The Ghost of Whitmore Manor Review

Indie Book Rec’s : Shorter Reads

Lee Hall 2 Comments

There are some wonderful indie books out there, I’ve put together a series of posts recommending some awesome works I have read over the years.

This post is dedicated to some shorter indie reads and so here are some books I highly recommend:

‘The Right Thing’ by Kelsey Kupitz

‘An easy-to-read mystery full of intrigue, atmosphere and chills…’

Full Review

‘Fated to Meet You’ by Despoina Kemeridou

‘A feel good fun and imaginative modern fairy tale…’

Full Review

fated to mee you

‘‘The Ballad of Ricky Risotto’ by Marc Cavella

‘An entertaining gem of a read celebrating the glory days of pro wrestling with a modern voice…’

Full Review

‘The Ghost of Whitmore Manor’ by Sarah Jayne Harry

‘A breezy paranormal romance with a young adult edge…‘

Full Review

‘Josef The Writer’s Cat’ by Ellen Khodakivska

‘A heart-warming and fun story told from a unique perspective…’

Full Review

‘Life of Maggot’ by Paul Jameson

‘A masterfully written vision and song about the end of time…‘

Full Review

‘Nevada Noir : A Trilogy of Short Stories’ by David Arrowsmith

‘A brief but deeply descriptive brush with the dark…‘

Full Review

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to use #indieApril over on Twitter to show your support for indie authors and their awesome works!

Perfect Reads For Spooky Season 2

Lee Hall 2 Comments

We’re back again with more perfect reads for spooky season. From slashers to clowns to ghostly things to strange small towns. Here are some indie books that I think are perfect for spooky season.

Original Image: 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay

‘The Four Before Me’ by E.H. Night

the 4

Like last time we shall start with a slasher that has a unique voice and chilling story full of twists. It’s a little more than a slasher and really feels like an early Stephen King novel. A new lady in town realizes she has a lot of similarities to four others who have gone missing. Thrills, chills and spills ensue. Full Review here.

‘Dead End (Clown Conspiracy Book 1): A Short Thriller’ by Mallory Kelly

dead end

‘Dead End’ certainly doesn’t hold back with the creepiness when it comes to clowns and the wider conspiracy that unfolds in a short read following two detectives as they try to hunt down a killer. The writing style plays with the reader’s imagination perfectly in what is the first of a great series. Full Review Here.

‘The Ghost of Whitmore Manor’ by Sarah Jayne Harry

We’re sticking with the shorter read formula here with a breezy paranormal romance that carries a slight adult edge. A para-sceptic is dared to spend the night in an abandoned manor house which then turns into a friendship story that becomes a little more. Perfect for spooky season. Full Review here.

‘Building 51’ by Jenifer L. Place

51

An urban exploration horror based on a real place? Sign me up because this chilling story was both terrifying and awesome. The whole abandoned asylum horror sub-genre is one of my favorites and this one has a kind of found footage feel. Defintley worth a look for spooky season chills. Full Review here.

‘Darke Blood: You’ve never known true darkness’ by Lee Hall

“There are more than shadows lurking in the darkness of those trees.”

And if you’re looking for your shadow filled mystery intertwined vampire fix then look no further than ‘Darke Blood’. A new guy arrives in town, he soon finds out what lurks within those shadows then he aligns with some forces for good and together they must save the day. There’s action, twists, turns and a whole load of spooky season atmosphere.

‘Raven Woman’s Tavern’ by Laura Koerber

After seeing the title of this book and then reading the first line of the blurb, I was hooked and I also wasn’t disappointed in this atmospheric, slightly dystopian small town tale. There’s some elements of darkness and good use of metaphor about life and survival while also being perfect for spooky season.

That wraps things up for part 2 of Perfect Reads for Spooky Season. Have you read any of the above? Thanks for stopping by and feel free to drop any recommendations below!

‘The Ghost of Whitmore Manor’ by Sarah Jayne Harry – Review

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A breezy paranormal romance with a young adult edge…

For a short book Sarah Jayne Harry has managed to deliver a satisfying story with a range of themes with an easy to read writing style. There’s a young adult vibe from the very start as ‘Charlotte’; a paranormal sceptic is dared to spend the night in an abandoned manor house. It’s spooky and descriptive from sight to smell and we even get a harrowing backstory of the place – some elements of this book do go to dark places and this is mentioned beforehand but only for a short while and it’s not exploitative but necessary for plot and eventual resolve. On this night our main character and narrator comes across ‘Lewis’ a ghost which she befriends. This friendship in turn becomes something more.

We also see ‘Charlotte’s’ home life where her over protective and abusive Father casts a shadow over everything while the pressure of succeeding in school is ever present. There are other characters in this story, even if they are smaller parts they contribute to the wider picture. Soon this picture culminates with a choice or suggestion that ‘Lewis’ makes and an ending perfect for the genre. I would have liked to of seen perhaps a little more between ‘Lewis’ and ‘Charlotte’ but for a short read which most will complete in one sitting, it makes for a perfect spooky season experience.

4 Stars – Reviews left via Goodreads and Amazon