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Solstice
In this disturbing new eBook novella by thriller master Damian Stevenson, a young woman with a history of mental illness descends into madness when her missing boyfriend is declared by all to be a figment of her imagination.
Dana March is thrust into a game of shadows where nothing is what it seems and she must fight to preserve her own sanity in the face of overwhelming evidence that points to her having made up a story about an abduction.
Dana’s sister recently married the charismatic leader of an experimental rural community, The Rainbow Collective, and Dana was on her way to visit with her new beau ‘Jack’ when he supposedly vanished from a roadside motel. Did Dana invent Jack to impress her sister? There is no trace of him and Dana is unable to produce any form of proof that he is real for the police.
With no one to vouch for Jack’s existence, Dana must fight to preserve her grasp on reality while playing detective in an environment that suggests civilization is a thin veneer over man’s deepest, darkest impulses.
‘Solstice’ is a gripping, provocative page-turner that will leave you guessing the truth until the very end.
Dana March is thrust into a game of shadows where nothing is what it seems and she must fight to preserve her own sanity in the face of overwhelming evidence that points to her having made up a story about an abduction.
Dana’s sister recently married the charismatic leader of an experimental rural community, The Rainbow Collective, and Dana was on her way to visit with her new beau ‘Jack’ when he supposedly vanished from a roadside motel. Did Dana invent Jack to impress her sister? There is no trace of him and Dana is unable to produce any form of proof that he is real for the police.
With no one to vouch for Jack’s existence, Dana must fight to preserve her grasp on reality while playing detective in an environment that suggests civilization is a thin veneer over man’s deepest, darkest impulses.
‘Solstice’ is a gripping, provocative page-turner that will leave you guessing the truth until the very end.
75 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
23 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
August 3, 2013
If you like mysteries, psychological thrillers, cruel ancient rituals, and lots of unexpected plot turns, this book is for you. You can’t go wrong with this novella. Just don't read too many reviews: they reveal too much of the plot and can spoil the experience for you.
There’s a lot to like about this book. The plot will keep you guessing all the way. Just as you think you have figured something out, the story takes a different turn. The characters are realistic and believable. The main character, Dana, comes across as both vulnerable and determined – and that’s appealing. At the beginning of the story, she is struggling to overcome some serious issues in her life, but the methods she is using to solve her issues are not working. What ultimately helps her solve those initial problems is very unexpected, yet logical.
The language of the book is so vivid that the book feels like a movie is playing in front of you. The author puts just the right amount of sensory details to immerse the readers into the settings: the sounds, the sights, the smells – it’s all there. But you will never feel overwhelmed with details or flowery descriptions. All the details serve a purpose, and all of them pull you more and more into the story.
I love that this story can be read on so many different levels: you can read it as an exciting thriller and mystery and enjoy it just as that. But you can also think about larger issues that the book brings up, from utopian societies to ineffectiveness of anti-depressants. I highly recommend it!
There’s a lot to like about this book. The plot will keep you guessing all the way. Just as you think you have figured something out, the story takes a different turn. The characters are realistic and believable. The main character, Dana, comes across as both vulnerable and determined – and that’s appealing. At the beginning of the story, she is struggling to overcome some serious issues in her life, but the methods she is using to solve her issues are not working. What ultimately helps her solve those initial problems is very unexpected, yet logical.
The language of the book is so vivid that the book feels like a movie is playing in front of you. The author puts just the right amount of sensory details to immerse the readers into the settings: the sounds, the sights, the smells – it’s all there. But you will never feel overwhelmed with details or flowery descriptions. All the details serve a purpose, and all of them pull you more and more into the story.
I love that this story can be read on so many different levels: you can read it as an exciting thriller and mystery and enjoy it just as that. But you can also think about larger issues that the book brings up, from utopian societies to ineffectiveness of anti-depressants. I highly recommend it!
August 18, 2013
Solstice
Dana checks herself into a mental hospital for a voluntary 5 day stay while suffering from a deep bout of depression. When her time is up and she’s released, she heads out for a stay with her sister, Zoe, at a hippie compound.
From the moment of Dana’s release things are carefully worded so the reader is drawn into the mystery of Dana’s “boyfriend”. Several people encounter her along the way, and there is a hint of a second traveler, but no one including the reader actually sees him. For that reason, when he goes missing no one believes he exists and Dana begins to question her own sanity.
The commune is everything you picture at the word, a ton of people living in one place, living off the land, and a bit free in each other’s state of undress. Right from the first moment of her arrival, things seem strange about the community, and it’s not just the free love. The longer Dana stays and the more she reveals about her boyfriend, Tyler, you begin to wonder what is real.
Is Dana crazy or are the people of Rainbow Collective preparing for the Solstice?
On a personal note, this book was full of suspense and mystery but the most horrific moment for me was when Dana runs through a swarm of gnats and can no longer breathe. Ugh!
Really though, this was an awesome book and totally deserving of 5 stars.
**As with most of my reviews, I received this book in exchange for an honest review**
Dana checks herself into a mental hospital for a voluntary 5 day stay while suffering from a deep bout of depression. When her time is up and she’s released, she heads out for a stay with her sister, Zoe, at a hippie compound.
From the moment of Dana’s release things are carefully worded so the reader is drawn into the mystery of Dana’s “boyfriend”. Several people encounter her along the way, and there is a hint of a second traveler, but no one including the reader actually sees him. For that reason, when he goes missing no one believes he exists and Dana begins to question her own sanity.
The commune is everything you picture at the word, a ton of people living in one place, living off the land, and a bit free in each other’s state of undress. Right from the first moment of her arrival, things seem strange about the community, and it’s not just the free love. The longer Dana stays and the more she reveals about her boyfriend, Tyler, you begin to wonder what is real.
Is Dana crazy or are the people of Rainbow Collective preparing for the Solstice?
On a personal note, this book was full of suspense and mystery but the most horrific moment for me was when Dana runs through a swarm of gnats and can no longer breathe. Ugh!
Really though, this was an awesome book and totally deserving of 5 stars.
**As with most of my reviews, I received this book in exchange for an honest review**
August 11, 2013
This is a particularly clever psychological thriller which completely misleads the reader into believing the main character, Dana is as crazy as she is made out to be!
A wonderfully woven web of false information and doubts leads the reader along several paths thinking Dana is delusional as the narrative draws towards an explosive conclusion.
Once again though, just as you think you've guessed what is going to happen, more twists and turns are revealed which found me reading faster and faster to discover how this tale was going to finish.
The characters are realistic and varied and the detail of the plot is brilliantly conveyed.
If you enjoy a thrilling tale, this is the story for you.
A wonderfully woven web of false information and doubts leads the reader along several paths thinking Dana is delusional as the narrative draws towards an explosive conclusion.
Once again though, just as you think you've guessed what is going to happen, more twists and turns are revealed which found me reading faster and faster to discover how this tale was going to finish.
The characters are realistic and varied and the detail of the plot is brilliantly conveyed.
If you enjoy a thrilling tale, this is the story for you.
August 15, 2013
"A Haunting Thriller Which Will Make Your Heart Beat Faster"
As I came to the end of this story, I realized that I had been holding my breath. I took several deep breaths. This story will do this to you, too. It's a story that is chilling and intense, and you'll never know what will happen next. So let's begin at the beginning. Dana Barnes is 26 years old, living in Los Angeles. She's had bouts with depression and her therapist suggests she stay at the Expedition House, a psychiatric facility for five days to get a quick-start to erase her depression. Dana had been diagnosed two years earlier as being bipolar. But at the facility they treated her as though she was suicidal. After the five-day internment, she is driven toward Oklahoma by Tyler, who she considers her boyfriend. Her sister, Zoe, lives in an isolated area at an experimental environmental community called 'Rainbow.' Zoe is married to the founder, Clive. Enroute, during a terrible storm, they stop at an outdated motel for the night. The Motel Americana ... well, you'll soon think of it as the Bates Motel. When she awakens, there is no trace of Tyler other than his belongings, wallet, and keys. What has happened to him? The local police feel he just walked away from her ... or, maybe she was delusional about him even being with her. Soon, she decides she best complete her trip to 'Rainbow.' She should have followed her instincts and driven back to Los Angeles. This story is an extremely well written spooky story! At first it reminded me of the chill of reading years ago John Fowles thriller, "The Collector." This, too, is a haunting story you will read non-stop. The pace grows more vigorous by the page, the plot is excellent with many twists and turns that will shock you. If you like thrillers, you will love this story; I did!
As I came to the end of this story, I realized that I had been holding my breath. I took several deep breaths. This story will do this to you, too. It's a story that is chilling and intense, and you'll never know what will happen next. So let's begin at the beginning. Dana Barnes is 26 years old, living in Los Angeles. She's had bouts with depression and her therapist suggests she stay at the Expedition House, a psychiatric facility for five days to get a quick-start to erase her depression. Dana had been diagnosed two years earlier as being bipolar. But at the facility they treated her as though she was suicidal. After the five-day internment, she is driven toward Oklahoma by Tyler, who she considers her boyfriend. Her sister, Zoe, lives in an isolated area at an experimental environmental community called 'Rainbow.' Zoe is married to the founder, Clive. Enroute, during a terrible storm, they stop at an outdated motel for the night. The Motel Americana ... well, you'll soon think of it as the Bates Motel. When she awakens, there is no trace of Tyler other than his belongings, wallet, and keys. What has happened to him? The local police feel he just walked away from her ... or, maybe she was delusional about him even being with her. Soon, she decides she best complete her trip to 'Rainbow.' She should have followed her instincts and driven back to Los Angeles. This story is an extremely well written spooky story! At first it reminded me of the chill of reading years ago John Fowles thriller, "The Collector." This, too, is a haunting story you will read non-stop. The pace grows more vigorous by the page, the plot is excellent with many twists and turns that will shock you. If you like thrillers, you will love this story; I did!
July 1, 2013
‘Solstice’ reminded me of a horror movie from the 1970s.
The first half is like a psychological thriller but there’s a chilling twist halfway through the story that takes the narrative beyond suspense into more disturbing territory. It starts off being about an emotionally compromised young lady who may or not be suffering from paranoid delusions when she tells the police that her boyfriend is missing. No one believes that he is real and after much nerve-biting shenanigans the murder mystery is dismissed by the police as a figment of her imagination. But then slowly piece by piece the ‘truth’ as we believe it is dismantled and the story shifts into a story of survival as our heroine, who is shown to be not crazy, has to run for her life. It’s a bit like two stories in one. I would like to have known more about the two sisters, what their lives were like before Zoe joined the Rainbow Collective, and also I didn’t really understand the Clive character fully. But overall this was a thrilling page turner that left me breathless and gave me that intense heart-in-mouth feeling as I read. A very well written suspense-horror novella.
The first half is like a psychological thriller but there’s a chilling twist halfway through the story that takes the narrative beyond suspense into more disturbing territory. It starts off being about an emotionally compromised young lady who may or not be suffering from paranoid delusions when she tells the police that her boyfriend is missing. No one believes that he is real and after much nerve-biting shenanigans the murder mystery is dismissed by the police as a figment of her imagination. But then slowly piece by piece the ‘truth’ as we believe it is dismantled and the story shifts into a story of survival as our heroine, who is shown to be not crazy, has to run for her life. It’s a bit like two stories in one. I would like to have known more about the two sisters, what their lives were like before Zoe joined the Rainbow Collective, and also I didn’t really understand the Clive character fully. But overall this was a thrilling page turner that left me breathless and gave me that intense heart-in-mouth feeling as I read. A very well written suspense-horror novella.
August 19, 2013
"Solstice (Kindle Thrillers" by Damian Stevenson is an excellent and gripping thriller.
It follows our heroine Dana as she leaves a safe house or mental asylum. When her friend Tyler is missing she goes to live with her sister in a hippie commune. The search for the missing man however unearth some dark findings.
I loved the way Dana is set up as the vulnerable and helpless figure who is thrown into a much more volatile world than she expects. Not only does she undergo some great character development, her alleged 'insanity' is a great tool of reflection on the alleged #sane' people around her.
Written with great psychological mastery and slow burning suspense the story builds up tension nicely to a more action packed climax.
Well written with great observations on human behaviour and a compelling style this is a great thriller that should find a cult following of its own in no time.
Highly recommended to all fans of the genre and those who want to try.
It follows our heroine Dana as she leaves a safe house or mental asylum. When her friend Tyler is missing she goes to live with her sister in a hippie commune. The search for the missing man however unearth some dark findings.
I loved the way Dana is set up as the vulnerable and helpless figure who is thrown into a much more volatile world than she expects. Not only does she undergo some great character development, her alleged 'insanity' is a great tool of reflection on the alleged #sane' people around her.
Written with great psychological mastery and slow burning suspense the story builds up tension nicely to a more action packed climax.
Well written with great observations on human behaviour and a compelling style this is a great thriller that should find a cult following of its own in no time.
Highly recommended to all fans of the genre and those who want to try.
July 19, 2013
Horror accelerates from zero to sixty in Solstice. Orphaned at six, Dana struggles with depression exacerbated by her lack of a support system. Dana's only living relative is Zoe, her older estranged sister, married to the leader of a deadly environmentalist commune. Desperate to be loved she heads to Rainbow with Tyler who in reality is party to a chilling end game. On the surface Rainbow and the charismatic Clive seem welcoming and benign but the chills chasing down her spine say otherwise. Lies, sacrifices and murder are par for the course as Dana runs the gauntlet to survival.
August 12, 2013
Excellent Read Damian Stevenson!
I read this instantly gripping page turner in one afternoon. The main character Dana on her way to Oklahoma to live with her sister Zoe seems scattered from the beginning of this fast paced thriller. Her boyfriend is missing from the Motel and there is no sign of him anywhere. She never gives up looking for him in this little community where her sister lives.
Everyone seem to live in complete harmony here, but there are strange things going on in this house and everyone seems a little to happy that Dana has come to live with them.
Thank-goodness she has her cat Alice.
There are plenty of mysterious happening going on all over Oklahoma and with the Solstice just days away who knows what sacrifices will have to be made.
If your after a great non-stop action, page-turning book, I highly recommend reading Solstice and be careful what town you end up in. You never know what sacrifices you will have to make.
I read this instantly gripping page turner in one afternoon. The main character Dana on her way to Oklahoma to live with her sister Zoe seems scattered from the beginning of this fast paced thriller. Her boyfriend is missing from the Motel and there is no sign of him anywhere. She never gives up looking for him in this little community where her sister lives.
Everyone seem to live in complete harmony here, but there are strange things going on in this house and everyone seems a little to happy that Dana has come to live with them.
Thank-goodness she has her cat Alice.
There are plenty of mysterious happening going on all over Oklahoma and with the Solstice just days away who knows what sacrifices will have to be made.
If your after a great non-stop action, page-turning book, I highly recommend reading Solstice and be careful what town you end up in. You never know what sacrifices you will have to make.
August 16, 2013
A nonstop page-turning thrill ride
I came into this book having read Stevenson's 'Ian Fleming files' and expected Solstice to be a professionally-crafted work with excellent characters, well-written dialogue, and a penchant for the cinematic. I wasn't disappointed.
I won't belabor the point: there are a lot of reviews about this book, and some of them will point out all that this short, electric read had to offer more poetically than I. Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. Will I post it on Facebook and my blog? Sure.
Is it perfect? Nearly. I found that, like in the other book, the pacing of action sequences didn't allow for much room to breathe, but here they were clipped down even a little further, until they were at the cusp of being confusing. I didn't mind filling in a few blanks in the rip-roaring, heart-stopping thriller action. It's why I prefer books to movies.
Two big thumbs up.
I came into this book having read Stevenson's 'Ian Fleming files' and expected Solstice to be a professionally-crafted work with excellent characters, well-written dialogue, and a penchant for the cinematic. I wasn't disappointed.
I won't belabor the point: there are a lot of reviews about this book, and some of them will point out all that this short, electric read had to offer more poetically than I. Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. Will I post it on Facebook and my blog? Sure.
Is it perfect? Nearly. I found that, like in the other book, the pacing of action sequences didn't allow for much room to breathe, but here they were clipped down even a little further, until they were at the cusp of being confusing. I didn't mind filling in a few blanks in the rip-roaring, heart-stopping thriller action. It's why I prefer books to movies.
Two big thumbs up.
July 29, 2013
This really needs to be a movie!! The whole time I'm reading it I'm picturing it in a movie form. Even knowing how it'd turn out I'd love to see it! I love all of the plot twists and the flow of it all. So great and really could not put it down. Really! I sat here and read the entire thing without even thinking twice. Amazing read from start to finish. Damian Stevenson is an incredible storyteller. Excellent writing, feels like you are in the book with the characters. It kept me on my toes and read for more. Creepy and thrilling. Just enough to keep you turning the page again and again. I give this book two thumbs up and look forward to reading more books written by Mr Stevenson. A must read!
July 19, 2013
Solstice got off to a slow start for me. I believe it was that slow start and the many questions that the book left me with was what kept me glued to the book. I couldn't wait to find out what happens next. Was Dana really insane, was she really that delusional as the people around her believes. I was anxious to find out. Then the story became even more heated and from then on I was hooked. Every time I thought I had figured out where the story was headed, the plot shifted and I once again was off on the chase. This story had it all, murder, mystery and suspense—nothing is as it seems—brilliant story telling.
May 31, 2013
I do not read a lot of fiction books but occasionally a title catches my attention and I give it a read. I certainly have to say that this one was very worthwhile. It was very entertaining and kept me guessing all the way to the end. I liked the surprise turn of events that happened about the middle of the story that causes you to flip-flop your whole thinking about what is happening. This book is well written and will keep you in suspense all the way through. It is an easy short read and I think you will like it.
July 31, 2013
Solstice is a short dark tale based on 'The Wicker Man' and deals with the trusting nature of defenseless individuals, especially the main character, Dana, who has been diagnosed as bipolar. Although there are sometimes a few things which suspend belief, this novella thriller reads very well and with a tweak or two could easily become a screenplay.
June 30, 2018
"Harder to put down the more I read"
Another reviewer said this was a book of two halves. Spot on. Exactly what I got from this book. The first half was a standard psychological thriller that I enjoyed without it ever really grabbing me. Then after halfway, it picked up the pace. From then on it was a breathless, white-knuckle ride to the end.
Except of course, we were less than 80% of the way through the book. Under the latest Amazon crackdown this would fail the test that only 10% should be allocated to extracts from other stories by the same author.
That minor gripe aside, this was a good read.
Another reviewer said this was a book of two halves. Spot on. Exactly what I got from this book. The first half was a standard psychological thriller that I enjoyed without it ever really grabbing me. Then after halfway, it picked up the pace. From then on it was a breathless, white-knuckle ride to the end.
Except of course, we were less than 80% of the way through the book. Under the latest Amazon crackdown this would fail the test that only 10% should be allocated to extracts from other stories by the same author.
That minor gripe aside, this was a good read.
August 29, 2013
This fictional mystery thriller starts off ordinarily enough. Dana Barnes the protagonist...has a good insurance policy with her present employer and decides to voluntarily commit herself to a five day stint at Expedition House, a psychiatric facility to help her overcome her bout with severe depression. She is being treated by Dr. Hertzig, who after the required time, releases her with a bag full of prescription drugs and sends her on her way.
Tyler...a temporary worker/new boyfriend at the facility picks her up on the day of her release to drive her to Thornhill House, Home of the Rainbow Collective. This gated compound is run by her sister's fairly new husband, Clive. He is a charismatic leader who has a son by the name of Conrad from his first marriage that Zoe is yet to meet.
On the drive to Dana's destination, Tyler mysteriously disappears and then all hell breaks loose. The roller coaster ride of a series of the oddest and most unpredictable events ensues. Something very weird is going on in this compound where Clive, with his eerie personality and haunting eyes, manages the affairs and orchestrates the preparation for the yearly Solstice Fair. It has been a very dry year. Much rain is needed to correct the drought situation that is similar to four years ago when the Marsh's nineteen year daughter also lost touch with her family and friends. Dana, even in her fragile mental and emotional state, is wondering if there is some kind of connection. What macabre events has this cultish leader cooked up to honor this annual event and satisfy the demands of nature earth in order to get that much needed rainfall...
Any reader who enjoys a mystery thriller with many unexpected twists and turns is bound to be captivated by this quick and unpredictable novel. It is a real thriller and will keep you on the edge of your seat...Damian Stevenson is one creative author!
Inspirational Author & Book Reviewer ~ Dolores Ayotte
Up The "Down" Ladder
Tyler...a temporary worker/new boyfriend at the facility picks her up on the day of her release to drive her to Thornhill House, Home of the Rainbow Collective. This gated compound is run by her sister's fairly new husband, Clive. He is a charismatic leader who has a son by the name of Conrad from his first marriage that Zoe is yet to meet.
On the drive to Dana's destination, Tyler mysteriously disappears and then all hell breaks loose. The roller coaster ride of a series of the oddest and most unpredictable events ensues. Something very weird is going on in this compound where Clive, with his eerie personality and haunting eyes, manages the affairs and orchestrates the preparation for the yearly Solstice Fair. It has been a very dry year. Much rain is needed to correct the drought situation that is similar to four years ago when the Marsh's nineteen year daughter also lost touch with her family and friends. Dana, even in her fragile mental and emotional state, is wondering if there is some kind of connection. What macabre events has this cultish leader cooked up to honor this annual event and satisfy the demands of nature earth in order to get that much needed rainfall...
Any reader who enjoys a mystery thriller with many unexpected twists and turns is bound to be captivated by this quick and unpredictable novel. It is a real thriller and will keep you on the edge of your seat...Damian Stevenson is one creative author!
Inspirational Author & Book Reviewer ~ Dolores Ayotte
Up The "Down" Ladder
July 11, 2013
My Favorite Lines:
“All that she could see was dirt fields stretching to the horizon. She steadied herself, reeling, dissolving into madness.”
“The sun shone gently in a clear blue sky, spreading its tendrils over a lush, vibrant garden teeming with life, situated atop a cliff, offering a spectacular view of the Pacific.”
What I Thought:
This book was definitely unlike any other book I’ve ever read. I could definitely see it making a very good movie, with the descriptive way the author writes making it easy to envision everything as you go along.
The book was very past-paced and well-written. It’s important to pay close attention as you read, because things have a tendency to change quickly, and sometimes it’s hard to tell what is really happening, and what isn’t. But because this book is a psychological thriller, that is definitely the point.
This book is a good read for anyone who wants to read something that is different from anything else they’ve ever picked up. Fans of ‘Shutter Island’ by Dennis Lehane would very much appreciate it, as it takes a similar approach in exploring whether something is reality or not.
There was a twist that I was no expecting at all, towards the end of the novella. I love a book with a twist, so that was pretty exciting for me.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and as it’s very different from what I usually read, it was a bit refreshing. I’d definitely see the film version if that would ever come to be.
“All that she could see was dirt fields stretching to the horizon. She steadied herself, reeling, dissolving into madness.”
“The sun shone gently in a clear blue sky, spreading its tendrils over a lush, vibrant garden teeming with life, situated atop a cliff, offering a spectacular view of the Pacific.”
What I Thought:
This book was definitely unlike any other book I’ve ever read. I could definitely see it making a very good movie, with the descriptive way the author writes making it easy to envision everything as you go along.
The book was very past-paced and well-written. It’s important to pay close attention as you read, because things have a tendency to change quickly, and sometimes it’s hard to tell what is really happening, and what isn’t. But because this book is a psychological thriller, that is definitely the point.
This book is a good read for anyone who wants to read something that is different from anything else they’ve ever picked up. Fans of ‘Shutter Island’ by Dennis Lehane would very much appreciate it, as it takes a similar approach in exploring whether something is reality or not.
There was a twist that I was no expecting at all, towards the end of the novella. I love a book with a twist, so that was pretty exciting for me.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and as it’s very different from what I usually read, it was a bit refreshing. I’d definitely see the film version if that would ever come to be.
April 10, 2016
I can't say enough bad things about this book.
**Update, 4/10/16...You know, I posted an honest, fair, constructively critical review of this book on Amazon awhile back immediately after reading it, and within an hour I had "0 of 17" having found the review "helpful." The number grew to 21 after day's end. That doesn't EVER happen unless the author has a team of minions, or a host of fake usernames. That's why I didn't take the time to provide a more thorough review on here and why it left such a bad taste in my mouth. Not worth my time, but in retrospect I felt it was worth the explanation.
**Update, 4/10/16...You know, I posted an honest, fair, constructively critical review of this book on Amazon awhile back immediately after reading it, and within an hour I had "0 of 17" having found the review "helpful." The number grew to 21 after day's end. That doesn't EVER happen unless the author has a team of minions, or a host of fake usernames. That's why I didn't take the time to provide a more thorough review on here and why it left such a bad taste in my mouth. Not worth my time, but in retrospect I felt it was worth the explanation.
July 10, 2013
I personally didn't find it that dark, but I do think it is a good read. The young girl, Dana, she's had psychological issues in the past. She's even spent a little time in a couple of institutions. Her boyfriend goes missing. In the search for him she falls into the hands of an ancient cult. I thought the concept of the entire story is really good. Kind of wish I could give this story 4 1/2 stars.
November 4, 2013
If you like psychological thrillers that don’t go one forever but keep you biting at every turn of the page then Solstice is the novella for you. I don’t give away plots or spoilers but I will say that it involves ancient rituals, sacrifices and one woman’s struggle to maintain her own sanity as she tries to get to the bottom of what happened to her boyfriend. Stevenson does an excellent job at having the reader wonder if the main character, Dana, is living in reality or a world distorted by medication and depression. Very well written, Stevenson draws you in with enough details that you can see, hear and feel what is happening around the main character. I loved this story
November 14, 2013
This mystery thriller Solstice by Damion Stevenson, is fast paced from start to finish. To see Dana, depressed and willing to stay in the psych. center just because she was used to it after a couple of weeks, go from passive easy going youth into a terrifying experience, and come out a woman capable of protecting herself and someone else - at any cost - was a good experience. I recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers, mysteries, or reading about people with enough nerve to overcome the unthinkable.
August 20, 2013
This is a fast-moving novella with many twists and turns, and many characters who keep leaping into the story as it progresses, which makes it an interesting page-turner. Dana March, the female protagonist has been released after five days from a mental institution, being told she is not suicidal any more. Later she is at a motel with her new husband, Jack Harris, who nobody has ever seen and with whom she has not cohabited. She cannot find her husband after she returns to the motel room from checking in and the story centers around her search for Jack. During this search, she goes to the commune, which her sister, Zoe and husband, Clive run (Home of the Rainbow Collective.)
Physical action builds page by page as she continues to seek her missing husband and various mysterious individuals enter the scenes. There is evil and horror throughout, which builds page by page…a mystery, and being only a novella there is not the ability to truly build characters. Definitely Dana, who is at first depicted as being a helpless woman, is anything but and her cat even is an attack cat who is dangerous, along with a mastiff owned by the caretaker. The only weakness I noticed is that the ending just happens suddenly as if the author didn’t know how to end it with the same drama that the rest of the novel contains.
September 29, 2013
I can't believe I finished this book. First thing to annoy me: odd vocabulary that reeked of thesaurus misuse. Avuncular? Lepidoptera? I don't mind learning new words, but the usage here was just awkward and detracted rather than added to the writing. My suspicion was later strengthened by the amazingly contrastive use of the high-brow word "barf" (not in dialogue).
My irritation worsened later in the book by onomatopoeia used with all the sophistication of a middle-schooler. "Crash! A window broke." "Bash! A lamp fell." (Not actual quotes, but they might as well be.) So, so tiresome.
The uneven writing could have been forgiven had the plot not been so obviously "borrowed" by a particular movie to remain unnamed until the bottom of this book response. In fact, I think that's what kept me reading: a desire to have the plot become anything but the obvious. "Please, let it not be that," I implored. "Please, let it be something more original." Alas, no. The hammer I felt hitting me with the plot was not, in fact, a red herring.
Oh, well, I didn't pay much for the book, so I can't be that angry. But I can be disappointed.
*** Spoiler: Movie named below ***
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.
.
*** Spoiler - Seriously, the book is more than "inspired" by this movie ***
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The movie is "Wicker Man". And now I've pretty much spoiled the book for you. Seriously.
My irritation worsened later in the book by onomatopoeia used with all the sophistication of a middle-schooler. "Crash! A window broke." "Bash! A lamp fell." (Not actual quotes, but they might as well be.) So, so tiresome.
The uneven writing could have been forgiven had the plot not been so obviously "borrowed" by a particular movie to remain unnamed until the bottom of this book response. In fact, I think that's what kept me reading: a desire to have the plot become anything but the obvious. "Please, let it not be that," I implored. "Please, let it be something more original." Alas, no. The hammer I felt hitting me with the plot was not, in fact, a red herring.
Oh, well, I didn't pay much for the book, so I can't be that angry. But I can be disappointed.
*** Spoiler: Movie named below ***
.
.
.
*** Spoiler - Seriously, the book is more than "inspired" by this movie ***
.
.
The movie is "Wicker Man". And now I've pretty much spoiled the book for you. Seriously.
November 20, 2013
I am a very restless reader and when I started reading this book, I was a little bored by a very routine start and the blurb looked like a spoiler. I was so confident that I have almost guessed the end. This was where I was caught off guard. Not many times do you have a book in your hands where the twists and turns totally baffle you and you are left wondering if this angle had ever crossed you mind.
The protagonist Dana Barnes is undergoing treatment in psychiatric facility who seems to be with her boyfriend who is only visible to her. Moving through the chapters you too believe that his boyfriend 'Tyler' is actually a vague creation of her disturbed mind until you are served with the twists and turns of this unexpected story. This is where the story turns to be the winner.
A page turner throughout and a great read for everyone
The protagonist Dana Barnes is undergoing treatment in psychiatric facility who seems to be with her boyfriend who is only visible to her. Moving through the chapters you too believe that his boyfriend 'Tyler' is actually a vague creation of her disturbed mind until you are served with the twists and turns of this unexpected story. This is where the story turns to be the winner.
A page turner throughout and a great read for everyone
December 13, 2013
Solstice was a quick read with a unique writing style. This story follows Dana as she takes her new boyfriend to meet her rude and a bit bitchy older sister, who is married to the master of a… well a cult. Dana’s boyfriend goes missing before making it to the “Rainbow Collective” and everything that follows sets Dana up as one crazy woman who has created a fictional boyfriend who never really existed.
The Rainbow Collective was questionable from the moment Dana stepped inside its gates. I found this book to have a creep factor that was well written and is full of suspense, especially as the end continued to twist and turn. Aside from a few minor inconsistencies in the story and Thrillers not really being my preferred genre, I certainly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from Stevenson.
The Rainbow Collective was questionable from the moment Dana stepped inside its gates. I found this book to have a creep factor that was well written and is full of suspense, especially as the end continued to twist and turn. Aside from a few minor inconsistencies in the story and Thrillers not really being my preferred genre, I certainly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from Stevenson.
January 6, 2014
Solstice is a fast paced and entertaining novella. As Dana leaves the security of the hospital after having some mental health issues, she is on her way to visit her sister, when her companion disappears. The question becomes: was he ever really there? Dana's reunion with Zoe doesn't go quite as planned and as the tension mounts, the story unfolds into fast paced thriller. The characters are interesting. The story was well written and had a couple of unexpected twists.I liked the inclusion of relationships between people and animals, which occurred in more than one instance. Overall, I enjoyed the book. (Note: Though it wasn't specifically mentioned, I am absolutely certain that Alice was in the backseat, at the point when Mary Anne and the furry baby were waiting for Dana, but you'll have to read Solstice and form your own opinion.)
November 22, 2014
Dana's finishing up a voluntary five day stay at an unorthodox facility for metal illness. Looking for a fresh start with her new boyfriend, she heads out to visit her sister's new home among an experimental rural community…
Solstice is a tense mind bending thriller. Just as long as it needed to be at just 75 pages, it's fully developed while keeping up a gripping, breakneck pace throughout. It gets a bit weird (and violent) as things go but never breaks its own rules and pushes red herrings just far enough to really keep the reader guessing while still playing fair and unfolding logically. Right up until the end there were several different valid ways it could have played out, which is a wonderfully satisfying element for a story like this to achieve.
Overall Solstice is a great little psychological thriller with a nice edge to it and numerous successful twists.
Solstice is a tense mind bending thriller. Just as long as it needed to be at just 75 pages, it's fully developed while keeping up a gripping, breakneck pace throughout. It gets a bit weird (and violent) as things go but never breaks its own rules and pushes red herrings just far enough to really keep the reader guessing while still playing fair and unfolding logically. Right up until the end there were several different valid ways it could have played out, which is a wonderfully satisfying element for a story like this to achieve.
Overall Solstice is a great little psychological thriller with a nice edge to it and numerous successful twists.
November 23, 2014
This is the story of Dana a disturbed young girl, who seems to have an imaginary boyfriend.
Whilst on their way to visit Dana's sister on a commune, Tyler, Dana's boyfriend disappears.
When it comes out that Dana had recently been released from a psychiatric hospital being treated for depression/suicide, and there is really no evidence of Tyler, people (including the police and her sister) think she may be making the whole relationship up.
Dana soon discovers the people living a care-free life of grow your own food and free love are not all they seem to be. They are led by a charismatic leader who happens to be married to Zoe, Dana's sister. It appears to be more of a cult than a happy big family.
This is a short story so a lot of the action takes place quite quickly, so sometimes seems a bit rushed, but was an OK read.
Whilst on their way to visit Dana's sister on a commune, Tyler, Dana's boyfriend disappears.
When it comes out that Dana had recently been released from a psychiatric hospital being treated for depression/suicide, and there is really no evidence of Tyler, people (including the police and her sister) think she may be making the whole relationship up.
Dana soon discovers the people living a care-free life of grow your own food and free love are not all they seem to be. They are led by a charismatic leader who happens to be married to Zoe, Dana's sister. It appears to be more of a cult than a happy big family.
This is a short story so a lot of the action takes place quite quickly, so sometimes seems a bit rushed, but was an OK read.
November 11, 2013
Wow! What can I say? Solstice is the first psychological thriller that I have ever read so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It took me a little while to get into this book, but when Dana, the protagonist, leaves a mental hospital with her boyfriend the pace picked up pretty quickly. Author Damian Stevenson weaves a tale with twists and turns that lead the readers to believe that they know what is happening. Trust me, just when you are sure that poor Dana is as crazy as everyone thinks she is, the plot twists and you are not so sure. I found it hard to put the book down. It is a novella so I read it in one sitting. Even though some of the characters are pretty creepy, they are believable. If you like mystery/thrillers, I highly recommend this book.
November 24, 2013
All I can say is – WOW. If you like suspense and trying to figure things out, this is a great story. It is full of twists and turns that really surprise, and I really enjoyed it. It is a quite violent, but then again, it fits together well. I love the ending too, and was genuinely happy to see the way things turned out. It has the perfect font for this type of story. Word choice was a bit upper level, but not so much as to detract from the work itself. It was also a bit poetic, if you like that sort of thing. I was on the edge of my seat, so to speak and I think anyone who enjoys this type of book won’t be able to put it down. However - it is definitely NOT for everyone, so take it to heart - its is DARK and you should be aware of that if you dare...Great job Damian!!!
November 26, 2013
This book was hard to put down. Page after page was full of suspense and questions. The lead character was an unlikely heroine which made her even more lovable and enjoyable to read. She pulled you into the story because you felt a strange desire to protect her and see that she made it out alive. Did she? You will have to read the book. The twist and turns will leave you spinning like a top and they don't stop until the last page. As you get pulled into the drama that could be ripped from today's headlines you will find yourself into a cult drama that is depicted well with the title of the book. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Jami Brumfield author of "Lone Wolf Rising"
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