Book Review: Woom by Duncan Ralston

Posted on 01/31/2023 by Lenn

Title: Woom

Author: Duncan Ralston

Publication Date: August 6, 2016

Number of Pages: 131

Publisher: Shadow Work Publishing

Format: Ebook

Genre: Extreme Horror, Splatterpunk

Synopsis:

“I believe pain lingers,” Angel said. “Do I believe in spirits? In the supernatural? Probably not.”

The Lonely Motel holds many dark secrets… and Room 6 just might possess the worst of them all.

Angel knows all about pain. His mother died in this room. He’s researched its history. Today he’s come back to end it, no matter the cost, once and for all.

Shyla, a plus-sized prostitute, thinks the stories Angel tells her can’t be true. Secrets so vile, you won’t want to let them inside you.

But the Lonely Motel doesn’t forget. It doesn’t forgive. And it always claims its victim.
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Book Review: American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America’s Jack the Ripper by Daniel Stashower

Posted on 01/25/2023 by Lenn

Title: American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America’s Jack the Ripper

Author: Daniel Stashower

Publication Date: September 6, 2022

Number of Pages: 368

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Format: Audiobook

Genre: Non-fiction, True Crime

Synopsis:

Boston had its Strangler. California had the Zodiac Killer. And in the depths of the Great Depression, Cleveland had the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run.

On September 5th, 1934, a young beachcomber made a gruesome discovery on the shores of Cleveland’s Lake Erie: the lower half of a female torso, neatly severed at the waist. The victim, dubbed “The Lady of the Lake,” was only the first of a butcher’s dozen. Over the next four years, twelve more bodies would be scattered across the city. The bodies were dismembered with surgical precision and drained of blood. Some were beheaded while still alive.

Terror gripped the city. Amid the growing uproar, Cleveland’s besieged mayor turned to his newly-appointed director of public safety: Eliot Ness. Ness had come to Cleveland fresh from his headline-grabbing exploits in Chicago, where he and his band of “Untouchables” led the frontline assault on Al Capone’s bootlegging empire. Now he would confront a case that would redefine his storied career.

Award-winning author Daniel Stashower shines a fresh light on one of the most notorious puzzles in the annals of crime, and uncovers the gripping story of Ness’s hunt for a sadistic killer who was as brilliant as he was cool and composed, a mastermind who was able to hide in plain sight. American Demon reconstructs this ultimate battle of wits between a hero and a madman.
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Book Review: Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke

Posted on 01/23/2023 by Lenn

Title: Sour Candy

Author: Kealan Patrick Burke

Publication Date: November 13, 2015

Number of Pages: 107

Publisher: Independent

Format: Ebook

Genre: Horror, ThrillerBoo

Synopsis:

At first glance, Phil Pendleton and his son Adam are just an ordinary father and son, no different from any other. They take walks in the park together, visit county fairs, museums, and zoos, and eat together overlooking the lake. Some might say the father is a little too accommodating given the lack of discipline when the child loses his temper in public. Some might say he spoils his son by allowing him to set his own bedtimes and eat candy whenever he wants. Some might say that such leniency is starting to take its toll on the father, given how his health has declined.

What no one knows is that Phil is a prisoner, and that up until a few weeks ago and a chance encounter at a grocery store, he had never seen the child before in his life.

But you’ll also learn about me — and the worst thing I’ve ever done.
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Book Review: I’m a Therapist and My Patient is In Love With a Pedophile

Posted on 01/21/2023 by Lenn

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Title: I’m a Therapist and My Patient is In Love With a Pedophile

Publication Date: July 15, 2019

Number of Pages: 177

Publisher: –

Format: Ebook

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Psychology

Synopsis:

The highly anticipated sequel to I’m a Therapist, and My Patient is Going to be the Next School Shooter

I’ve counseled the most chilling criminals… A young inmate who fell in love with a pedophile. A man who intentionally infected strangers with HIV. A patient with an extremely unusual addiction. A sociopath who wanted to have a conscience. A conspiracy theorist who harassed victims of a terrorist attack.

And the patient who still haunts my dreams: A boy sold into human trafficking.

In these files, you’ll learn about the the psychology behind the world’s most dangerous criminals.

But you’ll also learn about me — and the worst thing I’ve ever done.
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Book Review: The Ex by Alafair Burke

Posted on 01/20/2023 by Lenn

Title: The Ex

Author: Alafair Burke

Publication Date: January 26, 2016

Number of Pages: 384

Publisher: Faber Faber

Format: Paperback

Genre: Crime, Legal Thriller

Synopsis:

Twenty years ago she ruined his life. Now she has the chance to save it.

Widower Jack Harris has resisted the dating scene ever since the shooting of his wife Molly by a fifteen-year-old boy three years ago. An early morning run along the Hudson River changes that when he spots a woman in last night’s party dress, barefoot, enjoying a champagne picnic alone, reading his favorite novel. Everything about her reminds him of what he used to have with Molly. Eager to help Jack find love again, his best friend posts a message on a popular website after he mentions the encounter. Days later, that same beautiful stranger responds and invites Jack to meet her in person at the waterfront. That’s when Jack’s world falls apart.

Olivia Randall is one of New York City’s best criminal defense lawyers. When she hears that her former fiancé, Jack Harris, has been arrested for a triple homicide—and that one of the victims was connected to his wife’s murder—there is no doubt in her mind as to his innocence. The only question is who would go to such great lengths to frame him—and why?

For Olivia, representing Jack is a way to make up for past regrets, to absolve herself of guilt from a tragic decision, a secret she has held for twenty years. But as the evidence against him mounts, she is forced to confront her doubts. The man she knew could not have done this. But what if she never really knew him?
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Book Review: Melvina’s Therapy by A. Rasen

Posted on 01/19/2023 by Lenn

Title: Melvina’s Therapy

Author: A. Rasen

Publication Date: May 4, 2017

Number of Pages: 81

Publisher: LINE Webtoon

Format: Ebook

Genre: Horror, Manhwa, Webtoon

Synopsis:

Anxiety, loneliness, depression… with a regular therapy you can deal with these issues, but Melvina’s Therapy is about something deeper: creepy secrets remaining in the darkest space of your mind, waiting for you…
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Book Review: The Secret Lives of Introverts: Inside Our Hidden World by Jenn Granneman

Posted on 01/11/2023 by Lenn

Title: The Secret Lives of Introverts: Inside Our Hidden World

Author: Jenn Granneman

Publication Date: August 1, 2017

Number of Pages: 320

Publisher: Skyhorse

Format: Paperback

Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help

Synopsis:

An introvert guide and manifesto for all the quiet ones—and the people who love them.

Is there a hidden part of you that no one else sees? Do you have a vivid inner world of thoughts and emotions that your peers and loved ones can’t seem to access? Have you ever been told you’re too “quiet,” “shy,” “boring,” or “awkward”? Are your habits and comfort zones questioned by a society that doesn’t seem to get the real you? If so, you might be an introvert.

On behalf of those who have long been misunderstood, rejected, or ignored, fellow introvert Jenn Granneman writes a compassionate vindication—exploring, discovering, and celebrating the secret inner world of introverts that, only until recently, has begun to peek out and emerge into the larger social narrative. Drawing from scientific research, in-depth interviews with experts and other introverts, and her personal story, Granneman reveals the clockwork behind the introvert’s mind—and why so many people get it wrong initially.

Whether you are a bona fide introvert, an extrovert anxious to learn how we tick, or a curious ambivert, these revelations will answer the questions you’ve always had:
• What’s going on when introverts go quiet?
• What do introvert lovers need to flourish in a relationship?
• How can introverts find their own brand of fulfillment in the workplace?
• Do introverts really have a lot to say—and how do we draw it out?
• How can introverts mine their rich inner worlds of creativity and insight?
• Why might introverts party on a Friday night but stay home alone all Saturday?
• How can introverts speak out to defend their needs?

With other myths debunked and truths revealed, The Secret Lives of Introverts is an empowering manifesto that guides you toward owning your introversion by working with your nature, rather than against it, in a world where you deserve to be heard.
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Book Review: Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez

Posted on 01/09/2023 by Lenn

Title: Chef’s Kiss

Author: Jarrett Melendez

Publication Date: April 12, 2022

Number of Pages: 160

Publisher: Oni Press

Format: Ebook

Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, LGBTQ+

Synopsis:

Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for something…anything…related to his passion for reading and writing. But interview after interview, hiring committee after hiring committee, Ben soon learns getting the dream job won’t be as easy as he thought. Proofreading? Journalism? Copywriting? Not enough experience. It turns out he doesn’t even have enough experience to be a garbage collector!

But when Ben stumbles upon a “Now Hiring—No Experience Necessary” sign outside a restaurant, he jumps at the chance to land his first job. Plus, he can keep looking for a writing job in the meantime. He’s actually not so bad in the kitchen, but he will have to pass a series of cooking tests to prove he’s got the culinary skills to stay on full-time. But it’s only temporary…right?

When Ben begins developing a crush on Liam, one of the other super dreamy chefs at the restaurant, and when he starts ditching his old college friends and his old writing job plans, his career path starts to become much less clear.
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Book Review: The New Year’s Party by Daniel Hurst

Posted on 01/06/2023 by Lenn

Title: The New Year’s Party

Author: Daniel Hurst

Format: E-book

Publication Date: December 26, 2022

Number of Pages: 51

Publisher: –

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Synopsis:

Would you share your New Year’s resolution with a stranger?

When Carrie and Andy attend a high-class New Year’s Eve Party, they’re looking forward to closing out the year in style. But then they meet Martin and Michaela, a couple who haven’t just come out for champagne and fireworks. They have a New Year’s resolution, and it’s very unusual.

After sharing their own resolutions, Carrie and Andy receive a shocking but tempting offer, one that leaves them unsure of how to proceed. But whatever they decide to do, one thing is certain – this will be a New Year’s Eve they will never forget.
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Book Review: I’m a Therapist, and My Patient is Going to be the Next School Shooter (Dr. Harper Therapy, #1) by Dr. Harper

Posted on 01/04/2023 by Lenn

Title: I’m a Therapist, and My Patient is Going to be the Next School Shooter (Dr. Harper Therapy, #1)

Author: Dr. Harper

Format: E-book

Publication Date: January 27, 2019

Number of Pages: 120

Publisher:

Genre: Thriller, Horror, Crime

Synopsis:

I’m a therapist, and I work with the most dangerous patients.

I’ve seen it all… A boy who planned to be the next school shooter. A patient with OCD whose loved ones really did suffer every time he missed a ritual. A choir boy who claimed he was being molested — not by a priest — but by God Himself. A patient with PTSD who gave me nightmares. A husband and wife who accused each other of abuse, and only one of them was telling the truth.

And how could I ever forget, Patient #220.

The problem is, my patients have a habit of dying. Sometimes I wonder if I’m the common denominator. Or maybe that’s just the cost of taking on exceptionally broken clients.

Either way, I’ll never stop trying to help.
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