Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Jamie’s on the brink of rebelling against everything in this life when, on one fateful evening, he’s invited to spend time in what’s thought to be a haunted house near the university campus. His roommate and another guy, totally “out” and ready to play, want Jamie to join them for some sexy fun.

Intrigued by the idea of exploring his sexuality, Jamie follows the two men into the old gothic mansion on the hill, once a place of decadence and torture. But could there still be echoes of the past lingering there?

Jamie’s about to discover much more than his sexual preferences on a night of terror he won’t ever forget.

 

Book Review

Wow! Like, OMG, wow. This story is amazing on so many fronts, I don't even know where to start. It grabbed me by the neck, shook me a little, punched me in the gut, and followed up by throwing me against the wall and leaving me there, mouth open and gaping in a mixture of shock and serious admiration. D.J. Manly, I mean seriously, this story is twisted and had me quaking in my boots for a while, then it made me begin to hope for a happy ending, only to more than deliver in the end – in an entirely unexpected way.

Jamie is a theology student and the narrator of the story, and yes, it all starts with a dare from his roommate and a friend to spend a full night in a "haunted" house. But as soon as the lights are out, so to speak, Jamie is swept away into the adventure of a lifetime. Ghosts, possession, vampires, D.J. Manly pulls out all the stops. Things are extremely confusing for a while, and it took me until the last third of the story to figure it all out, but it all makes sense! You'll have to read this with both eyes open (despite the horrific spookiness), and a working brain to get it, but it all makes perfect sense – with hindsight. Masterfully done!  

Weird, creepy, and scary are the milder ways to describe this story. The blurb in no way does it justice – but then, I have no idea what else it could say that would be more accurate yet contain no spoilers. I do feel this novella should come with a label that says something like "might cause a few nightmares", but that may not be the case for you seasoned horror fans out there. And anyway, the solution is so wonderful and unexpectedly sweet (with a little final twist), that even a horror-coward like myself ended up seriously liking it.

If you're into the unexpected and like to be terrified, you'll probably love this book. It's a well-balanced mix between The Twilight Zone and a Roald Dahl story (you know, the 'Tales of the Unexpected' series'), yet it is entirely original. Shivers are still running down my spine and yet I am smiling. All I can say is: you'll need to read it to believe it. Seriously. Go on, you know you want to…

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Amber Allure for the purpose of a review.

 

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 19000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	21-July-2013
Price
Buy Link