Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics
Author: Amy Lukavics
Published: September 29, 2015
266 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner’s family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries.
When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn’t right on the prairie. She’s heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can’t be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.
Kim’s Review:
This is the perfect scary book! This is the second time I’ve read Daughters Unto Devils and it was even better this time. Lukavics writes some of the best creepy reads I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. The Women in the Walls scared the crap out of me last year. I was looking for something easy and interesting to help finish the year so I went with the scary. And it was AWESOME!
The chills started from the beginning. Amanda is haunted by the past winter and all I get is some vague ideas about what had happened so, naturally, my imagination went nuts. Throw in a deaf and blind baby who screams constantly, and you have the makings of a fascinating story. The abandoned cabin that they move into sets the mood perfectly. I can’t really say anymore because it just has to be read and felt . . . y’all are in for such a macabre treat!! There are some adult situations so I would save this for older teens. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a eerie read!
Purchase Links:
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The Ravenous by Amy Lukavics
Author: Amy Lukavics
Published: September 26, 2017
299 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
From the outside, the Cane family looks like they have it all. A successful military father, a loving mother and five beautiful teenage daughters. But on the inside, life isn’t quite so idyllic: the Cane sisters can barely stand each other, their father is always away, and their neglectful mother struggles with addiction and depression.
When their youngest and most beloved sister, Rose, dies in a tragic accident, Mona Cane and her sisters are devastated. And when she is brought back from the dead, they are relieved. But soon they discover that Rose must eat human flesh to survive, and when their mother abandons them, the sisters will find out just how far they’ll go to keep their family together.
Kim’s Review
This book . . . Whoa. Lukavics has become one of my favorite authors. She does creepy so dang well and I can always count on her to write a great book! The Ravenous is actually her most unusual. Yet it’s so simple! There actually isn’t much to say because the story is straightforward. The synopsis pretty much covers the story, but saying that the journey is just as great as the destination totally applies here. It’s so full of emotion and insanity and realism (considering the unrealistic elements), it was rather overwhelming, in a great way!
This is a short review so y’all can go out and get The Ravenous and read it and experience all of it for yourselves! The one downfall is that there is a lot of language and adult themes so definitely save it for older teens. But I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for an unusual, creepy read!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
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Nightingale by Amy Lukavics
Author: Amy Lukavics
Published: September 25, 2018
352 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
At seventeen, June Hardie is everything a young woman in 1951 shouldn’t be—independent, rebellious, a dreamer. June longs to travel, to attend college and to write the dark science fiction stories that consume her waking hours. But her parents only care about making June a better young woman. Her mother grooms her to be a perfect little homemaker while her father pushes her to marry his business partner’s domineering son. When June resists, her whole world is shattered—suburbia isn’t the only prison for different women…
June’s parents commit her to Burrow Place Asylum, aka the Institution. With its sickening conditions, terrifying staff and brutal “medical treatments,” the Institution preys on June’s darkest secrets and deepest fears. And she’s not alone. The Institution terrorizes June’s fragile roommate, Eleanor, and the other women locked away within its crumbling walls. Those who dare speak up disappear…or worse. Trapped between a gruesome reality and increasingly sinister hallucinations, June isn’t sure where her nightmares end and real life begins. But she does know one thing: in order to survive, she must destroy the Institution before it finally claims them all.
Kim’s Review:
Lukavics is easily becoming one of my favorite authors. Every book has been a home run! She is able to capture the creepy and scary so effortlessly and I’m freaked out after every reading. Nightingale even has a psychiatric facility . . . Y’all know my affinity to facilities. The 50’s setting added a nostalgic feel and actually helped to soften my one problem with the story. The only thing I didn’t like was the attitude towards traditional women’s roles. I know that during the 50’s it was expected to stick to those roles and it was greatly frowned upon to deviate from them. It just felt like Lukavics overcompensated by looking down on those traditional women. I am a wife and homemaker, in and slightly less traditional capacity, but I decided that my husband, his career and our home outweighed any job I could get. That doesn’t make me any less of a strong, opinionated, free thinking woman. But I also understand that the 50’s were a different time and women back then had to fight harder for their independence. So it did not by any means ruin this book for me.
I really enjoyed the alien element. Normally, I don’t find aliens to be that scary, but in Nightingale, I was freaked out by them!!! They were terrifying!! June was a sympathetic character that I liked and completely believed. Burrow Place Asylum had all the elements of the perfect asylum, complete with experimentation, disappearances, and lobotomies. And thankfully, the resolution was completely satisfying and answered my questions and I was content! Overall, a great, scary read with all the stuff I love in it! I would save this for older teens, due to some adult elements but I’m sure those older teens would love this book!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
