A Wistful Tale of Gods, Men and Monsters

by David Ruggerio

Can a Village be Inherently Evil?
Welcome to Brunswick NY, Population 4,941.

On the façade, this sleepy hamlet comes to life every autumn with picturesque apple orchards, haunted corn mazes, fun-filled pumpkin patches, and holiday hayrides. During a snowy Halloween, a young William Willowsby must battle evil forces that have been shielded by the locals for generations. On the outskirts of the town is the abandoned Forest Park Cemetery. All things wicked revolve around the old graveyard. A rarely seen homunculus serves an evil taskmaster. Together they weave a wicked web that attempts to snare the youth of the hamlet. A creepy graveyard, a spooky schoolhouse, an abandoned mortuary and a member of his own family will leave you simply sleepless.

“Author, David Ruggerio, merges Mary Shelley and Stephen King in A Wistful Tale of God’s Men and Monsters. Suspense laced with vibrant prose, this novel will have you turning the pages and wondering what evil awaits you.”
-C. L. Paur, author - Stories and Waves.

"Eloquent, mysterious, and poetic by turns, David Ruggerio has given us a mystery-cum-ghost story that is as haunting as its main characters are haunted. Along the way, Ruggerio has also captured the bewilderment, vulnerability—and strengths—of childhood. Atmospheric, meticulously crafted prose carries the mystery forward with enviable ease and a hovering sense of dread.”
-Tom Steele - Author, editor, reviewer, bon vivant

“I'm a huge fan of musical supergroups.  A Wistful Tale of God's, Men and Monsters is the literary equivalent.  David Ruggiero has captured the storytelling nature of Neil Gaiman, replicated the family lineage of a George R. R. Martin novel and offered descriptions that rival Stephen King.  A true masterpiece of penmanship.”
-Alex Bernstein – Author – The Platform

205 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2019

About the author

Oh yes, my friends, at one point in my life, I was a much-celebrated celebrity chef. I honed my culinary skills in France at several of the country's leading restaurants. Among them, the Hotel Negresco with Jacques Maximin; Moulin de Mougins with Roger Verge; Les Pres d'Eugenie with the mythic Michel Guerard, and l'Auberge du Pont de Collonges with the iconic Paul Bocuse. I was honored in 1995 by noted vintner Robert Mondavi as one of the best thirteen Rising Star Chef in America, in the first year of this national awards program.

My experience also includes being the chef and partner of Pierre Cardin's New York Maxims. Yes, that's the same Pierre Cardin with cologne and everything else in the world! With Cardin, I was instrumental in the expansion of Maxim as a brand in restaurants and hotels. I also was the executive chef of the famed Le Caravelle ( I was only 25 at the time-go and figure) and executive chef and owner of Park Avenue's Le Chantilly. All three restaurants received numerous national accolades.

I authored two acclaimed cookbooks, "Little Italy with David Ruggerio" and "David Ruggerio's Italian Kitchen." I hosted my own PBS cooking series; "Little Italy with David Ruggerio." and went on to host my own cooking series on TV Food Network entitled “Ruggerio To Go”(check out some of the episodes on my Youtube channel, they'll make you smile).

I have a wonderfully scary upcoming horror novel entitled; "A Wistful Tale of Gods, Men, and Monsters, which will be released on Halloween Eve of 2019. Could you pick a better day to release a horror novel? Boo!

For more about me, my ongoing escapades, and upcoming events and give-aways please visit my personal website:
www.davidruggerio.com

I've recently explored my passion for cheese, to see what's up with my cheesy adventures please visit;
www.canvasbackfarms.com.

As you can surmise with my upcoming horror novel, I love to be scared, to enjoy my horrible thoughts, including which horror movie I consider the greatest, please visit;
www.mrruggeriosneighborhood.com

Ok, it's official, I have a Wikipedia page, don't we all? To discover more about me, please visit;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_R...

You want to laugh at some of my past television exploits, please visit (and like!) my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysx...

Where would I be without a Facebook page? Please visit my Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.ruggerio

I want to thank you for visiting my author's page.

Happy Cooking
Dave

Reviews

[Schizanthus Nerd]

DNF at 26%

I was intrigued by this book’s blurb and was looking forward to a spooky read. The idea of a town that’s inherently evil, with the scares taking place in a graveyard, school and mortuary, sounded like my kind of fun. Unfortunately it’s not working for me at all, which is really disappointing. Even worse, I’m currently surrounded by reviewers who loved this book so I feel like I’m missing out on something wonderful.

I’m finding the story quite disjointed and haven’t been able to form an emotional connection with any of the characters that have been introduced so far.

I acknowledge that I’m reading an advanced copy of this book so hopefully proofreading and editing will fix a lot of the problems I’ve experienced. The punctuation is all over the place. An abundance of commas exist where they shouldn’t and they’re missing where they’re needed. While they could easily be fixed, here are only a couple of the many sentences that frustrated me:

Whether that was Lilly or not, William wasn’t waiting around to find out, he bolted.

That old Ford was a sight for sore eyes, he could now breathe easy.

An extraordinary feeling of happiness and expectations filled the inhabitants, this was their holiday.

I know my punctuation and grammar are nowhere near perfect either, but I’d definitely want someone to clean up my writing if I ever expected people to pay for it.

There was some phrasing that felt awkward:

These were ghosts that were disturbed for keeping evil obsessions hidden.

they were blood-like red in color.

It was an erotic transformation, from a woman of beauty to a fierce beast of uncontrollable hatred for mankind.

This was a horror unlike any before; no man had ever survived such a terror and lived to tell about it.

My jaw dropped (and I almost threw in the towel right then and there) when I found this sentence in the second chapter:

Giving birth was akin to a gang-rape.

Characters have also called one another “homo”, “nuts” and “retarded”.

If the story had grabbed me I wouldn’t have been as focused on typos, including “lightening” instead of “lightning”, as well as the other nitpicks. I hate to admit defeat where any book is concerned but I can’t travel any further with this one.

I’d encourage you to read some 4 and 5 star reviews before deciding if this is the book for you or not. I’m definitely an outlier here.

Content warnings (so far) include death by suicide, child abuse and sexual assault.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the opportunity to read this book.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A haunted town is going to have a very tough time this Halloween. Pretty long winded, and everybody makes stupid decisions. It was a lot to wade through.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

A Wistful Tale of Gods, Men and Monsters by David Ruggerio is a horror novel.

First, let me thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
 

My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

The village of Brunswick New York seems to be haunted by evil forces.  This Halloween looks to be an exceptionally hard one and Forest Park Cemetery seems to be one of the places at the center of things.  But it is not alone.  The entire village is part of the evil.

Sheriff Tom Landtmann, originally from Philadelphia, has been going through the old records and has discovered a disturbing pattern of young girls being killed.  It looks like the previous authorities just swept these deaths under the rug.  Not any more.

Joey and his brother Bobby have come to town in search of ghosts, or vampires, or werewolves, or whatever they can find.  They read on the internet that Brunswick was a good place to find these rather interesting creatures.  They will find more than they bargained for.

William Willowsby is a young boy who is infatuated with monsters, and it seems he lives in the perfect little town for this.  He and his best friend Lilly are going to try and finish this once and for all.  They will receive some unexpected help.

 

My Opinions:  

I thought the plot was great!  Really good premise.  The writing...well it was good, but sometimes more suited to an old gothic novel than a modern horror tale.  However, Ruggerio did get the ambience and gruesomeness right for horror.

Unfortunately, there were so many characters, and so much information about everything that I started skimming.  The background of each character and the town itself was all-encompassing, but overdone.  Everytime a new character was introduced, it seemed we were taken back to their childhood and told their life story.   It took a couple of pages to just describe one of the houses! Because of the details, it took the reader away from the plot, leaving things disjointed.  I realize that the author was trying to bring the history of the town, the Indian tribe, and mythology all into one book, but there was just too much.

Now, I have an advanced copy of the book, so I am sure that with proper editing, the frequent grammatical and phrasing errors will be eliminated.  It was often very frustrating to read.   On another note, a shorter title would have been good.

That being said, after a while, you forgot about the editing issues, you forgot about the long-winded descriptions, and you got to the heart of the matter.  The plot.  It is really the saving grace of the whole book.  I started to really get behind the main characters and cheer them on.  Unfortunately, I was about 45-50% into the book before this really grabbed me.  That is much too long.  It did, however, take this book from a 1 star book to a 3 star book.  Then, suddenly it was over....really sudden...it got tied up a little too neatly.

Okay, I may be a little too critical for some, and I may still be annoyed that this book was sent to me without my permission,  but if I don't like a book 40% in....  Needless to say, this one just wasn't for me. 

For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Cam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this book to review. I actually really enjoyed this thriller. This book is about a town that has a history of crime being committed but is swept under the rug. Supernatural events are taking place in this small town and they are seeking blood.
The only suggestion I would have is there needs to be some proof reading done. But I loved the story line.

[The Book Gawdess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a free advance readers’ copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was an old-fashioned horror in the midst of modern life. Halloween and werewolves, trick-or-treaters and witches. Before reading it, I saw where someone described it as reading a book that Tim Burton would write. That is the best way to describe it. It had an Edward Scissorhands feel to it. Seeing as that is actually one of my favorite movies, that should tell you how much I enjoyed this book.

A Wistful Tale of Gods, Men and Monsters tells the story of a quaint village, Brunswick, and it’s inhabitants. It is Halloween time and a great evil is on the loose. While many villagers are willing to keep Brunswick’s secrets well hidden, a group of investigators is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. There is also a haunted house in which an evil dwarf lives and serves its monstrous master and a cemetery in which many dark acts occur.

I loved this book. The author was extremely skilled at making me feel as if I was in a horror based in the 19th century. There were touches of modernity, such as FaceTime, but the feel of the story was ancient. Somehow this made the story even creepier.

My favorite character would have to be William Willowsby. He was one of the group determined to fix what was wrong with the village. Even though he was just a child, he had lived through so much and was still so brave. Lilly, his best friend, was also another favorite, with her sweet, childish innocence. I was definitely rooting for them to survive the horrific events of this book.

The characters of this book were well placed. The creepy caretaker of the cemetery with his broken English was perfect. The thrill-seekers who kept popping up at the weirdest times were a nice addition. It was clear that the author thought very carefully about who he wanted living in the world he created. They blended in well with the peaceful serenity which masked the nasty underbelly of the town.

While the dialog of this book was excellent, the asides the author included were genius. They brought a touch of humor to the events. I found myself chuckling out loud in some parts of the book as a result.

As I mention humor, that was another enjoyable part of the book for me. There was some dark humor in this book which gave some of the events an odd twist.

My one issue, however, was the grammatical errors. There were quite a lot and in many places, I found myself a bit confused as to what sentences the author was trying to write. Hopefully, another round of proofreading would have been done before this book is published.

There were some very adult scenes in this book with very graphic descriptions of sexual acts and violence. This is definitely not a book for anyone other than adults. If you are turned off by blood and gore, I suggest you do not read this. That also applies to very religious people who may not like reading about pagan religions and witchcraft. If you are a person like me who loves a good old horror story, you will definitely enjoy this. Fittingly enough, this book will be released on Halloween which is the perfect setting to read it.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

And maybe, just maybe I overdid it with my commitment to read genre exclusively for the month of October. In fact, it boggles the mind to think my reading diet was once as unvaried as that consistently. Now, I crave variety much too much. If I am to stay within one genre, though, I’ll settle for an exceptional quality. Something this book didn’t quite deliver, although it was by no means a terrible addition to the realm of literary terrors. Ruggerio is apparently a famous chef, specializing in Italian cuisine and his previous ventures as an author have been culinary books. This is certainly quite a departure. In this cumbersomely titled novel, Ruggerio creates a small upstate town of Brunswick and like most such creations, it is a haunted wicked place. The denizens might be well meaning enough, quietly harboring secrets of their own, but terrible things do occur in Brunswick with an alarming regularity. Such as the suspicious series of violent murders, swept under the rug for decades and decades. It looks like no person would have done those, such animalistic savagery was involved. Of course, of course, there’s some Native American tragic past specific to the region. And so from a creepy cemetery to an even creepier old funeral parlor, the atmosphere is set for a classic tale of a small town being terrorized by a skinwalker, culminating ever so appropriately during the days of Allhallowtide. Of all the genre books I’ve been reading this month, this one is seemingly tailormade for October 31st. And it works, it works perfectly well, it just doesn’t wow in any way. It seems like a well done regurgitation of entirely too many genre formulas and clichés. Which is fine if you’re new to it all and looking for a spooky seasonal read, but for anyone who’s been reading these books for a while, it kind of just leaves you wonting. The storytelling aspect is nice, it’s almost like a series of interconnected character driven short stories and then the gradual interweaving of all the characters together in a cohesive fashion. But again, outside of the two cute kids, the characters weren’t overwhelmingly compelling. Just enough to kind of sort of want to know how it all plays out in the end for them. And the answer to that is…pretty much as you’d expect. Once again, the lack of originality is what’s really holding the story back from really taking off. Oh, and this was weird…every chapter was preceded by a Biblical quote, except for ones from a famous scientist and one from Eva Peron. Random much. Overall, it’s a decent debut effort, but not sure it deserves all the praises the book’s official description features. For me it was like Ruggerio’s beloved pasta, it’ll do in a pinch, but, given a choice, I wouldn’t go for it. Just not a pasta person. But then again how many chefs go write scary stories. So that’s something original right there. Thanks Netgalley.

[Irene Well Worth A Read]

DNF. I gave up somewhere around 25%
There are some creepy and creative ideas here but the lack of editing and excessive over use of adverbs along with wordsthatruntogether are giving me a headache.

[Nóinín · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing some extensive editing won't fix.

As it stands, the author's surprisingly original ideas based on actually solid background research as to North American ghoulies and ghosties were butchered by poor writing, long-windedness, telling instead of showing and an unbelievable amount of typos and weird spellings - did the author actually dictate this story to a typographer with a very short attention span, or directly into some speech-to-text device? And don't even get me started on the punctuation ...

Provides examples of

a. The Malaproper with Delusions of Eloquence
Examples include, but are not limited to: "mother ... often doted after", "answers ... spurned new questions", "her generous buxom", "foreboding iron fence", "emboldened in raised letters", "conflagration of mist", "this talisman was nefarious", "past regressions", "acclamation into their new country", "make her resolute ... stronger"

b. Loads and Loads of Characters
remaining strangely pale and two-dimensional despite the shaggy-dog stories about their own lives and their parents' and near relations' from earliest childhood, however irrelevant to the plot

c. Purple prose
"'twas", "'tis" and "'tweres" abound, including: "Twas a wintry dawn" and, I kid you not:"It was a dark and sinister house"

d. Oirish accent
The caretaker of the bankrupt* cemetery, going by the improbable name of Banger Doyle, is prone to bursting out, in a "Goidelic accent" (what's that even supposed to mean?), into the odd "Begosh and begorrah!" and contextually unwarranted "béal bocht" and "Tiocfaidh ár lá". "Stick to what you know" might have been sound advice here ("All Hallows' Eve", btw, is NOT "ancient Gaelic").
Thankfully, the author left the German heritage of his haunted town's denizens "from the Rhineland-Palatinate" (a minor anachronism, which we'll overlook) alone.

f. G-rated drug
"Banger offered him a small bottle of Vic's Vapor Rub. Tom shook him off; "Na, I'm ok, I think I need to keep all my senses about me" - A good thing, too. We wouldn't want a sheriff high on menthol-based chest liniment, now, would we?

e. Shoutouts, namely to Steven King's "It": from The Town with a Dark Secrets through cyclical murders of young children to an eleven-going-on-twelve-year old, stuttering hero called Bill(y), complete "with a birthmark on his cheek" (cf. Richard Thomas in the 1990 TV movie) and a heroine called Beverly.

Following a bumpy and disrupted read, several questions remained unsolved for me: How can a person stutter "from birth"? *How can a cemetery go bankrupt? Why are there tadpoles in October? And what was supposed to be "wistful" about this tale (unless the title is another example of a.)? What's the story with Balin, who is introduced as a "homunculus", but later on referred to, alternately, as a dwarf, an imp and a ghoul, which are all rather different beings?

I'd recommend it to: teenage and survival horror fans, who are patient enough to wait for the revised and edited version.

[Karin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got a free advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, so without further ado, I will sum it up - I felt it was lacking and here is why:

• the dialogue seems forced, although descriptions of scenery vary from brilliant to a savage shake of thesaurus;
• elegant style switches rapidly to clumsy, jagged writing when describing an action scene or encounter of characters;
• thought processes are separated (rather annoyingly at that) by parentheses;
• the book features really disgusting and questionable comparisons - giving birth = gang rape - if this is meant to be borderline cringe horror, the horror part of it has been slaughtered and abandoned to rot by the cringeworthy and certainly very questionable comparisons;
• sex scenes are downright nauseous, featuring a savagely dominating she-beast, describing cunnilingus as humiliating a man etc.;
• there appear to be three types of characters: gym-obsessed, not-so-bright men, women with "unique beauty", and children;
• I approve of the long list of various creatures that go bump in the night but the book is jumpy, the writing style leaves a sour impression that at least two people have written it - one with rather good linguistic abilities and another who chucks in flat characters who vomit unstructured words at one another;
• tinges of Supernatural and Stranger things a review said - Supernatural perhaps. If we are to talk about the few good things about this, the mythos of skinwalkers is certainly one, Stranger Things, though... Barely a tinge;
• it is, however, entertaining to read Biblical quotes before chapters that will absolutely throw one face first into yet another pit that will undoubtedly chill the reader - it is merely questionable if it is horror of the content or horror of the linguistic mishaps disguised as character interaction;
• proof-reading is a must-have in order to remove typos such as this "He then softened his town, “ She ’ s all of our child now …" to avoid readers considering what a softened town might be like;
• then you have lines like: "His attention was now taken by a glimmer of brilliant sunshine that heated the last wisps of mist." which could frankly be pure poetry, leaving me absolutely torn as a reader.

Conclusively, I forced myself to suffer through the book in hopes it would improve by the end; that all the short, somewhat interconnected tales would come together and... I am still unable to give it more than 2/5 stars. Mind you, both of the two have been earned by the delicate, descriptive lines in between everything else questionable.
Thank you kindly but I feel betrayed - the description did not match the book's contents. I judged by the cover and I loved it but the contents are in need of dedicated editing.
Would I recommend this for reading? - No, not in this form. However, I too, am but a single reader and there certainly appear to be those who have enjoyed it.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every little village has it's tale to tell, it's dark secrets, even it's magic. Brunswick, New York has had more that it's share of tales and more than it's share of blood spilled onto it's soil. Halloween is just around the corner and Brunswick is getting ready. Thrill seekers come looking for haunts and legends. The Sheriff's workload increases dramatically and violently. Best friends William and Lilly start to make some frightening connections between bizarre events and horrific murders and in doing so begin to fear that their own lives are in danger. A Wistful Tale Of Gods, Men and Monsters is told by a omnipotent narrator who apparently knows of events that go back hundreds of years. The narrator introduces us to all of the characters and tells us who they are and why they're in Brunswick and enough detail that we know each one quickly. The book is written in such a way that it would make for a great mini-series with a special two hour finale. It progressed a bit slowly towards the middle, but when things started coming together it was a rapid "what's next" last few chapters. Well written and fun. I'd love it see it on the screen someday.
#netgalley #AWistfulTaleOfGodsAndMonsters

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Gallery and the publisher for a copy of this book to review !

A WISTFUL TALE OF GODS, MEN & MONSTERS
By David Ruggerio

Fun mystery/horror novel. In trying to describe the book in a few sentences I would say it reminds me of an old ghost story a grandfather would tell the family around Halloween. An old legend set in an old town, that raises the hairs on the back of your neck.

A modern folklore type horror novel with all the main ingredients, ghosts, a haunted cemetery, a haunted mansion on a hill, a wicked stepmother, and even a shape shifter ! A beloved coming of age in a haunted town scenario reminiscent of a Ray Bradbury tale.

This was an enjoyable book, fun for any age. Brave and creative enough for adult enjoyment and not too graphic for the younger readers.

[Theresa Garelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Ruggerio takes the reader on a journey into the mysteries of a real town in upstate New York. His character descriptions are vivid, bringing them all to life, creating colorful imagery to take us on this adventure. I am not a big fan of horror books, but I loved this story. It reminded me of the classic story of Sleepy Hollow and the enchantment of the fall season. There is something for everyone is this tale which is sure to live on as we will want to revisit the town of Brunswick each year as we enjoy the autumn season.

[Cam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this book to review. I actually really enjoyed this thriller. This book is about a town that has a history of crime being committed but is swept under the rug. Supernatural events are taking place in this small town and they are seeking blood.
The only suggestion I would have is there needs to be some proof reading done. But I loved the story line.

[Mcf1nder_sk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little read, with a few issues. The writing appeared to be rather slapdash, bouncing between scenes with different characters, different times and random comments from an unnamed narrator, all with no continuous story flow. The plot itself was enjoyable, but the ending was very much a letdown, as if the author was ready to call this book quits.

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Wistful Tale of Gods, Men, and Monsters by David Ruggerio is set in the tiny New York village of Brunswick. It's a postcard perfect autumnal setting, with lovely cider-worthy orchards, fields of giant orange pumpkins, golden rows of corn and wheat, and that close-knit feel that only rural hamlets can offer. Brunswick is also a place full of sinister darkness, where an ancient legend walks the nights.

Things kick off as a group of oblivious tourists head to Brunswick to 'see some ghosts', and see them they do! Joey and Bobby get trapped in the old Hades mansion, the town's former mortuary, and come face to face with the demonic Balin, along with a child spirit. when the little daughter of Gerard Hibler is found butchered in the abandoned cemetery, things take a much darker turn than mere haunted graveyards and mansions.

Young William Willowsby, and his friend Lilly, along with three adults- Sheriff Tom, Jessup, and Beverley- must meet this fearsome nightmare head-on in order to protect their town and stay alive. Desperate to fulfill an ancient ritual to prolong its unnatural life, this creature and its wicked helper turn their sights on one of the daring group.

I found this to be quite an interesting read! My favourite location is the funeral home. Giant stained glass of purgatory? Check. Bizarre door handle shaped like a bony arm? Check. Massive entryway painting of Cronos eating his children? Check. And it was run by a man named Hades of all things!

The novel follows many POVs. The main ones are William, and the brothers Joey and Bobby. Later, Sheriff Tom takes a bigger role. Between them are what I came to think of as snapshot POVs that provide the history of the town, and little vignettes that show us how players both major and minor found themselves a part of the current tale. I enjoyed these tidbits of history and legend of the local region, and the glimpses into the characters' pasts. My favourite of these had to be the radio dj Johnny B, and Sheriff Tom. Hades' was interesting too, and rather sad. These snapshots flowed together with ease, enriching the story at hand.

I felt there could have been a bit more showing than telling in the present day storythread. Also, the very end felt quite Deus ex machina. It kinda came from nowhere, and left me going 'huh'? It did give a certain tertiary character vengeance, but they were never really an active player. My only other qualm is that the manuscript needs another thorough proofing for grammar and spelling. This was an ARC, so I'm sure that will be finished come release! Also, don't get too attached to characters! You never know who's gonna bite the dust!

This was a wonderful ode to the mysteries, fears, and delights of the things that haunt the night. It is a horror novel that blends elements of X-Files, Supernatural, and Stranger Things, that harkens back to old school horror. It made me think of what you might get if directors Tim Burton and Guillermo del Toro collaborated on a book. Recommended if you enjoy horror novels of the slow-build kind with little of the slash and gore action.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Black Rose Writing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed for the San Francisco Book Review

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of 'A wistful tale of Gods, men and monsters' by David Ruggerio
Available to read and review on NetGalley

When u started reading this book I thought I would really struggle with it as some of the words didn't have gaps between them in the quotes at the beginning of some of the chapters and some of the chapter headings there seemed to be problems with the font leaving letters out or turning them the wrong way or making them into symbols instead of letters. However I took into consideration the fact that the book hadn't yet been published and it was reasons such as this that authors rely on reviewers.
As I continued to read this book I really got hooked and sunk my teeth in, quite ironic considering the books genre. I then couldn't put it down and really started enjoying it.
Going back to a small negative I did struggle to grasp the who's who as there were quite a few characters but again this was also quickly overcome.
The story itself was fantastic and I couldn't put it down when I got into it. I really liked some of the characters, others not as much but all were realistic and similar to people you would see around town. There were many parts that I didn't expect even up until the end I was thinking 'Well they really did do that then' which made it even better as I'm not a lover of predictable books, too boring after a while.
Overall excellent story, unique, very well written, brilliant characters, spooky/scary storyline, edge of your seat page turner. I would definitely recommend this to any horror, mythical and scary story fans and would also read more by this author.
Rated 5/5 on Goodreads

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children are disappearing in Brunswick, New York. Why? William Willowsby sees scary ghosts while playing with Lily in the haunted cemetery. He flees the cemetery when he hears a moan. However he becomes obsessed with the cemetery’s supposed mysteries. Meanwhile two brothers bored decide to drive to this most haunted cemetery to ghost hunt. Will they find ghosts or worse? The new sheriff has been looking over the cold cases of Brunswick. They are all about children disappearing. This causes the sheriff decide to investigate as he finds it strange that none of the cases were solved. Then when he asks, the community tells him to “ignore the cases.” Why? What is the community’s secrets?

It is a novel that has historical accounts of Brunswick. Monsters appear in this horror story. There is the creepiness of not being able to discover what the community doesn’t want to tell outsiders — the most they are willing to do is warn them to stay out and don’t investigate. It is a true mystery . It is a fascinating read and spooky.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes place around Halloween in a little, ominous town called Brunswick. The story is written from quite a few viewpoints and also has flashes into the past. It is an old fashioned horror and I really enjoyed the thrills and scares and the book had me intrigued from the very beginning. I liked the way it mixed old legends and horror with modern day living to create quite a scary story.

Unfortunately due to the lack of editing, it was a bit hard to read with all the gramatical, spelling and typesetting errors. As there are a lot of characters in this story, it was hard to keep track of all of them, a fact that is made even harder by the author referring to a character by his first name in one paragraph then his surname in the next. I found myself paging back a couple of times to see which character I'm reading about now.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me review this book, and I really hope some more editing will be done before releasing the book as it does distract a person from really getting into the story.

[Amy Turner]

I love a good, spooky tale with mysteries, suspense, creepy surroundings, and more. “A Wistful Tale of Gods, Men, and Monster” delivers this and so much more. In a sleepy hamlet reminiscent of something from Halloweentown or Hocus Pocus, young William Willoughby finds that all is not as it seems. His little town is fraught with danger that he must fight. The town elders knew something was amiss, but it’s now up to Willie to protect everyone he cares about. It’s a tall order for someone so young. However, if anyone can do it, it’s Willie.

“A Wistful Tale” bears all the hallmarks of a tried-and-true Gothic novel: eerie supernatural happenings; a dank, dreary environment where strange things occur; an overall atmosphere where ill omens and a sense of hopelessness pervade; romance; a gloomy, decayed setting; and so much more. This book is full of suspense, fear, and a tangential amount of hope.

I can’t recommend that book enough!

[Carlos Messen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Wistful Tale of Gods, Men and Monsters is an enrapturing horror story by author David Ruggerio. It has all the elements to turn this book into one that will keep the reader awake at night. Its conception comes as a bit Sleepy Hollow-esque, in terms of ambiance and setting. Things are going awry in the small hamlet of Brunswick. There is an evil lurking the town for generations, its origin apparently in the graveyard. Something macabre is abducting the town’s children. A young man by the fitting name of William Willowsby, sets out to find what’s been terrorizing Brunswick. The book is full of suspense and mystery, with great scenery description. It’s the kind of tale that immerses the reader and takes him along side by side with the main character. Author David Ruggerio does a great job at storytelling and narrative, although a bit more editing could help the book a bit. Overall, fans of the genre will find this book entertaining.

[Mercedes Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

can’t even begin to explain how cool this book is, because I love most things creepy, crawly, and maybe a bit tinged with darkness. Now, I’m so glad that the author David Ruggerio, worked with a homunculus as I super feel they’re under-acknowledged even in the horror and monster works.

Once you get really into the throes of things, A Wistful Tale is so fast-paced. I was swiping across Kindle pages at a breakneck pace just trying to see if Bobby and Joey would make it or if there was hope for this little sleepy town. The chapters do jump between characters but it’s nothing that is disassociating or jarring if anything it builds the anticipation as you realize the bleakness of each chapter and that this story isn’t sunshine and butterflies.

This is honestly, a great book for bringing a bit of panic and horror into the early part of the year. It stands out from the Halloween tales and deserves a read from anyone who enjoys a bit of a thrill.

[Vickie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I requested this from Library Thing based on the intriguing premise of a haunted town and the people who dwelled there.
I read all of it since I received it from Library Thing and I wanted to give an honest review....it was honestly awful. The author has a fab vocabulary and he was very happy to fill sentences and pages with it. There were times where I channeled Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
And if you like similes...this is the book for you.
Choppy editing, writing, descriptions, scenes....
I did like one character as written, the main character's mother, Lillian. She was the only one who felt 'real'.
If this book gets a rewrite polish and some much needed editing, it could be a good book.
As of this review, I do not recommend.

[Brittni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always had a thing for fun and spooky stories and frightening tales. Especially after sitting through the third season of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, I was really looking for some good old autumn town story full of mystery. The old-town, Halloween setting is the perfect place for an interesting tale in a world where monsters are real. And there are a lot of monsters. This book is a real page turner, and I had problems putting it down. Readers get to experience quite a selection of characters offering many opportunities to find someone that they really connect with. See how each of these people encounter and deal with the hauntings at hand. Certainly, a riveting tale full of fright and gore. The perfect thing to read by the campfire with friends or all alone in your home one dark and gloomy night. I would not recommend this to anyone who is faint of heart.

[Stephen R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It looks like David Ruggerio has tapped into something that few authors have – and with this, he has created a world where it’s no longer safe to hide under the bed. Monsters be real, and they are out to get you – or so Ruggerio’s A Wistful Tale of Gods, Men and Monsters would have us believe.

Think of this as a more adult version of your childhood campfire tales. It’s a creepy yet highly entertaining take on how the world would be if you lived in a town together with all the things that go bump in the night. You won’t be able to put it down as every kind of monster you know (at the back of your mind) existed makes its way onto the page.

As you immerse yourself in the lore, you’ll feel like a lost child thrown into adventure - but that’s what makes it fun.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the plot of this one reminded me of a specific classic American literature story I read years ago, that revolves around a forest that had mysterious and malevolent spirits in them with grim intentions. In this book, these evil things are in a graveyard, which is even scarier. It is clear that the author set out to create a frightening world and I feel like it was accomplished with this book. The fact that kids are at risk of being hurt and that they are essentially the ones that have to solve the problem is fascinating, as a whole. Overall, there is plenty going on in this one, for those that need action, and if you are someone that likes to be creeped out a bit, it has this too. I would not be brave enough to read it with the lights off, so keep that in mind.

[Jessie Hilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love a good, spooky tale with mysteries, suspense, creepy surroundings, and more, A Wistful Tale of Gods, Men and Monsters is the book for you. Think of this as a more adult version of your childhood tales. It's creepy, yet very entertaining to read. In my opinion, the author has tapped into a whole other genre of reads. This book is genuinely scary. A horror tale isn't one that I normally gravitate towards, but this one was different. I really enjoyed this read. In this book you will find a lot of chilling moments, interesting characters and an intriguing story all in one. I highly recommend to anyone into horror stories, or perhaps this will be your first one!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent horror novel, well written and gripping.
I loved the creepy atmosphere, the setting and the well written cast of characters.
I'm happy I requested this ARC, because I discovered a new excellent author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Diane Griffiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, I found this story somewhat disjointed and it just did not grab my interest. I ended up skimming the book and just could not get into it.

There are some good ideas to the story, but I feel more editing needed to be done. I was not able to form any connection with the characters in the book. As a result I tended to notice the odd sentences and punctuation.

[Johanna Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend it! This is a different genre than my usual, but it was an awesome break. The plot was interesting, twists and turns kept my attention. Some characters were very relate-able while others had a darkness about them that was intriquing. It was an easy read.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s a lot of kernels that are good ideas but there are so many characters, it was hard to follow their individual plights or root for any of them. The threads just don’t weave together into a coherent whole