Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "sabrina-voerman"

October Blood: A Book of Halloween Horror by Hawke Haus Books

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An anthology of Hallowe'en-themed horror stories by a variety of indie authors.

'October Blood' is a showcase of talent from the indie horror writer community, featuring work centred around Hallowe'en. With an opening poem by Bee Davis and thirteen short stories across the spectrum of horror themes and tropes, including gothic, supernatural, psychological and slasher, with chills, folklore, superstition, urban legends and violence entwined amongst the prose.

These are not the first stories I've read by several of the featured authors, while I also discovered some great new writers I'll be looking out for again, and hope to read many more from them all in the future! Not only is this a great compendium of work, but the profits go to Calgary Food Bank, a charity working to fight hunger and help those in need.

It's always difficult to pick favourites amongst anthologies with so much variety; personally, I most enjoyed:
"Blood of the Moon" by Sabrina Voerman, a dark fable, about a man who comes to the aid of a lost woman in the woods, with a superb twist;
"The Cameraman" by Michael R. Goodwin, an atmospheric tale of a teenager who spends Hallowe'en night alone and dares to watch a mysterious videotape;
"The Bitter Man" by Marcus Hawke, exploring the truth behind an urban legend surrounding a murderous dentist.

Overall, 'October Blood' is a fabulous collection celebrating our favourite dark holiday; a collection of tricks and treats for both the seasoned horror fan and those who wish to test the waters during the season. Happy Hallowe'en!



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HorrorScope: A Zodiac Anthology by H. Everend

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An anthology of zodiac horror.

'HorrorScope' is a collection of short stories and poetry, thematically linked to signs of the zodiac, featuring work by thirty-six indie horror and dark fantasy authors. Edited by H. Everend, it features a wide array of sub-genres, including forays into mythology, creature features and cryptozoology, slashers and serial killers, curses and witchcraft, and the looming spectre of death. It’s a thrilling concept, to present a horror-esque horoscope through storytelling, split into a section per zodiac sign, each section including three pieces.

My personal favourites were:
‘The Twin Keepers’ by Alex Tilley, a blend of psychological and dystopian suspense;
‘You Die...I Die’ by Jessica Huntley, a twisted game at the hands of a serial killer;
‘The Virgin’ by Brooklynn Dean, a delicious slice of erotica and brutal ritual;
‘The Lovers’ by Sabrina Voerman, a sensuous fantasy of tragedy and morality;
‘The Sting of the Scorpius’ by Kay Hanifen, a tale of mysticism and retribution;
‘The One Who Came to Save Her’ by Nico Bell, a visitation of revenge in a small town;
‘My Little Minnow’ by Nina Tolstoy, a psychological portrait of a serial killer.

Overall, this is a brilliant dossier of work, covering a wide range of sub-genres. As one would expect, it contains its fair share of explicit violence, sexual content, and torture, as well as some less explicit animal cruelty. Boasting diversity across genre, themes, tropes and characters, even the most casual horror fan will likely find something that speaks to them within this volume, much like might be found in a traditional horoscope.

Overseeing proceedings is H. Everend; as well as an author of several horror stories, she is also a committed supporter of the indie author community. Here she has curated a superb anthology that showcases the talent and hard work of its writers, with a mix of established names with work already published and new authors presenting their debuts. As an indie author myself, I understand the challenges and the sheer willpower, commitment and passion it takes to produce the work and send it out into the world, and everyone should feel incredibly proud of their contributions. Indie voices may typically be small, but nevertheless they have something to say.

A delight for both enthusiasts of horror and indie supporters, ‘HorrorScope’ marks a fabulous achievement for all the creators involved. Future volumes have been announced, with 'HorrorScope, Volume II' arriving this summer.



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Blood Coven by Sabrina Voerman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A bewitching tale of empowerment and vengeance.

Red lives trapped by her family's abuse, only ever venturing outside to visit her grandmother's house deep in the forest.

Meeting a coven of young witches, Red realises there is far more to the world than her confinement, their allure hinting that her dreams of escape may be possible.

But when an ancient curse is enacted to sacrifice her to the werewolf of legend, Red finds herself colliding with her own destiny, faced with a fight to decide if she emerges as victim or survivor.

‘Blood Coven’ is the debut novel by Sabrina Voerman and the first in the ‘Blood Bound’ series. A dark fantasy reimagining of the classic fairy tale of Red Riding Hood, with a heart of feminist steel, we follow dual timelines - one in Red's contemporary Year of the Moon, and other four hundred years earlier in the Year of the Curse. Primarily we follow the narratives of Red and Matthias in each respective timeline, with other character perspectives at points adding to the account of the beginning and the culmination of a curse that spans generations.

Through lush and poetic gothic prose, conjuring the themes of witchcraft and the dark, brooding origins of our most beloved fairy stories, Voerman crafts an entrancing tale of deceit and revenge, of trauma and self-empowerment. Vivid descriptions draw us in from the first page, an aura of mystery and a twisting plot enrapturing us throughout. Bloodthirsty and emotive, evoking an underlying sensuality and connection with nature, as if the craft oozes between each line, there are elements reminiscent of Anne Rice’s ‘Tales of the Mayfair Witches’, and vibes of the TV series ‘Once Upon a Time’, while simultaneously building its own unique world.

The way the enchantment works out in unexpected ways for the coven is especially well done; the dynamic between Red and the Wolf leads to some thought-provoking discussion; and that hint of how love could come into Red's life, something she's never truly experienced, makes the tragedy ever more piquant. Following astutely developed characters and richly described settings, the non-linear plot maintains the pace and keeps us rivetted until the final pieces fall into place, telling a tale of victims reclaiming their own stories and fighting back against their abusers.

'Blood Coven' is a superb debut novel and opening chapter to the series; I'm very much looking forward to reading the second novel, ‘Ashen Heart’.



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Ashen Heart by Sabrina Voerman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A bewitching dark fairytale of lust and power.

Torenia Luca has felt loathed by her family since her childhood, and has long dreamt of leaving her life in Silvania far behind.

Delving into her family’s legacy of witchcraft, she is finally embracing something akin to happiness when her life is once again torn to devastation.

Finally making her escape, she becomes embroiled with blood cult The Brotherhood, discovering a dark kingdom of blood lust and power games, one that may promise her all she has ever desired.

'Ashen Heart' is a dark fantasy novel by Sabrina Voerman, the second in 'The Blood Bound Series', taking place between the dual timelines we explored in the first novel 'Blood Coven'. We follow the life story of Torenia Luca, perhaps the most notorious of the Luca witches since Azalea, from her humble, lonely beginnings and her discovery of the Craft, charting her rise to power to become the merciless queen of Osleka and its legion of vampires. Weaving luscious descriptive prose, frothing with gothic imagery, Voerman conjures a gripping, character-driven narrative; a sensual, tense and bloodthirsty tale of empowerment and survival – simultaneously devastating and alluring; an unflinching portrait of the corruption of a soul.

We begin with Torenia’s childhood, finding her often neglected by her parents in favour of her sister. Feeling alone and worthless, she longs to be beautiful, to be seen. When she discovers the power she can wield in her teenage years, inspiring desire in another, she seeks an outlet for her pain. As the rivalry with her sister intensifies, she begins to learn the legacy of the Luca family, the lure of magic intoxifying. But her family and the villagers have no tolerance for witchcraft, fearing its power and history repeating itself. When she believes she may have nowhere left to run, Torenia meets Roman, a mysterious man of the night who promises he can bestow upon her all she has ever wished for – infinite power, eternal youth, staggering beauty. Yet this comes with a life fraught with danger and paranoia, as she finds herself caught in the midst of a blood feud between three brothers, monarchs whose grasp on the throne is tenuous, under constant threat of conspiracy and betrayal.

Voerman seduces us with a staggering cocktail of depravity and sin, Torenia immersing herself in a life of desire, indulgence and avarice, fully embracing the vanity, envy and rage that has danced in her heart since trauma laced her blood with their masochistic sting. In her quest for survival and dominion, she becomes cold, brutal and vicious. Taking much inspiration from the Evil Queen of the 'Snow White' fairytale, with touches of Elizabeth Bathory, the novel presents a delicious fairy tale retelling, combined with the lore of witchcraft and vampirism to create a rich dark fantasy, with elements of horror and erotica sewn into the seams - a thrilling delight charting the trajectory of a villain, an origin story and condemnation tale. Confronting us with the stark horror of abuse and misogyny, as we witness the effects of the insidious poison of insecurity and unhealed wounds, Torenia’s story is often relatable, beginning as deeply sympathetic, but ultimately she becomes more depraved and intolerable as she embraces evil and hatred, nevertheless remaining intensely captivating as her unquenchable thirst for vengeance and power turn her once-innocent heart black.

The novel ends with a tantalising glimpse of the future, dovetailing with the end of 'Blood Coven' as the narratives diverge for the fourth and final novel 'Blood Queen'. In the meantime, strands of 'Ashen Heart' also lead us into the third novel 'Song of the Sea'. I’m excited to read both books after the strength of the first two in the series!



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