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Linkville Horror #1
Damned to Hell
Rob is a man whose life has spiraled out of control since the death of his teenage son. He spends most of his nights stumbling home from a bar and his days are spent hungover. Desperate to get his life back on track, and ready to move on, he discovers something "evil" with the promise of giving him closure. And now Rob will do whatever it takes to save his son's life.
WINNER OF THE INKSHARES' 2018 HORROR COMPETITION, MIKE SALT HAS CREATED A DARK AND GRITTY UNIVERSE FILLED WITH DRAMA AND TERROR. ESPECIALLY RECOMMENDED FOR FANS OF STEPHEN KINGS "PET SEMETARY' AND DEAN KOONTZ "ODD THOMAS".
WINNER OF THE INKSHARES' 2018 HORROR COMPETITION, MIKE SALT HAS CREATED A DARK AND GRITTY UNIVERSE FILLED WITH DRAMA AND TERROR. ESPECIALLY RECOMMENDED FOR FANS OF STEPHEN KINGS "PET SEMETARY' AND DEAN KOONTZ "ODD THOMAS".
113 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2019
74 people are currently reading
859 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
June 28, 2023
I read this book to my fish and it died the next day.
April 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this, I thought the concept was original and thought provoking, I appreciated the fast pace and thought the book was the definition of a page turner, it was like being on a roller coaster of emotions but instead of getting off the ride at the end you just went splat! 😂
September 13, 2020
I liked this book, it started out very bleak and it didn’t stop, the more I read the more grim and depressing it got. There is some blood and gore here but it’s not really about that, it’s more a state of mind than anything… that state of mind is desperate and grim.
It’s quite a slow book, lots happens but being a short book we skip over a lot of the details, including most of the gory horror.
This was a slow burning horror story which was clever and intriguing with what I thought was a fabulous ending. An enjoyable read which would have been even better had there not been so many typos.
It’s quite a slow book, lots happens but being a short book we skip over a lot of the details, including most of the gory horror.
This was a slow burning horror story which was clever and intriguing with what I thought was a fabulous ending. An enjoyable read which would have been even better had there not been so many typos.
November 11, 2019
A brilliant exploration of one man’s grief and what that man will do to overcome it. Mike Salt engages the reader from the very first line, creating a world and characters that you want to know more about.
December 30, 2021
After his son dies and his wife divorces him, Rob is approaching rock bottom. Following a breakup with a woman who tried to get him to move forward with his life, Rob learns of a way he might be able to see his son again. Of course, there's a catch. A bloody one.
Salt knows how to write hard-hitting horror. This story about grief and the lengths one man goes to for just to see his son one more time hits like a tidal wave. Salt puts you in the middle of the character's grief, and you can't help but feel it. There is no shortage of action and horror along the way, as Rob slowly devolves to his final act. The twist on the last two pages is the final gut-punch that I've come to expect from Salt, and it delivers.
This is the third outing from Salt that I've read, and he keeps knocking it out of the park. If you are a fan of grief horror, do yourself a favor and read this book.
Salt knows how to write hard-hitting horror. This story about grief and the lengths one man goes to for just to see his son one more time hits like a tidal wave. Salt puts you in the middle of the character's grief, and you can't help but feel it. There is no shortage of action and horror along the way, as Rob slowly devolves to his final act. The twist on the last two pages is the final gut-punch that I've come to expect from Salt, and it delivers.
This is the third outing from Salt that I've read, and he keeps knocking it out of the park. If you are a fan of grief horror, do yourself a favor and read this book.
September 28, 2020
Mike Salt takes us to hell and back in his horror thriller Damned to Hell! Rob hasn’t been the same after losing his teenage son, often trying to drown his sorrows in a drink. This changes when he discovers a way to possibly save his son, but death never compromises easily and some things aren’t meant to be brought back. Salt’s writing is immediately engrossing, and Rob is a wonderfully complicated character! The slow journey down is one hell of a ride in this deep and dark thriller, perfect for any Koontz fans out there!
May 1, 2024
This book beautifully encapsulates loss and grief and it’s effect on the human psyche. How far would you go to see a loved one again? Would you take a life? Send someone to hell, even if they’re a good person? How far would you go to keep them once you’ve got them? This book delves deep into the effects loss can have and my heart ached and every emotion possible surfaced while reading this one. Such a great read.
July 22, 2023
If you enjoy fast-paced horror stories, Damned To Hell is the perfect book for you. The gripping narrative not only delivers on thrilling scares but also explores profound themes about the meaning of life and the consequences of our choices. It also reminds us how certain decisions can lead us astray from the path to self-improvement. Personally, I enjoyed every moment of this captivating read.
December 12, 2023
This was a very well written and interesting book but I found it to be a tad slow and so my attention waiverd a little until the last, maybe 1/3 of the book, then it all kinda just really amped up and I couldn't put it down. I am incredibly excited to start the next book, there's a little gore and violence but not to heavy an element in the story.
May 7, 2023
I really enjoyed this one. It was quick, the writing style was easy to read and it hooked you right away. I honestly found it really Fucking sad throughout. This is more of a “real life Horror” than a “shock and intimidate horror” - and honestly, these are the types of horror books that scare the shit out of me, so good job Mike!
April 28, 2023
Wow!!
I didn't read the description of this book before getting it so I had no idea what it was about. The cover drew my eye. I follow the author on Instagram and have been meaning to read sometime by him so I just grabbed this. I was not disappointed.
What an amazingly emotional story. It was like riding a roller coaster, the ups and downs kept me on the edge and I needed to keep reading, needed to know what was going to happen. The main character was so real, I could feel the emotions he felt. I can't wait to read more from this series!
I didn't read the description of this book before getting it so I had no idea what it was about. The cover drew my eye. I follow the author on Instagram and have been meaning to read sometime by him so I just grabbed this. I was not disappointed.
What an amazingly emotional story. It was like riding a roller coaster, the ups and downs kept me on the edge and I needed to keep reading, needed to know what was going to happen. The main character was so real, I could feel the emotions he felt. I can't wait to read more from this series!
September 4, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised with this novel. It was well written and entertaining. It’s definitely a ‘be careful what you wish for’ story. The authors characters are believable and well developed, making the reader want the expected outcome only to be thrown twist after twist.
The true crux is how far would any of us go to see a loved one again. The horror unfolds when the desired outcome isn’t what is expected creating a vicious circle.
I received a complimentary copy via Voracious Readers for an unbiased review.
The true crux is how far would any of us go to see a loved one again. The horror unfolds when the desired outcome isn’t what is expected creating a vicious circle.
I received a complimentary copy via Voracious Readers for an unbiased review.
July 13, 2019
omg this was amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing.. holy scary haha.. this was wonderful.. it was interesting and fast paced... also it was very hearbreaking in so many spots.. really enjoyed watching how what rob was trying to do affected others and himself.. his sorrow and pain made you feel for him even as you are scared of his horror. it was amazing!
August 20, 2019
Very interesting plot! Creating hell on earth while trying to bring someone back from the dead. Pretty sure David was the devil himself. There were a few typos and a few words left out but it was way better quality than most of the freebies I get. Definitely worth reading!
November 4, 2023
Kort boekje. Mijn eerste “echte” horror maar ik vond hem niet zo geweldig. Ik had hem voorbij zien komen op tiktok en had er veel meer van verwacht.
Ik kwam moeilijk in het verhaal en op het einde was het meer sci-fi dan horror wat voor mij minder boeiend was. Ik kan me dan heel moeilijk voorstellingen maken en meegesleept worden door het verhaal. Jammer!
Het is een serie van 4 boeken dus ik ben wel heel benieuwd naar het vervolg. Volgens de tiktok-bronnen zou het wel per boek beter worden…
Ik kwam moeilijk in het verhaal en op het einde was het meer sci-fi dan horror wat voor mij minder boeiend was. Ik kan me dan heel moeilijk voorstellingen maken en meegesleept worden door het verhaal. Jammer!
Het is een serie van 4 boeken dus ik ben wel heel benieuwd naar het vervolg. Volgens de tiktok-bronnen zou het wel per boek beter worden…
October 23, 2023
*Disclosure – ‘Damned to Hell’ was published by DarkLit Press and was offered to me as a digital ARC. I have a novella releasing through DarkLit in 2024, but saying that, I declined accepting the ARC and preordered the three books in the series – at that time – and have recently purchased the fourth. This review is completely my own thoughts.*
In the last few years, DarkLit Press has been releasing some truly fantastic horror. From paranormal to pirate, they have you covered and I’ve become super excited to see what Andrew has coming up. I’m also very proud to have joined the DarkLit family and seeing the amazing things happening behind the scenes only furthers my excitement over the books being released. With Mike Salt’s ‘Linkville Horror Series,’ I wasn’t completely sure what I was jumping into when I ordered them. Was it a traditional series? Each book leading into the next. Or was it a ‘linked’ series (pun intended) where it takes place in and around the same neck of the woods, much like Alan Baxter’s phenomenal ‘Gulp’ novellas?
Having now read the first book, it is just that – a series of stories linked by location. Saying that, I’m sure familiar characters will pop up as I progress through the next three books that have been released.
What I liked: Ahhhhh, the classic Faustian Bargain. That’s where we find ourselves embroiled in for book one. The story follows Rob, a man who has hit the bottom of the barrel. His son has died, his wife has left him and cheap booze (and lots of it) are what fills his time as he struggles to continue with his life.
Then, an odd thing happens. He meets someone at work. A younger woman, Emily, who looks past his surface level of despair and recognizes his pain and appearance for what it is – grief. She wants to make a life with him, pull him out of the dumps, but he’s not ready.
And it’s here where Salt really kicks things off – by a friend of Rob’s asking him the age old question – “What are you willing to do to see your loved one again?”
And, seeing as this is a horror story, the answer should be obvious. “Anything.”
Rob of course, does what he needs to, to reset things and see his son again. But, like all Faustian Bargains, there is the unexpected Butterfly Effect, a ripple, that keeps messing things up and taking back what should never have been given in the first place. The idea of death missing its victim but swinging back around to collect later on, plays paramount throughout this and it continues all the way up to the very bitter end, where Salt gives us a fine capping of this tale.
What I didn’t like: To be fair, Salt solidly sets this one up, taking some time to get the ‘better life’ aspects in place. Some may find the opening quarter a bit slow, wanting brutality right off the hop, but patience is rewarded.
Additionally, Rob, at the beginning at last, is a complete scum bag. Unempathetic, willing to drive drunk and not caring about anyone but himself (and barely that), so you may find it hard to sympathize with him as the story progresses.
Why you should buy this: The story is fast-paced and if you’re a sucker for the ‘how far would you go’ narrative, this one will definitely have you riveted. Salt has created a great world already, one I’m excited to visit again, and seeing the haunted aspect he embedded into this story – very sneakily I’ll add – really ramped up the unnerving atmosphere that floods the entirety of this one.
In the last few years, DarkLit Press has been releasing some truly fantastic horror. From paranormal to pirate, they have you covered and I’ve become super excited to see what Andrew has coming up. I’m also very proud to have joined the DarkLit family and seeing the amazing things happening behind the scenes only furthers my excitement over the books being released. With Mike Salt’s ‘Linkville Horror Series,’ I wasn’t completely sure what I was jumping into when I ordered them. Was it a traditional series? Each book leading into the next. Or was it a ‘linked’ series (pun intended) where it takes place in and around the same neck of the woods, much like Alan Baxter’s phenomenal ‘Gulp’ novellas?
Having now read the first book, it is just that – a series of stories linked by location. Saying that, I’m sure familiar characters will pop up as I progress through the next three books that have been released.
What I liked: Ahhhhh, the classic Faustian Bargain. That’s where we find ourselves embroiled in for book one. The story follows Rob, a man who has hit the bottom of the barrel. His son has died, his wife has left him and cheap booze (and lots of it) are what fills his time as he struggles to continue with his life.
Then, an odd thing happens. He meets someone at work. A younger woman, Emily, who looks past his surface level of despair and recognizes his pain and appearance for what it is – grief. She wants to make a life with him, pull him out of the dumps, but he’s not ready.
And it’s here where Salt really kicks things off – by a friend of Rob’s asking him the age old question – “What are you willing to do to see your loved one again?”
And, seeing as this is a horror story, the answer should be obvious. “Anything.”
Rob of course, does what he needs to, to reset things and see his son again. But, like all Faustian Bargains, there is the unexpected Butterfly Effect, a ripple, that keeps messing things up and taking back what should never have been given in the first place. The idea of death missing its victim but swinging back around to collect later on, plays paramount throughout this and it continues all the way up to the very bitter end, where Salt gives us a fine capping of this tale.
What I didn’t like: To be fair, Salt solidly sets this one up, taking some time to get the ‘better life’ aspects in place. Some may find the opening quarter a bit slow, wanting brutality right off the hop, but patience is rewarded.
Additionally, Rob, at the beginning at last, is a complete scum bag. Unempathetic, willing to drive drunk and not caring about anyone but himself (and barely that), so you may find it hard to sympathize with him as the story progresses.
Why you should buy this: The story is fast-paced and if you’re a sucker for the ‘how far would you go’ narrative, this one will definitely have you riveted. Salt has created a great world already, one I’m excited to visit again, and seeing the haunted aspect he embedded into this story – very sneakily I’ll add – really ramped up the unnerving atmosphere that floods the entirety of this one.
November 20, 2023
A Damned Fine Story
Mike Salt gives us a taste of what we all have asked ourselves at one point or another: what would we do to see a loved one once more after they passed away? This chilling story surrounds Rob, who lost his son years ago but is given the unbelievable instructions on how to get him back- sacrifice another person. But as with every contract, you need to read the fine print. The only flaws I found with this story were a few typos scattered around, but the story itself was brilliantly told.
I’ve now read three of Salt’s books in the Linkville horror series and anxiously await reading the next one.
Mike Salt gives us a taste of what we all have asked ourselves at one point or another: what would we do to see a loved one once more after they passed away? This chilling story surrounds Rob, who lost his son years ago but is given the unbelievable instructions on how to get him back- sacrifice another person. But as with every contract, you need to read the fine print. The only flaws I found with this story were a few typos scattered around, but the story itself was brilliantly told.
I’ve now read three of Salt’s books in the Linkville horror series and anxiously await reading the next one.
June 1, 2023
I really enjoyed Damned to Hell. There were a lot of parts throughout the book that were easy to connect to, being a father myself. There were fun twists throughout the story that kept it interesting. The emotions between the characters went high and low, and were easy to identify with. I’ve got a few other books from Mike Salt that I’m looking forward to reading.
October 20, 2019
The premise and plot of this novel have a lot of potential. I found that the execution was a letdown.
I think the world-building is generally good. There was definitely room for more in terms of rendering the location (town, landmarks, local culture) more vividly. I felt that this could have been middle-of-anywhere, USA. Nothing really anchored me to the place.
There were attempts to make the characters realistic, but this fell short for me. I found that I struggled to empathise with Rob because I didn't feel like I really ever knew him. I just didn't feel that I ever plumbed the depths of his character - it was as though I were skating on the surface. No other character was as well-rendered as Rob, so this element was not something I found to be a strength in the writing. Further, I do feel that there were many missed opportunities with some of the other characters to add layers of richness and depth both to my understanding of Rob and the narrative.
I have a logic quibble: Rob is in his early 30s, and yet, his son was about 15. That would have made Rob a teen father, which would certainly have had a dramatic impact on the family's education, finances, etc. This was a pretty big missed opportunity to demonstrate how hardship drew the family together (or caused tensions - which would have explained a lot in subsequent events).
Personally, I found the build-up to the real action wasn't satisfying. There isn't anything wrong with a slow start and gradual ramping up of tension. I found that this novel just didn't provide much in the way of payoff when things started to kick into gear. Having said that, the last third of the novel was very tightly-paced with lots of action and was very successfully executed.
There are a lot of mistakes in this novel - punctuation problems (plural vs possessive especially), repetition, really awkward phrasings, etc. I think it needs another editing pass or two both to punch up the narrative and clean up the errors.
Overall, I found this novel just lacked heart. The basic elements that I look for were all there (though I craved more from all of them), but I couldn't find an emotional connection or pull into the story. I would be likely to give this author another try.
I received a copy of this novel through Voracious Readers Only.
I think the world-building is generally good. There was definitely room for more in terms of rendering the location (town, landmarks, local culture) more vividly. I felt that this could have been middle-of-anywhere, USA. Nothing really anchored me to the place.
There were attempts to make the characters realistic, but this fell short for me. I found that I struggled to empathise with Rob because I didn't feel like I really ever knew him. I just didn't feel that I ever plumbed the depths of his character - it was as though I were skating on the surface. No other character was as well-rendered as Rob, so this element was not something I found to be a strength in the writing. Further, I do feel that there were many missed opportunities with some of the other characters to add layers of richness and depth both to my understanding of Rob and the narrative.
I have a logic quibble: Rob is in his early 30s, and yet, his son was about 15. That would have made Rob a teen father, which would certainly have had a dramatic impact on the family's education, finances, etc. This was a pretty big missed opportunity to demonstrate how hardship drew the family together (or caused tensions - which would have explained a lot in subsequent events).
Personally, I found the build-up to the real action wasn't satisfying. There isn't anything wrong with a slow start and gradual ramping up of tension. I found that this novel just didn't provide much in the way of payoff when things started to kick into gear. Having said that, the last third of the novel was very tightly-paced with lots of action and was very successfully executed.
There are a lot of mistakes in this novel - punctuation problems (plural vs possessive especially), repetition, really awkward phrasings, etc. I think it needs another editing pass or two both to punch up the narrative and clean up the errors.
Overall, I found this novel just lacked heart. The basic elements that I look for were all there (though I craved more from all of them), but I couldn't find an emotional connection or pull into the story. I would be likely to give this author another try.
I received a copy of this novel through Voracious Readers Only.
October 10, 2023
This book is a grief filled dive into some very terrifying territory and, to me, it works as both a psychological horror as well as a supernatural one as well.
Our protagonist is a man who lost his teenage son to a drunk driver. He turns to alcohol which, eventually, leads to him losing his job and his wife, leaving him filled with grief and guilt.
When a friend asks "What would you do to have your son back?", the answer is "Anything". But we're going to find out that there are consequences for this kind of power and that's where we'll be led on an incredibly intense frightening journey.
This author has given us a unique story here, much more than just a familiar ghost story. It delves into the mind of a grieving parent and the sacrifices this man endures for just a little more time with his boy. Just another chance. Just another sacrifice.
When we read what this "ritual" entails, it's shocking and effectively horrifying. And what this man goes through, time after time, to achieve this result is both heart wrenching and terrible at the same time.
This is an excellent book and, as part of a standalone series, is a great way to introduce us to this town and world. I definitely recommend it and I'll be picking up the rest of the series.
Our protagonist is a man who lost his teenage son to a drunk driver. He turns to alcohol which, eventually, leads to him losing his job and his wife, leaving him filled with grief and guilt.
When a friend asks "What would you do to have your son back?", the answer is "Anything". But we're going to find out that there are consequences for this kind of power and that's where we'll be led on an incredibly intense frightening journey.
This author has given us a unique story here, much more than just a familiar ghost story. It delves into the mind of a grieving parent and the sacrifices this man endures for just a little more time with his boy. Just another chance. Just another sacrifice.
When we read what this "ritual" entails, it's shocking and effectively horrifying. And what this man goes through, time after time, to achieve this result is both heart wrenching and terrible at the same time.
This is an excellent book and, as part of a standalone series, is a great way to introduce us to this town and world. I definitely recommend it and I'll be picking up the rest of the series.
September 6, 2021
"Blood for blood, a life for a life. In exchange for what’s been done, return a loved one.”
Can one truly ever manipulate death? Mike Salt answers this question very clearly in his book "Damned To Hell".
After losing his son, our main character in "Damned To Hell" is presented with a difficult question: "What would you do to see your son again?" This ominous question takes everything we know about life and death, everything we've seen in "Pet Semetary" and "Final Destination", and screws it all up to bend an old story into new submission. Throw in the ability to damn others to Hell as a lowly asking price, well, that's just par for the course.
Mike Salt develops the characters in this story like no other, truly making us understand the mind of the main character from start to finish. Salt gives us no choice to slow down as we are thrust into the main character's shoes, feeling his turmoil, and struggling to find the right side of morality, if we even believe in "morals" anymore!
Can one truly ever manipulate death? Mike Salt answers this question very clearly in his book "Damned To Hell".
After losing his son, our main character in "Damned To Hell" is presented with a difficult question: "What would you do to see your son again?" This ominous question takes everything we know about life and death, everything we've seen in "Pet Semetary" and "Final Destination", and screws it all up to bend an old story into new submission. Throw in the ability to damn others to Hell as a lowly asking price, well, that's just par for the course.
Mike Salt develops the characters in this story like no other, truly making us understand the mind of the main character from start to finish. Salt gives us no choice to slow down as we are thrust into the main character's shoes, feeling his turmoil, and struggling to find the right side of morality, if we even believe in "morals" anymore!
October 24, 2023
Grief & Desperation
“What would you do to see your loved one again?”
“Damned to Hell” by Mike Salt gets a 4 out of 5 stars.
Rob has hit rock bottom. His son passed away, his wife left him and he lost everything. His response is heavy drinking and getting by doing the bare minimum. This story is grim and full of desperation as Rob will do anything to see his son again.
It’s heavy seeing Rob’s grief and spiral of desperation in just trying to have one last moment with his son. Rob’s trail he leaves behind is grisly and saddening. The ending was a nice twist. Overall, this was well written story of pain and how one man will do anything to regain his old life back.
Please visit my GoodReads profile or instagram (Ashesandlore) for more reviews. Thank you!
“What would you do to see your loved one again?”
“Damned to Hell” by Mike Salt gets a 4 out of 5 stars.
Rob has hit rock bottom. His son passed away, his wife left him and he lost everything. His response is heavy drinking and getting by doing the bare minimum. This story is grim and full of desperation as Rob will do anything to see his son again.
It’s heavy seeing Rob’s grief and spiral of desperation in just trying to have one last moment with his son. Rob’s trail he leaves behind is grisly and saddening. The ending was a nice twist. Overall, this was well written story of pain and how one man will do anything to regain his old life back.
Please visit my GoodReads profile or instagram (Ashesandlore) for more reviews. Thank you!
November 17, 2019
Well, this was a good horror story! Malerman said, “unlike the real world, horror admits that it’s fiction, for that I trust it.” This story fits this perfectly! What happens in this story could never happen in real life but it works so well here!
Main character is told if he kills someone, recites some words, he can bring back a loved one that has died! Of course it doesn’t go as planned and that’s when things get interesting! He gets himself caught up in a cycle that is its own kind of hell! First time reading anything by this author and am glad I found a new voice out there!
Main character is told if he kills someone, recites some words, he can bring back a loved one that has died! Of course it doesn’t go as planned and that’s when things get interesting! He gets himself caught up in a cycle that is its own kind of hell! First time reading anything by this author and am glad I found a new voice out there!
November 17, 2023
This was super fast-paced and fun, reminded me of a mix of Groundhog's day and a book I read earlier this year by Laurel Hightower called Crossroads. I know this is Mike's first book so I am excited to read his other books to see his writing develop even more! I can tell he has a love of the horror genre.
October 14, 2023
This reminded me of Pet Sematary and the movie Drag Me to Hell. It wasn't fun to read, but it kept me hooked enough to want to find out what Rob would decide to do.
July 11, 2023
What would you do to say goodbye to your loved one again?
First and foremost, Mike absolutely NAILED how a grieving parent feels after losing a child. Like hammer, nail, through the wood and here’s a house, he nailed it. I’m usually pretty good at keeping myself together during these types of circumstances- could be an off day for me and I’m already drowning in my feelings but this book really hit me. Reading and especially the more brutal the better has been a newfound escape and healing for me and well as connecting with you lovelies in this group. 🫶🏼
Rob tries to move on as much as you can after a traumatic event, such as losing a child, but it feels impossible. That is, until Emily. They’re work friends and end up hitting it off eventually moving in together and Rob spills his guts to her about his son, Jed. After about 6 months of living together Rob tells Emily not to let him hold her back from opportunities and finally being able to move out of Linkville, she however does not want a future without Rob. Unfortunately an argument breaks out and Rob runs to the only place he knows he will find comfort, a local bar. An old friend, David happens to come in, Rob waves him over, David sits with him, Rob wants to know how he was able to get over his wife’s death, David tells him to drink more, meet him at the fountain when he’s drunk, and leaves $100 on the table. A few hours later Rob stumbles out of the bar and finds David. David explains that in order to bring Jed back, Rob must kill someone, you know a soul for a soul.
Could you kill someone if it meant bringing your loved one back?
Would you be able to jump timelines?
Would you be able to keep yourself together as though nothing happened, that they’d been here this whole time? That you never endured that life shattering experience?
Could you say goodbye to them all over again when they die for a second time? Would you kill again to bring them back?
Mike, Miiiiiiiiike, I am speechless, this was an incredible story.
Now I have a lot of questions!
Just wow, right amount of sadness, creepy, and deals we aren’t competent to be making!
First and foremost, Mike absolutely NAILED how a grieving parent feels after losing a child. Like hammer, nail, through the wood and here’s a house, he nailed it. I’m usually pretty good at keeping myself together during these types of circumstances- could be an off day for me and I’m already drowning in my feelings but this book really hit me. Reading and especially the more brutal the better has been a newfound escape and healing for me and well as connecting with you lovelies in this group. 🫶🏼
Rob tries to move on as much as you can after a traumatic event, such as losing a child, but it feels impossible. That is, until Emily. They’re work friends and end up hitting it off eventually moving in together and Rob spills his guts to her about his son, Jed. After about 6 months of living together Rob tells Emily not to let him hold her back from opportunities and finally being able to move out of Linkville, she however does not want a future without Rob. Unfortunately an argument breaks out and Rob runs to the only place he knows he will find comfort, a local bar. An old friend, David happens to come in, Rob waves him over, David sits with him, Rob wants to know how he was able to get over his wife’s death, David tells him to drink more, meet him at the fountain when he’s drunk, and leaves $100 on the table. A few hours later Rob stumbles out of the bar and finds David. David explains that in order to bring Jed back, Rob must kill someone, you know a soul for a soul.
Could you kill someone if it meant bringing your loved one back?
Would you be able to jump timelines?
Would you be able to keep yourself together as though nothing happened, that they’d been here this whole time? That you never endured that life shattering experience?
Could you say goodbye to them all over again when they die for a second time? Would you kill again to bring them back?
Mike, Miiiiiiiiike, I am speechless, this was an incredible story.
Now I have a lot of questions!
Just wow, right amount of sadness, creepy, and deals we aren’t competent to be making!
December 12, 2023
Thank you Mike Salt and BookSirens
This Novella explores what the main character is willing to do for just one more day with his beloved son. How far would you be willing to go to share even 24 hours more with that missing part of your soul. The graphic description of death scenes thru out this book makes it a solid four star read.
Tear Jerker
Graphic Horror
This Novella explores what the main character is willing to do for just one more day with his beloved son. How far would you be willing to go to share even 24 hours more with that missing part of your soul. The graphic description of death scenes thru out this book makes it a solid four star read.
Tear Jerker
Graphic Horror
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2023
"What would you do to see your loved one again?"
This one was a little slow to start with, and then once everything started happening, it started moving very quickly and felt a little rushed. I did enjoy it, though. It was an interesting premise, one I'd not come across before.
This one was a little slow to start with, and then once everything started happening, it started moving very quickly and felt a little rushed. I did enjoy it, though. It was an interesting premise, one I'd not come across before.
February 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this. I love that it was based around the age old question about how far would you go to bring back the ones you love. Smashed it out in 2 sittings and looking forward to checking out the rest of the series.
May 8, 2023
"What would you do to see your father again?"
Man, what an ending...that gave me chills! I'm extremely curious about what Dave's angle is, though. I feel like I'm trying to wade through The Matrix with all the different universes, but clearly, he remembers something from the past, so what is his motivation for asking Jed this? Assuming, of course, that he knew or suspected something of what Rob had gone through.
Damned to Hell was a study in grief and how completely your world can break when you lose someone you love. Rob was a bit of a dichotomy because on one hand, I felt so bad for him and the depth that his grief ran but on the other hand, he did some really horrible things because of that desperate grief. In the end, I'm a very mixed bag for Rob, but huge credit to Mike for creating such a wonderfully confusing and deep character! He represents a really interesting concept to think about, and I enjoyed his morally grey model.
On the negative end, some of the metaphors didn't really work with me. They were overly flowery and descriptive, and I was taken a little out of the story when I was reading. Sometimes, less is more, and I think that is the case with some of the descriptors here. However, Damned to Hell was absolutely fascinating, so I won't complain too much! Solid 3.5!
Thank you, DarkLit Press, for providing me a copy of this! My review is entirely my own and represents my honest opinion.
Man, what an ending...that gave me chills! I'm extremely curious about what Dave's angle is, though. I feel like I'm trying to wade through The Matrix with all the different universes, but clearly, he remembers something from the past, so what is his motivation for asking Jed this? Assuming, of course, that he knew or suspected something of what Rob had gone through.
Damned to Hell was a study in grief and how completely your world can break when you lose someone you love. Rob was a bit of a dichotomy because on one hand, I felt so bad for him and the depth that his grief ran but on the other hand, he did some really horrible things because of that desperate grief. In the end, I'm a very mixed bag for Rob, but huge credit to Mike for creating such a wonderfully confusing and deep character! He represents a really interesting concept to think about, and I enjoyed his morally grey model.
On the negative end, some of the metaphors didn't really work with me. They were overly flowery and descriptive, and I was taken a little out of the story when I was reading. Sometimes, less is more, and I think that is the case with some of the descriptors here. However, Damned to Hell was absolutely fascinating, so I won't complain too much! Solid 3.5!
Thank you, DarkLit Press, for providing me a copy of this! My review is entirely my own and represents my honest opinion.
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