Happy publication day to Ann and Robert ♥

I do not think I will be able to sleep again! If I could swear through this whole post I would too! I think I spent most of that book so anxious about what was going to happen next, even in the lighter scenes with Paul and Sally happily in love. I even made the mistake of reading it in the dark, so obviously my imagination went wild, I kept thinking if I looked away from the Kindle light I will see the witches face next to me. I can confess I freaked myself out when I read this book! Credit to both authors for creating such a creepy suspenseful book and well that front cover just did not help me!!!

We start the story in a concentration camp, where Hitler is, as widely speculated, dealing with the occult in such he is possessed by Lamia, a demonic entity. This entity then passes to a woman, the sole survivor of her family now trapped in her own body. We jump some years and see our main protagonist as a young boy, Paul Christian with his best friend Owen. Regularly, and reluctantly on Paul's part, playing knock up ginger on the "old witch"' house. I mean it is such an innocent game because let us be honest we have all probably done it at some point, but not to the devasting end of when Paul was nine and a half. Fast forward a few years and we watch another devasting act in Pauls life, witnessing the death of his wife, I mean seriously give this guy a break! 

Then present day! Paul has found love again with Sally. He is moving in with her, to his old town! Hmmm....nothing is going to happen, is it...WRONG!! They move into her quaint cottage, which sounded so beautiful, in the middle of nowhere!!!!!!  He then sees the old outhouse and there is an axe hanging on the wall, my nerves really could not take it anymore by then! He finds a passion for carving wood, and somehow it absolutely brilliant at it as if someone is guiding him along, to the right wood and instruments. Any scene with that bloody axe just had me on tenterhooks! As you can imagine things begin to escalate.

It just all gets so creepy and dark and intense and downright scary, apparitions, familiars, more deaths and shocking events. Even at the end of the book I really did not, and still DO NOT, feel like I can relax! The ending is semi-wrapped up, but I feel there is more to the story and I really do hope there is a second book. I really did not want to put this book down the first night I picked it up, and I kept picturing scenes from the book when trying to sleep - well that was not helpful! This book has stayed with me! I can't look at crows the same way now, and I will be staying away from knitting needles - I urge you to do the same!! 

The writing just flows in this book, every word counted, nothing was added in to fill in. Every word had me hooked, every page I was dreading the end of the story. Yet at the same time hoping for a relief that it was the end.  I could imagine this being on the big screen, I think I would be holding my breath all over again if I watched it.

What a fantastic debut for Robert and a fab 31st book to Ann!! I will definitely be picking up more by them.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me there is a second book. I need to unwind......

This is another one of those books where I’m so happy I signed up for a blog tour. I know that if I’d have heard there was a supernatural thread running through this I’d not have picked it up. However after reading the blurb I signed up for a blog tour and I’m so glad I did because this is a book I’m glad I didn’t miss out on reading.

Paul hasn’t had it easy but his life seems to be getting better after meeting Sally and moving in with her. A strange turn of events has him second guessing every thought he has.

This was a great read. I sat this afternoon in the sun and read it in one sitting. Although it took me a while to adjust to the supernatural aspect I thought it was a well written story. It was certainly a page turner as I found myself glued wondering what was going to happen next.

Gotta mention all the birds that decided to join me in the garden today while I was reading this. I’ve never heard them so vocal. The crow was quite noisy while reading parts of this story. Now as I’m sitting here writing this review there’s no birds to be heard. Strange or what !!!!

the beginning of this story told me this was a supernatural thriller rather than my usual read types. the concept was interesting and the storyline was quite dark in places. whilst it was an enjoyable read it wasn’t really a genre i would read again however i’m sure fans of this type of book will absolutely love it.

many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was that weird child that loved reading Greek myths/legends and horror stories, I’ve never been sensitive to gore and scary stuff so as soon as I read the Blurb for The Bitter End I knew it was my kind of book. This is definitely a supernatural horror story rather than a mystery thriller.

The Bitter End opens in Auschwitz where a young woman called Petronella survives the gas chambers and is summoned to see Hitler. Hitler is actually possessed by a daemon called Lamia (in ancient Greek mythology Lamia was often described as a bogeyman; a night-haunting daemon which preyed on children) who has been using his body to enact horrors on the world for her personal amusement. Lamia is all about destruction and revenge!! After this transfer the story skips to the 1980’s where we become acquainted with Paul and Owen, two young boys who are best friends and get up to the kind of mischief you’d expect at their age. One of their favourite games is knock-a-door-run and one of their favourite victims for this is the local cat lady/rumoured witch who just happens to be Petronella/Lamia. On this occasion their game goes seriously wrong leading to nothing but pain and trauma that will haunt Paul for the rest of his life. As I mentioned before, Lamia lives for revenge!

I really enjoyed the horror/supernatural elements of this story and it definitely gave me the chills as I read under my duvet. I live in the countryside and was avoiding looking out of my window onto the nearby woods as I neared the end. I finished this book in one sitting I was so engrossed in the story. If you’re looking to give yourself the heebie-jeebies go buy The Bitter End!

First, I would like to thank NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for providing me with a copy of this book.

I am a HUGE fan of the supernatural and I love a dark thriller so I immediately thought this would be a win for me. I'm not going to lie, I really didn't care much for this book.

I found I was initially drawn into the demonic possession aspect of this story and the historical references got me excited to continue. Unfortunately, the creepy factor didn't outweigh the pace of the story and it lost me.

I found the story moved quite slow for my taste and I had a really hard time trying to connect with the characters which made this very hard for me to enjoy. The dialogue was also a bit dry and I think that how easily all the characters accepted witchcraft as an answer was a little more unrealistic than I would have liked.

Although this book wasn't for me, I would highly recommend The Bitter End to readers who are looking for a creepy late night read that will make them want to turn on the lights.

Side note: I think this would make a great demonic horror movie!

First, I'd like to thank Netgalley, Bloodhound Books, Ann Evans and Robert D Tysall (the authors) for allowing me to have his ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

**Spoilers**

The Bitter End starts in Auschwitz and with a woman named Petronella, who survives the gas chamber. The soldiers call her a witch and Hitler immediately asks to see her. We find out through their meeting that he is possessed by a demon that will stop at nothing to break the human race. The demon transfers from Hitler into Petronella and the story begins.

The story fast-forwards to the 80s where we meet Paul and Owen. Owen is the instigator and Paul is often pressured into doing things he doesn't want to do (like knocking on Petronella's door and running from her). Owen and Paul believe Petronella is a witch and capable of evil. One fateful day comes and they end up doing something that isn't forgivable by the "witch", Petronella. She chases the boys through the woods until she catches up with Paul. The events that transpire on that fateful day cause Paul to be in a coma for 9 months with no recollection of what happened.

Fast forward again to a much older Paul and he suffers a major loss in his life that leaves him reeling. 8 years later, he meets Sally who turns everything around for him. He begins smiling more and even moves back to the town he grew up in...and then things being to take a sinister turn. People wind up dead, pain and misfortune is at every corner and nobody can escape the darkness. Paul sets out on a quest to end the evil once and for all.

The Bitter End was fast paced, dread inducing and a very dark suspense novel. The characters develop quickly and the story doesn't miss a beat. Any readers interested in the darker side of the supernatural genre should give this book a read...if you dare!

The Bitter End was a great thriller. It deals with the supernatural and for once, I did not roll my eyes in disbelief.
Paul wakes up after 9 months in a coma. He does not have too many memories of that time. He spent his tenth birthday hooked up with wires. After many decades, Paul is now with the MI6 after a successful career in the navy. He has seen a lot, and a very personal tragedy later he is a broken man. After a few years, he finds love and moves back to the little village where he spent his childhood, the time before his coma. This triggers memories and as each memory brings with it more questions, Paul is forced to find answers.

This book, The Bitter End, does not disappoint. All the mystery, the questions and answers, everything ties up nicely in the end. Everything about this book worked well, the plot, the pace, the writing. May not be a hit with those who do not read the supernatural genre, but it was worth a one time read.

I would never normally read a supernatural book but it had a great story, well written and an incredibly fast pace. Crime, mystery and a bit of witchcraft thrown into the mix. I didn't know what to expect and certainly don't know if I'd read another in a hurry - I guess it's the literary alternative to horror films!

I think this book will be with me for a while!

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read it.

Not my favorite book, while it was fast paced and a bit disturbing, which I like, it just was not a very believable book and that made me just not love it or enjoy reading it. I would recommend to those who love lots more supernatural type books than disturbing thrillers!

The title "The Bitter end" might give you an inkling how the story is going to end but all through the book I was hoping evil would not be the winner.
Thanks through NetGalley and Bloodhound Books I got to read an advance copy prior to the publishing date. I can highly recommend reading this book.
It's an easy read but full of mysteries. Touches on some of the beliefs in Christianity and even uses the name "Lamia" out of Greek Mythology to represent the evil spirit. Through all that it even brings up some historical and current political possibilities. It all ties up together nicely in this book.

The Bitter End is very much a supernatural thriller. I loved how it starts off when Hitler is in power. Right from that moment i knew this was going to be a dark read and i wasn't wrong!

Paul has been through quite a bit in his life, mainly the death of his wife which must be an awful event to try and come to terms with. Especially with how it happened and the fact that he saw her die. How does someone get over something like that? Luckily for Paul he meets Sally who gives Paul a new meaning in life.

The setting for the story added to the whole eeriness of this book. A cottage tucked away in the woods, it was like something out of Little red Riding Hood. The fact that it is a small community and it was where Paul lived as a child before his accident, it was intriguing to see Paul remembering things as well as revisiting past haunts of places he played with his childhood friend Owen.

The book did have me reminiscing about my own childhood and am so glad that this is just a work of fiction as otherwise I would be having nightmares! Not that I did some of the things that happens in this story but the knocking on doors and running away was one of them. As children we would have similar thoughts as to Owen and Paul about the little old lady that lived on her own. Child hood imagination is a marvellous thing but it can also scare the heebie jeebies out of you.

The Bitter End whilst definitely being a story of the supernatural kind, would definitely make a great horror film. I was literally pinned to the book, on edge, waiting to see what was going to happen next. It reminded me slightly of  The Omen with that over bearing sense of evil throughout. A dark and tense read which had me racing towards the end to see what the outcome was going to be.

Excellent story line which was gripping from start to finish. Great characters. I would highly recommend this book.

This book was really addictive. I read it in a day, in fact I couldn’t put it down!!

It’s a very different type of book and very enjoyable. I do think that there’s a lot that we don’t understand, especially in other worlds and I know from other people about demonic possessions and things that happen. You only have to read Caroline Mitchell’s paranormal intruder to see what can happen to ordinary people.

I must say, however, that the ending was a bit lame, but on the whole it was a very gripping read.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Bloodhound Books, and the authors Ann Evens and Robert D Thrall for the opportunity to read this ARC of The Bitter End.
Wow! What a book! From the very beginning of the story, the reader is immersed in all the action. The storyline was well thought out and fast paced.. You cannot do anything but keep turning the pages until you reach the stunning conclusion. This is not a book you can pick up, read a few pages and put it down again. A book of this calibre needs to be read in one sitting.
I habe no hesitation in recommending this novel, and cannot wait to read more from the authors. Hopefully, that won't be too long!

Paul is the Head of Security at MI5. A big Peace Conference in which half of the world has been invited and he is in charge. Paul lost his wife in a horrific car accident. He was a loner until he met Sally. Life is good and they move in together into Wall's cottage in his home town.
Paul had an accident when he was nine years old which left him in a coma. He has no memory of what happened that fateful day or before. Being back in his old stomping ground he starts to get flash backs, and begins to feel uneasy. Something about a witch and a dead cat. Strange happenings in the village and the death toll mounts. Paul gradually pieces together what is going on. Someone or something has a plan. Can Paul stop it in time? Not a bad read.
I would like to thank the authors Ann Evans and Robert D Tyrell, Bloodhound books and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

I thought I wasn't going to like this book but I ended up enjoying it even though it is a dark read and tense in parts.

This is a new author to me and she draws you into the storyline straight away and holds your interest throughout. The pace of the story kept me wanting to read more and I can thoroughly recommend this book.

I was looking forward to reading The Bitter End. I remember thinking that the premise sounded really good, but after a promising start I found myself having trouble suspending my belief enough to go along with the story. In saying that, the pace is pretty good, and if you can go with the flow on this one you may enjoy it! It just wasn't for me!

The summary of The Bitter End sounded really promising and exciting however unfortunately the book did not deliver on this.

I found the book relatively boring with the first part meandering and not really adding to the story for the length of time spent on it.

Whilst there was an attempt to crank up the excitement later on this didn't really work and at attempts seemed humourous which I am sure wasn't the aim.

I also couldn't engage with the main characters.

I am sure that other readers will enjoy this book however it wasn't for me.