Red Island. My Review

So, for my latest read I went a bit out of my usual genre and tried a procedural. I love a good psychological thriller where a clever but dark hero is after a super intelligent serial killer bent on driving said hero crazy and bring down the whole city with him, so I jumped at the chance to read Red Island by Lorne Oliver.

Red Island is the story of Sgt. Reid. He used to live in Vancouver, but after a grueling case that left him and his family scarred, they moved to Prince Edward Island. Otherwise known as The Gentle Island, this seems like a great place to concentrate on his family and leave the past behind. That is until the body of a young woman appears hanging from the feet, naked, and baring the terrible markings of torture. The island is not gentle anymore and the only hope for its people lies in the expertise of Reid against serial killers.

Red Island is a strong story where the great abilities of Oliver to paint a picture without dragging the description forever are put to work so well. The simple matter-of-fact narrative allows the reader to loose himself in the story, and though some of the scenes depicted are quite gruesome, it never feels out of place or even graphic. The language is also under control, without four-letter expletives thrown everywhere, but realistically applied.

The novel is divided in two stories, that of the detective and that of the killer, where one is narrated in present tense and the other in past, but both in first person. Particularly enjoyable are the sections related to the killer, his development as a killer, and the reason behind his horrible murder spree. A true study on the psychology of murderers and simply outstanding. Sadly, I found very difficult to empathize with the main character. Although he has a dark past haunting him and, maybe, going through somewhat of a middle age crisis, I found many of his actions hard to justify and, at times, annoying.

The procedural side of the story is also very aptly done, always leaving the reader wishing for more and actually paying attention to the details that true cops are interested in. No shortcuts or illogic actions are put there so the author can go from point A to point B. The book, however, has several editorial mistakes, mostly the kind resulting from merging two sentences or typos. Very rarely these mistakes get in the way of understanding or involve a grammatical mistake, so it shouldn't put you off if the blurb and genre appeals to you.

All in all a good, an interesting story worth reading.

Finally, I leave you with the blurb and a link to buy the book if you're interested.

Was it the nightmare that woke him or the late night phone ringing that brought on the dream? Sgt. Reid of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police brought his family to Prince Edward Island, "The Gentle Island", to get away from crime and homicides. He had to get away from the nightmares and concentrate on his family. PEI is a lovely place to live. The sound of the ocean crashing against sandy beaches, sand dunes covered in tufts of dancing grass...
...And then there was the young woman hanging from a tree. It wasn't a gentle island anymore.

Red Island ebook. Hope you enjoy it!

Pandora's Box, A Review

This time I'm reviewing Pandora's Box by Joanna Parypinski, published by Damnation Books. I came across this book on Facebook, as the author asked for people interested in reviewing her new book. It took me some time to jump in the boat as the cover art made me fret this was yet another vampire book. However, the blurb won me over and boy, am I happy I took the chance.

Pandora's Box is the story of Maria Vakros, a woman fighting her own demons in order to reclaim control of her life as she and her husband, a teacher by trade, start anew in the small town of Sickle Falls. Leaving behind the big city of Chicago, they buy a quaint old house in the nicer part of town with a beautiful view of the lake, but hiding in the shadows of the basement lies an ancient horror waiting to be unleashed. It has infected the whole town, even causing the previous owners untimely deaths.

The plot is well constructed, weaving five different stories without making it confusing nor heavy. At all times the narrative is fluid and interesting, the sense of doom and horror is well transmitted without the overuse of adjectives. The story starts slowly, building on the mystery and creating a menacing atmosphere, and though there are segments quite violent, it never gets too graphic or gory. I found particularly refreshing the rich vocabulary Parypinski uses, it has been a while since a book made me open a dictionary, and though I always thank an author who teaches me something, when the uncommon vocabulary forces you to interrupt the reading in order to look for a word, it gets in the way of enjoying the book. I mean, if you use obscure words that the reader can deduct from the general context, you're okay, but don't over do it or you risk looking like a snub. Now, Parypinski doesn't go to that extreme but once, so we won't hold it against her.

The characters are interesting and complex and each individual story builds to a final crescendo that has all kinds of unexpected turns. Parypinski's style is refreshing, almost poetic in her descriptions, giving the horrors depicted a tragic and twisted feeling. It is outstanding how much information the author manages to convey and still leave the reader craving for more, in particular when relating the story of the box, and yet the ending feels a bit abrupt; but knowing how difficult it is to find the perfect balance between giving closure to a character's story and simply going too far, I think Parypinski's decision to give the final word to one of the side characters is an interesting one that explains the insertion of the box's story and allows for a small moral very apropos.

I highly recommend Pandora's Box to every horror lover, even the squeamish ones as there's something for everyone in this mystery/horror. An outstanding story edited to perfection, Pandora's Box shows small presses can be every bit as professional as the Big Six.

For more information on the author, go to her website Pandora's Pen. If you want to add this book to your TBR pile, go here.

Day 23: W

So, we can see the end line from here. After a month long marathon, the last few posts are on the horizon and some of them are really hard to figure out (X & Y anyone??). Let's give it a last sprint and hope for the best.

Movie.

From Within (2008)
Directed by Phedon Papamichael.

Plot: In a small Maryland town, the suicide of an outcast teenager triggers a string of violent suicides. These suicides seem to stem from a curse which spreads when any person, who witnesses the suicide, is possessed by an evil force that appears as the person's doppelganger that only they can see. A young teenager, named Lindsey, thinks there is a connection of the events to Aidan, the outcast brother of the first suicide case. But Lindsay must race against the clock when she witnesses her mother fall victim, and must try to find a way to stop the curse before it kills her too. Meanwhile the God-fearing townspeople, led by a fanatic preacher with a connection to the events also, form a vigilante group to take the law in their own hands.

Review: Another independent movie that was released without fanfare and mostly floated to oblivion. Though the movie isn't perfect, I loved the unusual and mysterious plot. I found this movie while cruising the channels looking for something worth of my time, I watched the first fifteen minutes and I was hooked. That's how effective the premiss is. The director does a great job at making fresh the old setting of religious zealots in the farthest corners of the US, and there's something on the imagery of seeing your doppelgänger about to kill you that just makes my skin crawl. From Within has suspense, a few gruesome deaths, some soul liberating laughs, and a nice final twist. The perfect engagement for a rainy day.

Book.

The woman in Black by Susan Hill.
Published by Hamish Hamilton in 1983.

Blurb: A classic ghost story: the chilling tale of a menacing specter haunting a small English town. Arthur Kipps is an up-and-coming London solicitor who is sent to Crythin Gifford—a faraway town in the windswept salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway—to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of a client, Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. Mrs. Drablow's house stands at the end of the causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but Kipps is unaware of the tragic secrets that lie hidden behind its sheltered windows. The routine business trip he anticipated quickly takes a horrifying turn when he finds himself haunted by a series of mysterious sounds and images—a rocking chair in a deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child's scream in the fog, and, most terrifying of all, a ghostly woman dressed all in black.

Review: I first came in contact with the story as a stage adaptation in Mexico city. After being mesmerized by it, I became obsessed with the piece and researched it. It turns out it has been on stage in the famous Fortune Theater in Covent Garden, London, since 1989! Various countries have their own adaptations running to huge success for five years--like Madrid--to twelve years--like Mexico--. Surprised? Well, you shouldn't be. The Woman in Black is a ghost story that relies on Hill's command over the language, whose narration is an example in containment, character development, and setting atmosphere. Her flawless style serves perfectly the post Victorian-early Edwardian time she selected for the novel. Even that serves to a greater purpose as we see MC Arthur Kipps torn between an age of rationality and the Victorian superstitions of the past, turning Arthur in more that a mere narrator just spewing a ghost story, but a flawed, unfortunate soul we deeply feel for.

A to Z Challenge. Letter V

Movie.

The Visitors (1988)
Directed by Jack Ersgard.

Plot: Frank, Sara and their two children have recently moved into the house of their dreams on the countryside. For a moment they seem to be living their dreams but then they notice strange happenings in the house; the tapestries start to fall off in one of the rooms, in another nothing 'feels' right, and Frank is disturbed by mysterious sounds. As help from the outside ends with tragic consequences, Frank embarks on a quest to find out the truth himself.

Review: This is an obscure little film that most don't even know it exists. A Swedish odd ball, the film is highly atmospheric and claustrophobic. The way the director works around having basically no special effects is to use darkness to create a sense of doom and it works like a charm. By no means this movie can be compared with the greatest horror movies of all times but it is worth a look if you're tired of beaten down plots, empty characters, lots of sex, and CGI feasts. Great acting, believable characters that react just the way most of us would, and an eerie set will make your two hours a well invested time.

Book.

The Vanishment by Jonathan Aycliffe.

Published by HarperPrism in 1994.

Blurb: It promises to be an idyllic vacation -- a lovely old house on the Cornish coast where Peter Clare can finish writing a collection of short stories and where his wife Sarah can paint -- a place where they can try to rebuild their troubled marriage. The spectacular cliff overlooking the sea, the wild gardens and woodlands. But from the moment they enter Petherick House, Sarah feels the dark menace surrounding them. Peter dismisses Sarah's fears without another thought, until she disappears without a trace. Now, Peter can see the shadowy figures in the night and hear a child's desperate weeping, but the nightmare has only begun.

Review: Tell me this isn't one of the best blurbs you've ever read. I dare you. Though I haven't read The Vanishment, I just couldn't pass the chance to let you all know about such a high praised book. Everywhere you look there are four and five stars all over it. From what I know, it is a ghost story that won't scare you to death but that packs a high emotional charge. Atmospherical and with a dash of the supernatural, this is a read for even those who doesn't like horror books. Hope you enjoy it!

To the A, to the B... and We're on the R

Another week has passed us by. Uhf! Can you belief we're getting closer to the end of the challenge? Well, here are my R suggestions:

Movie.

Reincarnation (2005)
Directed by Takashi Shimizu.

Plot: Nagisa Sugiura (Yuka) is a young Japanese actress who comes face to face with a slew of ghosts. These restless spirits begin to appear when she signs on to star in a horror film which tells the true story about a crazed, local professor whose murderous rampage at a hotel left 11 guests dead, including his young son and daughter. The movie is being filmed at the very site where the killings took place.

Review: Like a lot of Japanese horror films, Reincarnation isn't told in a linear way. The story seems fragmented and confusing but that's part of what makes it scary. There aren't graphic, bloody scenes and the suspense is built around the ambiance and things you think you saw out of the corner of your eye. Very unsettling. At the end everything makes sense and the story comes round leaving the viewer with no questions but quite surprised.

Book.

The Ring by Koji Suzuki.
Published by Vertical in 2003.

Blurb: A mysterious videotape warns that the viewer will die in one week unless a certain, unspecified act is performed. Exactly one week after watching the tape, four teenagers die one after another of heart failure. Asakawa, a hardworking journalist, is intrigued by his niece's inexplicable death. His investigation leads him from a metropolitan tokyo teeming with modern society's fears to a rural Japan--a mountain resort, a volcanic island, and a countryside clinic--haunted by the past. His attempt to solve the tape's mystery before it's too late--for everyone--assumes an increasingly deadly urgency. Ring is a chillingly told horror story, a masterfully suspenseful mystery, and post-modern trip.

Review: Just before starting with the challenge I did an extensive review on this book and mentioned I'll review each book of the series separately. For the sake of this post I'll resume things by saying that there are four books in the series, The Ring, Spiral, Loop, and Birthday. I've read all but Birthday and my favorite by far was the first. It is similar enough to the movies adaptations that you'll recognize the plot, but the second part of the book is significantly different. And much better. The are no loose ends by the end of the story, everything fits nicely and is explained away, unlike the movies. Suzuki is known like "The Japanese Stephen King" and with this series he proves it right. He builds suspense like a master and you can't stop turning the pages. A must read.

If you want to know more about the books, movies, and my opinion, click here.

Horror by Letters: P

Movie.

Pontypool (2008)
Directed by Bruce McDonald.

Plot: In the small town of Pontypool, Ontario, the local radio station and its crew of three people start the day as usual, one sleepy story after another, but as the day moves on they receive reports of violence happening all over the region. This includes riots, people killing each other, and intervention from the Canadian Government. Soon they find themselves hiding in the station from the horror outside they keep reporting. If that was not bad enough, they can't figure out what's going on. 


Review: As we've been saying these days, modern horror seems to be all about blood and guts. Pontypool swerves away from that trend and goes back to the Jaws technique of not showing the monster. The whole first half we are left to guess what is happening and our imaginations run wild. Now, I like the resolution of the story but I know there are a lot of detractors who consider the second half to be awash, not me, though. I also give it even more credit for what they were able to pull off on such a short budget. Pontypool is claustrophobic, and scary. A true radio broadcast from hell.

Book.

Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay.

Published by F.W. Cheshire in 1967.

Blurb: Part drama, part mystery novel, Australian author Joan Lindsay wrote it in only four weeks. The plot focuses on a group of girls at an Australian women's college in the year 1900 who vanish during a Valentine's Day picnic at the site of an enormous rock formation. The novel's ambiguous ending has ensured the survival of the piece through various debates through the years.


Review: This story is quite well written and mysterious but its most important value is as one of the best hoaxes in history. Up there next to Well's War of the Worlds broadcast, Picnic at Hanging Rock is, to this date, believed to be a real story by many who later have to confront the reality of its falseness. Hanging Rock does exist in the Australian wilderness and Lindsay was clever enough to feed the ambiguity of her story, thus perpetuating the lie. If you are interested in learning more about this clever author, her book, and the consequences the novel has had, click here. But I bet I've peaked your curiosity enough to read the book. Oh, and remember to look for "The Secret of Hanging Rock" which holds the last chapter in the book which Lindsay decided to hold unpublished until three years after her death. Talk about building suspense.

A Horrific Ode to Letter L

Movie.

Lake Mungo (2008)
Directed by Joel Anderson.

Plot: Sixteen-year-old Alice Palmer drowns while swimming in the local dam. When her body is recovered and a verdict of accidental death returned, her grieving family buries her. The family then experiences a series of strange and inexplicable events centered in and around their home. Profoundly unsettled, the Palmers seek the help of psychic and parapsychologist, RAY KEMENY. Ray discovers that Alice led a secret, double life. A series of clues lead the family to Lake Mungo where Alice's secret past emerges. Lake Mungo is a mystery, a thriller and a ghost story.

Review: Nine out of ten people will say Lake Mungo is a truly scary, yet relatable film and it's not me making up this numbers, you can check IMDb for many more satisfied customers. The australian film is yet another 'mockumentary'. It is a mystery with so many twists and turns you never know what follows, then you add a touch of supernatural and you have the recipe for success.

Book.

Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker.
Published by William Rider and Son Ltd. in 1911.

Blurb: The story centers around Adam Salton who is contacted by his granduncle in England for the purpose of establishing as the last two members of the family. Adam travels to Richard Salton's house in Mercia and quickly finds himself in the center of some inexplicable occurrences. The new heir to the Caswall estate, Edgar Caswall appears to be making some sort of a mesmeric assault on a local girl, and a local lady, Arabella March, seems to be running a game of her own, perhaps angling to become Mrs. Caswall. There is something strange about Lady March, something inexplicable and evil.

Review: Once again I travel the less known path. I could have easily suggested Dracula but you all know that is a classic and it awesome. Instead I offer you something more from the same great mind. Lair of the White Worm is every bit as dark and gothic as its predecessor. Just remember our sensibilities are quite different from those of the Victorians, don't expect a contemporary horror.

A to Z Challenge. Letter E.

For letter E I decided to try a movie from a sub genre that has been very popular lately, the found-footage. This type of movies are usually less graphic and tend to be low budget with not many effects but effective scare scenes. Of course the most famous are The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. Both of them made big bucks and are fan favorites. I for one, love them, though there are a lot of detractors to the style. But no, I didn't choose one that you already know, that was the goal of the whole challenge, remember? Instead I chose a small production that barely got noted but that's pretty impacting.

Now, for the book I went with a classic you all know but, I'm willing to bet, most of you haven't read.

With you, the selections of the day.

Movie.

Exhibit A (2007)
Directed by Dom Rotheroe



Plot: Exhibit A tells the timely story of a normal family disintegrating under financial pressure, eventually driven to the unimaginable. All is not as it seems as the King family go about their day-to-day lives oblivious of the horror to come. Dad Andy (Bradley Cole) is nursing a secret that ultimately leads to terrible consequences for them all. We witness these chilling events unfold through daughter Judith's video camera, which subsequently becomes Exhibit A.

Review: Technically a thriller, this is an extraordinary, award winning, indy movie that is worth every second of the 89 minutes you'll invest in watching it. The story is conveyed in the natural form of family home videos, so the wobbly camera angles and moves are there but they won't make you sick unless you are very sensitive, in which case you are not a fan of the found footage sub genre. However, also in keeping with this style of movies, the less you know about it, the better for your enjoyment, so lets leave it at this: Watch it!

Book.

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty.
Published by Corgi Books in 1971.

Blurb: (Is this really necessary? Ok, fine.) When originally published, "The Exorcist" became not only a bestselling literary phenomenon, but one of the most frightening and controversial novels ever written. (When the author adapted his book to the screen two years later, it then became one of the most terrifying movies ever made.) The deceptively simple story focuses on Regan, the 11-year-old daughter of a movie actress residing in Washington, D.C. When the child is apparently possessed by an ancient demon, it's up to a small group of overwhelmed yet determined humans to somehow rescue Regan from this unspeakable fate. Purposefully raw and profane, this novel still has the extraordinary ability to literally shock us into forgetting that it is "just a story." "The Exorcist" remains a truly unforgettable reading experience. It's sequel, "Legion", was published in 1983.

Review: Why did I choose this one, you wonder? Well, because most of the time you hear all about the movie and most people have watched it and thought they didn't need to read the book. The movie was incredibly well adapted, I'll say that, but the book still retains a raw power over the reader that will make you experience a big range of emotions, not only fear. I also was pleasantly surprised by the depth of Father Karras' character. We suffer through his battle with his faith and feel his lose as the story develops. I even cried at the ending. This is a very complex book that deserves a lot more credit than living in the shadow of a superb movie. Do yourself a favor, don't skip it.

For more amazing A to Z blogs click here.

A to Z Challenge. D...

We're halfway through our first week and I'm enjoying myself! I thought I might feel a bit overwhelmed but I think I did a lot of preparation and that is helping me get better organized. I've visited a few of the other participating blogs and I've found great ideas and interesting postings that I will follow throughout the whole moth. I hope you are feeling as good as me!


For D-day I have more recommendations for you, but also some great news for the fans of the Hellraiser series.


Just a day ago I was taking about the Books of Blood by Clive Barker and the amount of movies these stories have spawn. Among them I mentioned the Rawhead Rex movie. Well, since then it has been brought to my attention that Clive Barker was not content with the treatment his story received on that movie and has, for a long time now, tried to distance himself from the production. However, that same novella will be now reprinted as part of the latest Post Mortem Press anthology, "Torn Realities". If any of you are recurrent followers, you know that's the same house that published my novel "Perpetual Night". How cool is that? My book and one of the groundbreaking fathers of horror will be under the same roof. Man, I can't wait for a Post Mortem Press party!!


Now, for the Hellraiser news. That same author, Clive Barker, on that same very special collection, Books of Blood, included a story where the Cenobites were introduced for the first time, hence giving birth to the Hellraiser movies we all know and love. Well, Sonar Entertainment is giving Pinhead the television treatment and as off now, a TV show is in the works. This is sure to make the earth rumble with all the die-hard fans who will rush to their TV sets. For more info, follow this link.


Now, lets go on with the show. The pics for D-day are:


Movie.


Dead End (2003)

Directed by Jean-Bamptist Andrea


Plot: For the past 20 years, Frank Harrington has grudgingly driven his family to celebrate Christmas with his mother-in-law. This year, he takes a shortcut that turns to be the biggest mistake of his life. The nightmare begins. A mysterious woman in white wanders through the forest, leaving death in her wake. A terrifying black car - its driver invisible - carries the victims into the heart of the night. Every road sign points to a destination they never reach. The survivors succumb to panic, to madness; deeply buried secrets burst to the surface, and Christmas turns into a living hell.


Review: Dead End is creepy as hell. Another often dismissed small movie that packs a big punch; it is atmospheric, strange, and will capture you from scene one. Its dry humor a la Evil Dead but without over the top antics brings a good balance to the otherwise very tense setting and its clever final twist adds a new dimension to the story. It will make you weary of dark, lonely roads for sure!


For some reason the embedded code isn't working but you can watch the trailer here.


Book.


Drood by Dan Simmons.
Published by Little, Brown and Company in 2009.


Blurb: On June 9, 1865 while traveling by train to London with his secret mistress, 53-year-old Charles Dickens--at the height of his powers and popularity--is hurtled into a disaster that changed his life forever. 
Did Dickens begin living a dark double life after the accident? Were his nightly forays into the worst slums of London and his deepening obsession with corpses, crypts, murder, opium dens, the use of lime pits to dissolve bodies, and a hidden subterranean London mere research . . . or something more terrifying? 

Just as he did in "The Terror", Dan Simmons draws impeccably from history to create a gloriously engaging and terrifying narrative. Based on the historical details of Charles Dickens's life and narrated by Wilkie Collins (Dickens's friend, frequent collaborator, and Salieri-style secret rival), DROOD explores the still unsolved mysteries of the famous author's last years and may provide the key to Dickens's final, unfinished work: "The Mystery of Edwin Drood".

Review: Drood is written as narrated by Wilkie Collins in the form of a Victorian memoir to be read 125 years after his death. Collins is addicted to drugs and finds himself slipping further and further into his addiction as the novel proceeds, thus becoming the perfect unreliable narrator and giving the novel a great twist. Are the events real or are they the twisted imaginings of an opium addict? Heavily on the side of a mystery, Drood is a historical fiction novel that combines great elements of mystery, suspense, and horror.   This is a fantastic read for those who don't enjoy ghosts stories or truly terrifying books but appreciate atmospheric, intelligent ones.


I love reading your opinions, so don't forget to comment and leave your own suggestions for me! Have a great D-day and keep alphablogging.

The A to Z Challenge's Here. A...

I can't believe how fast the years is going, already April!! And what a month it will be. My first A to Z Challenge ever. So, my plan is simple, I write mostly horror and I love the genre so I'll share with you a movie and a book based on the letter of the day. Now, I'll try to stay away from the classic movies and books that show up on every list. The idea is to help those of you interested in the genre to find a few new pieces you might haven't come across before. Please, do share your own favorites as I'm always looking for things to read and watch.


Here. We. Go. (drum roll, please)...

LETTER A

Movie.


The Abandoned (2006)
Director: Nacho Cerda
Country: Spain/UK/Bulgaria



Blurb: An American woman searching for her birth parents learns she has inherited a house in the middle of a forest in a remote area of Russia. It is the house where she was born. Abandoned and uninhabited for 40 years, it stands in total disrepair and neglect. What she finds is more than an old house. She meets a mysterious man who claims to be her brother, a twin she never knew. Together they find the house holds secrets to a past they don't remember. Soon they are haunted by ghastly apparitions as they're forced to confront a tragic family secret and a destiny they cannot escape.


Review: This movie is beautifully filmed, the photograph is amazing and eerie in such a way that I couldn't turn my head away from the TV even though I was thoroughly confused through most of the movie. The story is not linear, hence very confusing when watching it for the first time, however, mystery surrounds everything, the ghosts are so disturbing and incredibly scary, and then there's the pay off of a very intelligent ending. I promise you will be flabbergasted with the final twist. On second view, the story is clearly a lot more logic, though there are a few gaps that I couldn't really explain. But who cares, right? This is a movie completely off the traditional path, haunting, super creepy, intelligent, and well done. Definitively a must see for all horror lovers.


Book.


American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.
Published: 1991 by Vintage Books.

Blurb: Patrick Bateman moves among the young and trendy in 1980s Manhattan. Young, handsome, and well educated, Bateman earns his fortune on Wall Street by day while spending his nights in ways we cannot begin to fathom. Expressing his true self through torture and murder, Bateman prefigures an apocalyptic horror that no society could bear to confront.


Review: Though I haven't read this book, it has been highly recommended to me by several well trusted friends and connoisseurs of the genre. This book is, by all means, a modern classic that scares us because we have actually seen this kind of violence-for-no-reason type of people really exist. They are well adapted and can very well live in that pretty blue house next to yours. You'd never know it until he's killed you or the police knocks on your door to ask for what you might have seen over the past decade. What can be scarier than that?


Well, there you go. I hope you liked this recommendations, can't wait to read your thoughts. And remember to keep hopping!

Living with a Psychic

I bet you have never wondered what it would be like to live with a phony psychic who tricks people into believing she's for real. We all know there are a hundred of them working in shops all over the world with essences inundating the air, candles, crystal balls, scary looking card decks, and funny names like Lady Soothsayer. Well, those people out there have families of their own, they're mothers, wives, daughters... What would it be like to know your mom is a fake? How do you survive high school with all its miseries when you can't respect the parenting image waiting for you at home? It must be heart-breaking, and indeed a great character forger.

Now, imagine you're a blind kid. You rely on your senses to guide you through life, but what if your senses grew to perceive things others can't. Would you be able to identify what's real from what's not? You'd never knew if the presence you're feeling next to you is really there, or just a vision from the future. Nerve racking, right? The problem is, things can get worse. What if you could, for example, experience the future death of someone important to you? Surely, figuring things like these at sixteen can change you forever.

Well, these characters are two of the most memorable in the array of craziness that is Farsighted. And I mean crazy in a good way, because it stretches your imagination and makes yourself ask questions you'd never thought of before. There are more secrets on those pages than in Silvia Brown's crystal ball, and I won't ruin those for you. You have to read it, not only if you're a lover of YA paranormal books, but if you enjoy finding your way through mazes and figuring out what's behind a character. I bet you my Tarot deck, you won't be able to see the final twist coming at you.

Chances are, if you spend some time in books-related cyberspace, you've met the author Emlyn Chand, who is an active mind always thinking on new ways to connect. Her vivacious voice lends herself perfectly to voice the anguishes of growing up superhero. Don't miss her debut novel, first of a series that will have you hook from page one; and remember:  Vampires are out, Psychics are in!

REMINDERS:

As part of Farsighted launching blog tour, Novel Publicity and the author, Emlyn Chand, are giving cash prizes of $100 each. Bloggers can win by writing the most creative entry and you can help me by voting in the traffic-breaker poll. Readers like you can also win! All you have to do is leave a comment on this and other tour host’s entries for the random commenter prize. That easy!!

Here you have the link with the tour dates and the list where you can vote:  Novel Publicity, Farsighted Tour.

Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!

Learn more about Emlyn through the following links:

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Alex Kosmitoras’s life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he’s blind. Just when he thinks he’ll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.

Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival—an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to “see” the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future.