Fat Vampire (1-6) Entire Big Series by Johnny B. Truant

Fat Vampire

This is a brilliant novella! I love Johnny B. Truant's sense of humour!

No real gore just some splatter horror, unless you are a fatophob!

An unfortunate accident ensures that Reginald stays the 350lb slob, that he was as a human, for eternity as a vampire!

His mentor maybe centuries old but not really much help, especially as he looks like a 19 year old skinny Goth kid!

Having befriended his first intended meal, little Claire now helps him feed with defrosted steaks!

The ending was explosive, well timed and brilliant!

Tastes Like Chicken

Really enjoying this series, such a sense of humour, which has not diminished in the 2nd book. 

Lots of ongoing surprises and themes as the Angels now get in on the act and try to "kill off" the Vampire race. 

The ongoing love/sex affair of Reginald and Nikki's relationship is an amusing side line when you consider today's vanity issues!

It turns out that Reginald is a Vampire genius, which makes for some more humour moments, but brings in some plot twists and turns too

JBT clearly had great fun writing this...as before we are left on a cliff hanger!!

All You Can Eat

The humour continues in this series re Reginald the 350+lb vampire!! and yet again you feel that JBT has had a good old jolly writing this.

Reginald is still fat and feasting on Chinese, Tacos & Pizzas and anything else he can get delivered. Nikki has turned into a blood and sex crazed fiend! 

An insight into the two Century old Maurice and his home, wife and hobbies; just what do you do with infinity? 

Quite alot of moving and shaking/legal and politics in this episode, so concentrate!

Reginald getting stuck in a manhole cover is a brilliant mental visual!

Big changes to the council and Reginald develops his new skill!!

Harder Better Stronger

How can you go wrong with this series.... well add a little too much politics maybe?

A bit more serious in this instalment, but then the story does demand it, and JBT certainly rises to the occasion with his writing skills.

 Along with the normal humour, tales of gut busting chow downs and sexy interludes (although I would love to see more of these!) we reach a new level in the story.... 

Lets start off with the negative!  There are some small editing mistakes in here, the odd missing word or repetition.  It felt a little slow and ploddy, almost like it had lost some of its bite! "The pot is boiling" - I got it!!  plus why did they need a plane from Africa to USA when they were already in an ocean going ship!?

I did struggle a bit to get interested in this 5th book, but as the first 3 were excellent (the 4th was a little too political for me) I carried on, because ultimately I wanted to know what the outcome of this human vs vampire war would be, what the angels had to say, what the codex was and would poor Claire get what she wanted.

It took till 86% for any real vampire action and not just political shuffling and mopping but wow it was worth it and the ending was splendid!

Fatpocalypse

Fantastic the humour is back, in bundles. The innovation and thinking re 40 years into the future is pretty impressive too, I loved the idea of the snack food.

Ok, with the negatives, it did have a bit of repetitiveness, its almost like JBT forgot what he was writing and needed to repeat himself a few times. Claire and her amazing abilities only pop into their thoughts when they need something, some friends! and what real use is she??

What have Reginald and Nikki done for 40 years? did he not work out in ALL that time, with his super brain, that Nikki never learnt a new skill? that Maurice in millennia never learnt new things?

Maybe I missed something but he never mentions his nieces in all the endless listing of who he cares about.    And why, oh why did they go through ALL that rigmarole of contacting Walker to get to Paul, a random character, to get to Lafontaine when Claire with all her abilities could have just rung his mobile!

The codex was well worth the wait, the ending was neatly tied up. Is this one of my favourite series, no..... would I recommend it? YES!! it does have some brilliant humour, original thoughts and creative writing.

Survival of the Fattest

Fat Vampire-Big Entire 6

Jennifer Thomas reviews Billie Sue Mosiman part 1

Jennifer Thomas is loved by many authors for her honest and wonderful reviews. How she finds time to read such a variety and amount is beyond me as she is always on the "go" with two beautiful sons and a wonderful husband. When not entrenched in family life she can often be found at virtual launch parties on FB supporting new authors and books. I look forward to having her guest on my blog many more times in the future!

What if you watched your parents die and you were the only one who knew the truth. You cannot only hear the thoughts of others but of things around you and all you want to do with all of your life is stop the evil that killed the only people who loved you more than life itself.

This is what Linda has to live through and wants to build her strength to fight back against the things that took her parents.

This is a great and powerful suspense thriller that will leave you hanging on the end of every word all the way to the last.

WALLS of the DEAD

This book is not just about a killer, not just about a runaway girl and not just about the father who wants his daughter back. It is so much more. This is a fast paced suspense filled book about fear and a wasted life of a man who could have been so much more if not for the torment he received as a child.

Billie Sue takes you through the world of night living for a killer who can not stand the day and the rules set by any man or law. His lives by his own rules and just wants to have a witness along for the ride. One thing about this book is after you read it you will be glad just to be alive.

NIGHT CRUISING

This is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last word.

Carla is a very strong minded young woman who watched the man who killed her sister walk free to be able to continue to murder more innocent people. Her and her brother-in-law both hold a hatred to strong for this man that they follow him to put a stop to him once and for all. Little do they know this will lead to the worse night of their lives, and the book only gets better from there.

Billie Sue writes such believable characters for this book that you cannot help but to get emotionally wrapped up in the words. This book has such a cold hearted killer and victims who have to fight for what they love. I was brought to tears as I felt the loss of life with in these masterful pages.

KILLING CARLA

Wireman is a book about a serial killer like no other. How are the police supposed to understand the mind of a serial killer that has no pattern. This book reaches into the darkness and plays on quite a few fears that each of us have, the main one being, are we ever safe.

This book will have your emotions going in so many different directions that it just adds to the suspense and over all fear that you are left with till the very end. This is a must read book for any horror reader or anyone who loves a good dark mystery.

Billie Sue has such a wonderful way of making all of her characters so real to the readers that you cannot help but to be pulled into every sentence of the book.

Thank you Billie Sue for all you do!!

WIREMAN

This is such a great trilogy, Billie Sue takes you not only through the life of the usual vampire but through the lives of two other types you would never even think of.

Through thousands of years vampires have walked the earth with the humans and they never knew they existed. Would you ever dream that one of your coworkers that you see everyday was a vampire? Can you imagine having to work all of your immortal life just to try to afford the blood that you and your family need to survive just so you can live like a human?

Have you ever thought of a vampire having to live on welfare because of the life path they chose and don't have the ability or want to, to be able to get the blood they need to live?

And of course you have the top of the game vampires that are the ones who run the blood banks to make sure the demand for the blood supply is met.

There are so many characters in these books that you get to meet and live their lived through the incredible words that this outstanding author lays out for you.

Trust me I could go on for days about these books, but I think it would be better for you to just read it for yourself. You will not be disappointed I promise you that.

Scrolls of the Dead

It is often the kindest of hearts and most sensitive of souls that hurt the easiest. 

Willie has a heart as big as the moon and plenty of love to give if only given the chance. The one thing he was happiest doing was hunting and that is what his mother knew and his brother failed to understand. 

Having the mind of a child well into his 30's made him a target for ridicule and not even his brother was beyond causing pain of heart to this kind soul.

Wonderful dialogue and memorable characters.

Rabbit Hunter

This is one of those short stories that makes you think. When you see someone or something different what goes through your mind? How strange does something have to be before it bothers you? Well when it comes to Carnival Freak it is the monsters on the outside of the glass you have to worry about.

The 5 people in this story learn that they are not as well hidden from the world as they once thought and that the evil that lays in their hearts and souls can be seen by the thing they never thought could exist. When they are offered the extra sneak peak at the freak that they are promised is like nothing they have ever seen each of them soon learn that they are the true monsters of the world.

Mary Beth learns more about herself than she ever wanted to after her visit to the Carnival and the lesson she learns changes her life forever.

CARNIVAL FREAK

Some silly questions with Chantal Noordeloos and review of Deeply Twisted

Chantal Noordeloos was apparently born in the Hague, and not found in a cabbage patch as some people may suggest. 

She lives in the Netherlands, where she spends her time with her wacky, supportive husband, and outrageously cunning daughter, who is growing up to be a super villain. When she is not busy exploring interesting new realities, or arguing with characters (aka writing), she likes to dabble in drawing.

There are many genres that CN likes to explore in her writing, currently Sci-fi Steampunk is one of her favourites, but her ‘go to’ genre will always be horror. “It helps being scared of everything; that gives me plenty of inspiration,” she says.

CN likes to write for all ages, and storytelling is the element of writing that she enjoys most. “Writing should be an escape from everyday life, and I like to provide people with new places to escape to, and new people to meet.”

What is your favourite sandwich? Drink? Chocolate/candy bar? (you can just pick one if you like!)

I suck at these questions, because it sort of depends on what mood I’m in. My tastes switch a lot. If I would have to choose now, I would say the ‘All 

American Sandwich’ at the Earl of Sandwich in Walt Disney world *grin*. 

My favourite alcoholic drink would be Safari, and non alcoholic I think I would say ‘Milkshake’ (preferably a peanut butter and jelly one)

Do you have a favourite place to write?

Anywhere where it’s quiet and I have a comfortable chair and computer. I honestly don’t mind. Good temperature too please.

Who or What is your personal favourite character/novel?

That I’ve read? Novel: Neverwhere. Character: Oh… that’s a tough one. My oldest favourite novel character is Raistlin Majere from the Dragonlance books.

That I've written? Novel: I've only written two so far, so I guess it would be Coyote. Actually that’s not true, because I've written more, but the other’s just aren't ready for publishing yet. Celestials would be a ‘tie’ with Coyote. Character is more difficult. I've written a lot of those. I love Coyote, but there are more darlings, like my Soulman character. I also love Lily and Holden from my upcoming Celestial series. Too much too choose from ;)

If you had a theme track, what would it be?

A bit cheesy, it’s been done before, but Sympathy for the Devil would be one of them. It stems back from my larp years. Lol

If you were to write  your “memoirs”  who would play you and key members of your life in the televised series?

I would love to see Drew Barrimore as me. And Gerard Butler as Daan… *gurrr*

And back to silly, if you could have any supernatural power what would it be?

I would want to teleport. I absolutely love traveling, so that would be awesome. I’d need to be able to take people with me though. 

So here is my review of her collection, Deeply Twisted, a brilliant gathering of short stories and flash fiction.

English is not CN first language, she is after all from the Netherlands, so I was really surprised at her command of the English language and her ability to utilize it in scaring the socks off me. Now she is the sort of lady who will try to push all the credit on to her wonderful editor but the talent must be there to start with and CN has it in bucket loads.

Soulman: Three homeless men under a bridge tell their life stories to the Soulman and his Raven, each singing their woeful tale; murderers, perverts and junkies. When the twist is revealed at the end it did feel very cathartic.  CN has such a beautiful way of describing things that even the revolting clothing and sleeping area of the homeless is made to sound gorgeous and comfortable.

The Widow: Who are the worse monsters in this story, with the casual telling of the horrors it’s hard to tell; the Widow, the naughty children, the Witte Wieven, Father or Opoe with her scary ghost stories. Such an intricately woven tale CN has managed to create her own urban legends. This little story really freaked me out. The family life she describes is harsh but real and as the story develops and explodes with the horror at the end, all the little pieces slot nicely in, giving that sense of a reality that all myths stem from.

A Taste of Darkness: This is written in a very staccato style which lends itself very well to the buildup of terror. When the final cut came I felt myself gulp in disgust.

When the Bell Tolls: In the middle of a park a strange clock tower springs up and as its reaches each hour a new surprise arrives, will the world survive? CN manages to baffle and scare all at the same time with this weird little tale.

Death Awaits You: A reflective Judge contemplates the horror she has unleashed by finding a woman guilty of murder in this brief tale of death. The crime scene report made me feel a little sick but it was nothing compared to the bedroom ceiling. CN can certainly conjure up revolting images.

Uncle Edmund’s Funeral: Very short, not so sweet but rather funny afternoon spent at Uncle Edmunds funeral!!

Victims of Evolution: This little zompoc story starts off like most, a brief snapshot of hell, how we got there, individual horrors and some observations at how stupid humanity is, this is the point that CN manages to switch positions and give a unique insight into the zombie and what happens next. I can’t go into detail without giving the plot away but it’s well told, with some wonderful emotive moments.

Little Death: Are there monsters that live under the bed? A very sad and terrifying tale of sickness; CN is able to evoke emotions that make your heart still.

The Dispensation of Jack Harrington: a club meeting for serial killers, complete with guest speakers, master classes and new member initiation. Great sting in the tail!

Deeply Twisted:  CN continues the Widow legend and adds some back story that reignited that spine tingle. Such wonderful story telling.

The Angel’s Grave: a spooky little tale about penance and redemption. Whilst it had a great build up I found the ending a little bit of letdown, especially as I now expect so much from CN.

Dinner Date: a dinner party gets out of hand, CN has a real “thing” for revenge and punishment, and it’s very awesome in how she vents it. I am impressed with her Judge/Jury/Executioner style of retribution. It has put me off scallops for a while though!

When the Heavens Cried Gold: wow, just wow. A beautiful piece of flash fiction that left me in a state of shock.

The Door: even though you can guess what is behind the door and what will happen once the hooks are free, the gore which CN presents to you is well worth the read. I so want to know what happens now!

Out of the Storm: not my cup of tea this one, it just did not resonate with me, but the description of the storm was original. 

The Message:  a messenger on a mission, this story was gripping and fast paced but then stopped abruptly, so I hope it continues later on as it was full of promised horror.

Jade: grave robbing is really not good for your health! The buildup is really good, the trouble with these short stories is that CN packs so much in I want to know more about these worlds she creates.

Your Familiar Smile: CN really knows how to wring emotions from you in this feeding/ghost story.

In the Dead of Night: oh just gross! Wonderfully, gross.

The Hungering Depths: set as observations and news reports of various happenings along a stretch of ocean CN builds the tension, never quite giving you a full glance of the monster to come. Now, THIS story she must expand on.

At the end of the book CN comments on how she came to make this collection and then tells us of her new project Even Hell Has Standards, having read the Adolf Zakernay story as a brief short that CN had out I am uber excited as it was this story that turned me on to CN to start with!

Deeply Twisted

The Immortal War Series (Nemesis, Lamia & The Tower) by Suzi M

Nemesis

Based on fallen Angels, Vampires and a mix of Greek & Roman Gods and the myths that might be if they had continued into this modern day world... what a fantastic idea!

We are introduced to the strange love triangle of Lamia, Micheal and Nemesis. With a very bad warlock and a sympathetic demon!

Suzi M throws you into differing worlds of terror and pleasure as you go back and forth between past, present, future, oh and New York City. 

I often found it a little confusing in the style of writing but it all becomes clear as the plot unravels, I certainly enjoyed the ride that she took me on with these characters.

This is merely the first in a trilogy, which I’m already hoping becomes more than just 3!

Suzi M has such descriptive writing its like reading in 4D; monsters come alive and you find yourself double taking the shadows.

Brilliant read or a fantastic new spooky world.

Lamia

This is the 2nd instalment of the Immortal War, sequels should always be better and  my goodness this certainly was, I could not put it down!

Suzi M plunges you back down in to the depths of Hell with this love triangle tinged with violence, lust and that wonderful emotion, jealousy.

Again we are thrust between Lamia, Nemesis and Micheal.... this time we also get more of the torture from the Warlock, Janos, the lovely Demon Nivak and so many more mystical creatures; personally would love my own gargoyle!

With a spattering of dark humour - links to sexy vinyl clothing and new car smells, not to mention a deity that gets bored with knitting so goes on a bloody war rampage, this is a brilliant read.

Picks up straight away from the 1st installment and slowly unravels the mysteries behind all the torture and lust/love. You get much more background this time which allows you to imagine the length of time involved for these myths and gods to become such extremes in their "emotions".

Left with a cliff hanger, or should that be a Tower view, I am now locked into another days reading to find out what occurs to our lovers, the demons and basically humanity whilst Nemesis is locked in the Tower; can barely contain myself.

The Tower

Wow what a conclusion to a brilliant trilogy (I do hope its only the start though).

Suzi M continues to show us the fabulous love affair of Lamia and Nemesis literally to death and back.

She manages to introduce more characters and interweave these myths, legends and deities into this modern twist. They are a mixture of real total terrors and heart crushing goodness, with a little of the grey bits in between.

Each character has such a presence I do hope Suzi M revisits this world and gives us more....her imagination is captivating.

I was especially impressed with the way she handled the overall "God" questions; with her normal humour, passion, understanding and brilliant little twist.... lovers tiffs indeed!

This is a NOT to be missed series....

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TW Brown on zombies, Border Collies, and the Indie writing scene...: If you don't help...who will?: Some of us may not really know much about the Philippines. But the reality is that a lot of people are in a bad way right now. Those of you...

Purple Wish: A Valentine Fairy Tale by Lorraine Versini

Let me start by saying that this is not my usual choice of book. However the cover artist is Jeffrey Kosh and I am always thrilled to look at his artwork and am often intrigued by the book inside.  As this was a short read and looked "cute and sweet" I was in the mood for reading this or a bar of chocolate - reading, chocolate? reading, chocolate? its a hard fought battle!

So, this little fairy tale won out. 

This is written with full palate of colour, typical of a fairytale there is a lot of love and the characters are clear cut and fall into either good or evil, whilst there was no out right evil, merely a mischievous fairy.

Clearly based at the YA market it had some challenging words, but my only niggle was the "slap" and the hint of sex, whilst ok for pre teen/teen readers it put its self out of reach for "the story at bedtime", but only in my opinion.  

The writing was plain and easy to follow, with some good editing as no obvious errors.

I would love to see this author expand the story a little or follow on with the saga maybe tell us more about the fairy, she has left it wide open for other worlds and characters, and I think she needs to increase and complicate the plot lines to entice YA or bring it down a notch for the bedtime story market - do both! 

Purple Wish

Serial by Tim Marquitz

Set in El Paso Detective Isaac Grant is called out to view a murder scene, this hardened cop is suddenly aware of two serial killers trying to outdo each other with escalating gruesome acts and my, my they are awesome in their grotesqueness Mr Marquitz out does himself with the gore.

It soon becomes apparent that not all is as it seems. The chase is on to find them both as intrigue, office politics and secrecy abound.

This is a fast paced novella with no fillers, long introductions or over characterisation which brought me to a shuddering finale that I was so not expecting.

The writing is clean, editing superb and the tone is just enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. It straddles the line between horror and thriller nicely.  

On the negative side I felt like some more background on both the characters and town would have made me care more about the murders, but that is nit-picking.

Serial