Alma Harper and her friends are lost in Widowsfield. They're trapped in a lie created by The Skeleton Man, and even death provides no escape. As they struggle to discover the truth about the once sleepy town, a new evil emerges: The Watcher in the Walls. As the lies are exposed, the liars are revealed, and the only way out of the maze is to fall into the lies and disappear.
As Alma struggles to find a way out of Widowsfield, a new character comes to town. Her name is Nia, and she is a gifted young woman that can pull memories out of the world around her. Of course, the true memories of Widowsfield are lost behind the lies. As she gets closer to the truth, others will attempt to exploit her gift.
All the while, The Skeleton Man plans his escape. What if he gets out?
What the fuck did I just read!!? The characters from the first book; Alma, Paul, Stephen, Rachel, Aubrey and Jacker (the one who breaks down doors) are now stuck/lost in a purgatory hell known as Widowsfield - with little chance of escape. The Skeleton Man's lies have infected the group and they no longer know what is real or fake (neither did I). We learn more about what happened in the cabin where Terry was killed and what happened to Ben. A few more characters are introduced; Nia, Mindy, Oliver and Lee. Nia is a Psychic (Psychometric), Mindy is her friend, Oliver is a Scientist and Lee is Oliver's assistant. Nothing is what it seems and the author had me with Lee's character. I didn't see that coming. We also learn what happened to the inhabitants of Widowsfield, and more about Cada E.I.B. As with the first book - there are different time-lines to keep track of: 1996, 2007 and 2012. So it can get confusing. Now I'll have to start book 3, to see what happens to Michael Harper - as I think that evil motherfucker is going to get some serious poetic justice. I hope.
This volume was so good! I loved the new characters, the details added to the plotline... I actually believed the lies, too... And Rosemary? I really loved her character, she's a great addition to the story; I hope we'll get to see her with the main characters in the third (and last) volume of The Widowsfield Trilogy. And also, I can't wait to, finally, get to see the truth. I'm getting more and more intrigued.
I can't wait to have more content about Ben as well (he's my son, btw :,( .) I'd love to see more of Amanda, too. I feel so bad for her...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
After finishing 314 book one I was ready and raring to go with the story of Widowsfield and set about reading book two immediately. The second book is written in a slightly different style, still jumping between years but with a diary entry at the beginning of each chapter. These entries are written by someone clearly familiar with Widowsfield but the person is not introduced. I liked that, it added a bit of an eerie vibe to each chapter, not that this story needs any help to be eerie!
Now, as you’ll have read in my review of book one, this story did freak me out a little, and that’s not easy to do, so kudos to A R Wise! Everyone I’ve described this book to has commented on how things don’t normally get to me, so clearly it’s very well written. So.. how could this story be any creepier? Try having a nosebleed right in the middle of reading it!
In this book A R Wise introduces some new characters, and a new time frame. So now you get to contend with three time frames and not just two! No matter how complicated that sounds, it really makes the story come to life. The events in this book, whilst not as scary as the first set of events within this trilogy really explain what we learned in book one. We get a much more in depth look into the world of Widowsfield and The Skeleton Man. Some of the things in the book seem obvious, others do not reveal themselves until later on, and how do you know what’s real?
The book is set up to make us feel like we’re going around in circles, spinning in a never-ending spiral of hatred, pain and confusion. The imagery is so real you can picture the town and the people as you read. I think this is what makes it so unsettling, it’s like you can feel the conflict that the characters are feeling.
Next up, book three of the Widowsfield Trilogy, so if you haven’t read these books yet it’s a good time to start! I definitely recommend these books to any horror fan. Even if you’re unsure about what I’ve said so far, please read the books and make up your own mind on them. Different parts of the 314 experience will stick with you and you’ll take your own opinion from it. Book one is free so if you’re unsure then read that first and then tell me you’re not interested.. I bet you can’t!
These books are so completely messed up. They're graphic, they play tricks on your mind, and yet.... I have to know what happens. This series is very disturbing and not for those with weak stomachs. What happens when you can't remember what's reality and what's a dream? What happens when you're stuck in one specific moment of time, constantly repeating the same time frame over and over but no matter what decision you try and make, you always end up dead? What happens when you can't remember what is real? 314 is what happens.
I loved book 1 so much that I had high hopes for this one. And Wise throws you right into the thick of it as it takes off right from where book 1 ended - and all hell was about to break loose (not literally!)
Despite jumping straight into the action with this one, I found it a little hard to connect to the story, and the characters, as the world of Widowsfield and the characters we follow expands. And thrown into the mix are some mind bending, twisty timey whimey shenanigans - I did struggle. The gore and the horror elements are still there. But as the story went on I did start to enjoy it more, and as with every trilogy, book 2 leaves you with yet more questions.
I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the last book Have you read this series? What did you think?
I feel like I'm one out of a thousand in that I seem to be one of the few who simply could not read this book. The gory scenes aside (and to me they were really awful) it was the continuous back and forth, and repetition of the event but with certain small events changed that just confused me. I could not keep up nor could I really understand what was going on. This was like a bad stream-of-consciousness writing wherein the author himself was trying to figure out where to take the story.
What I DID find of value to the story as a whole were the 'thought processes' of various characters in italics at the beginning of each chapter. In these thoughts we saw the fears, the doubts, the hatreds, the lies, and even the confusion that each was being subjected to because of the event in March.
That event was terrible. It was terrible when it showed up so graphically in the first book, and there it had a powerful punch as to why time likely fractured, and affected everyone in the town. In this book that brutal event is re-told so many times it just grew tiring. I felt numb. Rather like feeling the numbness one might experience in viewing so much violence in a movie, or on tv. It's not so much nauseating as it is just one more example of the violence that crops up in our entertainment these days that it now has a valid name: torture porn.
At 56% in this Kindle book I just quit as I could not take another scene of blood, guts, and falling teeth.
Since I have the third book in this trilogy (bought it) I will start reading it in hopes of discovering how this awful story ends. I want to know if Paul (Alma's beau) and Ben (her vanished brother) will re-appear.
I do have favourite characters: Alma, Paul, and Jacker and it is for them that I am still curious as to how this turns out.
A word to the author: You are a much better writer than the grisly scenes in your story. I think they are overdone and I really think you could convey the horror that Widowsfield must suffer without having to describe it all in such lovingly graphic detail.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The entire population of Widowsfield has disappeared. Elma and her friends want to escape from Widowsfield but they can not. They are trap there by the lies of the Skeleton Man. The fog is sent in to destroy Elma and her friends. The Skeleton Man watches from inside of the fog. Dreams don't always live up to be what they are. In book #2 a new character is introduce. Her names is Nia and she is a Physic. Oliver hires Nia to help reconstruct Widowsfield the way it was on March 14th 1996 at 3:14PM. Oliver has an assistant and his name is Lee. He helps to sketch all the information the Nia is giving him. Oliver and his investors want to find out want really happen to the people of Widowsfield. Book #2 is really creepy. It is jam packed with plenty of action. I did not what the book to end, it was that good. There is one more book is this trilogy. I can't wait to read it. If you like horror, then I would recommend 3:14 and 3:14 book #2.
Being the second in the series, I loved this book as I knew I would. Book one introduces the characters and drops pieces of the puzzle to tantalise the reader, book two delves deeper and although it is descriptive in the gore and horror, it was no surprise for this kind of story and fitted in well.
The mystery deepens and keeps the reader on their toes - the lies...who is who, who is right, who is telling the truth, what is the truth...? - just brilliant. The tale twists and turns back and forth and is superbly written (despite the typos, which are a fact of life). I liked the characters who suited the story perfectly and look forward to the next book - oh, what a clever ploy.
Highly recommended - a great plot, full of mystery, suspense and perfect as a true horror story.
I don't think writing a description of this book would do it justice. I couldn't put it down, I was worried nightmares would occur and yet I need more from the story! The way the book has been written is very confusing but makes perfect sense at the same time. It took me time after, to get the story straight in my head but I am completely sucked in to Widowsfield and its victims. The gore level of the book may put some people off but I think that is what makes the series so unstoppable and compelling. If you love Brian Lumley, I think this has a bigger horror factor. If you loved this and haven't read The Necroscope series, that is what I would recommend. Bring on book 3 and more twisted plots!
Loved it! I had thought I was heading in the right direction with the last book.. jokes on me, I was wrong. I kind of thought it was set up that way too.. I didn't go crazy, but I really enjoyed the timelines. Even though I was given a hint about a certain person, I was still surprised at the end when all was revealed. Great job! It's been a very long time since I've had a great read like this and longer still since I've read something so unique. I'll be grabbing the next one.
Things get even weirder in this second volume. This is a world that you wouldn't even want to visit, let alone get trapped in. I read this in bed at night and many times it scared the crap out of me. You have to make sure you are paying attention, it follows two different timelines and the author doesn't make it clear as to which is which. But I think this was done on purpose to add to the confusion.
Brilliant, a sequel to aspire to!! This story continues in Widowsfield with Alma and her friends. It is not written in a linear timeline but flips you around from then to now. It makes you rack your brain to understand what is happening and when you think you do it makes you question yourself! The pain is written so that you can experience it along with the characters and their emotions are palpable! If you are a fan of horror... READ THIS SERIES!!!
Why did I continue this story? It's plain stupid at times. But the main part of it, Alma and Paul interests me. The loop that the reader has to continually endure sucks. I skip through it. Once this book ends we understand that it's just a time loop of twenty minutes that got stuck replaying. I don't fully get that, but I'm not in agreement that time is relative. Perhaps in death, but these people aren't dead, so it makes no sense.
Ok so I finished this book one day. I found that I was more interested in the first book, of course it left me hanging. So I had to finish this. It got good after about half way and I got more interested again. And now that I've finished I want to finish the last book to find out. First book had me going, second took a bit but finally got me into it. Now I'm curious to where the third will go! So many twists. Pretty good read!
You have to stick with this to appreciate it as you try and navigate what's going on! As in the author's note I felt the frustration and confusion that the characters felt on their journey back and forth and through time. At the end things start to make more sense and build a level of excitement as you go into the final book. Started as 3* dropped to 2* but by the end and considering how things fell into place it had to be 4*.
A return to Widowsfield's tragedy! A book, you can't put down, until the very end!! The story, goes back and forth in it's wicked history, of the lives and deaths of it's inhabitants. Books, you can't put down until the very end....wanting more!! Me? I'm off to the next one...TA TA for now!!!
I love the insane ride that is this book. The timelines, ghostwritten journal entries, alternate realities, and the horrors of a timeloop. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish, and everything in between.
I enjoyed this more than book 1 in the series as there was much more action; perhaps too much in places - there's a lot to take in in this book, and series as a whole. I'm not sure I'm any clearer as to how this series will end but I'm thoroughly enjoying it, so roll on book 3!
Although this was confusing as hell, and every time I thought I had it figured out something would happen to throw my theory out the window, I had to finish it! And now I have to read book 3. Well played author....well played!
Book #1 was very good. Book #2 brilliant! A little complicated to start with, but I loved the way it jumps to and fro! Gory and quite scary too! Can't wait to start book #3!!!