their destination. Noah leads the last of the able-bodied crew on a journey across the ice and into an uncertain future where they must fight for their lives against the elements, the ghosts of the past and, ultimately, themselves."

I have a huge thing for books with cold weather settings like the Artic or Antarctica so I've been really excited about reading this book. Unfortunately though it wasn't as enjoyable as I was hoping for. The first half was very slow and lacking in suspense, and it took me all week to trudge through it. The second half had a lot more action but I didn't care for the

plot turn the story took. The ending also wasn't very satisfying. It felt rushed and it didn't tie up a lot of the loose ends and questions I had.

As for all of the characters that we were introduced to, including the main character, Noah, I really only liked Connor. Sometimes I could relate to Noah's character but then other times he came across as meek and spineless and I just wanted to yell - 'Stand up for yourself please!'

What I did enjoy about the story though was the shipboard atmosphere and the cold climate setting. No I never felt the foreboding feeling and

I never felt the terror I was hoping for but I was able to feel the crews' plight of being stranded in the middle of ice as far as you can see.

The story had all of the ingredients for a good horror novel but, in my opinion it just didn't quite pull it off. 

*I received this ARC from NetGalley & Tor Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! 

**I read this for my 2016 Halloween Bingo: ~It was a Dark & Stormy Night~ square