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Devotion and Duty
Sick is a haunting psychological horror that follows a marriage unraveling into madness as devotion, illness, and manipulation, and blurs into a claustrophobic battle for control and belonging. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This story was born from a nightmare. I dreamt I was a woman whose life was decaying around her as she cared for her sickly husband. By the end of the dream, she discovered the man she loved and trusted was far more ill than she could imagine. Her disorientation and fear pulled at me, and I knew I had to write the story.
How did you balance the ambiguity of John’s illness so the reader constantly questions what’s real and what’s manipulation?
I wanted to put people inside Susan’s mind, in the perspective of your typical person who feels the duty to care for their loved ones, no matter what is required. She has let her husband’s illness take over her life, so much so that she no longer has one. Of course, caregivers think, this person is sick, they need me. But what is the cost to yourself? When does devotion and duty become co-dependency? You can only be manipulated if you allow people to do so. How much of it is your own fault?
The book relies heavily on atmosphere and sensory detail rather than overt scares. How do you approach building tension through subtlety rather than shock?
I think the dark, quiet desires, motivations, and needs of our inner selves are more terrifying than your typical monsters, serial killers, or jump scares. It’s the realization that the frame you put around your life story to keep you safe could be a lie, and that you have been preyed upon by those you love and trust. It’s being slowly bled dry and not knowing until it’s too late. Worst of all is realizing you had a hand in your own demise.
What do you hope readers take away about love, neediness, and the moral gray zones that exist inside unhealthy relationships?
I hope readers will think more deeply about what they’re giving and taking in relationships, to be aware when someone is manipulating and using them, and where they themselves might be abusing a person in their life in a mental or emotional way.
Most victims can’t conceive that someone who claims to love them is silently exploiting them for their own gain. Likewise, abusers often don’t know that what they are doing is toxic. These are survival mechanisms they learned as children.
That is why I showed both Susan’s and John’s sides of the story. Neither of them is innocent.
Unfortunately, once confronted, not all abusers will acknowledge to themselves, much less to others, that they were damaging the people around them. It takes a brave person, a genuinely good-hearted and self-aware person, to be willing to admit their flaws and work to change them. Most narcissists and psychopaths do not have any empathy for others, nor true self-awareness that extends beyond their own self-importance.
I hope this story will wake up victims to possible abuse and tip off abusers that maybe they are the villain, and not the hero, of their own story.
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Charming and enigmatic, but very sick.
Born into wealth and prestige, John lost his family’s fortune to the mysterious illness that has now left him bedridden, and Susan’s life revolves around his care.
Years of devotion have left her exhausted and frustrated, yet she’s determined to scrape together whatever resources she can to keep John comfortable and happy—including stealing Demerol from the doctor’s office where she works to feed his growing dependence on painkillers.
As John’s condition continues to baffle doctors, Susan uncovers a secret from his childhood and the chilling cause of his illness.
Now that she knows the truth, can she put an end to the madness?
Christa Wojciechowski delivers a twisted psychological suspense novel for readers who like their fiction sick, sharp, and unforgettable.
The Lights of Greyfare
The book follows Katherine Calder, a burned-out journalist reeling from heartbreak, addiction, and the collapse of her marriage. She drifts into Greyfare, a coastal Maine town wrapped in fog, folklore, and menace. What begins as an assignment about strange lights and odd behavior slowly spirals into something darker, blending her personal unraveling with the creeping dread of a town that seems alive in ways it shouldn’t be. The story balances her private grief with an escalating sense of otherworldly danger, drawing the reader into a story where isolation, obsession, and the supernatural bleed together.
I found myself both impressed and unsettled by Juno Guadalupe’s writing. The prose is vivid, almost cinematic, and it often feels like the narrator is talking directly to you. The raw honesty in Kat’s self-destructive habits and inner monologue resonated with me. Sometimes I wanted to shake her. Other times, I felt her pain in my gut. The blend of humor and despair made her feel real. But the story also takes sudden, chilling turns. Those shifts, from Kat’s drunken sarcasm to grotesque encounters with what lurks in Greyfare, kept me off balance in the best way. It was like watching a storm roll in, beautiful and terrifying.
Kat’s internal spirals gave the story a raw and unfiltered rhythm. They slowed the pace in a way that felt intentional, letting me sit with her turmoil instead of rushing past it. Her reliance on alcohol and pills wasn’t easy to watch, but it made her struggle painfully real. That messy honesty reminded me how complicated people are, and that’s what gave the book its emotional punch. The horror elements, especially the mimicry and the way the environment itself seemed to breathe, gave me chills. They also mirrored Kat’s own sense of being replaced or erased, which added a clever layer of psychological dread.
The Lights of Greyfare is more than just a horror story. It’s about grief, identity, and the lies we tell ourselves just to keep going. I’d recommend it to readers who like their horror atmospheric and layered with emotional weight. If you enjoy Stephen King’s small-town dread or Gillian Flynn’s raw character work, this book will pull you in. Just don’t expect clean answers. Expect to sit with the fog, the echoes, and the ache of a story that wants to haunt you long after you close the book.
Pages: 345 | ASIN : B0FLLJMWZS
Affinities
In Affinities, readers are immediately captivated as our lead character, Andrew Goodwin, awakens from the aftermath of a devastating car crash. The distressing signs that follow—nightly sweat-soaked awakenings and a puzzling amnesia about recent events—hint at a narrative that transcends simple post-traumatic stress. Mysterious whispers, unsettling blood markings, and unaccounted-for bruises on Andrew’s skin craft an eerie tableau of a reality that’s darker and more perplexing.
The book’s initial chapter, though complex, soon finds its pace, ensnaring both its characters and readers into its intricate mystery. It’s a rare experience to find a narrative that elicits such a visceral response. With each unpredictable plot twist, I felt an uncanny connection to the story, as though I was experiencing Andrew’s turbulent psyche firsthand. Thompson showcases his ability to craft a clever narrative, spinning a tale rich in suspense and riddled with intrigue. It was only with the introduction of subtle supernatural elements that I found a moment’s respite to put the book down.
Affinities is more than just a story; it’s a journey. In a world of routine and responsibilities, it offers a thrilling departure into the depths of fear and the human mind. For fans of psychological horror and crime thrillers, this book is a must-read. My anticipation is already piqued for its sequel, Outshine: Lifecycle 2.
Pages: 383 | ASIN : B00BSXO9CI
Curse: A Novel
Curse by Christina Maraziotis, the second installment of the Loveletting series, immerses readers in a mesmerizing and captivating tale that will leave them yearning for more. Within the pages of this book, a blend of romance, danger, and adventure awaits. Having faced the depths of despair and grappled with profound loss and grief, Charlotte discovers solace in Jesse McCoy’s tender and loyal embrace. While evading the law for crimes she has been unjustly accused of, Charlotte finds herself entangled in a web of enigmatic figures as the search for the elusive serial killer, Mac Kinnon, persists. Amidst the unsettling supernatural occurrences that unsettle Charlotte’s sense of identity and security, Jesse’s steadfast nature becomes a beacon of hope, allowing her to heal and rediscover the joys of life. As unexpected romance blossoms and her freedom is put to the test, Charlotte traverses a path that unravels the true essence of love. However, lurking behind captivating and mysterious faces lies a darkness threatening to corrupt even the purest of souls, transforming them into unrecognizable beings, yearning to reclaim their former selves.
From the very outset, Curse shows immense promise. The author’s skillful writing and thoughtful structure transform what could be an intricate and protracted narrative into a series of concise, well-crafted chapters. This approach enables the plot to breathe and seamlessly engross the reader in an immersive experience. Once engrossed in the story, one is transported to a new world where the narrative and its characters take center stage. The book’s length is justified, as it adds depth and complexity to the overarching storyline, allowing for fully realized character arcs that embody the true nature of each individual and the myriad challenges they face.
Passion, romance, and darkness intertwine throughout the narrative, with supernatural elements deftly woven into the fabric of the plot, heightening its mystery. This narrative technique captivates the reader, holding their attention steadfastly throughout, even during quieter moments. However, the true strength of this book lies in its characters. They are flawlessly imperfect, each possessing a depth and complexity that authentically reflects the human experience and its trials. Engaging and diverse, these characters form a vibrant tapestry of personalities and emotions, with their highs and lows.
Curse by Christina Maraziotis is an entrancing and spellbinding book that transports readers to a realm brimming with mystery and passion, reminding us that amidst the darkest shadows, true beauty can still be discovered.
Pages: 879 | ASIN : B0BVQHGTBC
Haunt
In an attempt to flee from a world that has turned her life upside down, Charlotte and her darling horse are only met with more complications—running into a serial killer. Having no choice but to stay with him after becoming a wanted woman herself (for a crime she did not commit), Charlotte and her newfound companion are thrust into situations previously unimaginable. A man with a dark and haunting past, and a woman who fears a dark and haunting future, these two souls collide in a thrilling romance.
Haunt by Christina Maraziotis is a book that makes itself very clear right away: it is not for an audience who cannot handle certain topics and themes. At the front of the book, before getting to the story itself, there is a list of trigger warnings, so readers will know what they are getting into with this novel ahead of time.
The characters and settings in Haunt are truly ones to be remembered as they all feel full, fleshed out, and alive. Even characters who aren’t important are given full personalities and recognizable traits. The story itself is nothing less than a page-turner, and readers will most definitely feel themselves eagerly turning the page to see what will happen next—good or bad.
The writing in this novel is eye-catching. The style is complex at times, fightings with itself to have beautiful words and prose and then having sentences that feel out of place, much like the characters feel at times. The formatting can also be distracting; there are often POV changes that can be disorienting for the reader. While some may find these a deterrent, they are actually brilliant literary elements that add to the haunting and intricate storyline.
Haunt is truly a thrilling western story with characters readers will yearn for, feel for, and never forget. Readers will feel their own hearts break as they look into the minds of characters that they normally wouldn’t and have to choose whether their actions are justified.
Pages: 920 | ASIN : B0BKY7ZH23
LITERARY TITAN 