Find your true self in...The Mill by J.D.H.

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today is a TWO POST sorta day.  Why?  Well, the pesky computer problems persist (say THAT ten times fast) and ye olde work schedule has been rather hectic with a capital H.  Yes, I know.  I JUST got back from staycation but trust me, my place of employment (as I'm sure many of you can relate to) is no walk in the park.  Anywho, enough about my delays and what not, let's get to the books!  Can I get a "woot woot"?  ~listens~

The first featured title of the day is a short, not-so-sweet-in-the-subject-sense-but-in-the-overall-story-sense-it-totally-is, and PERFECT for an addition to your SPOOKY, SCARY (upcoming, as it's not out at the time of this post) weekend reading list. Trust me.  If you're an Urban Fantasy, Horror, or even (in my opinion) a Young Adult lit fan who likes your reads a little more hardcore, this is DEFINITELY for you.  As per my usual tact, I'm getting ahead of myself.  Allow me to introduce the title in the spotlight...

The Mill

by

J.D.H.

Drowning her sorrows in drugs of all varieties never seemed to help Jen with the unending loneliness. Being a twin, she thought she’d always have someone there for her. Someone to look out for, and who would look out for her. 

Hunted, alone in the dark she yearns for that companionship. Welcome to The Mill, where all manner of creatures from the deepest reaches of hell seek to devour body and mind. Jen will have to cross space and time to return home, but will she come out unscathed? Will she ever see her brother again? Can she even survive the night?

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First things first, I am not a fan of the cover; my apologies to the illustrator if this news is upsetting.  Does it scream old school Horror/Fantasy treatment?  Yes, indeed...and that may be exactly what they were going for.  To bigger fans of this particular genre, it may be a resounding win for that very reason, but for this not-so-typical-dabbler-versus-hardcore-fan, it missed the mark.  Honestly?  If the genuinely nice email pitch had come through with this screaming in my face, on a bad day...I might have passed it.  I admit it.  I'm guilty of judging by the cover at times, don't even try to say that you don't do the same.  It happens.  Lucky for me, I had the wherewithal to READ about it before ever seeing it and TADA!  I was most curious indeed...

I'm not one to compare often but to me it reads like a cross between the Escape From Furnace series and The Mazerunner.  Yes, they are BOTH Young Adult series and while the darker aspects of the book may be more appropriate for adult readers, I still believe the older end of the YA set would REALLY enjoy this one.  There's darkness and light, twists and turns, unexpected friendships, betrayals, and a whole lot of butt to be kicked.  Imagine finding yourself at wits end and calling it quits in the most LITERAL sense....only to land in another version of your world.  You thought life was tough where you came from? Think again.  There isolation and loneliness may have been daily struggles, but here your very existence is on the line every moment of every day.  There are creatures to contend with both human (though THAT term is used loosely considering The Collectors...ugh) and non, not to mention "big brother" that is always watching from somewhere with some bigger purpose that of course you're not privy too.  Of course, escape is a great option....if only you had some clue as to how that might actually be possible.  

Our leading lady is Jen and she has a lot of growing up to do in a short amount of time if she really wants to change the hand she played.  Honestly if I was thrown into the situation she found herself in, I don't believe that I would have been able to take it and run quite as fast as she did.  The friends and foes she makes along this strange and wild journey will affect her in more ways than she knows... including one that has a penchant for flight, though you'll discover that a bit further in.  (Nope, can't spoil the fun!) I enjoyed the madness and confusion just as much as the triumphs.  Does that make me odd?  Maybe, but it's worth it.  Favorite parts?  Yes, I said multiple.  One would have to be when Jen puts herself on the line for Hopper and then vice versa.  Another would have to be when revenge is taken upon one seriously twisted soul (or perhaps soulless because honestly they were creepier than Reaper, Mongrel, or the like)...in perhaps a slightly disturbing way but OH SO APPROPRIATE!  Lest I turn this review into a novella of its own, let's push onward.

Hopper...who has a real life persona as well ^-^

Character wise there are devils with the face of an angel, and angels with the face of the devil.  Some you'll know right off the mark.  Jen was always a good egg in my book despite the choice she makes that leads to the heck she'll go through.  Hopper I always had a feeling about.  I never thought she'd go to the lengths she did, especially when it seemed she fell off the face of the earth, but this mechanic gal's heart beats true...well, for now.  Let's just say she goes through a bit of a transformation and leave it at that.  (I know something you don't know!)  Then there are the OTHER ones.  The ones that you loathe from the start (The Collectors, ugh!), the ones that surprise you with their true colors, and the ones that you fall hook, line, and sinker for and even when it's staring you in the face that they are truly evil, you just can't seem to understand!  (WHY, I ask you.  WHY?  You seemed so nice! No...I can't tell you who I mean, but read it and you'll see!)

In the end, it was a GREAT read that I thoroughly enjoyed.  The only drawbacks I can mention (other than the cover...sorry!) would be a few minor grammar/spelling errors (minor ones), and a tiny bit of disbelief with how fast Jen accepted a few of the oddities around her.  Neither was enough to disrupt the story completely (as seen by my saying it was a GREAT READ), but it was enough to mention.  Whether a huge fan of the genre or a dabbler like me, it'll keep you on the edge of your seat right til the very end.  Fair warning, if you can't handle blood, guts, and dark experiments, it may not be a match made in heaven, but if you can....get this book on your radar STAT! 

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About the author...

J.D.H. is Astral Scribe; sci-fi, horror, slipstream writer by night, and an associate producer at a video game studio by day. From the moment she looked up at the stars, she wanted to be part of it in any way possible. As it turned out, the best way was dreaming it up herself. But gone are the things of dreams, what she brings now are nightmares.

FACEBOOK   |   GOOGLE+

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Special thanks to author Jess Harpley for the chance to read and share this forthcoming title with you as well as for the ebook for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to release October 18th, 2015 via Astral Scribe, so be on the lookout for it at a virtual retailer of your choosing....or solve the WHOLE chancey aspect of it all and pre-order it today!  To catch a little more "mill" fun, be sure to check out the book trailer.

Until next time...happy reading!