Jonathan L.

Instant Classic Ghost Story

Reviewed: 08-26-17

What made the experience of listening to The Bell House the most enjoyable?

The story was superb, and the narrator used different voices for the characters and really did a great job.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Diana, I felt both sad and horrified by her. And her anger was funny to me for some reason.

What does Patricia Santomasso bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A great interpretation of characters.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It just built up a subtle creepiness that really kept me engaged with believable characters and a great story.

Any additional comments?

The Bell House, by Lori Titus, was quite wonderful. Jenna Bell’s husband dies in a fire that destroys their house, and suddenly her half-sister Diana shows up and tells her that their father left a house on the Bell property to her and suggests that she moves in. But unbeknownst to the reader, Diana has ulterior motives. Jenna takes her up on the offer, and the fun starts. It’s a book with roots back to slavery, but based on modern times. Bell House has a lot of history, and much of it is bad. This book felt like a classic to me. Somewhat reminiscent of the Sarah Waters novel, The Little Stranger. Same kind of gothic feel and subtle creepiness which builds slowly throughout the novel. The character interactions are entertaining and very well done. My favorite was Diana, with whom I was both horrified with and also felt sorry for. The past comes back to haunt you, even when the past was before you were born. I listened to the audiobook version of this novel, and the narration was also wonderful. This is an instant favorite and a tip top novel. Highly recommend.

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LItRPG is a new Genre for me and its fascinating

Reviewed: 07-28-17

What other book might you compare Dominion of Blades to and why?

Since its my first LitRPG, i can't compare anything to it. Sci/Fi Fantasy maybe.

Any additional comments?

Dominion of Blades, by Matt Dinniman, is my first LitRPG novel. I confess, it was jarring for me at first as I had no idea what a LitRPG novel was. But by the third chapter, I figured it out. And I thought it was such a cool idea. You are basically reading a book from the POV of a character in a role playing game. In this case the game called Dominion of Blades. Reminded me a wee bit of The Matrix, albeit totally different. So the game was shut down due to people actually dying in real life. But poor Jonah, he wakes and finds himself back in it. And no way to log out. His companions suggest they are in prison. And it’s a punishment. That’s of no matter however, the game continues, and they must soldier on through the different levels. I don’t know if LitRPG is my genre, but I really liked this one. Dinniman’s characters are fun, and if you’ve ever played an RPG, you will recognize a lot of stuff. (Level up, level up, level up). All in all, I quite enjoyed this and could easily recommend it to anyone that likes a good story and if you are already a LitRPG fan, I expect this one is a must read.

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1 person found this helpful

Overby has created a wonderfully suspenseful novel

Reviewed: 07-25-17

What made the experience of listening to The Killing Vision the most enjoyable?

Excellent narration, really captures the feel of the characters.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Overby has created a wonderfully suspenseful novel in The Killing Vision. Its a crime story at heart, but it reaches out into horror and the paranormal just a bit. Girls are going missing, and showing up dead. Two brothers are central the to story. One a bit of a goofus, and the other a bit of a gallant. The mayor looks like a suspect, and the mayor directs the police department. Who is killing these girls? And what do the brothers have to do with it? A great story, fast page turner, with quite the twist at the end. I highly recommend.

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