The Wide Game by Michael West | Virtual Tour

Last October my Halloween read was Spook House by Michael West. In my review, I mentioned "a strong desire to pick up The Wide Game next." I very excited Seventh Star Press has just reissued Michael West's The Wide Game. I'm also very excited to take part in the The Wide Game blog tour!

Book Description

On the advice of his wife, Paul Rice is making plans to attend his 10th year High School reunion. Returning to his boyhood home of Harmony, Indiana, he finds that he is still haunted by memories of that time-memories of Deidra, his first love, and memories of the Wide Game. It was ten years ago that Paul and his friends watched their day of fun become a race for their lives, a fight for their very souls.

Now, as he meets the survivors of that day once more, Paul makes a chilling discovery: the incomprehensible forces that toyed with them have yet to finish playing their own game.

The Wide Game is one of the Harmony, Indiana horror novels from Michael West, which also include Cinema of Shadows and Spook House.

The Wide Game is the first book in Michael West's Harmony, Indiana series although they are each stand alone. If you want to check out what I thought about the rest of the Harmony, Indiana books you can read my reviews of Cinema of Shadows and Spook House.


About Michael West

Michael West is the critically-acclaimed author of The Wide Game, Cinema of Shadows, Spook House, Skull Full of Kisses, and the Legacy of the Gods series. A graduate of Indiana University, with a degree in Telecommunications and Film Theory, West has written a multitude of short stories, articles, and reviews for various on-line and print publications. He lives and works in the Indianapolis area with his wife, their two children, their bird, Rodan, their turtle, Gamera, and their dog, King Seesar.

His children are convinced that spirits move through the woods near their home.

Website: http://www.bymichaelwest.com
Twitter: @bymichaelwest


Blog Tour

You can check out the rest of the tour which includes reviews, interviews, guest posts, and a giveaway here.

Red Hill by Jamie McGuire | Book Review

Red Hill is a zombie/post-apocalyptic novel from Jamie McGuire.

Book Description

When the world ends, can love survive?

For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.

When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.

Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

Review

Let me get this out of the way first. I absolutely thought this was going to be a romance novel with a zombie apocalypse backdrop. No, no, no. That's not at all what this was which is a very good thing. This was a straight up, classic zombie novel. There was romance, sure, but not until well past halfway into the book.

There were things I loved about Red Hill. For one, I loved that everyone knew it was the zombie apocalypse. I get so tired of zombie books where no one ever calls them zombies. They make up stupid names for them and eventually figure out only a head shot will kill them. They eventually renamed the zombies in Red Hill, too, but it wasn't out of ignorance. Everyone had perfect clarity regarding what was happening and what needed to be done.

There were things I didn't love about this book, too, though. At the heart of every survival story, there has to be a struggle for basic needs. Obtaining, supplying, and rationing things like food for one. No one other than the zombies should be that well fed.

I also had some serious trouble with the characters and their reactions to the wide spread death toll as well as the sentiment behind the ending.

I do admittedly have some zombie book pet peeves, but the truth is I love the shambling, people eating, low moaning, decaying undead. I really, really do. As a zombie book, I did really enjoy the presence of classic zombies. I'm that easy to please. I just wish I had been more of a fan of the living in Red Hill as well.

5/10: Decent Read

Anthology Month | October 2013

Up until the last few years I was a huge anthology reader. Long time followers may know I love short fiction, but I haven't had much opportunity to express that here on Book Den. Back in the day - the day being when horror fiction was widely published and available in mass market format - I was never at a loss for a great adult horror novel. What got me really excited, though, were anthologies like these:

Over the years, many factors have changed the face of horror including the move toward digital publishing. Suddenly short fiction is in abundance, and I'm left wondering where all of the novel length horror is hiding. The digital publishing age has greatly expanded my access to small press horror, and I find I'm reading a lot more short horror fiction than full length novels these days. As a result, the amount of anthologies I read has greatly declined.

October is my favorite month of the year, and each year when October rolls around I still get a strong desire to curl up with a great anthology and lose myself in a variety of stories. I've decided to make October anthology month each year here on Book Den. For one, I want to keep my passion for anthologies alive. I also want to celebrate everything I love about collections of short fiction.

This year is going to be pretty low key. I have a lot lined up this month that is not anthology related, but I plan to take some time throughout the month to brainstorm for next year. If you have any ideas or would like to get involved this month or in the future, please don't hesitate to let me know!

Are you a reader of short fiction? Do you enjoy a great anthology or are you a full length novel reader only? I'd love to hear some of your favorite anthologies! (They do not have to be horror related.) Let me hear from you in the comments.

September Edition | That's a Wrap

September was such a busy month especially with my family trying to get back into the new school year routine. Despite the chaos, I managed to get in some quality reading.

The books I finished during the month of September are:

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2) by Rick Riordan
The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentlemen Bastards #1) by Scott Lynch
House of Rain by Greg F. Gifune
What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Instructions by Neil Gaiman

^ The links will take you to my reviews.

Did you have a great September? My plans for October are far, far larger than days in the month, but here's to dreaming. I love forward to October in the blogging world each year. Lots of folks who don't read the scary things have a tendency to broaden their creepy horizons during the month of October. This is a very good thing.

Let me hear from you! Were you happy with your reading progress in September? Do you have big (maybe even scary) plans for October? Be sure to let me know in the comments!

September 30 | Currently Reading

Last week was not made for reading. We are going to be moving soon so I spent most of the week/weekend packing and hauling stuff into our PODS unit. My kids were at grandmas over the weekend so the only downtime I would have normally spent reading I spent watching TV. I do not get to watch much (good) TV with three kids in the house.

Last week posted my review for Greg Gifune's House of Rain. I also posted about the banned books I read with my kids.

I started reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond, but I didn't finish reading it before Doctor Sleep arrived. I had to start Doctor Sleep immediately and so far it's even better than I was expecting.

Did you read anything special for banned books week? I'd love to hear what you are reading this week. Let me know in the comments or leave me a link!

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This post is being shared as part of Book Journey's It's Monday! What Are You Reading?