Sunday, September 1, 2024

Living and Surviving on the Water: The Triangle + The Deep is an eco-dystopian horror novel of Terror from the Unknown

 

 

The Triangle+The Deep (The Rise Trilogy)

Robert P. Ottone

Undertaker Books, 2024

ISBN-13: 979-8990617728

Ebook, 525 ppg.

Buy link

 

 

I’m a big fan of Robert P. Ottone, and I try to read ALL of his books. So when I heard that he had won a Stoker award for his YA novel, The Triangle, I was intrigued. This was one book of his which I hadn’t yet read, so imagine my delight that, after the book was republished as a combo with another of Robert’s books, it was offered to me for review.

 

Azlynn is a 15-year-old teenager who lives with her dad in his shop, where they survive among other floating vessels. Set several years into the future, the ice of the Earth melted so much that sea levels rose so high that it covered up all the land. Now everybody lives and works on the water.

 

I really got into this story, mainly because I soon realized the Triangle spoken of in this story could only be one thing; The Bermuda Triangle. As a teen, I was fascinated by the Bermuda Triangle. I read everything I could get my hands on about it. How was it possible people ACTUALLY disappeared in this invisible THING in the ocean and were never heard from again? Of course, a lot of people had ideas about it.

 

And I love this particular new twist on an old idea. Azzy’s dad agrees to go into the Triangle to find something and, of course, Azzy stows away on the ship with her best friend Ellis. Azzy is determined to go along just so she can ensure her father will be safe, as well as to stay with him because there was no way she was going to stick around in the store and worry about him.

 

And as I read more about this story about a very mysterious thing that STILL exists in the ocean, the more mysterious this story got. Strange creatures, strange voices and strange happenings all take place in the Triangle. It made the story curiouser and curiouser. That was part of the reason why I kept reading. I wanted to know what these creatures were and how they were able to penetrate Azlynn’s mind.

 

The other thing that kept me reading this story was Azzy’s dad saying he was hoping to find “her” in the Triangle. Azzy has no idea who this “her” is but she does eventually find out. And what a surprise it is!

 

So, I know this story is YA and would probably appeal to teen readers, but it also appealed to this adult reader. I mean, it’s the Bermuda Triangle! Come on! Yes, this story is fictional, but it does weave a mysterious and very interesting theory about the Bermuda Triangle. It’s an action-packed story with amazing characters that was hard for me to put down!

 

Plus, it shines light on what life would be like if the oceans did indeed flood over all the land on the Earth and we all had to live on water. I couldn’t help but think about Water World as I read this story. Oh, and also Hellraiser, thanks to the character, Shotaro, saying, “We have such sights to show you.”

 

Indeed. The sights are shocking, but so are the creatures known as “The Deep.”

 

This is my favorite quote from The Triangle, on page 258:

"If you get outta this world without scars, then you never lived in the first place."

 

Now to the sequel of The Triangle that is included in this volume: The Deep.

 

The Deep takes place one year after The Triangle ends. Azzy is different. Ellis is different. And Coral Cove is different too. VERY different. What’s not different is that Azzy and Ellis are still friends, but there is a wedge between them because of how things ended between them in the last book. Azzy has moved on from all of it but Ellis has not. Ellis strikes me as the emotional type, even though the stuff he went through during that year hardens him and he puts on this tough exterior around everyone.

 

Pain really does change people.

 

And speaking of pain, Azzy is still dealing with her grief from those she lost in the first book. She deals with it in her own way, which is a little unusual and may not actually be what she thinks it is, but at least it helps her to get through another day. I am glad that those who died in the first book are not forgotten about, especially the first person that was lost.

 

This sequel reveals to the reader a VERY unusual and unpredictable partnership between Azzy and characters from the first book. I like that this happened, though, because it gives Azzy a chance to see “a common enemy” up close and realize that a lot of things that people believed about them are just rumors. Also, another unusual alliance takes place in this story, and I admired how Azzy remains tough and firm in dealing with them. She struggles to figure out a solution that is the best for everyone, even though the odds are piled up against her. Though she is young, Azzy deals with some heavy issues in this story and she is forced to grow up really fast as she must carry the burden of such a big responsibility. Yes, it is hard for her, but she handles it. Azzy is smart, tough and determined. She is so strong and she is definitely a good role model for some of the younger characters in the story.

 

In the first book, it was The Deep who were scary characters. While they are still scary in the sequel, it is the sea spiders that are absolutely terrifying.

 

The thing that happens towards the end of this story had me reading with wide eyes! I was like, “WHOA!” I DID NOT see that coming! I was just stunned. It is such a huge thing.

 

AND THE ENDING!! AAH! NO! IT CAN’T END LIKE THAT! Geez, Louise! What a cliffhanger! Give me more of the story! I want more! (sobbing incoherently)

 

Okay, I got myself back together again. I had SO MANY FEELS for this book! The character Azlynn is amazing and so is the character Moira. And, yes, I even liked Eux!

 

And readers are treated to a sample of the third book at the end. Yay!

 

What an amazing sequel The Deep turned out to be! I LOVE both of the books! I cannot wait to read the third book in this trilogy. I am waiting to read it with baited breath!

 

 

Five stars

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, August 23, 2024

Surviving the Horror: Fever Dreams sends a powerful message of trying to exist in a world filled with hatred and cruelty

 

Fever Dreams

Dev Solovey

Unveiling Nightmares Press, 2024

ISBN-13: 979-8334417175

Ebook, 111 ppg.

Buy link

 

It’s rare I come across a book that is so damn hard for me to put down, and that’s the kind of thing that Fever Dreams did for me. This book was so damn good. Fever Dreams by Dev Solovey was an addictive read for me. It was just so captivating and surreal. Reading the book was like having a fever dream! A lot of it doesn’t make sense, but a lot of it does. And that’s the beauty about this book. For those of us who understand, there’s a lot that we totally get. And maybe that was why I kept reading it.

 

But that’s not to say that this is one of those “WTF did I just read?” books. It’s not. It’s important to remember what happens in the first chapter. Then things will start to click as one keeps reading.

 

The thing I loved most about this book is that every chapter is unpredictable. At first, when I was reading it, my complaint was that it was just a bunch of stuff happening, with no story. (There’s a story here, though! I promise!) But that’s the thing I really liked about it, how a bunch of stuff kept happening. I mean, at least there was no stagnation. As the Sparrow tells Thaddeus on page 77, “Neither of us can predict what happens next.” Actually, nobody can. Each new chapter is a surprise.

 

But this is more than just a story about what happens following one sister’s attempt to sacrifice another. This is a story highlighting attacks on trans people. I know that Thaddeus would hate me for saying this, but it did bring to light about how the media will swoop in, grab the trans victim, then say that the whole thing was a hate crime because the victim is trans. And the discussion at the end of the story is something to think about too. About how trans kids see so many bad things happening to trans people, murder among them, and fear growing up in a world where they could be the next victim. It’s definitely something to think about and I’m glad this is one of the messages of this novel.

 

Fever Dreams by Dev Solovey was a wild ride to read. It is filled with symbolism and metaphor. There’s a lot of trauma which the character had to endure, and I loved how he changes the narrative by fighting back. This novel is ultimately a story of survival and fighting to maintain one’s identity in a world that continues to persecute it. It’s a short novel that packs a big punch, leaving the reader with some serious and important things to ponder at the end.

 

 

 

Five stars

 

 

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, August 15, 2024

The Horrors of Childhood: The Children's Horror Has Doomed Adults Reliving Childhood Fears

 


The Children’s Horror: Cursed Episodes for Doomed Adults

Patrick Barb

Northern Republic, 2024

ISBN: ISBN-13: 979-8332956430

Ebook, 216 ppg.

Buy link

 

“Horror is NOT for children!” I have heard this said so many times. And while in some cases, this is true, in the case of reality, horror may not be for children, but many children definitely know horror. After all, they have to contend the monster under the bed (check!), school testing (check!) and trying to change themselves so they can fit in and be accepted by others (check!).

 

In The Children’s Horror: Cursed Episodes for Doomed Adults, author Patrick Barb covers these areas well, along with a scattered other few. The thing about the stories in this book, though, is that the children appear to be, well, so CALM while the horror is taking place.

 

Maybe it’s just the children have been so desensitized to real horror after being exposed to so much other horror going on in their lives. I mean, there’s abuse at home, homophobia in the schools, books that help them feel seen and included being banned from their libraries, peer pressure, bullying, and, oh yeah, puberty. (EEK!)

 

Seriously, though. All that is not to say that this is a book that would be okay for children to read. I mean, they can, but some of these stories are just so frightening, that maybe they’d rather not? This is definitely a book of stories for older readers, not children, and I really enjoyed reading them. My favorite stories were the title story, “The Children’s Horror” (of course), “The Dogcatcher,” “Two Rare Specimens” (a nice twist on the Boogeyman story!), “The Shark in Her Belly” and “The Big Good Boy.”

 

If you enjoy reading stories of horror and suspense, check out Patrick Barb’s new collection, The Children’s Horror. You won’t be disappointed.

 

 

Five stars.

 

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Living and Surviving on the Water: The Triangle + The Deep is an eco-dystopian horror novel of Terror from the Unknown

    The Triangle+The Deep (The Rise Trilogy) Robert P. Ottone Undertaker Books, 2024 ISBN-13: 979-8990617728 Ebook, 525 ppg. Bu...