Uncomfortably Dark Book Reviews
Books will be scheduled in the order they are requested. Acceptance of a book is NOT a guarantee of a POSTED review. Reviews are still subject to our policy.
We accept all horror, dark fantasy, dark crime, dark poetry, and sci-fi.
*UDH posts limited reviews from Nov. 15 - Jan.15 for personal time for the team.
**We do not read or review romance or erotica of any kind. We do not read or review any explicit content depicting graphic child rape and/or sexual abuse.
Rating System:
3 = Good Solid Read
4 = Great Read, Excellent Writing
5 = Superior to most other reads
Reviews by Candace Nola
The Creator of Uncomfortably Dark
04/15/2023
Tome
By Ross Jeffery
Tome is the second installment of Ross Jeffery’s Juniper series, and it is just as stellar as the first. This story follows the terrifying events that seem to plague Juniper Correctional, the area’s largest employer, and probably the only thing keeping the small town alive.
Frank is one of the guards that spends his days walking the crumbling halls dealing with the chaos that is prison life and all the horrors that come with it. Frank stills sees the good in people even though his own past is fraught with secret pain, but Juniper seems hell bent on corrupting the las light in the dark prison.
The narrator brings every moment of this story to life. The prose is captivating and engaging, keeping the reader/listener enthralled at every word. Juniper itself comes to life within the words, one heart-wrenching moment at a time.
5 full stars from Uncomfortably Dark.
03/25/2023
Recent Audiobook Reads
Kin by Kealan Patrick Burke
Juniper by Ross Jeffery
Purgatory by Mike Schuhler
Kin by Kealan Patrick Burke/ narrated by Chet Williamson.
Bleak and horrific, Kin takes you through a blood-soaked journey through the backwoods of Elkwood, Alabama and beyond. Brimming with every horror imaginable, the story follows the lone survivor of a massacre that killed her friends as she tries to recover from the nightmare. Texas Chainsaw Massacre meets the Hills Have Eyes, blended and shaken; Kin takes you to a new level of Hell.
Not for the faint of heart.
4 stars.
Kin by Kealan Patrick Burke - Audiobook - Audible.com
Juniper by Ross Jeffery/audiobook narration by Rebecca Morrigan
Juniper is the first of a trilogy. The synopsis calls it a “post-apocalyptic horror about an insane American town seemingly at the end of reality.” That is an apt description. Perfection is also an apt description for the story, the prose, and the delivery. The audio narration is on point, bringing Jeffery’s beautifully descriptive prose to life in the most vivid voice possible. Loved it, cannot wait to listen to the next one.
5 stars.
Juniper by Ross Jeffery - Audiobook - Audible.com
Purgatory by Mike Schuhler/ audio narration by Robert “Rein” Ramsay.
Purgatory is a quick read or listen, heavy with ominous dread. A friend in need brings Grant Radburn back to an island he hoped to forget. An island where everything is dead, and the bells are still tolling. This was a great story of friendship gone wrong, a life full of regrets, and a place that shouldn’t exist.
4 stars.
03/04/2023
The Backrooms
By Matt Wildasin
The Backrooms follows a lost man by the name of Greg that has stumbled onto a disturbing revelation that gravely affects his reality as he knows it. The story unfolds through a series of letters that Greg leaves behind in an effort to help inform the next person that may find it, even as he tries to escape a vast maze of rooms, called The Backrooms. The story has more of a sci-fi feel to it than horror, but there is definitely horror to be found within the pages, as well as The Backrooms. Well-written, intriguing, and fast paced. 4 stars.
02/11/2023
Midnight Echo
This issue has been on my TBR for a while due to major backlog, however, I am so glad that I finally got around to reading it and I strongly suggest that everyone else does too. Midnight Echo is put out by the Australasian HWA and it is a triumph of dark and disturbing short stories and poetry that will leave you longing for more. The cover alone is worth the cost of the magazine, and the content is pure gold.
With stories by Dani Ringrose, Mark Towse, Michael Botur, Kat Clay, and many others, there is something for everyone within these pages. Some standouts for me were “The Hole in Emily’s Heart” by Michael Hughes, “Smothered, Still and Silent” by Deborah Sheldon and “Fearful Symmetry” by Stephen Dedman.
5 STARS
This issue and past ones are available to purchase on Amazon at the below link:
02/11/2023
Apartment 239
This is not just another ghost story. I went into this blind and I’m very glad I did. The concept to the story is rather unique and sets it apart from the usual ghost or haunted house story. It focuses on a man grieving the loss of his wife and son, and follows him as events in his life, as well as a series of events around the town in which he lives, escalate to a fever pitch of fear, murder, and mystery. 4 stars
02/04/2023
Every Woman Knows This
By Laurel Hightower
“Every Woman Knows This” is an experience. It’s a journey through the darkest places of the female mind, heart, body, and soul. A probing quest into her deepest fears and most vulnerable thoughts. The things we cannot voice and are taught not to voice, not to feel, not to speak upon. Laurel brings the rawest parts of female emotion to the surface and demands that you see them, feel them, and acknowledge them. “Every Woman Knows This” is a beautifully written, deeply emotional, artistic accomplishment from Laurel Hightower.
5 stars.
02/04/2023
Strange Little Ghouls
by Wendy Dalrymple
I listened to the Audible version of Strange Little Ghouls and I’m very glad that I did. It was exceptional, both in narration and in content. The stories are widely varied, unique in their voice, and emotional in their telling. This is the first time I have read and/or heard anything by Wendy and it will not be the last.
4 stars.
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01/24/2023
They Mostly Come at Night
By Wesley Southard
This new collection from Wesley Southard is a shining example as to why he is one of horror’s rising stars. With everything from short, shocking bites of terror to bone-chilling, haunting and disturbing, it is exactly what a collection from an author with Wesley’s talent, style and range should be.
Perfection.
5 stars.
01/24/2023
The Wild Dark
By Katherine Silva
Katherine Silva has penned an incredible tale of love, loss, redemption, and the beyond in her story, The Wild Dark. With a unique take on the afterlife, Silva brings the apocalypse to us in the form of long-dead spirits, hideous creatures intent on capturing lost souls, and purgatory on earth.
Raw emotion blends well with intense fear and crushing revelations on every enthralling page.
5 stars.
01/24/2023
The Halloween Boy and Other October Horrors
By William Simmons
This entire collection is a shockingly disturbing yet richly woven tapestry of fall imagery, terrifying tales, and heart-breaking emotion. Simmons balances the nostalgia of Halloween from decades past with delicately rendered human experiences of loss, love, sorrow, and fear in this incredible collection. Well-worth a read by October people everywhere. 5 stars.
01/07/2023
Beneath The Unspoiled Wilderness
By Nikolas P. Robinson
Nikolas P. Robinson’s new novel is a slasher like no other in recent years. The tale told within unfolds at breakneck speed as a fun camping trip into unexplored territory quickly turns into a living nightmare for all involved.
With expert pacing, incredible tension, and a dynamic cast of characters, the story thoroughly captivates the reader. Robinson's detailed imagery plays out like a movie in your mind, leaving you anxious and breathless until the end.
More than bloodshed, this story delves into love, loss, and friendship on a deeper level than one would expect. This is a 5-star read for any horror fan.
01/07/2023
Mr. Nightmare
By Joe Scipione
The Nightmare Man is a truly scary coming of age story. Disturbing on many levels, the story of the nightmare man gets inside your brain, ever deeper as the story unfolds.
The characters are so well written I could visualize each one clearly in my mind. I found myself fully immersed in the tale and jumping at every sound as I read late into the night. The ending was simply stunning and perfectly unexpected.
I almost never make comparisons, but this story can sit proudly next to “It” or “The Body” (otherwise known as Stand By Me).
5 stars.
01/07/2023
The Lurkers
By Kristopher Rufty
Going into this blind, I was not expecting the wild ride that I was in for. Less than three pages in, I was hooked.
Blood-soaked terror and tension on every page, the story of The Lurkers races along slaughtering everything you thought you knew about fear.
Something lurks where it shouldn’t, something you’re not ready for, but they’re coming for you.
4.5 stars.
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12/26/2022
Sallow Bend
By Alan Baxter
Sallow Bend is a well-crafted tale of terror, suspense, and old evil. A small town is all set to welcome the carnival to town when two young girls go missing. Only one man seems to truly realize that something is dreadfully wrong when the girls are found.
I’ve not read anything by Alan Baxter, but I will be making sure to add him to my must-read list. This story was expertly paced, engaging, and delivered a chilling and unpredictable story. 4.5 stars.
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