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[coffincritiques]

Inside the Asylum 

(Kathy Ryan Book 3) Book Review

By Mary SanGiovanni

Finished 06-10-2019

 Genre: Thriller

Basic Plot: Kathy Ryan, an occult and cult investigator, is facing her past like never before. She has heard rumors of strange happenings at the very psychiatric hospital in which her own brother, a serial killer previously associated with the Hand of the Black Stars cult, is institutionalized. Another inmate is possibly causing creatures from another dimension to infiltrate our world, it’s up to Kathy, and some unlikely help, to stop them. 

This one was...ok. I don’t think the second book in this series is in danger of be dethroned as a favorite by this one. The characters this time didn’t really pull my interest, nor did the actual plot. The creatures were, again, a little cheesy and overall just not very much of this was enticing enough to be a “thriller.” I would describe this one as flat. That being said however, I do want to note, I went into this one with the highest hopes yet. The way the last book had ended with her brother and the fact that this was solely based in a psychiatric hospital (my personal favorite setting) and the one in which her brother himself is located, I expected a great deal more delving into that. I did like the parts of this that did focus more on the two of them and I can appreciate the actual flow of this particular novel, but overall, just a little let down. 

I gave it a 3 out of 5 because even though it wasn’t the edge sitting, nail biting, plot twisting thriller I was hoping for, it was still enjoyable. I will comment on that fact that SanGiovanni can delve into the human psyche well and I did find those plot points very enjoyable. I don’t think her fear tactics are exactly my style which is why I may find the plot line surrounding her occult details to be a little less enticing. I do think she is a good writer, her plot if clear and she gives us things to dwell on regarding how we act and think, but overall I just don’t find her stories themselves to meet expectations. 

[coffincritiques]

Behind the Door

Book Review

By Mary SanGionvanni

Finished 10-23-18

Genre: Thriller

Basic Plot: A small town in Pennsylvania, USA holds a inter-dimensional secret in its woods. A door, to where, no one knows but its secret is held dear by the people of the town because this door has the power to grant you any wish you want. These wishes can be twisted into disturbing outcomes so it is always spoken about with hushed tones. Someone opens that door, and all kinds of new hell is unleashed. 

This is the second installment of the Kathy Ryan series about an occult investigator. She is brought to a town in Pennsylvania this time, to shut a door to another dimension that has stood in the woods of a small town for decades. In this one, Kathy doesn’t make an appearance until about half way through the book because the main focus is on the people of the town who have used the door. They have used it for reasons as sick as covering up crimes committed, to trying to dull the pain of a lost loved one. Her character design in this was amazing, she has you nearly upset for the loss over a child molester by the end. She really gives you a hard look into the mindset of people struggling with guilt and temptation. Nothing was sugar coated in this and I think that’s the most appealing thing in SanGiovanni’s novels, the harshness she brings into her writing. No one is really safe. Well, no one except Kathy....which I found to mean even more this time. In the first novel she appears in, Chills, she get’s into a car wreck that would have killed anyone. But not Kathy, no no, she walks away nearly unscathed. In this, Kathy comments on her ability to drink like a fish for years, and it have no negatively lasting effects. I think in this, SanGiovanni really hints at the idea something is protecting the agent, or she is something more powerful herself which is why she is in the line of work she is in. It’s an interesting over-arcing story line honestly. Gives a good spin to the numerous paranormal investigator type series.

 In summary, this was even better than the last, a hard 4 out of 5 stars at minimum. This author is a breath of fresh air, bringing a new element to a tired story about the end of the world. 

[coffincritiques]

Chills

Book Review

Finished 10-15-2018

Genre: Thriller

Basic Plot: A town is being ravaged by unknown inter-dimensional beings, out for blood. A mysterious snow storm hits and with it comes death. People are being brutally murdered and it is linked to occult dealings. Kathy Ryan is a cult investigator and knows exactly who is to blame. Time to step in a drudge up her sordid past. 

A Kathy Ryan novel written by Mary SanGiovanni. An intriguing plot with a vocabulary that’s really quite amazing. The characters are explained clearly and quickly, and since they are very realistic, with human flaws and feelings, it is easy to find yourself flipping quickly through this 190 page book to see how they will all deal with the issue at hand, the end of the world as we know it. I love horror and cult fiction has always interested me especially but I haven’t really come across one that pulls my interest as quickly as this did. Kathy Ryan, an occult investigator, is called to help Jack and his team of homicide detectives with a very strange string of murders. Kathy, is a wonderfully intriguing character who, after all she’s been through, still wants to see the best come to those around her. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes reading horror involving occult fiction. I will say though, the creatures, in my opinion were somewhat cheesy but not lacking in creativity. 

The overall arc of this story, is highly inventive and enticing and the surrealness of her created monsters is necessary. I enjoyed that SanGiovanni was not predictable in her plot points, which is a common issue when you read consistently within the horror/thriller genre. Her characters felt completely real and their actions throughout the story were believable given the situations she put them in.

 I gave this a 3.75 out of 5 only taking off from, as mentioned, slight corniness of her monsters (although I’ve seem the same type of monsters described in the Demonata series) and slight repetitiveness in the beginning before the climax hits. A fast and good read. I liked it enough to now be reading a recently released sequel, and am anticipating a great threequel already announced to release in 2019. 

[photographycoghndy2-blog]

The role of a picture editor. Brilliant insight and golden nuggets of advice for photographers/photo editors from Kathy Ryan!

[orlandofficiale]

#KathyRyan 's Best of 2016 @muholizanele @facesandphases @somnyamahgonyama ___________________ #blackandwhitephotography #dynamicafrica #photography #2016 #couturecaffeine #ContemporaryArt #BlackIsBeautiful #OutofAfrica #AfricanInspired #Art #AfricanFashion #AfricanMusic #AfricanStyle #AfricanPhotography #Afrocentric #Melanin #African #accra #ghana #photography

[christianwitkin]

OFF YOU GO INTO THE UNKNOWN...Thank you for leading thru example. "Portrait of Senator Obama, Washington DC, 2007" #obama #washington #presidential #leader #nyt #kathyryan #blackandwhitephotography #analogphotography #kodak #4x5camera #passionforportraits #artdeptagency #trunkarchive #christianwitkin