Official Review: Kind Nepenthe by Matthew Brockmeyer

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Kourtney Bradley
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Official Review: Kind Nepenthe by Matthew Brockmeyer

Post by Kourtney Bradley »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Kind Nepenthe" by Matthew Brockmeyer.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Kind Nepenthe is an emerging dark horror story written by Matthew Brockmeyer. Featuring a cast of 5 main characters, this story has twists and turns that will be a true pulling factor for thriller readers everywhere. With a building suspense, this novel gets darker and darker as the pages turn.

This story takes place deep in the hills of Humboldt County in modern-day Northern California and bounces back and forth from one story to another, all the while conjoining the two in a twisted relation. Rebecca seems to be the spotlighted main character, and is a hippie, plain and simple. Determined to teach her daughter how to live off the land, she moves with her boyfriend, Calendula, and daughter, Megan, to grow marijuana until they have saved enough to purchase their own land. Coyote is the owner of the pot-growing land, with doubting feelings about continuing with the business due to a decline in sales. Diesel and DJ, father and son, feel that they are owed a significant amount of money from Coyote, as the land is rightfully theirs.

The intertwining story that pulls these characters together is full of twists and turns. From the title, “Nepenthe” means sorrow or trouble, and that’s exactly what comes along with the daring story brought to light by Brockmeyer. Along with some troubling characters and their past experiences, there are also some lingering ghosts present on their fertile land, and those ghosts are refusing to leave. From extensive drug use to explicit sexual depictions, this story is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Things quickly start to turn from bad to worse, and the supernatural beings seem to only enhance the darkness that follows these characters on their journey.

I was pleasantly surprised with how the flow of this story was structured. There were no lagging chapters or parts that I felt like rushing through to get to the “good stuff.” The slow burning build of suspense allowed time to know the characters and become interested in their endeavors. Although I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters in the story, they were all well-depicted and each given their own specific personality. I was also pleased with the editing of the story, as I found no errors throughout my read.

As I have said multiple times, I’m a huge fan of thriller stories and Kind Nepenthe did not disappoint. I’m happy to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars and would gladly recommend it to other readers who enjoy dark and twisted thriller stories. It’s also a good choice for readers who enjoy ghost stories, but would like something a bit different than the traditional stories told.

******
Kind Nepenthe
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Post by kandscreeley »

This sounds like it might be a little too dark and explicit for me. Nevertheless, it does sound quite intriguing. I'm glad you enjoyed it at least. Thanks for the lovely review.
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Kourtney Bradley
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Post by Kourtney Bradley »

Thank you!
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Post by Azeline Arcenal »

I usually don't read dark thrillers so I think I'll pass on this book. Great job on the review!
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Post by LadyClaire »

The book seems well written especially with the smooth flow that was maintained despite the bouncing around of story line. Thanks for the review. It's really informative but I think I'll skip it though. I don't like explicit scenes.
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Kourtney Bradley
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Post by Kourtney Bradley »

Thanks for checking it out!
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Post by Kalin Adi »

I do not like horror and ghost stories at all. I'm a pure coward, but I appreciate your honest review on this book.
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Kourtney Bradley
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Post by Kourtney Bradley »

Thank you!
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Post by Kitkat3 »

I love a good, creepy read every once and a while. This one might be a little too much for me. I'm not sure. I'll definitely check it out to see. Great review!
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Post by Kourtney Bradley »

Thank you!
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Post by Excitedreads »

Not a bad thriller from what you've described. A little darker than my taste, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. I may skip this one though. Thank you for a great honest review
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Post by Kourtney Bradley »

Thank you! It was a but darker than I expected too.
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Post by gali »

A haunting tale that delves into the dark side of human nature and gets darker and darker as the story unfolds? Sounds too chilling for comfort. Too bad you didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters. I don't enjoy reading about drug use, so I will pass. Thank you for the nice review!
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Post by Scerakor »

This sounds like the type of book that is right up my alley. Not only do I sincerely enjoy a good "dark thriller" but I'm definitely in favour of a book that keeps you interested without needed to rush to get to the "good stuff". Thanks for the review.
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Post by ashley_claire »

Dark and twisted thrillers are my favorite and I've been looking for some good ones for this time of the year. I'm interested to see just how all of these characters come together. Can't wait to check it out!
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