Scary stories

Alice’s Wonderland of Hell

ByMichael Thal January 22, 2018

Alice the Player is the third novel in the Serenity House series by A.W. Exley. This series is a sequential one meaning the author has connected the plots of her novels chronologically so readers are best served beginning with book one. In this case that’s Ella the Slayer (read Pop’s review). Alice the Player picks…

A Cinderella Story Like No Other

ByMichael Thal January 2, 2018

Ella the Slayer isn’t your everyday fairytale adaptation of the Cinderella fantasy. Eleanor Cowie’s father is a knight and her deceased mother, who died when Ella turned ten, was a humble maid. Prior to fighting in the Great War (WWI), Eleanor’s father, Sir Jeffrey, married Elizabeth, the mother of two daughters, Louise and Charlotte. When…

Give the Gift of Learning this Holiday Season

ByMichael Thal November 9, 2017

Holiday shopping is right around the corner. Are you really looking forward to spending hours fighting for a parking spot or waiting in long checkout lines at Macy’s, Sears, or Best Buy? If you want to avoid the hassles, think about buying your favorite child a book this year. You will want your book choice…

Release Blitz: Monsterland- A YA Horror Story

ByMichael Thal October 16, 2017

About the Book Title: Monsterland Author: Michael Okon Genre: YA Welcome to Monsterland—the scariest place on Earth. The last couple years of high school have not been fun for Wyatt Baldwin. His parents divorce, then his dad mysteriously dies. He’s not exactly comfortable with his new stepfather, Carter White, either. An on-going debate with his…

Flying to the Fire: A YA Thriller

ByMichael Thal July 22, 2017July 22, 2017

Flying to the Fire is the second book in Elyse Salpeter’s Flying Series. The central character, Danny Anderson, a thirteen-year old deaf child with special gifts, has the unique talent of communicating with the souls of the dead. In the first book in the series, Flying to the Light, Danny is six when a crazy corrupt…

A Twilight Zone Story for Kids

ByMichael Thal June 27, 2017June 27, 2017

Many young readers may not know much about “Twilight Zone,” an anthology series hosted by Rod Serling that ran for five seasons from 1959-1964. Episodes included psychological horror and thrillers, fantasy and science fiction. Usually an episode ended with a macabre twist. Author Majanka Verstraete undoubtedly was influenced by Serling’s TV show when she wrote…

Zoo II: A James Patterson Thriller

ByMichael Thal May 4, 2017May 4, 2017

Throw away your cell phones and euthanize your chihuahua for Earth is ensnared in a global epidemic. For about two decades the world community has been battling Human-Animal Conflict (HAC) where animal behavior has gone amok. Wild and domestic animals are attacking innocent people. The theory accepted by the scientific community explains that the phenomenon is due to an abundance of…

A Creepy Anthology of Horror Tales

ByMichael Thal April 26, 2017

Ricket Row is an anthology of creepy horror tales by Elyse Salpeter, the author of The Mannequins. A few of the short stories read more like outlines while others were well developed short stories with satisfying endings. Many of the stories included zombies, vampires, and ghosts—welcomed fare for creepy tales of horror. “Mrs. O’Malley’s Children”…

New Year’s Resolution: Read More…And Here’s Why

ByMichael Thal December 27, 2016

What are you reading? It’s a simple question that could elicit a complex response and an exchange of ideas. It’s a question that can cut through all the tedious niceties and get right to the issue—the depth of your mind and that of your friend. This is our time of year for resolutions. “I’ll lose…

Book Blast: 2016 Books by SCBWI Authors

ByMichael Thal October 19, 2016

The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCWBI) is holding its annual six-week Book Blast promotion that started October 10 and will continue until November 18, 2016. Book Blast highlights traditionally and independently published books on individual author pages. Picture books for young children, chapter books for older readers, middle grade novels and young…