Official Review: Forever Ends by Carol Hibbs

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Kristy Khem
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Official Review: Forever Ends by Carol Hibbs

Post by Kristy Khem »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Forever Ends" by Carol Hibbs.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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Horror and romance are combined in Carol Hibbs’ novel, Forever Ends. When Gabrielle Bowman moves to Gimli, she has a feeling that her new house harbors strange secrets. She is not daunted by the mysteriousness of the place, especially when she starts dating her handsome neighbor, Ryan, and befriends his young daughter, Tess, who latches on to her as a motherly figure. That’s until she meets Christina, a ghostly little girl who loves popping up in her new home for cookies and tea. Gabrielle is not fazed by the friendly ghost until she begins receiving sinister messages in the house. Gabrielle vows to uncover the child’s secrets with the assistance of her sons and a few friends. They discover a terrifying truth. Gabrielle’s new home once contained satanic emblems and is the gateway to a dimensional hell. As Gabrielle tries to save Christina from an evil demon, tensions rise when it suddenly kidnaps Tess.

I curled up with this book on a rainy day and it did not disappoint. Although the storyline is popular for a lot of horror movies, Gabrielle’s character isn’t. In most horror books and movies, the protagonist is initially very terrified, but I admired Gabrielle’s nonchalant attitude towards having sinister, ghostly elements in her house. In addition, she is quite strange herself as she enjoys carving horned gargoyles from wood. She also has the ability to absorb pain from others and to glean psychic information from dreams.

The romantic aspect of this book is also well done. Despite the strange things going on with Gabrielle, the author also provides insights into Ryan’s life, such as his profession in cabin building, his family, and his musical interests. I got a clear picture of his backstory. As a result, Ryan did not seem like an accessory to the story and his relationship with Gabrielle did not feel forced. The story also contains steamy scenes, which were all deliciously written.

However, in my opinion, there should have been more focus on the paranormal part of the story. The demonic possession of Devin, the demonologist, could have been described a bit more, especially his physical features – did his eyes glaze over, or did they turn into black pits of demonic energy? I was also curious about what the spiritual house cleanse entails, but it is not described in the book. I also think that Gabrielle’s wooden gargoyles could have been a supernatural tool in the book. Gabrielle’s character borders on becoming witch-like and I would have loved to read more about this. Additionally, the title did not fit this story. It needs something much more edgy and mysterious.

The errors are minimal in this book and the few that I noticed did not distract me from the story. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars for its unique lead character and its successful mix of romance and horror. Ideally, I would have given it 3.5 stars due to its slightly lacking delivery of the paranormal elements, but decimal ratings are not accepted. Forever Ends is recommended for horror, fantasy, and romance fans.

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Forever Ends
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DathanReeves
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Post by DathanReeves »

I agree with your criticism about the title. When I first read it, I thought it was a drama about a sudden death or divorce. I didn't think horror, romance novel.
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Post by Nimat87 »

Sounds like a captivating book with mysterious characters. I'm most curious about the story behind the ghostly little girl. Thanks for the impressive review.
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Post by Helen_Combe »

Sounds like a good book to curl up with. I have 2 cats and seem to spend my whole life spiritually cleansing my house, well tidying up after them anyway. 😄 Great review.
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Post by Kendra M Parker »

You’re right that the title and cover do not really fit the description of the book. I was expecting a simple romance, but that it is also paranormal was a twist. It sounds like an interesting book, though!
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Post by ominifelix »

It sound like an inspeird book of romance and i like it.
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Post by Anon_Reviewer »

This sounds like the kind of book that would have me curled up in pure shock. I can never stomach horror. Great review though :D
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Post by Ms Mysterious »

Sounds like a common storyline but what arouses my curiosity is what does the Ryan character contribute towards saving Christina? Or is it that the book potrays the strength of a woman? Your review certainly kept me wondering! :)
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Post by crediblereading2 »

I have noticed that the protagonist's character is spooky but in a good way. Thank you for your well-balanced review.
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Three blessings in one little book, I love it. Your review was great and your take on the description of the characters and the comparison with established trend was amazing. I admire it
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Post by JR Mercier »

Romance with some mystery and horror? Sure, why not. Sounds like an interesting new read. Great review.
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Post by Cecilia_L »

I found the book title confusing and as you mentioned, it doesn't seem to fit the story's description. I don't care for horror, so I won't be reading this one, but I appreciate your well written review.
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Post by Riszell »

This sounds like a terrifying read, something I haven't read before. But the mixed genres I am familiar with except that it's a gothic romance. If you enjoyed reading this, you might enjoy watching the movie entitled Crimson Peak.
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Kristy Khem
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Post by Kristy Khem »

Riszell wrote: 22 Jun 2018, 23:24 This sounds like a terrifying read, something I haven't read before. But the mixed genres I am familiar with except that it's a gothic romance. If you enjoyed reading this, you might enjoy watching the movie entitled Crimson Peak.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I will look into Crimson Peak :)
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Post by Connie Otwani »

Ghosts that enjoy tea and cookies, dimensional hell and being kidnapped by a demon - truly stranger than fiction! Thanks for the detailed review.
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