Review: Creeped out factor of 9/10.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 20, 2013
Let me first say that the author gave me an ARC for an honest review.Second, I'm basing this review off of her strength of writing and words, as well as overall forward momentum in the plot, etc, because I'm not an avid horror fan. I do not feel it would be fair to base it off of my personal likes/tastes because of that.Third, I'm a total horror virgin. This was my first real experience with horror stories, and my first honest impression is that it was a normal experience. I think I was so creeped out I couldn't stop, and I'm assuming that people read horror for that particular thing. If that's what you're wanting, Hellbound will deliver.The author's writing is quite sound. The only time I felt it disappointed was in the ending of the first story. I felt as if the story was really rolling forward, and came to an abrupt ending. That's a compliment to her writing in one way, however, because I wanted to find out more about the fate of this young man. I was a bit jarred and wanted to know more. The initiation in the second story was also a tad strong for my liking, but that comes from my background of YA fantasy, so take that opinion FWIW. I don't think horror lovers would bat an eye at things that made me hide my face behind my hands.As a writer myself, and also as someone who likes to help self-published authors, my inner critic is often on and I can't turn it off. I didn't have that problem as much with Hellbound. The characters aren't exactly likable, which was good, because then you don't really care about the fate they meet. They were consistent in their less-than-desirable traits, which is more important to me as a horror reader than liking them, since they'll probably become lifeless zombies anyway.On a scale of creeped-out factor, I would rate this a 9/10. There is sufficient paranormal creepiness and zombie-like flesh-wasting descriptions to satisfy any horror lover.