Michaelbrent CollingsCritiques

I felt like I was visiting worlds like Grimm (the TV show), Harry Potter (that speaks for itself), and Stephen Henning’s Class Heroes series. So much fun for me, so I feel middle graders would love to go on fantasy adventures with the twins, Willow and Jake. And, how about that amazing cover created by Alexander Jansson. I have an affinity to trees, so it speaks to me.

I am very familiar with Michaelbrent Collings’ thrillers, and I am a huge fan of his. This is a step outside his normal genre, but all I had to do was read the blurb to put a smile on my face. With his ability to spin fantastic stories, I anticipate an entertaining read. Good writing is good writing, so the fact this is middle grade fantasy instead of a dark and dangerous thriller, doesn’t put me off in the slightest. I feel Grimmworld will be easy to read, so I can relax and enjoy the fun.

Willow and Jack Grimm are twins, living in Los Angeles and they are happy with their lives. Their parents tell them they will be moving to New Marburg, Idaho. What? From glitzy glamorous Los Angeles, their friends, the beach, the library, to a town only a select few have ever heard of, will be a huge adjustment.

Their parents are scientists and will be working at the Tank. It’s all very hush hush.

I love that Willow and Jack are friends as well as siblings. They are opposites, that complement their abilities, which they will need when they enter their new world. The combination of their skills will allow them to overcome the obstacles put in their path. Their teacher seems to have it out for them. What a way to start their new life.

Things and people are not always what they appear to be and first impressions and assumptions can be misleading, as with Mr Eli.

Of course, we have the age old question, just because you can do it, should you?

I love that Willow and Jack are Grimmwalkers. I have been watching Grimm on TV and it allowed me to let Michaelbrent Collings stretch my imagination and travel to Grimmworld with him and the kids. We have monsters of every persuasion, fairies and witches and more.

“The Brothers Grimm weren’t ‘fairy tale guys.’ They were Grimmwalkers like me…People who see the truth…”

You will never look at mushrooms the same way.

Instead of a chip on her shoulder, Willow has a cricket. LOL

I love a book that allows me to let my imagination run wild and be there in the moment. I love to let an author take me wherever they want me to go, see what they want me to see and Michaelbrent Collings has that ability. I loved being in his magical world as he brought it and the characters to life with his mad writing skills. The impossible becomes possible in The Witch in the Woods of Grimmworld.

The first adventure into Grimmworld, The Witch In The Woods by Michaelbrent Collings, may be over, but Willow and Jack have a new reason to return…….

At the end of the book is a Reading Guide and Discussion Questions.

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My daughter and I both read this book and enjoyed it so much. She and I each wrote reviews for the book, so you’ll get a little something from the both of us. First, me daughter’s review:

****
Grimmworld is a thrilling, exciting book, for all ages. It works great for sci-fi lovers and fantasy lovers. I loved seeing the connection to fairy tales and science all in one connected plot. Willow and Jake are really relatable; they’re just normal teenagers thrown into the unknown. The overall story kept surprising me, and the suspense was amazing. I loved the book.
5 stars
****

And mine: This book surprised me in the pleasantest of ways, and when I finished, I wished I had the next one on hand to read (it’s not even published, so…boo).

It had everything you could hope for in an exciting middle grade novel—action and excitement, good relationships and heart and character development, heart stopping moments and laugh out loud moments and sweet moments and crazy moments. I did not anticipate anything that happened (though I do have a theory about a certain Chet).

Jake and Willow were fantastic protagonists. I loved that they acted their ages. I loved that they thought the world of each other, that they helped and lifted each other. I love that they have a loving home life. And I loved that they had flaws and strengths, which were both put to use in this book.

This will definitely be a book I read to my children, and I’m sure my kids will read it over and over, because it was delightful. And we will be anxiously waiting for the second installment!

4.5 stars

**many thanks to the publisher for the copy. All thoughts are mine and my teenage daughter’s.

Dandy retelling of Hansel and Gretel slathered with urban fantasy and quantum physics. Fast read with just a tinge of Hogwarts. I liked it immensely.

A fun, fantastic twist on the Grimm fairytales, particularly Hansel and Gretel! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s my first book by Michaelbrent Collings and I can’t wait to read more.

The Witch in the Woods begins with two endearing 11 year old twins faced with leaving their friends and home in California for a small, mysterious town in Idaho. As they’re packed up and ready to leave, a strange man appears in their backyard looking like something out of a sci-fi movie and appears to be threatening them. Though they try to tell their parents, they don’t seem to believe them. Along the way, even stranger things happen and when they finally get to their new home in New Marburg, Idaho they discover they’re living in a Think Tank city with robots, cars that act like hoverboards, and a strange house with walls impervious to nails.

While their scientific parents are busy working on a secret project, Willow and Jake attend an advanced school with a mean teacher who seems to be out to get them from the first. When their already fantastic world is turned upside down after a terrible lightening storm, they suddenly find themselves in a fairytale world with a creepy forest, talking naked mole rat, and a terrible witch who’s captured their new friends. Can they solve the witch’s riddles to free themselves and their friends from her clutches?

I love middle grade books that are imaginative and well written. It’s also refreshing to read a book about siblings who truly love and support each other. Willow’s musical, loves to read, is smart, and social. Jake’s quiet, smart, kind, likes facts especially about animals and excels at remember them. I found myself on pins and needles cheering these kids on as they use logic and smarts to solve the witch’s clever riddles.

There’s also a sci-fi element with the parents working on a project that’s bringing about the collision of the fairytale world with our world. I loved that this story didn’t dumb things down for kids or use annoying potty humor. It’s intelligently written with scientific theories like string theory mentioned that might have kids googling to find more information. The book ends on a cliffhanger with a couple of twists I didn’t see coming. I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book.

I definitely think both middle grade boys and girls who like fantasy, sci-fi, or fairytale retellings will enjoy this! There are some scary elements with a witch who enjoys eating children, and some mild peril/violence which might be a bit frightening for younger readers. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4 1/2 stars!½

This was the perfect mix of quirky and creepy, excellent for giving chills to middle grade readers. I might not be the target age, but I found it difficult to put this down once I started reading. At first, the story feels more odd than scary, but the deeper you go, the stranger and scarier things get. Collings did an excellent job of bringing the town of New Marburg and its inhabitants to life, and I loved getting to know Jake and Willow from the start. By the time the twins were thrust into a fairy tale world, I was already hooked, but the shift made it simply impossible to set down. I cannot recommend this enough for any avid readers in your life, or anyone you want to spark a love of reading in. It's certain to capture young imaginations!

Slightly different take on the haunted house tale

Most haunted house stories start slow and build suspense and atmosphere gradually. Not so with The Haunted. Collins starts the unexplained aspects of the story right away and doesn't let up for the whole novel.

Because the main characters' jeopardy was constant for virtually all of the story, it got a little predictable, and boring.

Collins does a good job of wrapping up the story at the end and there were several original elements to the story that made it good. The priest was an interesting addition. It's not a stretch for there to be a priest in a haunted house story-but he had an interesting and original character arc.

It's hard to characterize when every moment is a life or death situation, but Collins does a passable job, particularly at first.

Four stars because it kept me reading until the end, and because of the originally in the denouement.

This is probably the darkest, most twisted installment yet, while still having one of the sweetest, nicest characters in this series. I don't know what I was expecting going in - but I was surprised by how disgusted I was by some of the new players on the field. Seriously, how does Collings find new ways to horrify and disgust me after the first three books??? That said, I loved the two new people Legion falls in with early in the story - Marnie and her mom (whose names often change as they're on the run). It's not a short book, yet I found myself flying through it, eager to find out what would happen next. If you enjoy dark horror that will make your skin crawl, with characters that can sometimes surprise you, you're going to really enjoy this one! I really hope to see more of Legion in the future - he's become a favorite of mine, madness and all.

This is a true fairie tale. And like all true fairie tales, it is bloody, violent…and there is no guarantee that good will win in the end.

Michaelbrent Collings writes some of the darkest stories I have ever read and creating some of the most violent villains that I have ever ‘met’. I love that the stories are so original and unique, and I challenge you to figure out what is coming before it happens. I sure can’t. I am sure my review is not going to do Lost Girl justice, but I will do my best.

The stars are Eve, Peter Pan, Wendy and Hook, but don’t let the fairy tale fool you. Not all characters are as you expect them to be. Be careful who you trust. Be cautious who you let into your life. Who can you trust? It’s hard to say, because even her mother and grand mother have secrets they do not share.

I have read several books in the past few weeks where a character has asthma. That adds an extra level of danger. For Eve, it has gotten worse and she feels something is coming, something evil. How can she prepare for it if she has no idea who will bring it and what it will be? I never could have anticipated any of it, if I hadn’t read the blurb…vampires! Oooo, I love vampires. Don’t care if they are blood thirsty cannibals or soft and friendly.The big question is…who is the good guy and who is the bad guy? The Lost Boys are truly lost in this unconventional coming of age story.

Brutal, violent, savage:

Gaping holes. Hearts cut from their bodies. No blood. No blood no blood no blood because there was NO BLOOD MOMMY NO BLOOD AT ALL.

Eve has no father, an alcoholic mother and a grandmother with alzheimers who always wants Eve to read her favorite book, Peter Pan, to her. She is on her own. She abuses herself, just to feel alive. She is bullied and abused at school, but she continues to attend. She wants the education, regardless of no support, no friends, and teachers turning a blind eye. Dreams, or should we say, nightmares, haunt her sleep.

My heart breaks for her, but I had a feeling…somehow…she would find someone, something good would come out of her life. Well, it doesn’t work out like I thought. I was constantly surprised, if that is the correct word. Nothing is at it seems. No one is as they seem. The complexity of the novel kept me riveted, rapidly ‘flipping pages’, wanting to get to the end, but not. I wanted more…

Lost Girl by Michaelbrent Collings was published in 2012, but I feel there is more to be told. Give me more!!!!!! How about it M?????? Are the characters talking to you yet??????

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Lost Girl (Formerly Peter & Wendy: A Tale Of The Lost) by Michaelbrent Colliings.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

I really enjoyed this second installment, getting to know Legion, and seeing the book from more POV than book one. You don't have to read book one to enjoy this one, and there are certainly some surprises in store if you have read book one. The characters are well-developed and compelling, and really drive the plot forward, keeping you turning pages from the start. I don't know how to describe this except captivating and chilling. A must-read for horror and thriller lovers.

This was a brilliant, chilling thriller. You get pulled into the story right away, and you can hear, see, even feel everything going on as if you were standing right in the midst of the story. There's so much I want to say, but I also don't want to give any spoilers. There are moments you will get chills running down your spine, like exploring a deserted haunted house. The characters have depth, even the ones that are a bit slimy. A bit of warning - this can get a bit gory, so if that's not your thing, you might want to skip this one. If you're not turned off by that, then this is an excellent kick-off to a thrilling series.

Yes, Michael, I appreciate the warning your wife suggested you include, but I too like walking on the dark side. I do like being freaked out while I laugh, or laugh while I am freaked out. I love a villain I can be empathetic with, maybe even condone their actions? I do love the blood, guts and carnage that Legion will leave behind. This time, though, he won’t be alone when he does it. That makes Stranger Sins different from the previous books of the series and adds a wonderful element to a series that keeps me on my toes, eager for more.

He is used to pain. He is used to noise. He is used to confusion. But silence?

In this Dexterish style thriller, I am immersed, engulfed, lost, devouring the words, unable to stop reading.

I have been trying to figure out what made ‘Dinatha and Marnie’ so important. It took me a long time, about halfway through, for things to START to come together.

A mother of a nine year old girl, forced to learn things others could never dream of or need to to stay alive and face an evil that will stop at nothing to get all she desires…and needs to stay alive.

I LOVE a dark, disturbing story that can make me smile and give me hope amongst the carnage the ‘teacher’ leaves behind. At 70%, I laughed while wiping the tears from my eyes. It is so hard not to share why, but I WILL NOT spoil things for you. These characters and their lives are things that need to be experienced first hand.

The characters and storyline are so richly developed, the writing and pacing so smooth, the hours pass in a blur, everything around me ignored, because I have to know how it ends. Michaelbrent Collings is always able to surprise me at where his stories lead, making me know when I dive in that I am along for a wicked ride and an ending that leaves me with my mouth hanging open, thinking, wow, how does he dream this stuff up. I would love to be a fly on the wall of his brain. Wonder what a scan of his brain would look like. LOL

THE BEST ONE YET! I can see this series going on for a very long time…and I hope it does.

I believe Stranger Sins is written in a way that it ‘can’ stand alone. Michaelbrent Collings includes Legion’s history that can be a refresher for a faithful reader, or a glimpse into his world for a new reader. That being said, I have been with Legion from the beginning, and highly recommend grabbing the entire series if you enjoy walking the dark side of vigilante justice.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Stranger Sins by Michaelbrent Collings.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

#1 The author
#2 The cover
#3 The story

I have read numerous books by Michaelbrent Collings and will grab anything I see by him. I love, love, love creature features that read like B movies and The Deep definitely fits that bill. We have good characters, bad characters, and a down right evil one. Treasure? Desires? The ocean is a vast mystery and when you seek, you will find. Just what you will find is the question.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Deep by Michaelbrent Collings.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

Future Tense is a sci-fi/horror collection of nine short stories and one novella all set in the future, although not necessarily the distant future.
Not all of the stories were a big hit with me, but the ones that were, totally knocked it out of the park.
Among these were, The Floor Is Lava in which old friends reunite... one final time.
Lucid Dreams, about an agoraphobic woman who starts a new medication regimen and suddenly begins to live a full life even though she still can't leave home, and I Can Do This All Night about a man who often claims it's a woman's world but never meant it or believed it, until now.

In my opinion the author saved the best for last with a twisty psychological thriller novella The Stranger Inside which finds a perfect family in their perfect home as they are about to commemorate the anniversary of a tragic loss. What they don't know is that a stranger has been plotting to interrupt these plans in a most horrific way.

Recommended to anyone who enjoys the unexpected, the unusual, and the downright strange. This is a most entertaining collection.

I received an advance copy

The weather might be getting warmer, but this book will give you chills. Each story is unique and draws you in. I think part of what makes these so scary, is they all feel so real, like the stories are reaching through the pages and pulling you into their reality. I love that the stories were short enough that you could read one if you had a little downtime, and then pick up with the next one later. Perfect for sci-fi and horror lovers who are looking for some thrills and chills.

I went into Collings' story not knowing exactly what to expect. I enjoy closed-in horror and Jaws remains one of my favorites. So I saw this book as a safe bet. The story's a nail-biting page-turner and it reinforced my decision to never scuba-dive. Ever. I can appreciate the beauty of the ocean and what lives within it from afar, but... nope! I appreciated the multiple points of view that allowed me to get inside the heads of the characters, kicking up the tension. I found the underwater segments the scariest which reinforces the idea that sometimes what you don't see scares you the most. However, I did want a little more payoff at the end. I was expecting more of a battle but events seemed to lose steam at the end. Still, a satisfying read!

Michaelbrent Collings writes some amazing novels and I never hesitate to say YES when I see a new one to read. Gimme Gimme.

…for this lesson he would be called teacher…death, destruction, instruction.

Already I have chills running up and down my spine at 4%, because from past experience with Michaelbrent Collings writing, his villains are at the top of my worst ever list. I am shoring myself up for the Teacher’s visit…I know it won’t be a pleasant one.

I began my journey into blackness thinking this is like a Criminal Minds episode and Michaelbrent Collings can take me to a place I have never been before, so dark and disturbing that sometimes I have to wonder what my fascination is with such criminals, psychopaths and sociopaths. They fascinate me.

“Is it just me or did he actually act like a human?” “He did….

But, the human monster can be the worst monster of all, the one you may not see coming. For me, I like reading about monsters and I like my stories dark and disturbing, hitting on humanities best and worst traits, making me uncomfortable and questioning…why…what is my fascination with the human mind, a human’s ability to inflict so much damage to another human being baffles and intrigues me.

I want to warn you…read the Prologue. Check out some reviews. This may not be a book for you…graphic brutality and triggers.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Malignant by Michaelbrent Collings.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

This book jumps right into the action - and it's brilliant. The pacing stays strong, and you become so wrapped up in the story that before you know it, hours have passed. There is just something absolutely chilling about Kane that I can't quite put my finger on. You're intrigued from the moment he's introduced. I found Book to be a fairly interesting character as well, and I thought all the characters were well fleshed out. This was a page turner from start to finish, and I can't recommend it enough!

I love Michaelbrent Collings’ work and he is a must read author for me. He writes some amazing horror stories, so it was a no brainer to grab something new and different from him, a science fiction, suspense technothriller, And WOW, another HIT.

They worked for SINC, Stress Induced Neural Connector. The machine.

Axel, Jade and Duffy are on the run. Their goal is to save the world. Book was just minding his own business, until…Kane had been Axel’s friend, but now…well…he’s an assassin.

Kane feels he is the God of Chaos. He revels in killing. Michaelbrent Collings writes some of the best villains ever and I do love a great bad guy.

1 of 5 stars – The fabulous characters
2 of 5 stars – Storyline
3 of 5 stars – Excellent writing and pacing
4 of 5 stars – Uniqueness and creativity
5 of 5 stars – Ending…

The characters are intriguing, making me guess at who was good and who was bad, until the story was told. Not all survive. Even the peripheral characters had their moment. I do love that Michaelbrent Collings can keep me twisting, turning, flipping through the pages nonstop, because I have to know what happens. To say I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Synchronicity does not do it justice.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Synchronicity by MIchaelbrent Collings.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

This is an entertaining thriller with a moral (in a twisted way). It is a revenge tale with surprising turns. It starts out deliberately confusing, but as it progresses the pieces gradually fit into place. And there is enough there that when it's over it calls you back to look at the story again with more understanding eyes.

This is obviously different than the horror novels he usually writes, but the author has a pretty good sense of humor that makes the book entertaining in a completely different way. (Although I could have done without so much potty humor.) This will be an interesting way to look back at the pandemic in the (hopefully not too far out) future when the world gets as back to normal as it's able to.

3 1/2 stars. Extra credit for great ideas.

The story line, while very similar to the film "The Others," was very good. However there were none of what I look for in a haunted house story. The creeping dread, the slow build of suspense, the point where we move from thinking things are a bit odd to knowing that forces are at work, the reveal of a history that created the haunting. The haunting in this book slammed into you right away, kept escalating, and I spent most of the book in full-on confrontation mode which left really no time to digest what I was even presented with. Here is a very scary ghost, here is an even scarier ghost, here are a dozen more, then we add the hooded figures that are supposed to be worse than the ghosts but we don't know why yet, then we have a couple pages of the history behind it (that actually left me wondering who even compiled the historical album the characters found). I never had a moment to absorb any of it. Then we were at the ending, the surprise element is unveiled (which was good, I thought) and the story is over.

So many good ideas but like rocketing thorough a gallery of nice paintings on a sled and merely catching glimpses as you fly past.

I will read more by this author though.

WOW…I mean…WOW. Each story in Michaelbrent Collings Stranger series keeps getting better and better, but seeing my rating system only goes to 5…I have a full page of notes and I think that means I’ll be doing some editing. Don’t want to give away too much…only want to teeeeease you. 🙂

Not everyone that Legion seeks out dies, but you better be on your best behavior. If he has any doubts….

Legion is one of those characters I fall in love with and never want to lose, never want his story to end, even though I wonder how it will. He reminds me of Dexter, meting out his own version of vigilante justice. How can his ending be a good one? I don’t see it, yet I want it. Like all people, he is neither all good or all bad. Where his journeys are taking him, I don’t think even he knows, but there is a destination he seeks.

Warning…Set aside some time. Once I began, I couldn’t stop. Listening to him talk to Fire, Water and The One had my head spinning, at times. Each individual voice has it’s own personality. But…something is changing. He doesn’t know what, but he feels it all the same.

There are discriminating, racist, sexist, gangs, white supremicist elements, but isn’t that like real life? A mother trying to save her and her son, a Wolf after revenge…and Legion. Even with all the danger and violence…no punches are pulled… in Michaelbrent Collings Stranger series, there are moments of levity.

Michaelbrent Collings Stranger series is at the top of its class. Love, love, love Legion. He is such a tortured, complex individual. I don’t know how Michael takes each story to a new level of breath taking suspense and so many book surprises, they even last until the last page. I am desperate for more!

What a fabulous TV series The Stranger stories would make!!!! I’m sure it would do fantastic as movies, but I am a TV addict. Is anyone listening? Who would you choose to play the lead? I’m going to have to think on that.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Stranger Danger by Michaelbrent Collings.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

The Forest is not a book you read with the lights off. I love horror. I'm a bit of a horror junkie. I love the woods. I love hiking in them. I'm never going near the woods when it's foggy for the rest of my life. As I write this it's just after midnight and my house is lit up like a birthday cake. Every light is on. You can absolutely feel the terror oozing off the pages as you follow Alex and Tricia on their horrifying journey from past to present.

The Forest is a familiar story…they go into the forest and they don’t all come out. It’s what the author does to the characters more any original idea that will be the deciding factor. Having read some of Michaelbrent Collings stories, I expect something…surprising.

Alex and Trish are best friends. They are highly intelligent and keep to themselves…until Sam. He fits right in with them.

Now, Sam’s lost…in the forest…and they are going in to find him. They believe in science, regardless of what they saw, and they are looking for scientific answers. They have a need to understand…WHAT IN THE HELL IS IN THE FOREST?

The writing takes us to the past and back to the present again and again. In the beginning, I was confused, but quickly got the hang of it. As I reached the end, it all became clear.

I had a high level of anticipation when I opened The Forest, because I have read some of his other work and loved it. Though this was not my favorite Michaelbrent Collings novel, I did enjoy reading it. I am sorry to say that I was, at times, bored, finding my mind wandering. Could it be the writing (this is an ARC), the story being familiar, or Covid and the fact that I have been at home for almost six months now…

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of The Forest by Michaelbrent Collings.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

I didn’t realize I had this on my Kindle from an Amazon free day, when I read the second book, Stranger Still by Michaelbrent Collings. Any questions I had from the second book were answered here, but I feel both books could stand alone.

Horror of horrors, trapped in your house, no way out, a stranger dead set on playing a deadly game of cat and mouse. Who or will anyone survive?

The bogeyman…

The punisher…

Do you run? There’s nowhere to go.

Do you hide? There’s nowhere to hide.

Strangers is a psychological thriller that ranks up there with Dean Koontz and Stephen King. The horror is nonstop, nail biting suspense that makes each person face their shortcomings…and maybe pay for them in a gruesome way.

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