by P D Alleva

A Horror, Independently Published in 2025, 269 Pages 

What I Didn’t Like:

• Slow start. There’s some head jumping and disconnection in order to set up the world and that takes a long time. It made the start slower than I expected.
• The ending is weak. This is the opening book in a series, so I didn’t expect all the answers. But this doesn’t wrap up enough to even remotely stand on its own. 
• Some minor grammatical or typographical errors that are possible to figure out quickly.

What I Did Like:

• Marc’s choice drives the best parts of this novel, for sure. The love story is well established and the decision he is faced with is realistic and suitably dark.
• The concept of the master is scary. The goals are clear and make sense. It’s intriguing as a concept.
• The vibe is well established early. This one is dark and atmospheric even when the topic could feel lighter. There’s always something in this one that feels hopeless or out of control. 

Who Should Read This One:

• Fans of atmospheric horror that feels dark, gritty, and hopeless who don’t mind a series. 

My Rating: 3 Stars