Grave Digger Academy II by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
You always hear anything after the first isn’t as good as the original. Honestly that isn’t the case here. Entering into year two it just feels like the story is picking up where it left off. The way that Makayla has grown up makes you feel like you are actively in her life to witness it. I cannot wait for the next book!
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Goddess of Everything: A Blood-Curdling Tale of Truth, Freedom, and Love, by Paul DeBlassie III, is the first book that I have read from this author. I’ve never been into horror or thriller or religious books, but this book had me hooked. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The authors writing style is phenomenal. I was immediately captured within the first chapter.
Its horror but not really the nightmare type kind where you’ll wake up in the middle of the night screaming. The evil as some people would say wasn’t evil to quite a few of the characters. It was just evil in its own way. When hiding something that is evil inside something that is good, a ying Yang type of situation. But it seems like not everyone could do such a thing. Its interesting to see how people think of things like that in a way. This was a very well written book and I would recommend it for anyone to read.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Goddess of Everything is jam packed full of magical realism, horror, suspense and religious ferver. DeBlassie brings the desert of New Mexico alive in the mind of the reader. His judicious use of metaphorical writing brings the characters and setting to life in the story. This is a beautifully written psychological thriller and I couldn’t put it down! I look forward to more work by this author!
Reviewed by @bilberrysweet
Brandy Vaughn, August 2022
View all my reviews
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow. This book was everything I expected from Paul DeBlassie III. A dark telling of a man torn between two women. The love for his wife, and the love for his mother. Just like a horror movie, I wanted to scream at him sometimes. There were some very twisted parts and any time it delt with his mother I got the chills. Definitely recommend.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This riveting novel has you guessing from the minute it starts! In a tale of evil, betrayal, violence and love hits you right where it hurts, a parents love for a child. Gabriel must follow his heart or his eyes; his family or his Mother and her troop of stern nuns, all in the midst of the hot desert sun, and all of the magic and terror that goes along with it.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
SPOILERS AHEAD
This author is a good author, but his books just aren’t for me. This book was very, very graphic and a little too disturbing for me. There is child mutilation in it, if there was a content warning, I missed it. But if you’re a lover of reading horror, then this would be a great book for you. I’m just not into it. Writing wise, it’s fantastic. Detailed, pulls the reader in, and has a good story line. But as I already said, it is fairly graphic. I’m just not a paranormal/horror book reader.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Absolute thrill ride from beginning to end! One of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time! This novel is most definitely not for the faint of heart. There are depictions of murder and child abuse that made even me cringe. But the way DeBlassie spins his tale is *chef’s kiss* amazing. The internal moral dilemma that Gabriél faces in choosing to save his wife and son and going against the cherished Mother is absolutely fascinating. While this story won’t stop you from sleeping, it will invade your thoughts when you least expect it and leave you wondering why and how. I absolutely recommend this thriller of a novel.
Reviewed by @meggs1717
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Whoa! What a great thrilling read! Mother Juana de la Cruz is pure evil under the guise of religion and so is her entire nunnery. Using her son in ways that are unbelievable and often unreal. Poor Gabriel and his wife Consuela and their son who suffer from her nasty needs. I am stunned at how evil the religions of the world can be but, covered up by the “good” that they do and the money that is generated. I must say that Consuela is my favorite character as she sticks by her husband through all the evil and trickery that takes place and to find out that she is the hero in the end is the best reward for reading the book. Mothers are not the be all and end all in a little boy’s world! It is truly their wives that are looking out for their husband’s best interest. Always listen to that inner voice also known as intuition or a gut feeling- it usually does have something important and truthful to speak.
This book is full of twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat during the entire read. I found this book to be a real psychological thriller in such a way as to question religion and the truth of its motives. Great character development with many colorful characters and lots of mind-bending atrocities. I appreciate the Native lore of the book and the setting description that makes me feel the hot arid desert and the sand whipping and stinging my face. Such a great book to read but be prepared for the ride of your life.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Gabriél is the son of Mother Juana de la Cruz, Mother Superior of the nunnery and orphanage in Aztlan del Norte. He is also a therapist to the children who live within the orphanage and it is his passion to help heal their wounded psyches. He loves his mother and truly believes she is doing right by these children, and that the other sisters are sinister. Love can be blind. Suddenly children are going missing and Gabriél has to face the fact that his beloved mother is every bit a part of it.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III was my first book by this author. Admittedly, I have never been much of a horror reader. I have a hard time getting through certain subjects and situations that can often come with that genre. There were a few areas in this story where I had to take a break because it messed with me a bit. But isn’t that what horror is supposed to do? That being said, it did not affect how I felt about the story overall, nor diminish my respect for the author’s incredible writing skills that captured so much detail in the descriptions that it was easy to visualize all that was happening. There is a lot building up in the beginning, then suddenly things are unfolding and I was completely wrapped up in it. If you love the supernatural horror genre, I highly recommend you add this book to your list!
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Although not the first book I’ve read by Paul DeBlassie III, Goddess of Everything is, by far, my favorite! Not only does this book have horror and supernatural elements, but DeBlassie throws in psychological elements, with lots of twists and turns along the way. The story and the characters are both so well- developed and I found myself fascinated by the character of Mother Juana. Such evil inside one person, but veiled by religion and beliefs to the point that most of those around her, even her own son, are in awe of her. It made me want to yell like I do at the typical horror movie, “why can’t you see how evil she is?” If you are looking for a page-turning, supernatural, psychological horror story that you can’t put down, filled with believable, relatable, realistic characters, then this is the book for you!
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Horror but not really the nightmare type. The story is really quite a good read. From the very beginning you could tell the story has a lot to tell. The evil as people would call it wasn’t evil to a lot of the characters just evil in its own way. When hiding something that is actually evil inside something good, sounds a bit like another story I’ve read, but seems like not everyone would do such a thing. It is very interesting how someone thinks of things like that. Lots of things seem to happen all at the same time, rhe original story line was interrupted by something else. I didn’t like that very much. I wanted to finish knowing what was going to happen, then something else does. After the actual set up of the story was done it became very interesting to read. The story was very twisty and turvy, very horror story. I don’t usually read horror or thriller books but this one was very well written. I would recommend it for anyone to read.
Goddess of Everything: A Blood-Curdling Tale of the Affection of One Mother for Her Son and Her Son’s Struggle for Truth, Freedom, and Love by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was amazing. A real page turner. I found myself wanting more and more while reading. So many twists and turns kept me on my toes. The author used different aspects in their writing to entertain. So much depth. I highly recommend this.
Goddess of Everything: A Blood-Curdling Tale of the Affection of One Mother for Her Son and Her Son’s Struggle for Truth, Freedom, and Love by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Love this book! I am an avid horror/thriller reader, Dean Koontz and Stephen King among my favorite authors. This book has so many twists I almost couldn’t keep up. Gabriel is pulled between two women he loves, and who should he believe? His mother is the Mother Superior of a nun ran orphanage and his wife is his whole world. Each telling him the other is evil, but who is truly the dark one? How is he to know? Mind powers and evil darkness take over, and you won’t believe how it ends.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Horror but not really the nightmare type. The story is really quite a good read. From the very beginning you could tell the story has a lot to tell. The evil as people would call it wasn’t evil to a lot of the characters just evil in its own way. When hiding something that is actually evil inside something good, sounds a bit like another story I’ve read, but seems like not everyone would do such a thing. It is very interesting how someone thinks of things like that. Lots of things seem to happen all at the same time, rhe original story line was interrupted by something else. I didn’t like that very much. I wanted to finish knowing what was going to happen, then something else does. After the actual set up of the story was done it became very interesting to read. The story was very twisty and turvy, very horror story. I don’t usually read horror or thriller books but this one was very well written. I would recommend it for anyone to read.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book took me by complete surprise!! It was horror and mystery at its finest. All the characters had such secrets and such hidden depths to themselves. I honestly went in blindly not knowing what to expect, but I was surely not disappointed. This is a book you can pick up on a rainy night with a comfortable blanket.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was really good. Gabriel’s journey was so intense and there was lots of drama. The family dynamic between Gabriel and his mother Juana played for me true to reality, most mothers want their sons to love them the most, even over any wife they might have, they just don’t usually turn to the dark arts to control them. I found the religious aspect or rather the distortion of religion interesting. I enjoyed this novel and would enjoy reading more from this author.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Goddess of Everything is unlike anything I have ever read. It is twisted, entertaining, and I couldn’t figure out what was going to happen next! It isn’t a shocking, too-scared-to-sleep type of read but will instead invade your brain slowly, almost unnoticeably, which is scarier to me.
There is nothing like the love a mother has for her son, but this read will have you questioning everything. Are your own perception filters blocking you from seeing something that is obvious to others? Gabriél has been raised to love his mother above all else, but once he marries Consuela, there is no black and white choice anymore it seems. Everything is a shade of gray, and he can’t figure which way to go.
Helping kids is Gabriél’s passion yet he finds something disturbing about some of the happenings at the orphanage where they live, and where his mother is in charge. I like that Consuela tries to gently yet consistently help her husband come to the truth without forcing her view onto him. There are some disturbingly graphic parts of this story that may affect sensitive readers but overall, this is a tremendous book.
Reviewed by @shannlynn
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This novel is so incredibly creepy, it’ll crawl under your skin. The detail and attention to the religion, let alone the power of the Mother, is terrifyingly real. The horrible, dark, yet cunning twists and turns this story takes as Gabriel runs to save his family is an adventure to be experienced. You really get to witness the power of love overcome the dark and twisted. Truly remarkable piece of art.
*¨*✶*¨`* BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE *¨*✶*¨`*
From the multi-award-winning author of Goddess of the Wild Thing, comes an unforgettable, chilling story that will haunt your nightmares.
In the mystic land of Aztlan del Norte, a realm of supernatural happenings and unexpected turns of fate, psychiatric healer Gabriél de LaTierra encounters evil within the Orphanage of the Holy Innocents. Children disappear for reasons kept secret by Mother Juana de la Cruz, Superior of the Nunnery and the Orphanage.
Love for Mother Juana, his widowed mother turned religious superior, clouds Gabriél’s mind. His wife, Consuela, tries to confront his wall of denial.
Torn between his love for mother and wife, Gabriél turns inward.
Through Consuela, Gabriél discovers the nighttime blood sacrifice of children in the desert — a centuries-old ritual that imparts immortality to Mother and her nuns. This knowledge places Gabriél’s family in danger. Consuela is attacked and their four-year-old son kidnapped.
Can he find a way to save his wife and son in time?
Will he have the strength to do what’s right, even if it means going against his beloved Mother?
Paul DeBlassie III, Ph.D., is a psychologist and award-winning writer living in his native New Mexico, crafting metaphysical thrillers energized with trickster mischief and natural magic.
Goddess of Everything by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wow. All I have to say is that I was unable to read this novel when I was home alone, which is what I was hoping to do! The way this author weaves this blood-curdling tale is phenomenal, I honestly cannot say that I have ever read anything like this before, and though it certainly gave me goosebumps in the worst way, I could see myself reading other works by him. Written works such as these aren’t easy to read, but that’s all part of the fun, and horror. Growing up in a religious household and reading this work of art really had me gripping the edge of my seat.
The internal and external struggles had by the characters, namely Gabriel, brings tears to my eyes, as nothing is truly ever black and white. There is evil in this world, and there aren’t many novels that cover the dark side of people, religion, or people’s feelings/thoughts/opinions. The way that this author describes the struggles, the connection between the nuns and Mother Juana, Gabriel, and Consuela, and the bumps along the way, you can just tell that he poured his all into these pages. I look forward to reading this again once I have the mindset to really dig deep and will be back to edit this review once I do so. Well done!
The Unholy: A Supernatural Tale by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have read one other book by this Author so I will repeat again that they have a one of a kind writing style, creating extremely vivid visual pictures and characters. As with my read and review of “Goddess of Everything”, there is a lot happening in this book, but it is layered very well with the characters and varying storylines.
The Author takes us on a deep journey into faith and religion, it really twists your mind and makes you think about your own situation. This book does not disappoint!! I recommend this read for mature readers due to the topics in it.
The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is such a great read. I was hooked from the first line! The combination of history, thriller and dark fantasy worked so well. It was easy to follow and read. A page turner. Please do yourself a favor and read this book
The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Claire comes from a long line of medicine women and while the power is hers she is very resistant to it. However due to the archbishop and his evil doings she will have to embrace everything she is in order to fight back.
This dramatic, dark, twisted book of horror will not only keep you on he edge of your seat but will make you want to put the book in the freezer and hide in your closet.
The characters are well developed and the story line has many twists you won’t see coming along. There were a few plot holes and the end was way to abrupt. All in all I would recommend this book.
The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
While the blurb on the back cover of this book intrigued me, I can’t say that it was everything I expected it to be. While there was a lot of drama, suspense, religion, and some supernatural elements there were times that I felt that they didn’t really pull together in a concise thought. However, the plot and the characters were still amazing and kept me interested until the end. I found myself relating a lot to the lead character and her journey of trying to find herself. Which really helped pull the book together for me. While Claire is on a journey to find herself, as well as her mother’s killer she will uncover a lot more then she bargained for. But will she be able to handle it? You’ll have to read this novel to find out for yourself.
The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a thriller that does not disappoint.
The author kept the creepy feel that had me a little unnerved to finish.
I love the lore and plot behind this it is very believable.
This focused on religion and family.
Finding your true self through a deep family secret.
Keeps you hooked and right in the middle ohhhhh it is good.
This is my second read by this author and I sense a pattern within the plot.
I’ll give it four stars, I would recommend this to urban thriller lovers.
The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
In Aztlan, a country known for its superstitions, the Ecclesia Dei are a religious order overseen by a Patriarch and his right hand man the Archbishop William Anarch, he has a religious fervour like no other and preaches his gospel to the thousands who attend his services. This group also run a number of charitable organisations of which a hospital and also the work place of Claire Sanchez. Claire Sanchez is a young woman with a past wrought with trauma and grief, however, the things she has learned from the women around her as she grew up have put her in good stead for the challenges she faces in adulthood.
Claire is the daughter of a medicine woman and so is a medicine woman herself, she has learned how to tune into the environment in which she lives, as well as the emotions of those around her and she uses these innate skills to heal those in need through the art of curanderismo. She lives alone, but has people who she shares her life and love with surrounding her, that is until she comes head to head with the Archbishop of a religious order and strange things start to happen around her. As she investigates these incidents and digs into the past and the present, she uncovers things which people have worked hard to keep hidden and those associated with those secrets will do whatever is necessary to prevent them being shared with the world.
Claire soon realises that she will have to use all she has learnt to fight off this dark religious fanatic and the unholy manner in which he works to gain all the power he can, but can Claire use the mysticism, native folk lore and traditions which surround her to defeat this evil power, or will she fall victim to the dark mysticism surrounding her? This is a gothic horror with elements of the supernatural wound within an exploration of rigidly institutional and more fluid religions and how they can be both dark and light depending on how they are used by those wielding them.
Reviewed by @roxsannel
The Unholy: A Supernatural Tale by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
At the tender age of five years old Claire Sanchez watched in horror as her mom was brutally killed in front of her. Cowering in the bushes, young Claire watches helplessly as a figure dressed in black ends her mom’s life suddenly leaving Claire an orphan. Twenty years later Claire, is now working at the Ecclesia Dei Psychiatric Hospital as a licensed natural health therapist with a background in mental health. Claire is reluctant to follow in her mom’s footsteps as a medicine woman, preferring to refer to herself as a natural health therapist. Still haunted by the memories of that horrific night, Claire is now at the age where she is seeking answers for what happened to her mom all those years ago. As Claire delves deeper, she starts unravelling the mysteries of her past and is confronted by the true face of evil.
The dark and evil presence that took her mom’s life all those years ago is disguised in the form of the evil Archbishop Anarch. Archbishop Anarch has a thirst for power and will stop at nothing to get it. He has been lurking in the shadows waiting for the right moment to end Claire’s life as viciously as he ended her mother’s life twenty years prior. Now at the same age as her mom was when her life was taken, Claire is forced to confront the demons of her past to save her own life. Now Claire is forced to battle against the dark forces of evil and religion. Will Claire be able to face the demons of her past and gain the strength she needs to battle the forces of evil? Or will evil win?
The Unholy is a book that was impossible to put down and fast paced from the first page. There are many facets of this book as the author takes the reader on an intense ride into the darkest parts of religion. This book takes us into the world of shapeshifting, magic, and the ruthless hunt for power. The characters are ones you either love or hate, as in the cases of Claire and Archbishop Anarch. Claire is easily relatable, and one can quickly get drawn to how warm, genuine, and kind she is. You can’t help but admire her strength and hope for the best for her. Archbishop Anarch, on the other hand, is someone you instantly loathe and despise with every fiber of your being. You can’t help but hope that someone puts a stop to him and his reign of terror. This book was an intense read and did not disappoint!
View all my reviews@Tara Johnson Barnes
The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This author is quickly becoming one of my favorites that I need to read everything he has written. Every book so far has fully engrossed me and this one is no exception. From the first page I was caught, and couldn’t put it down, wondering what was going to happen. I really enjoy his descriptive words that allow me to easily “see” the world around me. This book is definitely worth a read!
The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Claire witnessed her mother’s death at the age of 5. her mother was a medicine woman which Claire Inherits but rejected it and clings to being a natural healer. but increasing visions and obvious medicine woman supernatural happenings are increasing with her everyday including violent dreams and visions.
Claire finds herself back in the community where it all happened as the director of psychiatric care. however all is not what it seems
the clinic is funded by dirty money extorted from wealthy religious zealots who are run much like a cult by the evil arch bishop…. the arch bishop who does not like the power that Claire has simmering just under the surface.
Claire starts asking questions when tragedy strikes and you dive head long into good versus evil struggle veiled in religion.shes threatened, stalked and it gets worse but that would be a spoiler so I’ll let you find out!
this was a good book. I wished the ending had as much care as the character building did in the beginning it felt a little rushed but overall this book was a great look into Indian folklore and religious structure and is worth the read
The Unholy: A Supernatural Tale by Paul DeBlassie III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was an interesting read. Now I’m not sure if I was having an off reading day or not, but I just couldn’t get into this one no matter how much read or for how long. I just kept spacing out. Maybe I just didn’t get the story? The imagery and descriptions were amazing and this was a very well written novel. I just don’t think I was in the mood to read a book that was as deep and dark as this one was. This isn’t my first time reading a book from this author before, so I knew what to expect, I just really wish I enjoyed this one more than I did. Hopefully I will enjoy the next one more!