BREACH

by Candace Nola

A young woman flees into the woods following a horrific attack of her friends during a camping trip. Unknowingly, she crosses into a breach between her reality and one ripped directly from nightmares. A flight to escape turns into a quest for survival as she battles her way through this new world, while learning how she got there and how to get home. Nothing here is what it seems as creatures and plant life both wage attacks against her. The journey takes her through a world she has only dreamed of, where she meets creatures and beings that are too impossible to exist, who teach her how to face what she has once forgotten. Will she survive long enough to discover the truth?

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Monsters, Halloween

278 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2019

About the author

I am Candace Nola, and I am a multiple award-winning author, editor, and publisher. I write poetry, horror, dark fantasy, and extreme horror content. My books include Breach, Beyond the Breach, Hank Flynn, Bishop, Earth vs The Lava Spiders, The Unicorn Killer, Unmasked, The Vet, and Desperate Wishes.

I have short stories in The Baker’s Dozen anthology, Secondhand Creeps, American Cannibal, Just A Girl, The Horror Collection: Lost Edition & The Turquoise Edition, just to name a few.

Beyond the Breach, won the “Novel of the Year” and my Debut Novel, Breach, was nominated for “Debut Novel of the Year”, for the 2021 Horror Authors Guild awards. I am also the publisher and editor of the 2022 Splatterpunk Award Winning Anthology “Uncomfortably Dark Presents: The Baker’s Dozen.”

I am the creator of Uncomfortably Dark, which focuses primarily on promoting indie horror authors and small presses with weekly book reviews, interviews, and special features. Uncomfortably Dark Horror stands behind its mission to “bring you the best in horror, one uncomfortably dark page at a time.”

Find me on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook and the website, UncomfortablyDark.com. Sign up for the Patreon for exclusive content, free stories, and more.

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting story as it was a combination of horror and dark fantasy.

A small backstory:

A woman goes out camping with some friends and then witnesses them all getting killed by an unknown creature. She barely escapes with her life as she hides out in a thicket of trees. She stays there within the trees for a long time and when she thinks the creature is not paying attention she sneaks off into the forest.

The woman ends up being able to flee the horrible scene but then ends up in a place that she is totally unprepared for as she lands in a whole different reality filled with different types of creatures as some want to help her and some want to attack her. She ends up fighting for survival in this new world as she tries to make it back to her own reality.

Thoughts:

The story is told in first person as the woman goes from one extreme to the other as there is lots to take in at first with the attack on the campsite (that was very gore descriptive) and then finding herself in a whole new world with these cute dragonfly creatures that she named Jackflys and Jillflys. Of course there are some other creatures that she comes across that are not so cute and that really want to rip into her.

The story is kind of a mix between horror and fantasy with the different worlds and creatures. As much I enjoyed the created world of the different creatures the story was a little drawn out for me with attention span as the woman goes from one thing to another. It kind of reminded me a little bit of the movie Castaway with Tom Hanks as he tries to survive on the island as this is basically the same type of story except there are fantasy creatures involved. So with that being said I am giving this book three stars as I did like it, but not enough to give it four stars.

[Marc Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was younger I read a book about a scientist who built a spaceship and flew to a distant planet. On that planet the crew came into contact with all sorts of creatures, monsters, and alien cultures and civilizations. I remember being so captivated with the discovery element of it all. Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the book or the author, but it awoke in me a love of these types of novels - one's where new discoveries and adventures were found in every chapter of a book. Books such as the Wizard of Oz series, The Neverending Story, and Gulliver's Travels or in sci-fi with Ringworld and Rendezvous with Rama, or fantasies with Conan the Barbarian, and more recently with horror adventure such as Annihilation by VanderMeer or The Between by Ryan Leslie. And with these, I would add Breach by Candace Nola.

I was hooked right from the start with Breach. Nola hooks you right in with a brutal scene straight out of a horror writer's nightmares. I was truly involved in our heroine, Laraya, as she made her escape and ventured into the strange world that Nola had created for her. I did feel a bit of a lull in the story (it felt long because for a while it was just a first person narrative with no conversations) but this was where the discovery elements kick in. And then something happens that changes the whole story and I found myself being hooked again.

Nola has given us a wonderful story that hovers between worlds - fantasy and horror, imagination and artistry, recovery and redemption, the real and the representative. Complete with an epic confrontation in the likes of the killing of the Jabberwocky, Beowulf's Grendel, or the Kraken.

[Lee Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok Wow. Now I'm going right off the bat that this is not my normal cup of tea. I'm not letting that take anything away from this book.

It is a beautifully written almost cosmic/fantasy/horror with many layers. The world building is fantastic and vivid. The MC Laraya is deeply traumatised , yet still a character you root for.

I would reccomend this novel would be a good gateway to horror, or as a palette cleanser between heavier reads. Or even a New Adult read.

The Soul Eater is awesome! I really would've loved to seen it creeping about a little more. But that's me, an extreme horror reader.

Seriously this book has everything and a whole lot of wonder.

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the first page, Nola throws us directly into the action. There's no need to meet the (MC) main character first because the author plotted out how to get to know the MC throughout the rest of the book.... On a camping trip, some giant spider monster attacks the MC's friends. The MC gets away, and finds herself in some fantasy world. Or would it be considered science fiction? Either way, the descriptions are so graphic that I felt like I was the one in the fantasy land trying to survive. Other than meeting little bugs, the first 50 percent of this book is the girl, alone in the woods trying to figure stuff out. Around the 50 percent mark, she meets beings that she can communicate with. It's not verbal, but thoughts being exchanged, but I gladly welcomed the new characters to break up just a bit of the monotony of the MC being alone. I didn't mind her being alone, and interesting things did happen then, but I felt like that part was no where near as good as the last half. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't give away the ending, (which by the way had a clever double meaning,) but the last couple chapters were pure action. I'm not much on reading action scenes, and I must admit that these were written beautifully. That part just wasn't my thing.

[Todd Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candace Nola has a way with words. She can bring you into her world effortlessly. Just like her main character is brought into a fantastic other world, Nola bring you along for the journey. You see what she sees and feel what she feels. Her descriptions of the terrain and wild life are mind blowing. The journey of the main character is very relevant and therapeutic. I feel this is a must read novel. My favourite Dark Fantasy book of the year!

[Negan88 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagination Beyond Belief!

Breach by Candace Nola is a journey unlike many I have had the pleasure of reading. The originality of the book would make Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and some Clive Barker (dark fantasy) very proud! Candace has a deep and wide imagination that comes to life on the page!

Breach centers around Laraya and her journey into a world completely unknown. Following the brutal death’s of her best friends Laraya finds herself in an alien world. Full of wonder, beauty, ugliness, and danger she must push forward to make it back home. Will she complete her journey? Will the monsters capture her? Are the newly made friends really kind? Or will she be stuck here forever?

Breach made my mind whirl with all of the excitement packed within the pages! Laraya must forage to survive, learn new terrain, and use any means necessary for her defense. The story had me guessing until the very end, and that ending is a mind blower!

All in all, I give Breach by Candace Nola five Jackflies out of five Jillflies! This is a story that can be enjoyed by many! Even if you do not like horror, because it is more of a dark fantasy piece. I encourage those wanting to read something bordering on horror (monsters and creatures) to give Breach a solid shot. As for everyone else it is an absolute must read! Candace also has several other books available including Breach’s sequel Beyond the Breach, Hank Flynn, The Baker’s Dozen, and Bishop. Until next time, my friends.

Written by Andy C. on 07/29/2022

[River Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was going to start by stating that this isn't normally the type of story that I would read, but that isn't true, I read all kinds of stuff. I wonder why the impulse to lie? Hmm . . . strange . . .

I believe this is the author's debut novel but it doesn't read like a debut. Very well-written and crafted. Fantasy horror with well-developed characters and a strong pace to the story line. I enjoyed this and will be reading the sequel.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story with a main character whose voice is enjoyable. I guess I went down one star because I felt like there was so much description and not quite enough action. The descriptions were good and really gave me a feel for the environment but sometimes they went on for many pages and I got a little bored. Toward the end I started to skip ahead a bit to get to the action. I think maybe I was kind of expecting more horror and less fantasy. I did enjoy reading it and it was my first by this author so I’ll try some more.

[Chris Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really imaginative and well written fantasy with some heavy doses of horror and a bit of cosmic overtones as well. I'd never have seen the end coming, what all was happening. Nola does a fantastic job of playing it close to the chest until near the end with several well-timed reveals. Not in the realm of what I normally read, but I'm very glad to finally have checked this one out. Terrific. Give it a shot.

[Alison Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to draw my childhood nightmares to see if I can create a parallel world 😍 This fast became one of my fave books. The way Candace paints the dreamscape of the world beyond the breach is so imaginative and amazing. I find myself thinking about the creatures often!

[Nicholas Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

An action-packed dark fantasy story!

This one was a lot of fun! There was never a break in the story, just a constant scene of action and i’m all for it!

Breach is a story that you probably haven’t read before. I don’t know why, but I got the feeling that this book read like if The Never Ending Story was a horror story.

Candace is a great writer and this was a great read!

Five out of five stars!

[L.M. Kaplin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breach by Candace Nola is beautifully written dark fantasy about a young woman who gets lost in the woods after a horrifying experience on a camping trip and ends up crossing over into a strange forest with abnormal plant life and bizarre creatures that are clearly not from our world.

Although light on the horror, the vivid first person descriptions of a fantastical world allow you to feel the mixture of fear and wonder of the MC’s emotional journey through an alien world where she encounters many dangerous creatures that stalk her in the woods while coming to terms with her past trauma.

[Chisto Healy · Rating 5 out of 5]

True power of imagination

This book is a work of art, a painting as much as a story. It is bright vibrant colors and creatures you never thought of, combined with an emotional backdrop, a story itself that revolves around the power of imagination and how it can protect or destroy us. This is a masterpiece

[Candace Nola]

Breach is my first novel. It is a horror story about survival that takes place in a horrifying alternate reality.

A lone young woman flees into a dark forest after witnessing an impossibly savage attack upon her friends. She unknowingly crosses a breach between her reality and the next; one ripped directly from nightmares. As dawn breaks, she realizes that she is no longer in her own world and she has no idea what to do next.

Breach is about fear. Sheer abject terror faced head on with no warning and no explanation. Breach takes each reader into the darkest recesses of their mind, of their imagination and into a world that their terror alone creates.

One young woman learns to face that fear, to confront it and forces her way through the darkness to come face to face with her own nightmares in the Breach.

[DA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tapped into my fear of being stranded.
The world the author built in this book was unlike anything I've read before. The creatures so imaginative.

[Jason Nickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy and world building can be hit or miss from me, but Breach by Candace Nola is definitely a hit. The world building and fantastical creatures in this story were so well done. This is a must read for fans of stories that are Horror/Fantasy hybrid. I will definitely be diving into the sequel soon!

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candace Nola knows how to write a fantastic story. I am blown away by the smoothness in which she writes.

This story is about a young woman who gets lost in the woods in a different world from her own. She begins to see new foliage and creatures that are made of nightmares and dreams. Her life is threatened many times and she has to learn to navigate this new world.

The descriptions of the forest she has entered are so well written, that I can feel and see vividly what she is dealing with. Nola has a way of describing scenes and feelings without overdoing it. I can actually visualize what a creature looks like and I feel like I can smell everything along with our main character.

There was a point at which I felt I knew exactly what was happening, I thought I had figured it out; but I was so wrong. I loved the unpredictability of this story.

While this is a very mild book of horror, filled with mystery and thrills, it makes a fantastic “get out of your reading slump” story. It drew me in right away and held my attention the whole time.

I am definitely going to be reading everything else by this author. And you need to give this one a try!

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candace has an eloquent way with words and her storytelling and world building are first class grade A talent!! This story will horrify and delight. In moments of deepest, darkest dread there was also glimmers of beauty and an etherial sense of wonder. The nightmare inducing prose kept me engrossed, and I found it absolutely consuming!!

The utterly unique storyline brought to mind The Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky, simply because of the fantastical otherworldly storyline, the mashup of dreams and reality and Candace’s ability to draw wonder, even from the most hopeless and deadly of situations.

The jackflies will always hold a special place in my heart! ♥️

5 stars!

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breach was a new kind of horror story unseen by anyone, great story and killer ending, everyone and anyone should read it

[Nikolas Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candace Nola's Breach drags us along with Laraya Jamison into a disorienting and terrifying battle for survival in a world alien from our own. The gradual revelation of a world that feels as fantastic and dreamlike as it is sinister and dangerous is a thrilling adventure for readers/listeners, even as beleaguered Laraya struggles to learn the rules of this new world and means to find her way home.
A camping trip with her boyfriend and two closest friends descends into a violent and horrific disaster as a creature defying comprehension slaughters the others, forcing Laraya into an exhausting race for her life through a forest that transitions into something unfamiliar. Growing up in these woods, she knows she's far from home, but Laraya has no idea how she arrived in this strange place or how to return to the world she knows.
Laraya's journey of discovery through this new world is equal parts fantasy and horror. The true journey is of self-discovery as she learns of her connection to this realm and the extraordinary allies in her battle against monstrous beings who seek to destroy her or follow her through the breach and back to our world.
Jessica McEvoy's narration brings Laraya to life, filling the character's account of events with emotion that conveys the harrowing nature of her experiences.

[Terry and dog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, so much creativity and heart. It would be one thing to do something like go into space and find a new world, but I can't imagine just being somewhere that is so foreign and unwelcoming and not knowing where or why it is different or what was going on and how to get back to your real place. I have dreams about being lost sometimes and this book had a feel like that. Compelling, creepy, gory and a good story.

[Derek Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have never read this if someone told me what it is about; it doesn't sound like something I typically like, I read it because I like the author and am so glad I did. It's a cosmic, dark fairy tale; full of wonderful creatures and horrific monsters. The main character reminds me of Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games. She only wants to return to her world and save her close friends, her family. During this struggle she discovers who she is and reconciles her past. I'll read the sequel soon.
I also want a pet Jackfly, or Jillfly. 😊

[Ashley Twardy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully dark, and atmospheric imagery. Breach is a unique blend of horror and dark fantasy. Personally, I would’ve loved more of the horror elements (because those parts of the book gave me cold chills!), but the fantasy parts were really interesting to read also. All in all, if you’re looking for a peculiar horror/fantasy, you should check this out!

[Allen Simpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short story is well-written and if this is just a part of the novel it surely promise to be a good story.

[Linda Nola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review on Breach

I am a avid reader and I love wide variety of books,this Boolean my interest from the first page and I could not but it down until I finished. The author description of what was happening in the book made me feel as if I was right there. I loved the Jack's and Jills and I could just see them because the description was so vivid. This book holds your attention and makes you want more. I really hope the author writes a sequel so I can buy the next book. I will be reading anything Candace Nola writes, she is a very talented writer and I gladly give her 5 stars. Good luck in your next book I am anxious to read more from you.

[Ropethemoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT READ!

As so many have, I have read many books over the years of my life. Having said that, I do NOT say this lightly: this was one of the best stories I have ever read. I'm finding it difficult to arrange words that would do this story justice.

BREACH was a telling of a tale that took off on both feet running at an exciting pace only to slow to a jog for just a moment almost directly center, then to pick up and INCREASE the pace as the story neared its conclusion.

Much respect to Candace Nola, who took this dude off the hamster wheel for a while to play in a world she so expertly produced.

[Susan May · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! Great story and I loved it. This one has earned it's spot on my favorites list. I found this one to definitely be dark fantasy for sure. All I can say is buckle up and enjoy the ride. I don't want to spoil it so I am only giving a brief description. A group of friends go camping together. One of them witnesses her friends all being murdered by an unknown creature. When she tries to hde she is transported to another world filled with all sorts of creatures. Some want to help her & some just want to kill her. She has to fight for survival as she tries to find a way home. A fast-paced story that will keep you turning pages for sure. Loved it!

[Tim Eagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Nightmare Filled Hell

Join Laraya as she is hunted by almost everything in a strange world that doesn't belong to her. Nola paints a scenic, graphic, world, only dreams and nightmares can paint. In Laraya style flashbacks Nola reminds us that maybe there really is " no place like home" . This is a great debut novel with a lot of skill, I'll be following this author for other great reads in this mythos.

[Rowland Bercy Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent horror / dark fantasy novel with a likeable and determined main protagonist. Candace has a way with words and easily paints a picture of a beautiful, yet nightmarish world inhabited by wonderfully imaginative, yet frightfully fierce creatures. The story starts out at breakneck pace. Captures and effortlessly holds your interest in the middle. Then finishes with a bang that will leave you wanting more.

[Adam Messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting fantasy novel.

I had a fun time reading Breach. I’m not normally an urban fantasy reader, or a first person narrative fiction reader, but I really appreciated the imagery and action of Breach.