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Soul Seekers #0.5
The Leak of Madness
The spirit world has been in touch with Peyton, and it’s more than she can tolerate. Sometimes their messages are loud enough even to pierce beyond the veil of her alcohol-induced stupors.
When she is invited to attend her best friend's brother’s wedding at The Manor House, Peyton is compelled to stare down memories of her life before it was decimated by fire and tragedy. Continuously topping herself up with alcohol to keep the voices at bay, it becomes clearer and clearer that there are forces at work in the old building…shadows darker than Peyton could have ever imagined.
The Leak of Madness is the beginning of a thrilling, fast-paced series of horror novellas overflowing with intrigue, romance, redemption, and most importantly…ghosts.
Will Peyton find the normal life she could have if only she stops drinking or will the forces of evil drive her mad?
- GenresHorrorFantasyParanormal
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 1, 2018
The Leak of Madness by Alice J. Black is a prequel novella that opens up the Soul Seekers horror/paranormal fantasy series. The main character of the series, Peyton, can communicate with the spirits but this is not an ability that Peyton is a fan of.
This prequel introduces Peyton as struggling with an alcohol addiction that she has had for years to bury the voices of the spirits. Peyton’s best friend has invited her to her brother’s wedding but only asks that Peyton stay sober for the event but when the ghostly voices continue to haunt her Peyton doesn’t know if she can.
This is obviously a very quick read that was just enough to give a look into who Peyton is and a bit of a glimpse into her past. Readers find out that Peyton hides this ability and has for years with thinking others won’t believe her so instead of seeking help she drinks.
On one hand the author gave a bit of depth to Peyton and her issues but on the other I’d like to have found out more too. It seemed as if the book focused a lot on establishing the alcoholism and reasoning but only touched the paranormal/horror side but of course there will only be so much going on in a novella.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
This prequel introduces Peyton as struggling with an alcohol addiction that she has had for years to bury the voices of the spirits. Peyton’s best friend has invited her to her brother’s wedding but only asks that Peyton stay sober for the event but when the ghostly voices continue to haunt her Peyton doesn’t know if she can.
This is obviously a very quick read that was just enough to give a look into who Peyton is and a bit of a glimpse into her past. Readers find out that Peyton hides this ability and has for years with thinking others won’t believe her so instead of seeking help she drinks.
On one hand the author gave a bit of depth to Peyton and her issues but on the other I’d like to have found out more too. It seemed as if the book focused a lot on establishing the alcoholism and reasoning but only touched the paranormal/horror side but of course there will only be so much going on in a novella.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
February 13, 2018
As a fan of the TV show, Medium, I was excited to read, The Leak of Madness, by Alice J. Black. And it didn't disappoint, especially considering there is much more to come. This will be a series of fast-paced novellas.
Peyton is the protagonist plagued by painful memories and dark voices which she tries to drown with alcohol. The prose is intriguing with an enjoyable and creepy vibe. It paints an eerie and dark picture at times. The story unfolds at a wedding held in The Manor House, an ideal setting for a horror story. The reader is left feeling spirit world isn't finished with Peyton and wanting to read the next book.
Peyton is the protagonist plagued by painful memories and dark voices which she tries to drown with alcohol. The prose is intriguing with an enjoyable and creepy vibe. It paints an eerie and dark picture at times. The story unfolds at a wedding held in The Manor House, an ideal setting for a horror story. The reader is left feeling spirit world isn't finished with Peyton and wanting to read the next book.
February 2, 2018
I received an e-arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
'The Leak of Madness' is the first installment in a series of horror novellas. But don't let the word 'horror' scare you!
The story is about Peyton who can sense and hear spirits. The only way for her to stay sane is drinking and so she's been an alcoholic since before she turned 18. When her best friend invites Peyton to a wedding and wants to help by forbidding her to drink there, she's only making it worse. Because Peyton can sense a ghost amongst the merry people...
This was very different from what I normally read, but I've been super excited to read it ever since I found out about it and I was enjoying it a lot. Even though it was difficult to read about how Peyton constantly needed to top up on alcohol, I understood her. It's her only way to keep the voices at bay and stay sane. I'm pretty sure everyone would choose this way over going crazy! During the wedding she meets this really nice, good-looking guy named Jake, and can I just say that I like him? Like a lot? 🙊😍 He's just so nice and exactly what Peyton needs. And the ending? It was spooky and full of action. I loved it! That was definitely my favourite part of the book.
I can't wait to read more about Peyton, Jake and the spirit world.
This novella comes out on February 6th and you should definitely give it a try, even if it's different from your usual reads 😊
'The Leak of Madness' is the first installment in a series of horror novellas. But don't let the word 'horror' scare you!
The story is about Peyton who can sense and hear spirits. The only way for her to stay sane is drinking and so she's been an alcoholic since before she turned 18. When her best friend invites Peyton to a wedding and wants to help by forbidding her to drink there, she's only making it worse. Because Peyton can sense a ghost amongst the merry people...
This was very different from what I normally read, but I've been super excited to read it ever since I found out about it and I was enjoying it a lot. Even though it was difficult to read about how Peyton constantly needed to top up on alcohol, I understood her. It's her only way to keep the voices at bay and stay sane. I'm pretty sure everyone would choose this way over going crazy! During the wedding she meets this really nice, good-looking guy named Jake, and can I just say that I like him? Like a lot? 🙊😍 He's just so nice and exactly what Peyton needs. And the ending? It was spooky and full of action. I loved it! That was definitely my favourite part of the book.
I can't wait to read more about Peyton, Jake and the spirit world.
This novella comes out on February 6th and you should definitely give it a try, even if it's different from your usual reads 😊
May 23, 2018
**I was given and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I give this book a solid three star rating.⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this book! There were a few parts that bugged me with the plot, but I could see that most of it was setting up for the actual series, since this is the prequel.
This short prequel starts off with a bang when we find out that Peyton, our protagonist, has the ability to communicate with ghosts, but surpasses this ability with alcohol. During the first part of the book I was like okay, the alcohol keeps the ghost and bay and all.. but farther in the plot I began to feel differently.
First of all, Peyton has been drinking for years, since she was a teenager. And okay I get that with whole surpassing of the ghost thing, but don't you think she would have tried to talk to them, help them-- or something besides drinking them away? And we do get a brief of glance when her parents locked her in her room and she was unable to have access to alcohol, thus allowing a short look at her ghost-talking ability. It was short not very informative, but I would think that maybe if she had tried to have conversation and help the spirits it wouldn't have driven her mad like that? I don't know, but like I said earlier, it believe that it is setting up for the book series.
It was kind of funny, at leas to me and my weird sense of humor, that she use to live in a funeral home. Like how ironic is that? It may have just been me, but I found it humorous.
The number one thing that I found weird about this book and made my eye twitch was that Peyton never told anyone of her gift with the spirits. It would have solved so many problems! As far as I was aware, even her parents didn't know about her gift. And if they did, maybe.. well maybe they would still be alive. Maybe it would have saved the from the fire somehow. But those are what ifs, not facts. And her relationship with Olivia could have been much better if she would have just told her. Like she told the bartender Jake, but her best friend? Odd.
When Peyton and Olivia go to her (Olivia's) brother's wedding, I just felt like Olivia wasn't a good friend. Yes, she doesn't know about Peyton's gift and just thinks she is alcoholic, but think of it like this: Olivia makes her supposed alcoholic friend (which she is to a degree), tells her not to drink any alcohol, and forces her to go to a wedding full of alcohol, and then proceeds to drink in front of her. Seems kind of condescending to me. It's like dangling a lollipop in front of a toddler and scolding them for eating it.
And another thing with the alcohol that bothered me. I believe this takes place somewhere in the UK, and to be honest, I don't know their regulations and rules concerning alcohol. But here in there US, you have to be 21 to legally drink. And she's 20. I want to say the legal age limit for alcohol is 19 or 20 in other countries like the UK, but I'm not 100% sure. But if it's 21, this guy has been serving her alcohol illegally, which I am not okay with.
In between drinks, Peyton would sometimes hear the voice of a ghost telling her to get out. Now I don't know about y'all, but if I heard a ghost tell me to leave, I would be booking it out of that door! Like honey no! But she just drinks some more and goes about her secret drinking during the wedding (which is actually majority of the book). And it comes to bite her in the butt in the end! The ghost has already been telling you to leave then he's here trying to kill you and your new guy friend. Like yeah, honey, you should have listened and evacuated or done something about it.
And it all works out in the end (thankfully) by her lighting the painting on fire. The book wasn't clear (or I missed a part, which is very likely knowing me) whether or not she knew that destroying the item tying the spirit here would release him into the beyond. Again, if a ghost told me to leave, I would either run or try to burn the thing trying him here if I knew it would work.
After Peyton has set the painting of the ghost man (his name is slipping my mind right now), Olivia is just shooting her daggers as everyone is gathered around as the load Jake into an ambulance for his injuries. Doesn't Olivia care that her best friend could have died in a fire? Even a little bit?
But even though it seems like I'm hating on this book, I really enjoyed it immensely! And I will continue the series. I also recommend this book to anyone who loves a good dark, paranormal book.
I give this book a solid three star rating.⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this book! There were a few parts that bugged me with the plot, but I could see that most of it was setting up for the actual series, since this is the prequel.
This short prequel starts off with a bang when we find out that Peyton, our protagonist, has the ability to communicate with ghosts, but surpasses this ability with alcohol. During the first part of the book I was like okay, the alcohol keeps the ghost and bay and all.. but farther in the plot I began to feel differently.
First of all, Peyton has been drinking for years, since she was a teenager. And okay I get that with whole surpassing of the ghost thing, but don't you think she would have tried to talk to them, help them-- or something besides drinking them away? And we do get a brief of glance when her parents locked her in her room and she was unable to have access to alcohol, thus allowing a short look at her ghost-talking ability. It was short not very informative, but I would think that maybe if she had tried to have conversation and help the spirits it wouldn't have driven her mad like that? I don't know, but like I said earlier, it believe that it is setting up for the book series.
It was kind of funny, at leas to me and my weird sense of humor, that she use to live in a funeral home. Like how ironic is that? It may have just been me, but I found it humorous.
The number one thing that I found weird about this book and made my eye twitch was that Peyton never told anyone of her gift with the spirits. It would have solved so many problems! As far as I was aware, even her parents didn't know about her gift. And if they did, maybe.. well maybe they would still be alive. Maybe it would have saved the from the fire somehow. But those are what ifs, not facts. And her relationship with Olivia could have been much better if she would have just told her. Like she told the bartender Jake, but her best friend? Odd.
When Peyton and Olivia go to her (Olivia's) brother's wedding, I just felt like Olivia wasn't a good friend. Yes, she doesn't know about Peyton's gift and just thinks she is alcoholic, but think of it like this: Olivia makes her supposed alcoholic friend (which she is to a degree), tells her not to drink any alcohol, and forces her to go to a wedding full of alcohol, and then proceeds to drink in front of her. Seems kind of condescending to me. It's like dangling a lollipop in front of a toddler and scolding them for eating it.
And another thing with the alcohol that bothered me. I believe this takes place somewhere in the UK, and to be honest, I don't know their regulations and rules concerning alcohol. But here in there US, you have to be 21 to legally drink. And she's 20. I want to say the legal age limit for alcohol is 19 or 20 in other countries like the UK, but I'm not 100% sure. But if it's 21, this guy has been serving her alcohol illegally, which I am not okay with.
In between drinks, Peyton would sometimes hear the voice of a ghost telling her to get out. Now I don't know about y'all, but if I heard a ghost tell me to leave, I would be booking it out of that door! Like honey no! But she just drinks some more and goes about her secret drinking during the wedding (which is actually majority of the book). And it comes to bite her in the butt in the end! The ghost has already been telling you to leave then he's here trying to kill you and your new guy friend. Like yeah, honey, you should have listened and evacuated or done something about it.
And it all works out in the end (thankfully) by her lighting the painting on fire. The book wasn't clear (or I missed a part, which is very likely knowing me) whether or not she knew that destroying the item tying the spirit here would release him into the beyond. Again, if a ghost told me to leave, I would either run or try to burn the thing trying him here if I knew it would work.
After Peyton has set the painting of the ghost man (his name is slipping my mind right now), Olivia is just shooting her daggers as everyone is gathered around as the load Jake into an ambulance for his injuries. Doesn't Olivia care that her best friend could have died in a fire? Even a little bit?
But even though it seems like I'm hating on this book, I really enjoyed it immensely! And I will continue the series. I also recommend this book to anyone who loves a good dark, paranormal book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2019
3.5/5 stars
This is a prequel for the Soul Seekers series, so this is a pretty good introduction for what you may expect. I haven't read any of the books in the series, so I went in with a fresh mind. I thought the concept of Peyton having alcoholism and being able to see ghosts was interesting. It was a bit of a darker tone than expected, but I still really liked that. Peyton herself was a character that took a bit for me to grasp, thus the lost stars. It took a good chunk of this novella for me to really get on board with her, but towards the middle-end I had warmed up to her. We als get some introductions to characters I assume will be returning in the series, so it's nice to have a warm-up for them as well.
Overall, this was a short, quick read that does a pretty good job at introducing you to the series. Coming from someone who is new to the books, this novella did a decent job of giving me a feel for the characters and plots.
I was provided a backlogged ARC of this novella for review by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is a prequel for the Soul Seekers series, so this is a pretty good introduction for what you may expect. I haven't read any of the books in the series, so I went in with a fresh mind. I thought the concept of Peyton having alcoholism and being able to see ghosts was interesting. It was a bit of a darker tone than expected, but I still really liked that. Peyton herself was a character that took a bit for me to grasp, thus the lost stars. It took a good chunk of this novella for me to really get on board with her, but towards the middle-end I had warmed up to her. We als get some introductions to characters I assume will be returning in the series, so it's nice to have a warm-up for them as well.
Overall, this was a short, quick read that does a pretty good job at introducing you to the series. Coming from someone who is new to the books, this novella did a decent job of giving me a feel for the characters and plots.
I was provided a backlogged ARC of this novella for review by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 17, 2018
What a great quick read! Not going to lie first meeting Peyton was a struggle. I was so sick of having every waking minute of her inner monougue connecting to alcohol but then, when you think of it, that is exactly how alcoholics would think! Alice portrayed that perfectly and I ended up loving this book and meeting Peyton. I couldn't wait to see her get better and grow into herself and abilities and I adore Olivia!
February 1, 2018
Review Pending.
April 18, 2018
Wow!!!! I read this in one sitting! Peyton is an alcoholic but she has good reason to be. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning that people drink themselves into a stupor but drinking is the only way that helps her to not see things. This had a fantastic creep factor, the storyline is intriguing and I love the characters. I look forward to reading book one and hope that it gets super sinister.
{I requested a review copy and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed herein are unbiased and my own.}
{I requested a review copy and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed herein are unbiased and my own.}
February 28, 2018
I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This novella is about Peyton, who learned in her childhood that she could hear the voices of the deceased. Years later as a grown up, her parents killed in a house fire, she has become an aloholic. Alcohol being the only thing that is keeping the voices at bay; and this is all she wants. Being normal.
The story starts out with Peyton waking up after after a night of too much alcohol and finds herself in the basemant and funeral parlour in her childhood home. After that we get a glimpse at her life and her addicition, as she is being picked up by her best friend, Olivia.
This novella is about Peyton, who learned in her childhood that she could hear the voices of the deceased. Years later as a grown up, her parents killed in a house fire, she has become an aloholic. Alcohol being the only thing that is keeping the voices at bay; and this is all she wants. Being normal.
The story starts out with Peyton waking up after after a night of too much alcohol and finds herself in the basemant and funeral parlour in her childhood home. After that we get a glimpse at her life and her addicition, as she is being picked up by her best friend, Olivia.
So, to start this of, I would give this book 2,5 maybe 3 stars.
I had a lot of issues with it and I'm not completely sure If it was because of the writing or because I expected something else. Maybe a bit of both.
When I read the synopsis I tought this would be a ghosty, horror-esque story. All I got was a suffering alcoholic who tried to block out the voices in her head by staying drunk basically 24/7.
The voices were really just a minor theme in this book, at least for the most part.
The writing wasn't bad per se but I didn't really care about any of the characters. They had no depths, everything was always just scratching the surface. I mean I get it, it's a novella but still, none of the characters really felt important.
And everything happened so quickly, or rather nothing really happened at all. At least in the first 90% of the book. I always thought that her voices would be a cool element, giving the story a supernatural element but like I said, the voices in this story are basically a means to an end. Everything was just about Peyton getting the next drink.
This story had a few elements, that could have worked quite qell: a supernatural element, a suffering heroine striving for a better life, a romantic interest, a hounted mansion.
But instead of using that potential everything tasted kind of bland and unimportant.
Another aspect that really kept me from being immersed into the story were a few editorial mistakes. There were like 5 cases in the whole novella were the author copy + paste'd whole sentences. The first one happens right at the beginning of the book where Peyton described one of the tables in the morgue. I actually had to skip back a page because I wasn't sure if I imagined it or if the author really used the same 5 sentences again. I mean in all fairness, I know how it is if you're reading your own text a million times and become blind to your own mistakes and she probably meant to delete one of the paragraphs again after being sure where to put it and forgot all about it. But at some point during editing and proof-reading someone should have noticed. Because like I said it was pretty obvious. Obvious as in I had a major déjà vu and had to go back and read the last page again. I felt like I was in the Matrix and a black cat just crossed the hallway just that this black cat was a giant elephant hitting me in the face with it's trunk. That kind of obvious.
But I do wanna point out that like I said the first 90% of the book were really weak (at least for me) but the last 10% were really good. No more wasted potential, actually something happening and oh can it be? Character development?
Finally after so many pages the voices actuallly do become important and some Paranormal Activity-esque shit is going on. Just what I have been waiting for. But all that has to wait, because first we need an explicit sex scene. I mean I don't disapprove or something just didn't expect that in this book. If that's not your cup of tea though, be warned.
This being said, I still don't know if I would have enjoyed the book more had I known what kind of book I would get, because frankly I just expected something else. Something more like the last 10% of the novella. But, since those pages were actually good I think that the rest of the series might be more like that.
May 2, 2018
Book review time! As a Book Reviewer and Bookstagrammer for The Parliament House, I have the opportunity to receive free copies of books and ebooks in exchange for honest reviews/posts and I’m also able to help spread the word about their books, cover reveals, giveaways, etc. 😊 Which is how I was able to read The Leak of Madness, the prequel in the Soul Seekers series by Alice J. Black. Read on for my spoiler-free thoughts.
Genre
Fiction, Paranormal, Horror
Intended Audience
Fans of paranormal horror. It’s not suuuuper scary, but I DID read it right before bed and I found myself even more afraid of the dark than I already am. Also, FYI there is a fairly explicit sex scene toward the end of the book - which is fine, but I just wasn’t quite expecting it, so I didn’t want you to be caught by surprise in case that’s not your style.
Overview (From Parliament House Press)
The spirit world has been in touch with Peyton, and it’s more than she can tolerate.
Sometimes their messages are loud enough even to pierce beyond the veil of her alcohol-induced stupors.
When she is invited to attend her best friend’s brother’s wedding at The Manor House, Peyton is compelled to stare down memories of her life before it was decimated by fire and tragedy. Continuously topping herself up with alcohol to keep the voices at bay, it becomes clearer and clearer that there are forces at work in the old building... shadows darker than Peyton could have ever imagined.
The Leak of Madness is the beginning of a thrilling, fast-paced series of horror novellas overflowing with intrigue, romance, redemption, and most importantly... ghosts.
Will Peyton find the normal life she could have if only she stops drinking or will the forces of evil drive her mad?
Setting
Readers are introduced to a couple of locations in this novella, including The Manor House - as mentioned above - but also Peyton’s childhood home. The latter of which, I’m sure, will have a larger role in the rest of the series.
Characters
The main character is Peyton, but we also meet her best friend Olivia. They have an interesting dynamic and I’m looking forward to seeing how each of them develops as bffs and as individuals.
What I Liked
I happen to be a huge fan of horror movies and tv shows, but surprisingly, I don’t read a lot of horror novels. I think they’ve been few and far between on my recent reading list, so this was a refreshing change. Plus it was a quick read, which is nice (and even necessary) sometimes.
I also liked that the story starts off at a point in Peyton’s life where she knows what’s happening to her. A lot of the novels I read introduce characters earlier on, when they’re just discovering a phenomenon, so this is a nice change of pace.
There was a bit of romance here as well and I always prefer to have romance in my reads than not. It wasn’t a main focal point, but that’s fine - I’ll take what I can get.
What I Liked a Little Less
My main hang-ups revolve around redundancy and repetition. There were a few instances where the same line of text showed up twice - sometimes in the same paragraph, sometimes one or two pages later. I’ve written to Parliament House to let them know, in case they’re able to change it in the e-versions. (I don’t usually contact publishers to point out mistakes, but I already have an open line of communication as one of their reviewers, so I figure why not.)
Score
The Leak of Madness gets 2.5/5 stars (this is on my own blog rating scale; Goodreads doesn’t do half points, so I rounded up to 3/5). This prequel definitely has me intrigued and The Darkness Within, Book 1 of the Soul Seekers series, is next on my reading list. However, the repeated lines couldn’t be ignored.
Genre
Fiction, Paranormal, Horror
Intended Audience
Fans of paranormal horror. It’s not suuuuper scary, but I DID read it right before bed and I found myself even more afraid of the dark than I already am. Also, FYI there is a fairly explicit sex scene toward the end of the book - which is fine, but I just wasn’t quite expecting it, so I didn’t want you to be caught by surprise in case that’s not your style.
Overview (From Parliament House Press)
The spirit world has been in touch with Peyton, and it’s more than she can tolerate.
Sometimes their messages are loud enough even to pierce beyond the veil of her alcohol-induced stupors.
When she is invited to attend her best friend’s brother’s wedding at The Manor House, Peyton is compelled to stare down memories of her life before it was decimated by fire and tragedy. Continuously topping herself up with alcohol to keep the voices at bay, it becomes clearer and clearer that there are forces at work in the old building... shadows darker than Peyton could have ever imagined.
The Leak of Madness is the beginning of a thrilling, fast-paced series of horror novellas overflowing with intrigue, romance, redemption, and most importantly... ghosts.
Will Peyton find the normal life she could have if only she stops drinking or will the forces of evil drive her mad?
Setting
Readers are introduced to a couple of locations in this novella, including The Manor House - as mentioned above - but also Peyton’s childhood home. The latter of which, I’m sure, will have a larger role in the rest of the series.
Characters
The main character is Peyton, but we also meet her best friend Olivia. They have an interesting dynamic and I’m looking forward to seeing how each of them develops as bffs and as individuals.
What I Liked
I happen to be a huge fan of horror movies and tv shows, but surprisingly, I don’t read a lot of horror novels. I think they’ve been few and far between on my recent reading list, so this was a refreshing change. Plus it was a quick read, which is nice (and even necessary) sometimes.
I also liked that the story starts off at a point in Peyton’s life where she knows what’s happening to her. A lot of the novels I read introduce characters earlier on, when they’re just discovering a phenomenon, so this is a nice change of pace.
There was a bit of romance here as well and I always prefer to have romance in my reads than not. It wasn’t a main focal point, but that’s fine - I’ll take what I can get.
What I Liked a Little Less
My main hang-ups revolve around redundancy and repetition. There were a few instances where the same line of text showed up twice - sometimes in the same paragraph, sometimes one or two pages later. I’ve written to Parliament House to let them know, in case they’re able to change it in the e-versions. (I don’t usually contact publishers to point out mistakes, but I already have an open line of communication as one of their reviewers, so I figure why not.)
Score
The Leak of Madness gets 2.5/5 stars (this is on my own blog rating scale; Goodreads doesn’t do half points, so I rounded up to 3/5). This prequel definitely has me intrigued and The Darkness Within, Book 1 of the Soul Seekers series, is next on my reading list. However, the repeated lines couldn’t be ignored.
February 20, 2018
I've received an eBook ARC from Parliment House Press in exchange for an honest review.
Caution: This review is written by a not english native speaker, be kind.
ENG:
In the moment I knew about this new release I was really really excided.
Soul Seekers is a series of novellas about Peyton, young woman who use to hear deads' voices and decide to get alcoholist to make them shut up. This opening can remind one of my favourite tv series, Medium with the fabulous Patricia Arquette as main star, but the plot looks from the first page like something more different. Peyton is not only an alcoholist, but her life is barely ruined. Her parents died in fire years before and we found out that when she really get plastered she use to awake in the morgue where her parents worked when they were alive. Creepy, and cool!
Why does she do it? We don't know, but I'm sure we're going to discover the mystery in next novellas.
She has to get a so high alcohol level in her blood (or mind) that she can't even find a job or make new friendships. All her thoughts are for strongdrinks and how to get them all day long.
She has only a friend, Olivia, that looks more like a mother, just because she doesn't know about Peyton's power and she doesn't understand how to help Peyton to stop drink.
I loved how Peyton looks so devoted/resigned to drinking, she always think about it and about trying every time to have a sip from her flask during her bbf's brother's wedding in a haunted house.
In this prequel we doesn't taste so much the paranormal side of the story, but it results usefull to know Peyton well.
So, good job. I'll wait for the next first novella!
-.-.-.-
ITA:
Nel momento in cui ho saputo di questa nuova uscita ero davvero molto molto entusiasta. Soul Seekers è una serie di racconti lunghi che raccontano di Peyton, una giovane donna capace di udire le voci dei morti e decide di diventare alcolista pur di zittirle. Questo inizio può ricordare una delle mie serie tv preferite, Medium con la favolosa Patricia Arquette come attrice principale, ma l'intreccio appare fin dalle prime pagine molto più differente. Peyton non è solo un'alcolista, ma la sua vita è chiaramente distrutta. I suoi genitori sono morti anni prima in un incendio e scopriamo che quando è davvero molto sbronza è solita risvegliarsi nell'obitorio dove i suoi genitori lavoravano in vita. Inquietante, ma forte!
(Nota per l'Italia: in America servizi come autopsie o quelli funebri sono affidati, almeno nelle città piccole, a studi privati. Per capire meglio, e anche perché è un gran bel film, consiglio la visione di Autopsy.)
Perché lo fa? Non lo sappiamo, ma sono sicura che risolveremo il mistero nelle prossime novelle.
Lei deve mantenere un così alto livello di alcol nel sangue (o nella mente) che non può mantenersi un lavoro o trovare nuove amicizie. Tutti i suoi pensieri sono rivolti agli alcolici e a come procurarseli durente il giorno.
Ha solo un'amica, Olivia, che sembra più una madre, solo perché non sa dei poteri di Peyton e non comprende come aiutarla nello smettere di bere.
Ho amato come Peyton sembri così devota/rassegnata al bere, pensa sempre a quello e a tentare ogni volta a prendere un sorso dalla sue fiaschetta durante il matrimonio del fratello della sua migliore amica in una casa stregata.
In questo prequel non abbiamo un vero assaggio del lato paranormale della storia, ma risulta utile per conoscere bene Peyton.
Quindi, ottimo lavoro. Resto in attesa della prossima prima novella!
Caution: This review is written by a not english native speaker, be kind.
ENG:
In the moment I knew about this new release I was really really excided.
Soul Seekers is a series of novellas about Peyton, young woman who use to hear deads' voices and decide to get alcoholist to make them shut up. This opening can remind one of my favourite tv series, Medium with the fabulous Patricia Arquette as main star, but the plot looks from the first page like something more different. Peyton is not only an alcoholist, but her life is barely ruined. Her parents died in fire years before and we found out that when she really get plastered she use to awake in the morgue where her parents worked when they were alive. Creepy, and cool!
Why does she do it? We don't know, but I'm sure we're going to discover the mystery in next novellas.
She has to get a so high alcohol level in her blood (or mind) that she can't even find a job or make new friendships. All her thoughts are for strongdrinks and how to get them all day long.
She has only a friend, Olivia, that looks more like a mother, just because she doesn't know about Peyton's power and she doesn't understand how to help Peyton to stop drink.
I loved how Peyton looks so devoted/resigned to drinking, she always think about it and about trying every time to have a sip from her flask during her bbf's brother's wedding in a haunted house.
In this prequel we doesn't taste so much the paranormal side of the story, but it results usefull to know Peyton well.
So, good job. I'll wait for the next first novella!
-.-.-.-
ITA:
Nel momento in cui ho saputo di questa nuova uscita ero davvero molto molto entusiasta. Soul Seekers è una serie di racconti lunghi che raccontano di Peyton, una giovane donna capace di udire le voci dei morti e decide di diventare alcolista pur di zittirle. Questo inizio può ricordare una delle mie serie tv preferite, Medium con la favolosa Patricia Arquette come attrice principale, ma l'intreccio appare fin dalle prime pagine molto più differente. Peyton non è solo un'alcolista, ma la sua vita è chiaramente distrutta. I suoi genitori sono morti anni prima in un incendio e scopriamo che quando è davvero molto sbronza è solita risvegliarsi nell'obitorio dove i suoi genitori lavoravano in vita. Inquietante, ma forte!
(Nota per l'Italia: in America servizi come autopsie o quelli funebri sono affidati, almeno nelle città piccole, a studi privati. Per capire meglio, e anche perché è un gran bel film, consiglio la visione di Autopsy.)
Perché lo fa? Non lo sappiamo, ma sono sicura che risolveremo il mistero nelle prossime novelle.
Lei deve mantenere un così alto livello di alcol nel sangue (o nella mente) che non può mantenersi un lavoro o trovare nuove amicizie. Tutti i suoi pensieri sono rivolti agli alcolici e a come procurarseli durente il giorno.
Ha solo un'amica, Olivia, che sembra più una madre, solo perché non sa dei poteri di Peyton e non comprende come aiutarla nello smettere di bere.
Ho amato come Peyton sembri così devota/rassegnata al bere, pensa sempre a quello e a tentare ogni volta a prendere un sorso dalla sue fiaschetta durante il matrimonio del fratello della sua migliore amica in una casa stregata.
In questo prequel non abbiamo un vero assaggio del lato paranormale della storia, ma risulta utile per conoscere bene Peyton.
Quindi, ottimo lavoro. Resto in attesa della prossima prima novella!
February 27, 2018
"The fact that I had woken up on a slab where hundreds of dead bodies had said their final farewell made me sick. The fucking morgue. Like a premonition of my death."
This short story was surprisingly complex in such a short amount of space. Peyton, our protagonist, leads the reader into her world where she sees ghosts. However, taking it from a psychological view, who is to say it's not her alcoholic tendencies that make her believe she's hearing them? It was a challenging book in that aspect, not knowing what was real and what was not.
"The first drink of the day was always the best. I leaned against the counter as I felt my whole body relax. The headache was beginning to subside and I no longer felt like every jostling movement would bring me to vomit."
Reading from the point of view of an alcoholic was really fascinating! I don't believe I've read many characters that are this realistic. Peyton had a huge focus on the liquid, and she could barely peel her mind off the idea of when she was going to get her next fix.
The focus on the after effects of it as well was great. Although she wakes up with hangovers and feelings like crap all the time (from hangovers as well as her life being out of control) she continues to go back to alcohol and drink deeply so that she doesn't need to hear the voices in her head of the dead.
Enter evil ghost at a wedding that wants her out of his mansion. I wish there was a greater explanation for why none of the other ghosts in her life could penetrate her alcohol barrier but this guy could - as well as physically harming her and others around her! Was he strengthened by her appearance or was he always hovering around waiting to attack?
I also wish there was less of a victim complex around the protagonist. While it must be horrible having to hear the dead as well as living without your parents from such a young age, the whole "no one understands me" trope died in my heart very quickly. She has friends that would listen to her if only she tried to communicate with them instead of making them out to be some sorts of villains in her mind. I think a toning down of the victim mentality would really round this character and future short stories out!
"He thrust his head back. “Oh God.”
“Just Peyton.” I grinned wickedly."
Altogether, I highly enjoyed this story! I believe when the future short stories enhance the character and expand the world more, then these will really shine! I anticipate the next stories to see what becomes of Peyton, her friends and love interest, and of course, her mental health!
This short story was surprisingly complex in such a short amount of space. Peyton, our protagonist, leads the reader into her world where she sees ghosts. However, taking it from a psychological view, who is to say it's not her alcoholic tendencies that make her believe she's hearing them? It was a challenging book in that aspect, not knowing what was real and what was not.
"The first drink of the day was always the best. I leaned against the counter as I felt my whole body relax. The headache was beginning to subside and I no longer felt like every jostling movement would bring me to vomit."
Reading from the point of view of an alcoholic was really fascinating! I don't believe I've read many characters that are this realistic. Peyton had a huge focus on the liquid, and she could barely peel her mind off the idea of when she was going to get her next fix.
The focus on the after effects of it as well was great. Although she wakes up with hangovers and feelings like crap all the time (from hangovers as well as her life being out of control) she continues to go back to alcohol and drink deeply so that she doesn't need to hear the voices in her head of the dead.
Enter evil ghost at a wedding that wants her out of his mansion. I wish there was a greater explanation for why none of the other ghosts in her life could penetrate her alcohol barrier but this guy could - as well as physically harming her and others around her! Was he strengthened by her appearance or was he always hovering around waiting to attack?
I also wish there was less of a victim complex around the protagonist. While it must be horrible having to hear the dead as well as living without your parents from such a young age, the whole "no one understands me" trope died in my heart very quickly. She has friends that would listen to her if only she tried to communicate with them instead of making them out to be some sorts of villains in her mind. I think a toning down of the victim mentality would really round this character and future short stories out!
"He thrust his head back. “Oh God.”
“Just Peyton.” I grinned wickedly."
Altogether, I highly enjoyed this story! I believe when the future short stories enhance the character and expand the world more, then these will really shine! I anticipate the next stories to see what becomes of Peyton, her friends and love interest, and of course, her mental health!
September 29, 2018
The Leak of Madness mixes the paranormal fantasy of ghosts with a very adult subject matter. Bringing these two things together make The Leak of Madness a thrilling and intriguing read.
In this prequel novella for the Soul Seekers Series we meet Peyton who is battling with alcoholism and the ability to hear ghosts...hence the reason why she drinks. Peyton’s character has dealt with a lot of loss and has a lot of weight pressing down on her. This loss and her addictive natural make her character relatable on a very humane level.
The main plot line within The Leak of Madness revolves around Peyton attending her friend Olivia’s little brother’s wedding. A wedding that takes place in a manor that is haunted. And with Olivia prohibiting Peyton from drinking, she can’t escape on the onslaught that the ghost brings.
I did receive this novella in ebook format directly from the publisher for an honest review. I’m not sure if this is the finished copy or an arc version, but there were grammar errors such as missing words within sentences throughout the novel. Also, there were two separate occasions where I had to reread a paragraph because it repeated itself. Identical sentences were repeated within the same paragraph or the following paragraph, which confused me enough to where I had to backtrack. This was the only thing that put me off, but some more editing should be able to fix the problem.
Overall, it was a nice short read that I finished in one day. I’m excited to see what else is in store for Peyton in the following Soul Seeker novels.
In this prequel novella for the Soul Seekers Series we meet Peyton who is battling with alcoholism and the ability to hear ghosts...hence the reason why she drinks. Peyton’s character has dealt with a lot of loss and has a lot of weight pressing down on her. This loss and her addictive natural make her character relatable on a very humane level.
The main plot line within The Leak of Madness revolves around Peyton attending her friend Olivia’s little brother’s wedding. A wedding that takes place in a manor that is haunted. And with Olivia prohibiting Peyton from drinking, she can’t escape on the onslaught that the ghost brings.
I did receive this novella in ebook format directly from the publisher for an honest review. I’m not sure if this is the finished copy or an arc version, but there were grammar errors such as missing words within sentences throughout the novel. Also, there were two separate occasions where I had to reread a paragraph because it repeated itself. Identical sentences were repeated within the same paragraph or the following paragraph, which confused me enough to where I had to backtrack. This was the only thing that put me off, but some more editing should be able to fix the problem.
Overall, it was a nice short read that I finished in one day. I’m excited to see what else is in store for Peyton in the following Soul Seeker novels.
February 10, 2018
‘The Leak of Madness’ is a prequel novella to an upcoming horror series centered around a girl named Peyton who can sense spirits. This book starts out with Peyton being invited to attend her best friend’s brother’s wedding. However, her friend insists that Peyton, who uses alcohol as a coping mechanism for the spirits, spend the weekend without drinking as to avoid disaster. But that may only make things worse.
Now, this isn’t a genre I normally reach for in fiction. However, I surprisingly really enjoyed this novel. It’s a great introduction to the series, and the genre as a whole. The shorter length made it much more appealing than a 500 paged novel would.
Like any book, this one had its problems, but they were few and far between. My only thing with this book was the main character’s abuse of alcohol. I come from a very anti-alcohol/drug use background so, of course, I’m sensitive to the topic. There we’re also a handful of extremely repetitive chapters within the first half of the book, but were simply mildly annoying and took nothing away from the writing or plot.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book. The writing was easy to follow and really well paced. It felt like there was nothing left out but still allowed room to grow and changed in future books. The story held a real Sixth Sense and Supernatural vibe that I am so here for!
If you get the chance, you should definitely pick up this novella!!
Now, this isn’t a genre I normally reach for in fiction. However, I surprisingly really enjoyed this novel. It’s a great introduction to the series, and the genre as a whole. The shorter length made it much more appealing than a 500 paged novel would.
Like any book, this one had its problems, but they were few and far between. My only thing with this book was the main character’s abuse of alcohol. I come from a very anti-alcohol/drug use background so, of course, I’m sensitive to the topic. There we’re also a handful of extremely repetitive chapters within the first half of the book, but were simply mildly annoying and took nothing away from the writing or plot.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book. The writing was easy to follow and really well paced. It felt like there was nothing left out but still allowed room to grow and changed in future books. The story held a real Sixth Sense and Supernatural vibe that I am so here for!
If you get the chance, you should definitely pick up this novella!!
February 10, 2018
The Leak of Madness is the first book in the Soul Seekers series, and sets the premise very well for what to expect in the futures novels. It's a short read, but a pleasant one.
The story follows Peyton, a girl orphaned by disaster, who can hear the voices of the dead. Not that she wants to- she uses alcohol to drown them out, and spends her life in a perpetual state of inebriation. Though coined as a ghost story, the ghosts do not feature too heavily in this instalment, though I do not doubt that will change as the series goes on. We follow Peyton on her journey of realisation (aided by an attractive barman) that perhaps she shouldn't be ignoring these voices- maybe she should listen. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.
The story itself isn't original- a girl who can hear ghosts- but the execution is. The killer is in the details- I can already tell that as we follow Peyton, a character who is by no means a Mary Sue, and somes with her own set of problems and scars, we will follow her struggle to kick her habits and turn her life around.
I did find that there were a few editorial mistakes in the book, or perhaps it was just my kindle glitching, but a few times lines were repeated, a few sentences apart, or seemingly missing, leaving sentences unfinished, which made the flow break a bit, but overall it's a good start to what I am sure will be a great series.
The story follows Peyton, a girl orphaned by disaster, who can hear the voices of the dead. Not that she wants to- she uses alcohol to drown them out, and spends her life in a perpetual state of inebriation. Though coined as a ghost story, the ghosts do not feature too heavily in this instalment, though I do not doubt that will change as the series goes on. We follow Peyton on her journey of realisation (aided by an attractive barman) that perhaps she shouldn't be ignoring these voices- maybe she should listen. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.
The story itself isn't original- a girl who can hear ghosts- but the execution is. The killer is in the details- I can already tell that as we follow Peyton, a character who is by no means a Mary Sue, and somes with her own set of problems and scars, we will follow her struggle to kick her habits and turn her life around.
I did find that there were a few editorial mistakes in the book, or perhaps it was just my kindle glitching, but a few times lines were repeated, a few sentences apart, or seemingly missing, leaving sentences unfinished, which made the flow break a bit, but overall it's a good start to what I am sure will be a great series.
April 13, 2018
3.5 stars
A very interesting story about a young woman, Peyton, who is drowning the voices of ghosts by drinking herself into oblivion everyday.
The Leak of Madness begins with Peyton waking from a blackout in the morgue of her families funeral home. Only, this house has been burned down, and was the reason for her parent's death long ago. Peyton has no idea how she came to be there, or why she would be sleeping in the rubble of her past life. She calls her only friend, Olivia, who is already worried about her friends alcoholism.
Peyton is a strong character, dealing with the voices of ghosts on her own, scared to reveal the truth to anyone. She is scared of her abilities, of the dark spirits, of losing Olivia (the only person she has left).
She has to pull herself together in order to attend Olivia's brother's wedding. Hiding her drinking, her pain, her fear. Although, it becomes quite difficult when a very dark and twisted spirit begins tormenting her at the reception.
A quick read, full of potential, with interesting characters and a unique plot. I am very interested in finding out more about Peyton, how she came to see and hear ghosts, how she plans to fight the dark ones, what her future holds. There were a couple instances of repeated sentences and I found the love connection rather quick, being more of a slow burn romance kind of girl, but I really found myself sucked into the story.
A very interesting story about a young woman, Peyton, who is drowning the voices of ghosts by drinking herself into oblivion everyday.
The Leak of Madness begins with Peyton waking from a blackout in the morgue of her families funeral home. Only, this house has been burned down, and was the reason for her parent's death long ago. Peyton has no idea how she came to be there, or why she would be sleeping in the rubble of her past life. She calls her only friend, Olivia, who is already worried about her friends alcoholism.
Peyton is a strong character, dealing with the voices of ghosts on her own, scared to reveal the truth to anyone. She is scared of her abilities, of the dark spirits, of losing Olivia (the only person she has left).
She has to pull herself together in order to attend Olivia's brother's wedding. Hiding her drinking, her pain, her fear. Although, it becomes quite difficult when a very dark and twisted spirit begins tormenting her at the reception.
A quick read, full of potential, with interesting characters and a unique plot. I am very interested in finding out more about Peyton, how she came to see and hear ghosts, how she plans to fight the dark ones, what her future holds. There were a couple instances of repeated sentences and I found the love connection rather quick, being more of a slow burn romance kind of girl, but I really found myself sucked into the story.
March 17, 2018
I've gotta say, I wasn't sure what to expect with a book so short, but I'm impressed. This short novella packed a punch in under 100 pages.
The entirety of this story takes place over less than 24 hours. Peyton, who relies on alcohol to suppress the ghost voices she hears, attends a wedding with her friend who asks her to refrain from alcohol for this event. Of course the friend doesn't know why she drinks, so here is the issue of the night: without alcohol, she's forced to face these voices.
Peyton is a flawed, but likeable, character. It only takes a few pages to get to understand her and sympathize for her. There were some things that felt pretty rushed and could've been drawn out more, but hey, it was paced pretty good for the amount of pages it used.
The story gives us enough detail but keeps the plot from getting too convuluted for a novella; it's the perfect amount of detail to intrigue readers and keep them wanting more.
I enjoyed Black's writing and I'll definitely keep an eye out for what other ghostly stories she comes out with.
The entirety of this story takes place over less than 24 hours. Peyton, who relies on alcohol to suppress the ghost voices she hears, attends a wedding with her friend who asks her to refrain from alcohol for this event. Of course the friend doesn't know why she drinks, so here is the issue of the night: without alcohol, she's forced to face these voices.
Peyton is a flawed, but likeable, character. It only takes a few pages to get to understand her and sympathize for her. There were some things that felt pretty rushed and could've been drawn out more, but hey, it was paced pretty good for the amount of pages it used.
The story gives us enough detail but keeps the plot from getting too convuluted for a novella; it's the perfect amount of detail to intrigue readers and keep them wanting more.
I enjoyed Black's writing and I'll definitely keep an eye out for what other ghostly stories she comes out with.
February 6, 2018
Peyton is consumed by alcoholism. She doesn’t drink because she enjoys it, although each drop is exquisite as it slides down her throat. She drinks to shut down the voices.
The voices of the dead.
Haunted and pursued by the dead, Peyton’s life is a race from one drink to the next just so she can function, but living in a cloud of vapors isn’t living.
Dragged to a social event that she wants nothing to do with, Peyton must abstain from alcohol, at least publicly. At the event she meets two people who will change her forever. One is living and offers her a chance a normalcy. The other is dead and offers her death. But with or without alcohol, can Peyton deal with either?
Ms. Black shows the real struggle of alcoholism through a different light. Her dark writing twists the real horrors of addiction to that of the supernatural in an exciting fling that begs for more. This is different take on the Ghost Story. Well Done!
The voices of the dead.
Haunted and pursued by the dead, Peyton’s life is a race from one drink to the next just so she can function, but living in a cloud of vapors isn’t living.
Dragged to a social event that she wants nothing to do with, Peyton must abstain from alcohol, at least publicly. At the event she meets two people who will change her forever. One is living and offers her a chance a normalcy. The other is dead and offers her death. But with or without alcohol, can Peyton deal with either?
Ms. Black shows the real struggle of alcoholism through a different light. Her dark writing twists the real horrors of addiction to that of the supernatural in an exciting fling that begs for more. This is different take on the Ghost Story. Well Done!
March 19, 2019
*I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
3.5
This wasn't exactly bad, but it's just one of those things that isn't the easiest for me to get into. These are a series of horror novellas rather than novels and while it's good for someone that doesn't read a lot of horror (like me), it's definitely not a style that will work for everyone. I think my main complaint is that I couldn't connect with any of the characters and the story wasn't as intense or scary as I was expecting. I'm definitely interested to see where this story is going to go, though my expectations are now managed for the rest of these novellas that I was kindly sent.
Also, there is alcoholism throughout and a very descriptive sex scene near the end of this novella, so if that is something that you are sensitive to, I'd go into this with caution if this sounds interesting to you.
3.5
This wasn't exactly bad, but it's just one of those things that isn't the easiest for me to get into. These are a series of horror novellas rather than novels and while it's good for someone that doesn't read a lot of horror (like me), it's definitely not a style that will work for everyone. I think my main complaint is that I couldn't connect with any of the characters and the story wasn't as intense or scary as I was expecting. I'm definitely interested to see where this story is going to go, though my expectations are now managed for the rest of these novellas that I was kindly sent.
Also, there is alcoholism throughout and a very descriptive sex scene near the end of this novella, so if that is something that you are sensitive to, I'd go into this with caution if this sounds interesting to you.
March 27, 2018
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Well, this story was a hit in the face and i'm saying this in the best possible way. This may be a short book, but it was a glorious introduction to this horror series. Which i am extremely curious to see more of it. This was really well done, the way she writes the POV of an alcoholic is fascinating. And even if you just want Peyton to
not drink and be better, it's also very easy to see why she does. That's an other thing i'm super excited to see, Peyton's character development. There's so much that can be done with her character, that will be interesting to see. Also, i'm curious about Jake. I really hope we get to see more of him in the future, he seems like a entertaining love interest. The writing was great too.
I loved that prequel, bring on the rest of the series. i'm so ready.
The Leak of Madness : 4.5/5
Well, this story was a hit in the face and i'm saying this in the best possible way. This may be a short book, but it was a glorious introduction to this horror series. Which i am extremely curious to see more of it. This was really well done, the way she writes the POV of an alcoholic is fascinating. And even if you just want Peyton to
not drink and be better, it's also very easy to see why she does. That's an other thing i'm super excited to see, Peyton's character development. There's so much that can be done with her character, that will be interesting to see. Also, i'm curious about Jake. I really hope we get to see more of him in the future, he seems like a entertaining love interest. The writing was great too.
I loved that prequel, bring on the rest of the series. i'm so ready.
The Leak of Madness : 4.5/5
June 18, 2019
Peyton can see and hear ghosts and because of that, she drinks, to excess. When her best friend makes her go to her brother's wedding, she orders Peyton not to drink, because her drinking is problematic. A lot easier said than done to an alcoholic. Especially one who is being told to "get out" at the wedding from a man named Patrick Smith who was murdered at the venue.
This was a quick read as an introduction to the series. I didn't feel that Peyton's character was overly developed other than to consistently talk about how much she was drinking. It felt like that's all she was doing, and I think if someone refilled a flask and took as many shots as she did, she would be on the floor, not fully functional. I felt that too much time was devoted to her desire for alcohol rather than moving the story forward. There is promise in the series and what she does with her talents.
This was a quick read as an introduction to the series. I didn't feel that Peyton's character was overly developed other than to consistently talk about how much she was drinking. It felt like that's all she was doing, and I think if someone refilled a flask and took as many shots as she did, she would be on the floor, not fully functional. I felt that too much time was devoted to her desire for alcohol rather than moving the story forward. There is promise in the series and what she does with her talents.
February 1, 2018
So I was gifted an ARC in exchange for an honest review. So I am giving this book a 3/5 Star Rating
First let me start off by saying how amazing the cover of this book is. It’s so gorgeous even though it’s got a very dark feel.
The main character is Peyton (I loooove the name Peyton by the way) who can sense/feel spirits. To deal with this curse/gift she drinks...a lot. She’s basically been an alcoholic since high school because she can hear dead people.
So most of this book was lots and lots of drinking which I was not really into.
I do however loooove Jake, he is uber sweet and sounds extremely hot lol.
I will definitely continue this series because it has a great potential plot wise and I need to know if anything will happen with Peyton and Jake.
First let me start off by saying how amazing the cover of this book is. It’s so gorgeous even though it’s got a very dark feel.
The main character is Peyton (I loooove the name Peyton by the way) who can sense/feel spirits. To deal with this curse/gift she drinks...a lot. She’s basically been an alcoholic since high school because she can hear dead people.
So most of this book was lots and lots of drinking which I was not really into.
I do however loooove Jake, he is uber sweet and sounds extremely hot lol.
I will definitely continue this series because it has a great potential plot wise and I need to know if anything will happen with Peyton and Jake.
June 10, 2018
As a whole this novella was interesting, the characters were likable enough and the idea of the story was also interesting... what kept me from truly engaging with what was happening was the mention of alcohol every few sentences.
Yes, the main character is, in fact, an alcoholic, but I found it redundant to continuously mention it. There are other ways to depict her need for it. I feel as though it pulled away from the actual story...and that the alcohol took the front seat rather than the supernatural aspect.
It was enjoyable, the dark quality of the writing and story.
Overall, it's a 3 crown rating.
Yes, the main character is, in fact, an alcoholic, but I found it redundant to continuously mention it. There are other ways to depict her need for it. I feel as though it pulled away from the actual story...and that the alcohol took the front seat rather than the supernatural aspect.
It was enjoyable, the dark quality of the writing and story.
Overall, it's a 3 crown rating.
January 12, 2019
This was an interesting story. Peyton’s ability reminded me of the tv show Medium except that she was trying to bury her gifts in alcohol. I wasn’t a huge fan of the alcoholism aspect of this story but liked learning about her gift and how it affects her. I would have liked to learn more about why she ends up back at her parents funeral home sometimes. Her friend Olivia was interesting but a bit overbearing. I also enjoyed the connection she had with Jake. I hope he shows up in future books as well. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Medium or other similar paranormal ghost stories.
I received an eARC via the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I received an eARC via the publisher. All opinions are my own.
February 1, 2018
The leak of madness was a very intriguing novella. I usually don't read spooky books but I liked this book! I can't wait to see where this series goes.
Peyton is an alcoholic with good reason lol (yea I know you don't hear that very often). Peyton has the ability to hear the dead which she tries to supress as much as possible with alcohol. No one knows what Peyton is able to do until she confides in a handsome bartender who put a different view of it in her head. What will Peyton decide to? I can't wait to find out
Peyton is an alcoholic with good reason lol (yea I know you don't hear that very often). Peyton has the ability to hear the dead which she tries to supress as much as possible with alcohol. No one knows what Peyton is able to do until she confides in a handsome bartender who put a different view of it in her head. What will Peyton decide to? I can't wait to find out
February 1, 2018
Loved this novella. I have read a couple of Alices work, and again i was not disappointed! Couldnt put it down! Peyton has an alcohol problem but only to drown out the voices that she hears on a daily basis. Her friend thinks she is trying to help by stopping her drinking when they are at a wedding, but it only makes the voices slip through again.
But will Peyton manage to block out the voices or will the lack of alcohol make everything come to a head?
Very good read from a brilliant author.
But will Peyton manage to block out the voices or will the lack of alcohol make everything come to a head?
Very good read from a brilliant author.
August 12, 2018
The leak of madness is a prequel to the Soul Seekers series. I really enjoyed this story! Its a great introduction to this series. I really liked Peyton( our main character in this series) she can see and hear the dead but has sadly become an alcoholic to drown out the voices..this story is mainly set at her bestfriend Olivia's brother's wedding where we are also introduced to the cute bartender Jake (i loved him i hope we see him again in the series) and a very cranky ghost lol.it was fast-paced, with a bit of romance and some ghost busting
February 22, 2018
what a great introduction to what will be a great series.
This short was quick and introduced us to Peyton, who uses alcohol as a way to blot out the voices.. While at a Manor house for her friends bothers wedding she is besieged by the now deceased owner.
This book had fun, dark and spooky and I just loved Peyton. she wasn't your typical beauty who has it all.
I can't wait to read more about Peyton.
This short was quick and introduced us to Peyton, who uses alcohol as a way to blot out the voices.. While at a Manor house for her friends bothers wedding she is besieged by the now deceased owner.
This book had fun, dark and spooky and I just loved Peyton. she wasn't your typical beauty who has it all.
I can't wait to read more about Peyton.
March 5, 2018
This was very easy to read. As soon as I woke up and saw that Parliament House sent me the e-book (which I cannot thank enough for this opportunity!), within the first page I was hooked and finished the book before I even went to the bathroom. The author was very descriptive and I could feel what Peyton was going through. I cannot wait to read the other books in the series. Also, that cover...come on.
April 18, 2018
Good little novella
A good little novella and an interesting introduction to Peyton. I would like to read the rest in this series to see what pans out for her. There were quite a few editing errors in this edition though, with quite a few sentences repeating themselves, or words missing etc. A good read otherwise.
A good little novella and an interesting introduction to Peyton. I would like to read the rest in this series to see what pans out for her. There were quite a few editing errors in this edition though, with quite a few sentences repeating themselves, or words missing etc. A good read otherwise.
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