Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer: horror

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

[Review] — Leigh Whannell's WOLF MAN (★★½✰✰)

Why is it so hard to restart the Universal Monster Universe? The 2010 remake of The Wolfman bombed at the box office, even though I found it enjoyable. Then there was The Mummy in 2017, starring Tom Cruise, a total flop. This pretty much stopped any plans for a shared Dark Universe. However, 2020 brought us The Invisible Man, written and directed by Leigh Whannell and produced by Blumhouse. That one did well both financially and critically, giving fans a bit of hope for the future. Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed with this year's release of WOLF MAN. Despite being co-written and directed by Whannell and produced by Blumhouse, the film fell flat and struggled at the box office. It’s now trying to make a comeback with its recent digital release and an upcoming physical release—LIMITED EDITION STEELBOOK, 4K UHD, BLU-RAY™ & DVD coming on March 18, 2025.

Friday, November 8, 2024

[Review] — THE HERD is a Unique Take on the Vampire Genre

Billy Burgess books , horror

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE HERD by Russell Bell Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

Find "THE HERD" on Goodreads and Books2Read.
Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited Membership!

About the Book

Sixteen-year-old Susan kneels before the Temple steps whispering the sacred prayer…

We are the Herd, human servants to the immortal Akharu, Lords of the Night. The Akharu are our Kings. The Akharu are our Gods. We honor them with our hands. We worship them with our hearts. We nourish them with our blood.

She is preparing for the Branding, the sacred ceremony where the Akharu choose which humans will be allowed to stay in the Closure, and which will be taken away forever. As she enters the Temple, Susan is confident that she’ll receive her brand. She’s devoted her life to the Akharu.

But so did her older brother, Trevor. And he was taken.

Ryan, Susan’s fifteen-year-old brother, kneels behind her. He only mouths the prayers. The Akharu have already taken his older brother and now they may take his sister as well. He doesn't want his brand.

He wants revenge.

Will Susan receive her brand or will she find out what happens to the Unworthy?

As he seeks his revenge, Ryan discovers powers he doesn't understand. Will they help him against the Akharu? Or is he becoming one of them?

THE HERD is a fascinating new take on the vampire genre. It is an action-packed adventure that takes place in the feudal Kingdom of Larkspur, where horses and swords rule the day and the bloodthirsty Akharu reigns at night.

READ THE REVIEWS!

"A SPELLBINDING STORYTELLER WITH FULLY DEVELOPED CHARACTERS!"

"THE HERD DREW ME IN IMMEDIATELY WITH ITS WORLD-BUILDING AND CHARACTERS I WANTED TO ROOT FOR!"

"I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!"

"ADDICTIVE!"

Billy's Review

THE HERD is a fast-paced and cleverly written young adult vampire story that defies the typical vampire narrative. It combines elements of dystopian fiction, fantasy, non-gory horror, and drama, creating a blend that almost works if it wasn't for a few cliched moments that seasoned readers might notice, though they aren't particularly bothersome.

The writing is quite decent for a debut author. The characters are interesting, the dialogue is lively, and the descriptions are well-suited for a young adult book.

Overall, THE HERD offers a unique take on the vampire genre. Despite minor criticisms (or nitpicks), I enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it to others. ╌★★★★✰

About Russell Bell

Russell was an international drama teacher for many years, teaching in Mumbai India and in Dubai, UAE. Living in these different countries sparked in me a passion for religion and culture, eventually inspiring this dystopian world of the Akharu. And, of course, many years of teaching theater to young adults has taught him that nothing beats an exciting story. He now lives in San Jose, Costa Rica with his wife, two children, and two dogs.

Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE HERD.

US Only.

Ends November 12^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Week One:

10/28/2024	Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
10/29/2024	TX Girl Reads	Excerpt/IG Post
10/30/2024	thefashoionistfiles	Excerpt/IG Post
10/31/2024	Deal sharing aunt	Interview/IG Post
11/1/2024	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Excerpt/IG Post

Week Two:

11/4/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
11/5/2024	@alexandriavwilliams_	IG Review/TikTok Post
11/6/2024	The Real World According to Sam	Review/IG Post
11/7/2024	Books With a Chance	Review/IG Post
11/8/2024	Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer	Review/IG Post

Thursday, November 7, 2024

[Review] — WILLIAM is a Horrifying AI Tale

Billy Burgess books , horror

Thanks to recent technological advancements, the idea of artificial intelligence going awry is no longer a far-fetched concept. The new thriller WILLIAM—spelled W1LL1AM on the cover—by Mason Coile, a pseudonym for the award-winning author Andrew Pyper (known for The Demonologist and Lost Girls), adds his own horrifying twists to this theme.