Shaula

Mysterious lake creatures, a cult, and an (almost) ghost town? Yes, please. This is a very solid sci-fi horror that kept me up well into the night.

Two agents from a stealth organization are sent to delivery a mysterious package to a man by the lake. It’s not until they arrive in town that they discover most people have left and a local cult has taken roots. When things don’t go as expected, the agents must navigate their shady organization, local towns folks and Thane, the dangerous cult leader.

I enjoyed the relationship between the two agents, and the character development for Ben, the younger of the two, is especially well done. There are a lot of details to take in and the reader is left with a lot of questions, but that’s fair game in a series. It’s important to note that I enjoyed this book despite not reading the first in the series.

Big thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC.

Shaula is what happens when you mix two most enjoyable main characters, a cult, a ghost town, and a creepy sea creature. This was a story that begs to be read with immediacy!

This story follows our secret agent main characters, Grim and Ben, as they are tasked with delivering mysterious cargo to a man in the middle of nowhere. They quickly realize that most residents of this town have left, leaving room for a cult to take over in their wake. The ensuing story deals with what happens when things don’t necessarily go as anticipated.

Shaula combines great character development and incredibly fun sci-fi elements. I enjoyed this book quite a lot, though it made me wish I’d read the first book in the series before devouring this one. That being said, Shaula functions exceedingly well on its own.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this eBook to read and rate.

Given I haven't read book one.... This is enjoyable as a standalone book also.
This was definitely a different type of bok for me but one I could get into.
Two agents are sent to send a mysterious package to a man who lives by a lake.
The lakeside cabin was the last remnant of a closed down resort, which Ben guessed was bought by a dummy corporation belonging to their employers. All the other cabins were torn down, leaving them with an empty property that served to distance the lakeside cabin from public grounds.
In town hardly anyone has stuck around but this cult has taken claim. Things start to get a little hairy soon after arriving.
This was a good read. I liked the characters. The setting was creepy. The story was overall a great story.

In "Shaula," two agents from a secret organization are sent to deliver a mysterious package to a man by a lake. They quickly realize once they arrive in town that the people have abandoned it, leaving room for a local cult to take over the community. Things quickly devolve as the two agents learn to navigate their own organization, the town and cult leader.
I want to preface by saying I have not read the first novel in the series. The book does make reference to that first story, but you won't be lost. The author, A.M. Kherbash, does an excellent job with character development and keeping the plot tight. However, the novel starts along the lines of a traditional horror before becoming more of a thriller in the latter half.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Really good book including likeable main characters, creepy monsters and weird cults. I really enjoyed this one! Good news is since the first book in the series was hard to find, you didn't have to read the first one before this book to understand what was going on. The backstory would have been nice, but Shaula did a good job of filling in some of the blanks enough so that you could start here.

Really enjoyed the main characters Grim and Ben. Their relationship is fun to watch and follow, and it develops quite nicely. This book is part of a series but can be read on it’s own and you won’t get lost. This book is a fun read and sometimes creepy and the element of the cult leader really gives the book an extra push. A must read for those whose like books that are a bit different.

I loved this book. The Author knows exactly how to make a situation go from regular to very sinister and quite scary. It had great pacing, no parts felt too drawn out or dull, and the general menace of the Organisation is a quiet danger in the back of your mind. I can only hope that there are more in this series as I want to see what happens in the long run.

If you like horror then I suggest you read this book.

Two men are tasked to deliver a mysterious cargo to a man in the middle of no where... what could go wrong?

Hmm... EVERYTHING!

Do you like novels with cults, sea monsters, deserted towns or maybe all three?

Even if you are a little bit interested... run and get this book.

Government conspiracy, secrets, and an out of the ordinary creature all make for an interesting ride. This is a sequel, but no problem as a stand alone. Characters are interesting, and plot keeps you interested and guessing.

This was an awesome read. All the fix-ins of a good sci-fi thriller. Was a little slow at some parts but the fast parts made up for that.

What will you do when you must choose between survival and duty?

Two delightful characters, a spooky town, and a mythical creature what else one can need into a horror-thriller book. Shaula is a perfect blend of thrill and horror.
The story revolves around two agents Grim and Ben, they have a task to deliver the mysterious cargo to a man in the mysterious town, where most residents have left the town. The things getting uncanny soon after they arrive in the town.

Though it is a second book of the series, you can read it as a standalone, as the character development and story are woven together very well. I love the way the author develops and the relationship of Grin and Ben, it was fun and sympathetic at the same time. the sci-fi elements and punch of thrills make this an interesting read.
Overall! I find this an interesting read. I will definitely recommend this book who like thrillers with cults.

Grim and Ben are dispatched to deliver a sealed container to a reclusive specialist residing in a lakeside cabin. They don't know the content of the container or what the specialist is working on. But because they noticed that he's not working alone (as he should), their employers ask them to keep an eye on his and on the people who visit him. A simply task that quickly turns in a very complicated and dangerous mission...

Shaula is the second book of The Stinger series but it can be read as a standalone without any problems. Compared to its predecessor Lesath, this novel is easier to read, less confusing and... more fun. I really enjoyed the relationship between our two protagonists, so different from each other but deep down with the same sense of duty and justice. Their chemistry is the first thing I noticed and what made the story easy to follow and fun: Grim is an old man, grouchy and shady sometimes, while Ben is young and still learning how to act in complicated situations. Between snarky comments and suspicious suggestions, it was a pleasure to follow these two men trying to sneak into a cult, helping each other out but also hiding things.
When we discover what's inside the box, everything changes and things become... pretty crazy! I won't reveal what it is, of course, but I really didn't expect THAT!

This book is classified as horror, but for me it's more a thriller with a few horror elements: very dark, interesting plot, the ending is a bit predictable but still it's a great book that I enjoyed a lot and finished in a couple of sittings.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

* I'd like to thank A.M. Kherbash and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and publishers and I'm leaving a voluntary review.

The story sucked me in and didn't let go until the end. The only thing that I didn't like was the long, adjective-filled descriptions at places which were not needed.

This was a novel that I found hard to put down. Sci-fi, Horror, paranormal… this seemed to have it all. The plot was very interesting and dark. I now must read the first book in the series.
Many thanks to A M Kherbash and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Un livre pas pour moi, très bien écrit, mais je n`ai pas accroche dommage. un thriller qui vaut le coût tout de même.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me for this arc!

This book was really gripping, it was my favourite type of read and I was hooked from the moment I picked the book up

I really enjoyed reading Shaula. I thought it does a great job with character development and I thought the vibes were eerie and creepy. This is the second book in a series and, while you don't have to read the first one to understand what's happening, it does reference things that happen in the first book.