Sarah A. DenzilRezensionen

It's a pity that the plot is so holey, because I liked the protagonist and her son. She is a strong woman, with a believable inner world. He is a traumatised boy, not too outlandish as a character in a thriller novel.
The problem is that this woman needs a blessing, or to rethink her method in choosing the people around her. So does her son.

HEAVY SPOILERS AHEAD




COME ON. On the same day, this boy is encouraged to leave the school during a flood cum storm by the teacher, pushed into the river by a psycho who brainwashed the teacher because he wanted to possess mommy with a long-term homicidal plan, AND THEN is fished and imprisoned for ten years by an unrelated, random psycho rapist who happened to be the husband of mommy's bestie. Seriously, my suspension-of-disbelief machine just grinded to a halt in a cloud of oily smoke.
Three stars all the same, because I really liked the main character, and because the writing was solid. Good brainless entertainment with a deeper look at how women are often judged severely even for their traumas, but the improbable double twist and the happy bloody ending require a certain degree of sense of humour not to throw the book from the window.

This book was great, as a mother it is absolutely one of the most horrific things that your child could go through, I bawled my eyes out, I felt everything this mom and child did, I couldn't imagine going through any of it.

Sarah has a true grasp for detail. I felt like I was in the same place in which the story took place. This is the first book I've read written by her. I will definitely be reading more.
This story was very well written. It kept me in suspense until the end. It's one of those books you don't want to put down!

Loved this book. Was looking for something suspenseful and snagged this and was delighted to find out not only was it a great thriller, but one of the main characters is a daughter dealing with a challenging mentally unstable mother. I have a background in Psychology so this was an awesome read.

unimaginative plot and an unsympathetic protagonist

I wrote a review of the book "The Stranger in Our House" by Sarah A. Denzil immediately after reading it. My emotions haven't subsided yet. I can honestly tell you that it's a real horror. I was scared while reading this book. The author wrote it in so many different formats that it was great to read. This book drew me in. Sometimes I see a black dog with red eyes and an angry expression in front of me. Is it good or bad? If you like to be scared while reading, be sure to read this book. This novel is perfect for a film script. Who knows, maybe someday there will be a film based on this book. Here I came across strange local beliefs and legends. I was dealing with a beast. I didn't know who was good and who was terrible. A family of four moves to the countryside. After some time, their son disappears into the forest. He is found three days later. Unfortunately, he's not the same 15-year-old he was before he disappeared. What happened next was terrifying. You must read it. I leave you with the question: What are parents capable of to save their child? The end of the whole story is improbable. I didn't expect this turn of events. It's the bomb for me. Plus for the author because I believed her. Well done, Sarah A. Denzil. In short, reading "The Stranger in Our House" will give you fear, terror, hysteria, strange beliefs and unbelievable beliefs. Are you afraid of the dark? Would you go into a forest at night where graves are hidden? I will add right away that I like the author's imagination. Three-quarters of the story is the diaries of the whole family, plus other people's notes. I was very surprised by the drawings that I found in this book. They sparked my imagination even more. This book is very exciting. Thank you for making me sleepless now. Hahaha. I recommend reading it at night because the experience will be better. You will then put yourself in the shoes of Noah, his sister Uma and their parents.

Unique book written in several different forms and formats. It becomes a bit fantastical at the end but is an intriguing story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Wordy
Long

You Are Invited

The premise of this book was promising and I was excited, but despite the creepy moments, this book was weighted down with so much emotional baggage that it became exhausting and annoying.

Another in my long string of whiny female protagonists, I’ve about had it with the undercutting reflections and inner monologue. Despite the “mental illness” presented in this story, I feel it was a real disservice to those who may suffer from many of the maladies mentioned.

The backstory of the monastery and the entire Event was compelling, and the story would have been much better if Denzil had done more to flesh that out, but the psychological versus paranormal ghosts debate made it less thriller and more soap opera.

Characters were well developed in this story and you mourn losses and are horrified by violence described, it is no secret that this author is talented, but the “haunted” character trope needs to be handled with care and Cath just came off as sullen and fretful. She isn’t someone I would want to be around, let alone read an entire story from her point of view.

At times, this book was a page-turner and then there were other times I wanted to shut this book and never go back, especially in the end when the book lagged way past the conclusion.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

Mediocre mystery. Rather predictable with kind of a thin plot.

Nice gothically creepy story. The twist was not what i had suspected but still good. I liked that the author didn't need to be too graphic with the details in order to get her point across.

I was really intrigued by the premise of a retreat for social media influencers and the setting in a monastery in Transylvania sounded eerily perfect but at 16% in I'm just not scared, and am starting to lose interest. It's just not for me. DNF at 16%

Wow! Just wow! I really don't know what to say! I picked this book up this morning & I just put it down so 11 & a half hours later I have finished it! Such a thrilling ride! The twists & turns and the suspense is amazing! I swear I thought I had this figured out a few times and then at the end I was like "yup I got this" and there it was the final twist! I absolutely didn't see that coming! Fast paced & the writing is engaging! Absolutely amazing read!

Thank you Insta Book Tours & Sarah A. Denzil for sharing this amazing book with me!

I had it figured out about 1/3 of the way through, it was still a good book but the surprise factor wasn’t there that all the rave reviews promised

Another novel with a lot of hype that did not exactly live up to it for me. A boy named Aiden, presumed to be dead during a devastating flood, comes back after ten years as a sixteen-year-old, bearing signs of confinement and abuse but does not speak at all. His return, and his silence, cause a lot of distress to his mother, Emma, who has finally let go of her son's ghost to start living again with a kind, caring man, Jake, and is carrying his child. As much as he cares for his wife, Jake is not too happy with the mute and seemingly psychologically damaged Aiden hogging all her attention. Emma's determination to find out what happened to Aiden throws up a lot of unsavoury experiences and threatens to tear apart her newfound life.

The plot is quite gripping and the pages turn fast as the tension keeps building up. The description of the locales, atmosphere and the characters is vivid. One could immediately sympathise with Emma as she is grappling with Aiden's return from the dead. And it is horrifying to imagine what Aiden would have undergone for ten long years that has made him unable even to speak.

All of this makes Silent Child almost a compelling read. The reason for the 'almost' is that none of the characters - even the good ones - are likeable. Emma, the central character of this story, herself wallows in self-pity so much that it quickly becomes annoying. And there are several important matters that are not convincingly resolved, making the experience less than satisfactory.

I will not say I disliked Silent Child. But, I had expected it to be much better - going by the rave reviews...

While this wasn’t my favorite of all the authors books I’ve read, I think that’s just because the bar was set so high! I still found this one to be intriguing, consuming and full of twists. Would definitely recommend and look forward to Denzil’s next thriller!!

It’s a dark story…a graphic story…a story with details that many will find uncomfortable…but in spite of those things…if you enjoy a dark, gripping mystery… what you won’t be able to do is put it down. Usually I can name the “bad guy” within a few chapters, but not true with this one. All of the characters were written to play their roles well and there is a truly unexpected twist that really surprised me. The only criticism I have concerning this book is that at the end there was suddenly a score of really bad, criminal type people. It just seemed to me to be seemed to be way too many undesirables for a village as small as this one was portrayed to be. I have recently read another book by this author which I thoroughly enjoyed and the same is true for this one.

I saw this book on the website of one of my favorite ghost story writers…Darcey Coates. While it wasn’t necessarily recommended by Ms, Coates herself…she did give a blurb about the book that sounded intriguing. I thought the book started out rather slow and it took some time to actually pick up where something was happening besides the other participants meeting and assessing one another. I actually thought the story to be slightly muddled for lack of a better word. It seemed the author couldn’t quiet decide in which direction she wanted the story to go. I know that this author can write a well told tale and her writing style is easy to read…but not so much on this one. The idea of combining a traditional ghost story in a remote Romanian nunnery, long deserted after the nuns were all murdered....along with wolves....maybe even a vampire...blend with the ultra-modern world of Internet influence and technology and you have a good story that could have worked well...but this one just didn’t do it for me they way I had hoped. The best part was when the 6th uninvited participant appeared.. I’ll give it 3 stars just because I feel it may have been more me than the story itself that felt "off".

An English woman is going for a morning jog when she notices a lost little girl in the park by her house. As the mother rushes up to claim her daughter, Fran notices that both mother and daughter dress and act differently. As the town treats these people poorly by cruelly gossiping and leaving graffiti on their house, Fran becomes worried as the mother has left her the cryptic message "Things are not what they seem". She has seen the bruises on both girls at this point and fears their lives are in danger and she is right as she comes back to the United States to try to save them from one of the scariest things of all, a cult. One who will stop at nothing to carry out their cruel plans. I found this book to be very slow at first, but it picked up very quickly. I was surprised by a twist that was thrown in and was like "Wow, did that just happen"? So if you find yourself thinking you cannot get into this book, just wait a little bit longer as you won't be disappointed. Thank you NetGalley, this was quite the breathtaking read!

Review of eBook

Fran Cole, out for her regular early morning jog, finds a little girl standing near the swings. Her name is Esther; she tells Fran Father is coming. But, Esther informs her, Father lives in Arizona. Before Fran can respond to this, Esther’s mother arrives, breathless and worried and in search of the child.

Fran can’t keep from wondering [and worrying] about the child and her young mother. It isn’t long before Fran has invited Mary to come to choir, she’s friended Mary on Facebook, and she jogs past the Whitaker home.

Fran’s husband, Adrian, warns her about becoming so involved with the family, but Fran fails to heed his advice. And then, one day . . . without warning . . . they’re gone.

Fran is certain something terrible will happen to Esther and she vows to do everything possible to save her. But first, she’ll have to solve the mystery of the family’s disappearance.

The story has a continual undercurrent of tension, which keeps the reader on edge [and keeps the pages turning]. Readers are certain to agree with Fran’s assessment that there is something wrong in the family, but the unfolding story holds its secrets close, jealously guarding them, and revealing only bits and pieces to keep readers guessing.

Esther’s mother, Mary, seems quite vulnerable but completely devoted to her daughter. Esther is not a very likable child; readers are likely to find it difficult to relate to the little girl. And when the story focuses on her viewpoint, she certainly seems far older and wiser than the mere seven years she’s supposed to be . . . it’s a bit of a disconnect for the reader since the character’s thoughts and actions seldom typify those of a typical seven-year-old child.

Fran’s almost-immediate obsession with the Whitaker family is difficult to understand; dropping everything to travel to Arizona in search of the family is simply incomprehensible.

There’s a huge plot twist as the unfolding story approaches a particularly compelling situation . . . and the revelation is staggering. Totally out of left field, totally unpredicted; a massive surprise.

It also stretches the willing suspension of disbelief to the breaking point, leaving readers rolling their eyes in incredulity. After the obsession, the incomprehensible actions, and the cringe-worthy cult revelations, it’s just a bit too much to ask the reader to accept.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op
#LittleOne #NetGalley

I don't know what it is but in October and November, I read a few books with a Transylvania/Romania/Vampire/old and possibly haunted building theme. This is another book to add to that collection. A group of 5 Internet Influencers are invited by a famous Internet star to a remote monastery in Transylvania. It is like an episode of Big Brother except for the remote and creepy location. They will be watched online by thousands of viewers paying different tiers for access. The story has many elements to it: horror, suspense, mystery, folklore. It also has the feel of "And Then There Were None" to it. I enjoyed the suspenseful build and the fact that you could not be sure if the happenings were supernatural or human made. I wasn't too keen on the characters and the ending felt like a bit of a let down but I think I was expecting something different. That is my issue and not the book's issue. All in all, I enjoyed reading this one.

Overall, this is a fast and engaging read . Five social media personalities (each representing a specific "personality" type - the jock, the gamer, the popular girl, etc), isolated in an abandoned convent in the Carpathian mountains to participate in The Event.It's an intriguing set-up and Denzil creates a moody/spooky atmosphere as a perfect set up for a ghost story. There were some interesting twits and turns, although it tended towards the predictable. Still, though, a fun read, and would be a good lighgly spooky read during the Halloween season.

One note, the portrayal of mental illness was...okay(ish). The author attempts to present mental illness in a realistic(ish) manner, but I always struggle when there is an implication that if a person "deals with their issues" that they can suddenly just stop taking medication. One, that's usually a terrible idea for a person's body if you just suddenly stop taking certain types of medication (withdrawal), two, taking medication is not a weakness or a crutch, its a tool for many to be able to function. My rating for the book was definitely negatively impacted by this decision, and I dropped a star.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, this is a fast and engaging read . Five social media personalities (each representing a specific "personality" type - the jock, the gamer, the popular girl, etc), isolated in an abandoned convent in the Carpathian mountains to participate in The Event.It's an intriguing set-up and Denzil creates a moody/spooky atmosphere as a perfect set up for a ghost story. There were some interesting twits and turns, although it tended towards the predictable. Still, though, a fun read, and would be a good lighgly spooky read during the Halloween season.

One note, the portrayal of mental illness was...okay(ish). The author attempts to present mental illness in a realistic(ish) manner, but I always struggle when there is an implication that if a person "deals with their issues" that they can suddenly just stop taking medication. One, that's usually a terrible idea for a person's body if you just suddenly stop taking certain types of medication (withdrawal), two, taking medication is not a weakness or a crutch, its a tool for many to be able to function. My rating for the book was definitely negatively impacted by this decision, and I dropped a star.

As soon as I read the synopsis for Poison Orchids by Sarah A. Denzil and Anni Taylor, I was hooked. This sounded like something I could really sink my teeth right into. I'm a big fan of psychological thrillers, and this one did not disappoint.

Gemma and Hayley end up working on a mango farm for the very rich and very handsome Tate LLewellyn. Everything seems perfect for them...a place to live, a steady income, fun times, and a sense of belonging. However, when Gemma and Hayley end up running out in the middle of the road away from an attacker, their memories start getting foggy. Each girl tells the detectives a different story yet both don't add up. With time running out for Gemma and Hayley, the police must figure out what the real truth is if they want to save the girls.

I found the plot for Poison Orchids to be very interesting. The whole memory thing has been done before, but I felt like Denzil and Taylor gave it an original spin that kept me glued to the book. Yes, there are some parts of the plot that are a little over the top and a bit unbelievable, but even so, the plot holds its own. Despite some of the outrageous scenes, this book held my unwavering attention with its perfect pacing. I found myself wanting to know what would happen next. I found that I couldn't trust anyone (with the exception of the police) in Poison Orchids. It was as if the thrills were never ending throughout this book! While you know almost from the beginning who the baddie is, there are plenty of plot twists throughout that will leave you thinking about them long after you finish the book. However, there are no cliff hangers, and it seemed that all loose ends were tied up by the end of the book.

The characters were well fleshed out and solid. I loved both Gemma and Hayley. Sometimes I would love one more than the other, but in the end, I realized I loved them both equally. I could somewhat relate to both of them.Tate and Rodney were both written very well although I would have liked a bit more backstory on Rodney. Megan, the psychologist, was an interesting character. I enjoyed getting to know her a bit better later on in the book. What I really admired was how much she cared about Gemma and Hayley. Bronwen, the detective on the case, was a no-nonsense type of woman, and I admired that about her. She wanted answers, and she was determined to get them. Even the secondary characters all felt very realistic. I could actually picture each and every character quite easily as I was reading Poison Orchids.

Trigger warnings for Poison Orchids include profanity, alcohol use, drug use, violence, death, murder, attempted suicide, rape, assault, brainwashing, gaslighting, and cults.

All in all, Poison Orchids makes for a thrilling read that will leave you thinking about it long after you've finished reading. It's got fantastic characters and an interesting plot for sure. I would definitely recommend Poison Orchids by Sarah A. Denzil and Anni Taylor to those aged 17+ who are after a great read!½

This book drew me in the very first chapter and wouldn't let me go till the end!
This is a book about two sisters and an incident that happened when they were teenagers that broke up there relationship. Until years later they were both home because there mother was I'll and could not let go of the past.
This was a mysterious and very interesting story.. It had me guessing all through the book. And it was great to see my guessing was wrong. I love to be surprised when I read a book. You will be intrigued the whole way through.. Loved it! 4 1/2 stars