[REVIEW] Buried by Matt Shaw

Buried by Matt Shaw

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Read from February 21 to 23, 2014 - I own a copy, read count: 1

Would my family betray me? Am I worthy enough to be saved? I am scared. Is this really the end of me? But I don't want to die now.

These are the questions that kept playing on Todd's mind. His disorientated mind made him question his parent's love for him and his sister's loyalty to him. He regrets the things he didn't do enough to be loved and cherished by them when he was free and able.

As he lay confined in his small restrictive box, he tried to piece together why is he trapped here. His memories was fragmented and poisoned by wild hallucinations which only thickens the longer he stays in the box. What is true and what is merely his cruel mind playing games with him? Even so, Todd cherished these broken memories however twisted they are as they are his sole companion to get his mind off his suffocating situation.

What I Liked

The author did a great job with the flashbacks. The flashbacks was infused with twisted hallucinations which projects the protagonist's helplessness and the his claustrophobic experience really well. So well that I started having morbid thoughts myself: like keeping a sharp tool hidden on my body just in case what happened to Todd happened to me. This book gives me cold sweat as I do have phobia of being buried alive. Such a sick way to go you know. Worst possible way really. I was all jittery even before I started reading it. I am hopeless I know.

Was I Spooked?

Maybe it's because of me having high expectation before reading it and I was fully expecting to be incapacitated by fear after reading it, that's why I was pretty surprised that this isn't the case for me at all. I am not saying that I wasn't the least affected by the sufferings of the poor guy crammed into a small box. I am, hence the earlier morbid thoughts. It could be that it was told in first person's view and the environment wasn't detailed enough to rub more of the fear factor in or something.

Overview

In terms of plotting, this book nailed it. It kept me speculating throughout the story and I am glad to say I kept getting it wrong. Now that's a good thing especially when it comes to story with a mystery to solve. I also love all the mindfuckings this book dealt me and it is a good read that kept me turning the pages. I just expect a little more on the fear factor. So this is more like a 3.8 rounded up to 4 stars for me.

About the Ending and in Answer to Author's Note

I am much relieved the author didn't go with his initial idea of having a silly ending. The current ending was a good pick as it brought a whole new meaning to the story and includes some moral values as well. I liked the twist where..

Spoiler:

Kayla was actually dead and just a figment of Todd's imagination in his desperation to escape his wretched reality. She is much like a guardian angel eventhough at first I thought she's a vengeful ghost wanting to claim her brother's soul to accompany her in the netherworld. Hey, it's a horror book, one would understandably expect scary stuff like that right? Aside from that Kayla twist, I also think that Todd's grief over her beloved sister's dead leading him to self-destruction habits fits really well with the story and it left a chance of redemption in the eyes of the readers when they eventually found out what actually happened to him at the end of the story.

Yes I liked the current ending although I don't mind...

Spoiler:

a 'darker ending' like the one where the Todd didn't make it. I wouldn't be upset with it - just make it a memorable one is all I ask for. *the dark side of me in control at the moment* This is horror after all so HEA can go fuck itself! When you strike, you strike hard and make it count. I would rather have a memorable ending than one that doesn't fit well with the entire story just because of wanting to conform with the demands of the general request for silver-lining. Just my 2-cents and I am in no way saying the current ending suck kay. It works too.

Side Note

Thanks to this book, little-moth-me have found several films featuring this morbid theme of live burials. I am going to list them here just in case they pique your interest too:

1) Buried (2010)

2) Brake (2012)

3) CSI Las Vegas Season 5 Episode 24 & 25 (Grave Danger) - directed by Quentin Taratino  ;)

Knowing a curious cat like me, I couldn't say no to these wicked films and will absolutely be watching them slowly. I know that this wouldn't be a good idea to dispel my fear of live burials, I just can't stop myself from wanting to know more. >_<; 

I am reading this book because of this image and its blurb....

The image disturbed me a lot. Yet I couldn't help but to find it mesmerizingly beautiful.

Image Credit: yd84 @ Deviantart.com

BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Buried

Author: Matt Shaw

Publication Date: August 4th, 2012

Publisher: Indie publishing

Type: Short Story, 12,840 words (approximate)

Genre: Horror Mystery Fiction, Psychological Thriller

Tags/Keywords: coffin, buried alive, box, confinement, captivity, claustrophobia, claustrophobic, young man, suffocating, unstable mind, hallucination, cramped, mindfuck

Description:

I've stopped panicking now. Not because I'm not scared. I just know panicking won't help the situation. It'll only serve to make it worse. Need to try and remain calm for as long as possible. Control my breathing. Save my oxygen. I breathed in and coughed. The air in here is stale. I hope I'm not in here for long. Please, dad. Don't let me be here for long. Please. I started to cry. Helpless.

* * * * *

The day after his 21st Birthday Party, Todd woke to find himself trapped in a box with nothing but broken memories for company. Told through his eyes, live his fear and feel his claustrophobia as he frantically tries to piece together what happened, who buried him and why in Matt Shaw's new horror novella.

Cover Design: Yaryshev Evgeny (www.yd84.deviantart.com)(less)

* Reviewed on February 24th, 2014

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[REVIEW] Cursed Blessings by Lynn Kelling

Cursed Blessings by Lynn Kelling

Recommended for: Mpreg aficionados

Read from February 20 to 21, 2014 — I own a copy, read count: 1

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cursed Blessings has full frontal on-page male birth scene in vivid colors. So unlike many other mpreg books that usually safely employs an off-page birth scene (boo). To date I have only read one that has on-page birth scenes (yes in plural) and that was a quirky M/M scifi book called Acquainted with the Night by Tymber Dalton of which I adored to bits as it has everything my deviant little mind could ever ask for - (Check out my checklist here).

The difference between the two is that the birth scenes in Acquainted has an arousing aspect to it unlike this book plus it wasn't anything as intense or graphic as what that poor guy in this book has gone through. The birth here was very traumatic and somewhat gruesome. I really have to salute the protagonist for his balls of steel in his brave attempt to save a life and his remaining male pride knowing the macabre he has to face to achieving his goal. That tub scene is going to stay put in my mind and I shall replay it whenever I felt I need a bit of morbidity in my M/M books.

Nope. This IS NOT an erotica as I don't think what happened is meant to arouse someone unless that someone gets off on morbid stuff. I am not sure what it really is. What I know is that it contains bit of male romance and a shot of the paranormal forces. Whatever it is, I liked it. I liked the author's brave take on mpreg and it is really well written. The pregnancy and birth has a touch of realism in it although it IS an impossible feat for a male's body to perform unless he magically grew a womb, which isn't too far of a stretch here with the presence of paranormal elements in the story. I guess the author pulled it off successfully. I loved it and it left me wanting more.

I love this cover. So daring.

BOOK DETAILS:

Title:Cursed Blessings

Author: Lynn Kelling

Publication Date: December 19th, 2013

Publisher: Fantastic Fiction Publishing

Type: Short Story, 5,300 words (approximate)

Genre: Gay/Bi Mpreg Paranormal Fiction

Tags/Keywords: gay, bisexual, paranormal, mpreg, pregnancy, birthing, birth, home birth, self-mutilation, horror, gore, pain, trauma

Description:

Lev Baxter’s life has been spent searching for the truth of the world’s dark mysteries, and hiding from his own secrets. Burdened by love and lust for his married best friend, Shaw Montgomery, Lev escapes into the arms of countless, unnamed women in foreign lands, far from his true temptation. But Shaw seeks him out and Lev succumbs. The price he pays lies in a Romanian demon’s curse, and his guilt drives him into hiding. When the curse comes to fruition and Lev has no choice but to carve it from his body, no amount of running or hiding can save him from the truths which find him at last. (M/M)

* Reviewed on February 21st, 2014

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[REVIEW] Winner Takes All: Master/Slave Fantasies by Christopher Pierce

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[REVIEW] Maverick's Mate [Brac Pack Manga Book 1] by Lynn Hagen

Maverick's Mate [Brac Pack Manga Book 1] by Lynn Hagen

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Read from February 11 to 13, 2014 — I own a copy, read count: 1

2 Stars for the Story Massacre and Mood Killing Effect

I am going to be very frank as usual. Here goes...

The artwork was substandard. It was unrefined and unprofessionally done - typeface too small, non-standardized font size plus bad choice of font type. Besides that, I have also caught a few typos. >_<

I have actually read the novel version of this story and happened to loved it. I have a soft spot for bratty mates with their growly domineering wolves. I am sad to say that this manga has marred the original story and everything I ever held dear in it.

Weak storyline presentation with appalling paneling skill made the story confusing and frustrating to read. On top of that, the dialogue was annoying - it was like kids speech pattern. Another thing that I hated most about it was the way parts of the story was recklessly chopped off which only further the confusion. New readers of this story would undoubtedly be lost and annoyed. I could still follow it all because I have read the novel version of it prior to tackling this manga adaptation.

What about the sex scenes? Well I... cringe a lot during the sex scenes. Nothing erotic or sexy about it. Errr there's much drool exchange too. Ugh.[cringe during the sex scenes. Nothing erotic or sexy about it. Errr there's much drool exchange too. Ugh. (hide spoiler)]

Yes, I am very disappointed and wouldn't be recommending this manga to anyone especially the manga fans. I hope there will be vast improvement in the next installment of this series. For Lynn Hagen, I would add another star since I loved the original story of hers (not the mutilated version in this manga). I wish I could go beyond that but I am having a hard time finding redeeming features within its pages.

Honestly, I am grateful and happy that the author and publisher of this series has decided to produce a manga adaptation, yet I am disheartened by their selection of an inexperienced manga artist for such an important project. Not only would this compromise the project, it would also reflect badly upon the author's work.

A book cover comparison between the manga and the novel version:

I am quite fond of the novel cover. I liked how Cecil looked.

BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Maverick's Mate Brac Pack Manga Book 1 - Explicit Version

Series: Brac Pack Series

Author: Lynn Hagen

Cover Design: Emma Nicole

Art Design: Nekito-ototo

Publication Date: January 7th, 2014

Publisher: Siren Publishing

Type: Manga

Genre: Yaoi, Boys Love, Gay, Contemporary, Romance, Supernatural/Paranormal Fantasy

Tags/Keywords: wolf shifters, wolf mate, mating, biting, claiming, anal sex, oral sex, possessive lover, domineering loving seme, rebellious uke, bikers, insta-love

Description:

[Siren Everlasting Classic ManLove: Erotic Alternative Paranormal Romance, M/M, werewolves] EXPERIENCE THE START OF LYNN HAGEN'S CLASSIC SERIES IN A WHOLE NEW WAY!

Maverick Brac has formed a pack of his own, naming them the Brac Pack. With fourteen men under him, they all have one thing in common, the preference for men.

Cecil Walter was living a life no one would wish on their enemy in an abusive relationship with his partner with no way out. Getting away from pack problems and a migraine, Maverick indulges in his one secret love, Chai tea. While in the coffee shop trying to forget the world outside exists for five minutes, Maverick has found what he never thought to have, his mate, his very human mate.

Rescuing Cecil from his abusive boyfriend to finding out who in his pack is trying to take Cecil’s life, Maverick has his work cut out for him, but the largest challenge is getting Cecil to come out of his shell and be the man he once was. ** A Siren Erotic Romance.

* Reviewed on February 12th, 2014

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