Book Review: Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island by Michael Philip Cash

Title: Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island
Author: Michael Philip Cash
Publisher: Red Feather Publishing
Date of Publication: 2013
Source: received from author for my honest opinion



Goodreads Summary:

Paul Russo’s wife just died. While trying to get his family’s life back in order, Paul is being tormented by a demon who is holding his wife's spirit hostage on the other side. His fate is intertwined with an old haunted mansion on the north shore of Long Island called Stillwell Manor. Paul must find clues dating back hundreds of years to set his wife's soul free.

My Thoughts:

I'm not one for ghost stories.  Never have been.  In fact, whenever I see any movie trailers for those really terrifying movies, like "Paranormal Activity", I yell for the kids to close their eyes as I wrap my fingers around my face like steel.  

But with Stillwell, I found I didn't feel any of the apprehension I usually get with your typical ghost story book.  Yes, there were eerie parts but at the basis of the plot it is really just a love story.   I found there were some very strong emotions in the story that really cling to you.  The grief I felt for Paul was intense but there was also another emotion that seemed to stay just in the background: hope.  
I found myself really relating to the story from the small details to even the major ones.  Just as Paul and his wife had a hard time conceiving and then having twins, my family went through the exact same thing.  I also experienced the pain and despair you go through having a family member go through the ordeal of a brain tumor.    The intensity that Mr. Cash puts in his writing with the experiences that Paul and his family go through was very touching.  The story was fictional but the emotional pain seemed so real.  
Not only did I feel the pain so strong, but I also felt like Stillwell had this "realness" to it like it should have said Based on true events instead of fiction.  That is some really good storytelling to make it seem so real.  
Another concept I really liked in the story, even though it was such a small detail, was how the chapters were divided.  Each chapter was a day and the main story was told over a week's time.  This added a scary touch to the story.  And helped add to the realness I felt from reading it.  

But the "monkey wrench" idea really threw me for a loop.  I really felt that wording seemed to take away from the suspense or thrill of the story.  I would have liked a more serious explanation than that.  
The ending was so-so for me too.  It wasn't terrible and I understand why the author went that direction but I felt like there was so much of a build up with the crime scene, the legend surrounding the Stillwell history, and even the terrifying dreams that I would have liked a more supernatural twist to the ending. 

However, even with my disagreements I still felt that Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island was a enjoyable read.  It has some great elements in it, including ghosts and romance, that really pulled me in the story until I just had to finish it in one day.  I would recommend Michael Philip Cash to anyone who wants a ghost story without all the gore as well as a paranormal romance that will make you feel right along with the characters.  

Connect with Michael Philip Cash:
Goodreads |Website | Twitter |

Get your own copy:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble |


Note: I don't do halves here but I found myself wanting to do 3 and half for this book.  So this book was definitely between 3 and 4 hearts.

Review: Legends of Marithia Book 1 by Peter Koevari

Title: Legends of Marithia: Book 1 Prophecies Awakening
*The Extended and Uncut Second Edition*
Author:Peter Koevari
Series:Legends of Marithia
Publisher: Createaspace (self)
Date of Publication:May 23, 2012
Format: ebook, 210 pages
Source: I received a copy from the author for my honest review
Get your copy at: 

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Goodreads Summary:
When her sorceress mother and vampire king father are brutally murdered, Kassina makes a pact with Shindar, the Demon of Darkness. In exchange for her soul, Kassina obtains power to become the most feared sorceress in all the lands, and vows to exact her revenge on the people for the deaths of her parents. Granted eternal life, Kassina and her evil are never far away. 
For many years, the humans and elves of the mystical world of Marithia have lived in an age of peace. But that peace is shattered when King Arman is slain by his own son, a pawn of the vampire sorceress Kassina. Arman’s murder sparks the most brutal and bloody war ever seen between the Forces of Darkness and the peaceful Marithians. 
In the midst of the conflict, Vartan, a young knight wrongfully outcast from King Arman’s court, reluctantly discovers he is the subject of a prophecy involving the fabled weapon, Talonsphere. In alliance with the legendary dragons, he finds himself with the opportunity to rid the world of Kassina and her dark armies forever, and finally return Marithia to an era of peace.

My Feelings:
This is one of those stories where I found myself knowing the antagonist was evil and horrible but...I felt for the losses she occurred before she became the evil sorceress and destroyer.
Yes. I pitied Kassina.  And yes I also know of the terrible things that she does.  But hey remember there is gray areas.
Legends of Marithia is a high fantasy with elves, dragons, knights, and then...wait for it....vampires.  I know right?!!
Mr. Koevari takes two genres, horror and fantasy, and combines them to create this awesome novel!
I have to admit the Prologue was one of my favorite parts of the story because it shows us the how and why everything started. So we get that peek into why Kassina decided to be the most powerful and evil vampire of all time.  Basically one action by some dumb idiotic fake king (I guess I was affected a little) set this war in motion.
There is a little bit of romance in this, just a little bit. That isn't really the important part in this story, though it is the binding emotion in the background,  love for your family, for you people, and love for chosen one.  I think loyalty is the emotion that I found to be the strong suit for many of these characters.
You have to give props to some of these people that gave their lives for those faiths that they believe in, including the royal family.
The plot was complex and had many different strands that connected everything together but still left questions unanswered.
The characters are pretty interesting to me.  Most of the time, elves are the ones I automatically find myself drawn to, but not in this story.  In this fantasy, I fell in love with the Dragons.  They are such noble, proud and smart creatures and they do not disappoint in this story.
Vartan, one of our protagonists, is a true knight in every sense of the word.  He grows as a character and I really liked the fact that he plays such a huge part in the story.
There are many other characters that are important and I am sure you will find one to fall in love with too.
All in all, this is a great mix of epic fantasy with horror sprinkled throughout that could satisfy fans of both genres.
I gave Legends of Marithia: Prophecies Awakening four hearts!

ARC Review: Hacienda Moon (The Path Seekers) by KaSonndra Leigh

Title: Hacienda Moon
Author: KaSonndra Leigh
Series: The Path Seekers
Publisher: TriGate Group
Date of Publication: July 28, 2012
Formats:  ebook 280 pages
Source: received a copy from author for my honest opinion
Barnes and Noble / Amazon

Good Reads Summary:
Love, obsession, and betrayal, the most powerful human emotions, are spun together in this gothic novel. Tandie Harrison is a police medium who has just suffered a divorce after losing both her psychic visions and her daughter in a car accident. When she leaves New York City to start a new life near her hometown, she moves into the alluring plantation house, Chelby Rose, and falls for its charismatic caretaker, Eric Fontalvo. Their burgeoning affair ignites a centuries old curse, ensnaring them in a web of danger, deceit, and intrigue. Soon Tandie learns that in placid Bolivia, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected.

Hacienda Moon is a seductive tale of one woman’s journey to confront the demons of her past and find the courage to face her future. It is a mesmerizing novel that explores the deepest depths of human nature, and the characters will hold and haunt you long after you have read the final chapter.

My Feelings:

Most importantly, I need to scream at the top of my lungs, " Wow!!!  I fell completely in love with this book from the very first page!!"
The very first page already had me on the same emotional coaster that our heroine was on, the writing is so good that I literally had to put my Kindle down to grab a tissue and get my tears under control.  I kept repeating to myself over and over, "Why??!!?"  But the book had me hooked like a fish in the pond.

I loved the fact it was set in the south, especially a creepy quiet town that has its fair share of ghost stories that even adults still fear.  And yes there are some very interesting small towns out there in rural America that will have you afraid of the dark from the histories.
 It is strange for me; I am scared to hear the stories but I can't help but listen, kinda like when you cover your eyes but peek through your fingers at a gory movie.  That's me basically!
But Hacienda Moon was a haunting take on love that travels through the generations and curses that still affect people today.  It was eerie, romantic, scary, funny, and really breathtaking.  I was floored by this novel.
The plot was well planned out and every detail of the story plays an important part in our character, Tandie's life.  I can't stand when a story will go off on a tangent and it have no basis on the actual story.  Hacienda Moon doesn't do this at all.  Every encounter, even if it seemed small, ties in so expertly that it leaves you saying to yourself wow I never thought about it like that.
Tandie is definitely an interesting character.  She is a medium who worked with the police for many years until something terrible happens and she loses her "sight".  She tries to put her life back together by moving away to an old house with its own troubled past.
Besides Tandie, we have a lot of supporting characters that are so mysterious I had a hard time figuring out who to trust and who to keep my eyes on.
And of course Saul Chelby was one of my guilty favorites.  That is all I am going to say about the lovely Saul.  (I loved the names in the stories, they are so awesome!)
Annnnd Enter Eric.  What a southern gentlemen!! Scratch that: a sexy southern gentlemen who has his own secret past that makes everything a little more touchy and hot.
  As I read through the novel, I felt more and more like Chelby Rose Manor was more of a character than the setting.  It is so full of life and mystery.  The illustration  on the front cover is a beautiful recreation of the house our author, KaSonndra Leigh, crafts in the pages of her novel.
Hacienda Moon is one of those wonderfully written books that can't be contained in just one genre, but instead delves into many like mystery, a paranormal thriller, romance, and a little bit of some historical fiction in it for good measure.

I am absolutely in love with this new series and I had to give Hacienda Moon 5 hearts!

I have found a new author that I will keep my eyes on and a new series destined to be one of my favorites!

Review :Ilona the Hun: Birthright

Ilona the Hun:Birthright

Erika M. Szabo

Published: Sept. 20, 2011 

I received the book, Ilona the Hun:Birthright, in exchange for my honest review of it.
This story was so-so for me.  It wasn't terrible, but it didn't hold my fascination like some plots can.  As far as historical facts and information regarding Hun history and beliefs, this was an exceptional book to read.  Just for that purpose alone, wasn't enough for me.
It is about a woman named Ilona who turns 29; according to Hun tradition this is one of the 3 stages of a true adult.  With the coming of this birthday, Ilona begins receiving different powers and abilities  that she has no idea how to use.  She is also having dreams of a man that she believes may be her "soulmate". And to top all of that off, she has this strange and evil man trying to kill her in unusual ways.

The chapters are arranged beautifully by incorporating the language of the Huns and the their beliefs about different flowers.  This part was nice to know because I have always wondered about the color of flowers as well as representation of the different types of flowers.
I just couldn't get into how the book was written, though.  It was in journal form, which didn't bother me that much, but Ilona has a lot of inner dialogue throughout the book. I guess I wanted a little more action and a little less talking.  I also tended to get confused because of how Ilona would jump from subject to subject in the blink of an eye.
The actual story would have been very interesting with all the magical qualities in it, the threat of death, and the blossoming of love in it, but I just feel like the story went so slow that I couldn't get really excited about it.
I also couldn't understand how Ilona could get so freaked out about having a healing touch, but then come back and plainly state that she has the ability to slow down time.  If you have one magical asset then wouldn't you be more open to having more?
There were some good parts in the story but overall I found the story boring.   I also wished the author would have give us a little something more about the "big secret" of the Hun tradition but I felt like the author wanted to divulge that in the following books.
The story just kinda stops at the end.  I felt a little disappointed that it just kinda ended.  But there is an excerpt at the end for book 2, and then you get the cliffhanger.
I am not sure if I will read the second book, I am curious to know some things but I just don't know if I could follow along.
If you are looking for a book that reads more like an informational story then this book is a great one to read.  But if you want something with a little more substance to the plot, then you might want to pass on it.


If you are interested in this book and would like to read it yourself then you can get it on Amazon for the Kindle:


You can also buy it in paperback there and at Barnes and Noble.