Gaby TrianaBesprekingen
Auteur van Cubanita
Besprekingen
With this being a triple omnibus of three horrifying novels I am breaking them down book by book with thoughts for each book.
Island of Bones:
The story revolves around Ellie wanting to go to Key West as her grandmother use to live there and after her grandmother passes on, she decides to take her grandmother's ashes to spread them on the island. But little does she know that her journey to Key West is going to be just a nice trip down memory lane. There is a mystery surrounding Ellie's past as her grandfather disappeared off the coast back in 1951.
What entails is a mystery that is so deep that no one wants Ellie to know anything of the past and Ellie has to endure not only a hurricane that is barreling toward her, but she has to endure a nutty motel manager, visions of the past (Ellie has visions), and hauntings at the motel.
Thoughts:
I really liked this book as it involved mystery, pirates, a haunting, and suspense!
This book just takes off from the first chapter and it barrels quickly all the way to the end. There are lots of twists, turns, danger, suspense, and action wrapped up tightly within its pages. I was very impressed with this book and I loved how the author just brought it all together!
River of Ghosts:
Avila Cypress takes people on airboat tours out to the Everglades and weaves ghost stories of hauntings along with telling the story of a haunted house deep in the Everglades named the Villegas House which is known for having a bad past with murders. Avila is approached by a crew of ghost hunters that have a tv show and they are willing to pay whatever price for her to take them out to the haunted house.
Against her better judgement and against her tribes warnings from the past about not setting foot on the island where the house is located, Avila decides to go ahead and take the tv crew out there.
Things seem to go awry the minute they set foot on the island as an unspeakable evil seems to permeate their surroundings and they can feel a heaviness in the air, but it is when they approach the house that things become weird as all is quiet until they hear something drop in the house as the house "knows" why they are there and it is about to show them that sometimes things are better left to the past!
Thoughts:
This story starts off a little slow as there is some world and character building, but once I got to the 30% mark things seemed to slowly start happening within the house and by the time I made it to the 50% mark the book started escalating with the haunting. There is really more to the story but without giving away spoilers it is best to keep it under wraps as there is more of a past tie-in with one of the tv crew and with Avila, but to find out more you will need to read it for yourself.
There is suspense and nail-biting tension along with whispers on the wind, ghostly voices, and lots of haunting atmosphere within this book but there is lots of twists and turns the further that I got into the story to the point I ended up reading the last 40% of the story within a few hours as I just could not put it down!
City of Spells:
Queylin and a couple of friends runs a new age shop that sells sage and incense but they also will do psychic readings for people that need it. When an elderly man (Dr. Rivera) comes into the shop he has more than thoughts of buying something in mind as he needs help with getting rid of a ghost that is haunting his home.
When Queylin finds out that the home is the Harding Estate is when she has a tiny inkling of fear as she has heard rumors for years about the place being haunted and try as she might she doesn't really want to go there to investigate, but when Dr. Rivera is most insistent and he tells her that he will pay her a hefty fee for coming out to the house her friends tell her to try it and see if she can open up her psychic ability to the otherworld.
What Queylin doesn't realize is that there is more to the house than just ghosts and when she ends up staying out there to help she finds out that all is not what it seems with the doctor too as he is hiding a terrible secret and it is a secret that he will keep private no matter what the cost!
Thoughts:
This story started out a little slow as there was a little bit of world building, but once I reached the 30% mark the book started slowly escalating. The mystery of the ghosts, the house, and the doctor just deepened as there were lots of twists and turns within the story. I never knew where the author was going to take me next from chapter to chapter as tiny things were revealed at a slow pace until after the half way point pieces of the puzzle were coming together.
The last 20% of the book there was a startling revelation and a major twist that I did not see coming! It shocked me out of my shoes! Which the pace picked up for me and I read the last of the book within just a few hours as I wanted to see how it all ended!
Total thoughts for the trilogy:
Out of all three books in this trilogy the last book was the whip cream of them all as that story just finished the whole trilogy on a high note for me! I wasn't expecting to finish this omnibus before the new year, but I just could not break away from the story. I had to finish it even I stayed awake for 24 hours to get it done! I am so glad that I did finish it up and I was satisfied with the ending!
All of the books though together are full of mystery, suspense, ghosts, and spine shivering chills which kept my insomnia fueled for about a month! Lots of sleepless nights with these books! :) Giving this trilogy five Haunted Horror stars!
The story revolves around Ellie wanting to go to Key West as her grandmother use to live there and after her grandmother passes on, she decides to take her grandmother's ashes to spread them on the island. But little does she know that her journey to Key West is going to be just a nice trip down memory lane. There is a mystery surrounding Ellie's past as her grandfather disappeared off the coast back in 1951.
What entails is a mystery that is so deep that no one wants Ellie to know anything of the past and Ellie has to endure not only a hurricane that is barreling toward her, but she has to endure a nutty motel manager, visions of the past (Ellie has visions), and hauntings at the motel.
This book just takes off from the first chapter and it barrels quickly all the way to the end. There are lots of twists, turns, danger, suspense, and action wrapped up tightly within its pages. I was very impressed with this book and I loved how the author just brought it all together!
Giving this one four stars for keeping me entertained!
Ah, this book! The first few pages already had my attention, but I kept having to set it down to deal with real life. (Terrible, I know.) Finally, earlier this week, I settled in on a quiet evening to read. In 4 hours, at midnight, I was done. Let me tell you, friends. Gaby Triana deserves some kudos for this book. Similar to my favorite horror movies, this is the kind of book that is a lovely slow burn. It gives you just enough to keep you absolutely invested, while hanging that one important fact that will uncover the dark truth right over your head. I had a blast reading this!
First off, I absolutely loved Valentina. Or Vale as she liked to be called. As someone who also went through the pain of questioning their religious upbringing, and the divides that can cause, I felt for her deep in my heart. What I liked most about her character though was that Vale was real. She was flawed, and she knew it. She made bad decisions at times, and she knew it. She held pain deep down inside, instead of actually confronting it. I felt like she was a character made for me, and that made reading this story a breeze. I wanted Vale to be happy and safe, although I was pretty sure that was going to be a tall order to fill.
I also have to applaud Triana for all the inclusiveness in this book. From LGBTQ characters, to families broken by divorce, to addressing the tough topic of losing a parent, it was in here. I think that all readers know how easy it is to apply this kind of content with a heavy hand. I am happy to share that this wasn’t the case at all in Moon Child. Everything feels like it belongs right where it is. Just like real life, Vale’s world is full of beautiful things and not so beautiful things. Of trials, and of happiness. I absolutely loved that.
It would be entirely too easy to gush about the atmosphere that is built here in this book, and of how easy it is to get immersed in. While there were a few small things I had trouble with, mostly while the story was first unfolding, the fact remains that this book begged to be powered through. If you’re looking for something a little scary, and full of spiritualism? This is your next read.
First off, I loved that this book wasn't simply a retelling of the same story. While it definitely borrows some of the atmosphere and the tension, Micaela's experiences are on a level all their own. I could feel the anxiety on the page from the moment that Mica stepped foot into her childhood home. True to its roots, the Sleepy Hollow here has this overall aura of the supernatural. Things that might have felt odd anywhere else, feel completely normal. Triana had no problem convincing me that Mica's life was destined to be special, and I was definitely on board.
As events unfolded, this brilliant sense of doubt started to overcome me. Mica didn't know who to trust, and to be honest neither did I. Which was so wonderful. There are plenty of times where I've figured out an ending well before it comes to fruition. In this case, I was ecstatic about the fact that I had no idea where things were going. Mica was rushing pell-mell into the unknown, and all I could do was hold on tight. The paranormal part of this, mixed in with the expertly woven mystery, created a book that I just couldn't put down. I was so terribly annoyed every time I was interrupted while reading this. You could have cut the tension with a knife.
Now, I admit that the ending left me a little cold. I'm not sure how I wanted this to end, and it's possible that I was just too invested to ever really be happy with whatever happened, but it didn't vibe for me. The good news is that this barely registered on my overall scale for this book. Wake The Hollow had me so swept up, that I wasn't really bothered. I was more upset that it had come to an end.
Really good ghost story w/ a curse, missing treasure and an unsolved murder set in Key West, Florida amidst a developing hurricane. Never a dull moment and I thought Triana did a nice job capturing some of the essence and history of Florida and the Keys. Looking forward to her next book.
I've stepped back a bit from reading and reviewing this year. Now that I'm retired I have so many more options for my time. For that reason, I haven't been reading as many new authors, or maybe I should say authors I haven't read before. I tend to read what I want to read by those I'm already familiar with. That being said, when Gaby Triana reached out to me requesting I read and review her new book, Island of Bones, I was a bit hesitant, until she mentioned Tim Waggoner had suggested she contact me. Tim is one of my favorite authors and I've been fortunate to read more than a dozen of his books in the six years I've been reviewing horror. So, his recommendation was good enough for me.
"I was Ellie Whitaker, unmarried, childless, and twenty-six years old. And I'd been dreaming. I wasn't dreaming as myself. I was dreaming as Nana."
When Ellie's Nana, Leanne Drudge, passed away, it was decided to return her ashes to her old home in Key West, Casa de los Cayos. The problem was that was a long time ago and Ellie had no idea where the house even was. Not to be deterred, Ellie set's out on her quest and battles the owner of the current property, a category two hurricane, and ghosts to return her grandmother to her ancestral home and find the truth about her history.
"Nostalgia for a place I'd never known hit me hard. The drink wasn't helping either. Everyone had someone to party with, and I was alone with a ghost in my purse and memories of a place I'd never been.
The author has a light touch in telling her ghostly tale and fills her story with believable characters, some charming, others disagreeable, but all richly developed.
The title, Island of Bones, comes from the English translation of the original Spanish name for Key West, Cayo Hueso.
All told, Island of Bones is one of the better pure ghost stories I've read recently, and one I can easily recommend.
The work is self-published and is available in both paperback and e-book formats.
From the author's bio - Gaby Triana is the bestselling author of horror and YA novels, Island of Bones, Cakespell, Wake the Hollow, Summer of Yesterday, and many more, as well as 40+ ghostwritten novels for best-selling authors. When she's not obsessing over Halloween, Christmas, or the paranormal, she's taking her family to Disney World, the Grand Canyon, LA, New York, or Key West. Gaby dreams of living in the forests of New England one day but for the meantime resides in sunny Miami with her boys, Michael, Noah, and Murphy, her husband Curtis, their dog, Chloe, and four cats—Daisy, Mickey Meows, Paris, and Bowie.
Great mix of suspense, mystery, and a little bit of romance. I am a big fan of the Sleepy Hollow legend, so it was very cool to see a modern story based on it.
Isa has graduated high school and can’t wait to escape Miami for college in Michigan. She’s weary of her mother’s Cuban ways and the way she keeps longing for the homeland. But when her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer and Isa catches her new boyfriend Andrew cheating with her best friend, Isa realizes the staying power of home, love and family. Some swearing and expressed sexual desire including Isa’s birthday date at the Biltmore Hotel with Andrew.
The plot was a little bit perfunctory, and I had many moments where I couldn't figure out exactly how much time had passed since Haley had arrived in 1982. I remember at one point, the description of time made it seem as though she'd been there for several days, when in fact only one afternoon had passed! The romance aspect also seemed a little weak, but I suppose I could attribute that to it being a story about a fifteen-year-old. If anything, it was the ending that bothered me the most. I was half expecting Haley to have dreamed her trip back in time, but instead we got a very swift transition back to current time that felt a little off, as though the book would have been better to have another thirty or fifty pages.
Although I love time travel stories, it was definitely the setting at Walt Disney World that made me request a library copy of the book. I basically grew up with monthly trips to Fort Wilderness, since my dad and us kids enjoyed camping, but my mom liked the creature comforts that the Disney campground provided, as compared to the state parks or something. I did think it would be fun to read a book set in a place filled with nostalgia, but that may also have been a problem... I found myself nitpicking a lot of little details that were clearly changed to facilitate the story, but which weren't exactly truthful, and then being disappointed that other features and favorites of the resort weren't mentioned at all.
Overall, it's a fun read, and not bad if you enjoy light time travel stories. Much of the plot is actually about Haley gaining confidence in herself and repairing her relationship with her family, but it's done with a mostly chaste romance with a slightly older teenage boy. But if you're intimately familiar with the setting, you might find yourself nitpicking like I did.
I should probably say what the book is about before going on with my ranting about River Country. A teenage girl goes back in time, to the 1980s, and ends up at River Country, where she meets a cute boy. That was all fine.
This book is essentially about teenagers at Fort Wilderness, and I was about 8 on the first of the vacations we took there, and 11 on the second -- which is exactly when this book is set, and it completely brought back memories of being 11 years old and having fun with other kids, but also watching the teenagers and thinking they were SO COOL and how I couldn't wait to be a teenager so I could have the BIGGEST FEATHERED HAIR IN ALL OF DISNEY and sit on my Minnie Mouse towel on a beach chair in all of my feathered glory. The author nailed every tiny detail, it was a rush, even when she would describe the characters walking from place to place, it was EXACTLY how it was. She described the chairs. And the gift shops. And the attitude of the 80s. Um, why would you need a life jacket? Are you planning on falling out of the canoe?
Mami’s little girl isn’t exactly what you’d call Isabel Diaz. Living in Miami, Florida, Cuban culture is everywhere, but for Isa it has been dumped on her from day one and she has just about had it with talk of a place that she has never even seen. For her, the best place is at Michigan University where she is planning to attend at the end of the summer to start her “mother-free life” just like her older sister Carmen; there she will not have to worry about being tracked day and night by her mom or disagreeing over the simplest things, such as an outfit. But until that happens she spends her time away from home, working at Everglades National Park teaching art to little kids, she there starts a painting of a girl sitting on the beach longing for something…. It’s also there where she meets the hot, mystery man Andrew Corbin and can’t help but develop deep feelings for him, even though she had promised herself that she wouldn’t get involved with anyone before leaving for M-U, especially after Robi Puertas. Robi was her ex-boyfriend who her family loved more a lot more than she did.
As her relationship with Andrew grows, the one with her mother only gets worse. It’s only when he starts to turn out not to be the kind of person who he said he was, she starts to become closer to her roots and accept her heritage and mom for what they are, Cuban. With this she begins to understand her mom, her ancestors and herself; she is finally able to finish her painting. Though this story is fiction the author based it on her own Cuban-American life. It’s a beautiful story of family, love, and heritage as told by the main character, Isabel Diaz. She tells about her experiences and her thoughts, I liked how it was so relatable because rather than sounding like a piece of writing, it sounded more like one teen talking to another. Cubanita by Gaby Triana is a great insight to Cuban culture with its explanation of their food, history, and even language. It was a very good touch to the story that she adds the Spanish language in various places throughout the book, such as, “La verdad que sometimes I wonder if they didn’t switch you for another baby at the hospital”(pg. 2), and “¿Qué tal, hija? ¿Qué hiciste?” (pg. 146), it really gave a good look at their home life. It was also interesting to see into the main character’s mind in her narration of the story and see her gradually mature into a more free, rooted, and put-together self. The book was a great read and an emotional rollercoaster that takes the reader for a ride with the characters. -S.M.
RIDING THE UNIVERSE is definitely one of those great, summer reads. It's intense like a hot summer's day, but with enough breezy lightness so as not to overwhelm the reader.
Chloe is a fun, relateable teen who is trying to figure out her own existence. She loves her parents but she is finding herself more and more curious about her biological parents (which definitely becomes a bombshell in her life when she does learn the truth).
Beyond that, she has even more problems going on that most teens could understand. Chemistry is mind-boggling hard and she needs to get a tutor or lose her late Uncle Seth's motorcycle. She can't let that happen, as it's the only freedom she has, so she agrees and finds herself immersed in goody-two-shoe Gordon's life.
She likes Gordon, but her best friend, Rock, doesn't think he's right for her...but is this founded in truth or pure jealousy?
RIDING THE UNIVERSE rides the line between the two until the end, when reality comes crashing down on a love-struck Chloe.
Overall, free and fast, lots of fun.
Fiona and her three best friends are about to embark on a graduation cruise to the Caribbean, one last adventure together before they head their separate ways. On a whim, they agree to have their fortunes told by Madame Fortuna at the senior fair the night before departure. Madame Fortuna predicts strife and storms. Then, after turning over the DEATH card, she proclaims, "One of you will not come home."
With trepidation, the girls set sail on the Temptress the following morning, each with their own expectations of what the week may bring. On a ship where no one knows them, they're free to step out of their comfort zone and take risks. But will the bonds of their friendship be strong enough to hold them together through the storms and strife to come?
What follows is a delicious romp through a week of ship's parties, dances, scrumptious food, and romance, even if it's forbidden. The girls shop, they get a little sun, they indulge in full body massages, and, oh yes, attract a lot of attention. Imagine: four beautiful, sexy, young women trolling the decks for fun.
Gaby Triana has done a beautiful job of creating four distinctly different, yet fascinating, characters. That they are so close is both surprising and completely believable. I was intrigued when I read the blurb about the book at Ms. Triana's website and was not disappointed.
With plenty of laughter, love, and tears, this is an engaging story of a voyage into adulthood and independence that should not be missed.
The Temptress Four is a fun story about the interwoven lives of four best friends and they struggle to find out what they want to do with the rest of their lives. It is a question many teens wonder about, as do Fiona, Alma, Killian, and Yoli on their fun cruise. The girls change and grow on the trip as they learn about themselves and what they want in life. The story was not as meaningful as it could’ve been, but the message did get across to me. The seriousness of the question is offset by the tropical setting and fun opportunities provided by the cruise, which lightened the mood of the story. I would have liked the story to be told in alternate narrations between the four friends, but it was only told from Fiona’s point-of-view. This one aspect would’ve made the novel much better, because I felt that I didn’t get to know any of the characters except Fiona.
Despite its few drawbacks, The Temptress Four was a fun read for me, and got me in the mood for summer vacation. I recommend this novel for a light, fun read, possibly as a book you take along to the beach or pool on a sunny day.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
This book would have been more appealing if the author had fully translated the Spanish in it. As it was, as a non-Spanish speaking person, I found it very frustrating having large hunks of text in another language, and having the main character answer in English so you had to guess at what was being asked!
The Spanish speaker is the mother who fled Cuba after her parents were killed by the Communists and now lives in Miami. The English speaker is the youngest daughter 17 year old Isa who has just finished high school and can't escape the clutches of her over-protective mother fast enough. As she waits for summer to end so she can start Uni, Isa teaches Art at the local holiday program. There she falls for Coach Andrew ( gorgeous dark brooding 23 year old) despite just dumping her long term flame Robbie because she wants "no ties" before she starts at College.
Is Andrew all he seems? Could he be cheating on her? And what of her mother's medical problems - is it something more than Mami being hysterical?
p.126 -131. Stefan ( Isa's brother)'s girlfriend thinks she knows Andrew from somewhere - perhaps the gym?
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This included work by some of my faves....Jonathan Mayberry, Jeff Strand, Steve Ransic Tem, Catherine Cavendish, etc.
This cover!! It's everything Halloween should be....nostalgic, fun, dark and creepy! The introduction is by the cover artist and I enjoyed reading the story behind the art.
I love the layout page to each story. I also really appreciated the included writers info at the end.
Here was my thoughts on each.
The curiosity at the back of the fridge: Delightfully creepy!
A bookstore made of skulls: Is there anywhere better to set a Halloween tale than Salem? This one was particularly chilling for me, as bookstores are my favorite places and the one in this story sounds amazingly scary!
Postcards from Evelyn: What a deliciously spooky story! Ghost children are always the scariest!!
The crawlers in the corn: Pretty good.....cornfields are always scary....fall horror classics
When they fall: Hmmm....this is one of those odd ones... I liked it...liked the essence and vibe, the central story was great....I'm just not sure exactly what you're supposed to make of the ending.
Always October: I loved this one! A clever take on our damaged humanity.
How to unmake a ghost: Sigh....I had so much hope for this book ....that it would stick to scary, creepy and spooky and leave politics and social ideologies aside. But unfortunately, this story carries the curse that destroys most modern literature. The story was good until the writer had to go there.
A Halloween visit: A comedic horror with a unique storyline...loved it!
Bootsys house: Amazing! Totally unique and entertaining. After reading the included authors bio, I've discovered Dennis Crosby is an urban fantasy writer.....I will absolutely check out his other work....this was fantastic!!
Soul cakes: Very touching
Ghosts of candies past: Silly campy horror....what Jeff Strand does best!!
Halloween at the Babylon: A classic haunted theater horror
Ghost of enerhodar: Probably the scariest so far! So Eerie! Absolutely chilling for many reasons.
The ghost lake mermaid: Cute!
Pink lace and death Gods: This was good....I loved the vibe....I'm not sure I understand the whole ending...granted, I was a bit distracted while reading this.....but I liked it none the less.
Ghost cricket: Like many Asian horror tales, this serves as a precautionary warning.....take heed!
No one sings in the City of the dead: Meh...my least favorite so far. It just reads very flat.
A scavenger hunt when the veil is thin: This was ok....very " I am woman hear me roar"
When you see millions of millions of the nouthless dead across your dreams in pale battalions go: Great!! its been awhile since I've read anything new from Mayberry....he never disappoints!! That said, this title is crazy Jonathan!
Overall, I enjoyed this immensely....it was a perfect pick to end my October reading!!