09/30/2023
FATHER OF LIES
By Steve Stred
"As the man began to snore, the woman stepped from the shadows. She walked silently, stopping alongside McKay. She caressed his face, feeling guilt over the damage she’d inflicted. Physically and mentally. McKay was nothing but a vessel for them. A man at the wrong place at the wrong time, forced into these events by his job. Unfortunately for him, the ritual of Abaddon called for the sacrifice of an educated innocent. McKay now fit that bill. Retrieving her stone box, she opened the lid, removed the sack, and opened the top. She took the mass out, looking at the ancient heart with a chunk of flesh missing. “Father arise.”
Beginning in October 2019, Steve Stred released three of the darkest, most depraved novellas – RITUAL, COMMUNION, and SACRAMENT. These three novellas completed the ‘Father of Lies’ trilogy, telling the story of a disturbed man trying to open the cosmic gates and enter the Black Heavens to live forever. Inspired by Steve Stred’s research acquired while researching cults on the dark web, these 3 novellas will chill you to the bone, and leave you disturbed and uncomfortable.
Let me start off by saying I hope, pray, wish, and any other adjective that fits, that the stories Steve read on the dark web when writing this book are all bullshit because the rituals, sacrifices and manners of death in these novellas are so fucked up and to think that people have done this or are doing this just makes my skin crawl and make me wanna become a recluse and never be around people again. This trilogy of novellas is so well written and disturbing that at times I had to stop reading and say what the fuck. Father may be the most vile and evil antagonist I've read in a book to date and that's saying a lot. This is a must read if you love cult horror as much as I do!
5/5 stars
09/30/2023
DEAD BLOOD: BOOK ONE
BY JAY BOWER
"The simple, common sound broke something in his brain. It was like a switch turned off. He pulled back from Greg. The man's neck was a mess of blood and gore. A massive wound exposed thin muscle underneath, and even that was torn into. Dorian wiped the blood from his face, licking it clean off his fingers. A sudden dread filled him. What if I killed him? I need him alive!"
Dorian awakens and discovers the world turned a little bit more…uncivilized. For a vampire, the old way of things were just that – the old way. And they worked. Hunting for sustenance wasn’t so literal of a term, until now. Dorian’s plight for a simple meal is now a three-way bloodbath between himself, the undead, and a band of zealous humans eager to cut him down. Years of hunting has made Dorian into the ultimate hunter; realization humans are about to experience…again.
Dead Blood combines two of my favorite horror troupes, zombies and vampires, and I never realized a vampire waking up to a zombie apocalypse is what I've been missing in my life. Add in some humans dressed in cloaks trying to kill Dorian and you got yourself one hell of a wild ride! This is Book one in a trilogy on this unique and fascinating premise and I cannot wait to read the next two books to see how everything plays out! This is also my first read from Jay and I'm definitely a fan of his writing style so I'm very excited to continue this series.
4/5 stars
09/09/2023
BOUQUET OF VISCERA
By Bridget Nelson
"We interrupt this program to bring you some breaking news. I’m Damaris DeMarco. We, at WTOP, have some very disturbing information to share with you at this hour. During a routine press briefing this afternoon, the President of the United States reportedly attacked and killed a local reporter whose identity is still unknown. According to witnesses, the president leapt on top of the woman, ripping and tearing at her flesh with his teeth. The president is currently in the hospital undergoing a battery of tests. We have no answers at this time, but sources within the president’s inner circle have informed WTOP the president hasn’t been himself for the past two weeks. Although we can’t verify whether it’s related, we do know he met with Paul Olson at his Potomac home shortly before Dr. Olson and his wife, Nancy Baros, were found murdered."
An overzealous vigilante, who sees her victims’ auras, finds herself in a very uncomfortable situation. A young woman, injected with a microchip in a futuristic America, develops unusual and grisly cravings. Four high school graduates end up on the menu of a giant, mutant sea creature. Diary entries share shocking and disturbing confessions…but who is the author?
A Bouquet of Viscera is a short story collection from Bridgett Nelson which covers the entire gauntlet of horror and will leave you feeling like you witnessed a master at work doing what they were put on this earth to do.
These stories are so vivid and mesmerizing, I was fully entranced by each story as I tried to figure out what was coming next. Each story is a unique and original bloody and gory filled example of what an amazing writer Bridgett is and how she's a fresh voice that is needed in the indie extreme horror world. The way she's able to express the revenge and retribution of the MCs of each tale are top notch and I cannot wait to read more from her. My favorite stories from this collection were Aura, Political Suicide and Cooked! If you haven't already, please do yourself a favor and read this immediately!
5 out of 5
09/09/2023
THE VEIN
By Steph Nelson
"When Gran turned around, her eyes were huge and glowing silver. Veins lit up, pulsated throughout her body as her face stretched into a smile that didn't seem like Gran's at all, her hands clutched Syl's neck. Gran's mouth opened and she sucked the air out of the mine. Syl tried to scream, but could barely breathe."
It’s 1989 and failed detective, Syl Dixon, has returned to her childhood home in Pate, Idaho, to sell the old place she grew up in, back before her grandma mysteriously disappeared. But when the shriveled corpse of a local man is discovered inside the old silver mine the town was built around, Syl is unexpectedly asked to help investigate. She's reluctant, but something about the town has unnerved her from the start, and she can't help but feel that her grandma's disappearance is connected somehow. Once on the case, she learns that the mystery behind the man's death goes deeper than the old mine where his corpse was found, and involves an evil that has plagued the town for nearly a century.
Steph Nelson is a new to me author but will be one that I look forward to reading from here on out with every book she releases. The Vein is a mix of Horror and Crime fiction which happen to be two of my favorite things to read so I couldn't put this down. Told through multiple POVs over the course of many years The Vein does a great job of creating that creepy atmosphere where you have no idea what is causing so many disappearances while being 100% invested in figuring what darkness haunts this mining town. Also, just another book that never makes me want to go into the woods again, but at this point what else is new. I look forward to reading so much more from Steph, and I suggest you check this one out asap!
4.5 out of 5
09/02/2023
ALONG THE RIVER OF FLESH
By Kristopher Triana
“But Keith could see the panic in Gary, the way he fidgeted and couldn’t keep eye contact. “You two are trying to trick me,” Keith said, the heat encouraging him. “You want to steal the boat and leave me stranded.” “Keith, no. Listen—” But Keith was tired of listening to this conniving dipshit. Gary was a wimp and a snake, and now, not only was Keith’s patience tapped out, but his trust was too. He didn’t know what Gary was up to but knew it would be like a knife in the back if he allowed it to happen. Seething, Keith reached for his pistol.”
Along The River of Flesh is the Sequel to Gone to See The River Man. In this book, serial Killer Edmund Cox has escaped prison and heading home to see the River man. Det. Keith Drakeson is suspended for shooting a civilian but decides to go after him anyway. Along the way he meets Gary Chatmon a PI looking for a young woman who mostly is one of Edmunds victims. Together, they come across a runaway June Audrey who has her own reasons for wanting to find Edmund. The three head up the river to find Edmund as the body count rises and evil soon comes.
I absolutely hated the MC of GTSTRM which made me not enjoy the first book as much but was still a great book. This book however I absolutely loved from beginning to end. One thing I appreciated is the amount of Edmund we got in this book as we gained more insight into this sick and twisted monster. The dynamic between our three travelers looking for him added an extra layer of drama and suspense that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m probably in the minority on this because everyone absolutely loves the first book but for me ATROF is the superior book and delivers on everything I wanted. Triana is a force in the horror community and keeps getting better and better.
5/5
09/02/2023
KIN OF THE FALLEN
By Carver Pike
"Through the destroyed sliding glass door, Alex watched as blood cascaded from the blonde woman’s vaginal area, down the splintered wooden beam, and onto the dirty carpet. That wasn’t enough for the killer. As the woman thrashed and tried to remove herself from her spiked seat, Craw reached to the floor for the wire barbecue brush and grunted as he whipped it across her face, making sure the steel tines caught her nostrils and peeled back her nose in the process."
Kin of the Fallen is a Slasher first and foremost and I absolutely love slashers but then it has a motorcycle club. Not your outlaw 1%ers that roam the country, but these are good guys you actually want to root for. They go by the name "Kin of the Fallen" a name with significant meaning because every member of the club has had a loved one that was a victim of a serial killer. Now together their mission is to take down the lowlifes' and serial killers they come across.
I don't think I've ever read a slasher that was this long and honestly the length did make me worried, but I can say without any doubt that this book is worth every single page. The story line and character development alone showed me how impressive of a writer Carver is. Each character made me want to learn more about them and what brought them to the club. But this is a slasher so you gotta have the gore to match and this book delivers big time. The vivid imagery of what happens to everyone in this book will stick with me for a long time, I'm mad it took me this long to read it. For my slasher fans out there, this book is a must read and I can't wait to read more from Carver.
5/5
09/02/2023
CHILDREN OF CHICAGO
By Cynthia Pelayo
"Chicago was plagued with hundreds and hundreds of unsolved murders and missing persons cases. Lauren knew this was her purgatory, her reason for living to find them and set this right."
Children of Chicago is a horror retelling of the Pied Piper fairy tale set in modern day Chicago. As a Chicago native I love reading about stories set there and fully immerse myself in the story. Detective Lauren Medina sees the calling card of the Pied Piper at murder scene and is instantly thrown back to when her sister was found murdered under similar circumstances. However, Lauren must now decide if she is gonna up hold the law and protect her city or let the lies and secrets she's been keeping for years out that will destroy her life to stop a killer.
Let me start off by saying if you love a modern retelling done right, then this is the book for you. Cynthia did such an amazing job of mixing in the history of Chicago with the folklore of the Pied Piper and other fairytales from the Grimm brothers. This was the perfect blend of police procedural, suspense, horror and fairy tale and I can't praise it enough! I highly recommend this one to all of you and can't wait to read more from Cynthia!
5/5
08/26/2023
THE COLLECTORS: A COLLECTION OF EYES
By Karly R. Latham
"I remember this strange man standing across the counter from me. Looking into his pale blue eyes made the hair on the back of my neck stand up like an early warning system. He stared at me with an intensity I’d never encountered before. I had never had friends or family look at me like that, let alone a customer. The way he observed my every action felt like he was on the verge of starving, and I was a five-course meal. He gave off an air of delicious anticipation but with a menacing edge. He wasn’t just a man hoping to bed a woman, more like a wolf, licking his chops, with eyes gleaming in anticipation."
This book follows Penrose "Penny" Williams at a small town coffee shop by day and painted by night, but her life changed forever the moment a serial killer set his sights on her. Soon after, Penrose couldn’t turn a corner without running into the man determined to terrorize her. As Penrose finds herself in the killer’s clutches and the ghosts of his previous victims come to call, she quickly realizes that there may be more at play than just the delusions of a psychotic stalker.
I have read a lot of debuts from authors this year and I have been lucky enough to get a wide variety of content from each one. It's so refreshing to see people have unique stories to tell and this book is a perfect example of that. This is what someone would label as a paranormal thriller with some spice throw in for good measure. The MC was incredible as she deals with the trauma of her past to survive her present as she is at the mercy of a madman. Karly has a unique voice and her style of writing blends horror and thriller so well together that this book kept me fully enthralled in the story the whole time. This is book 1 of a three-book series and I cannot wait to continue this series!
4.5/5
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08/26/2023
WHERE DREAMS ARE ENTOMBED
By Chase Will
"It’s okay…it’s okay…it’s okay, his mind insisted as he slid to the ground. Don’t panic. It’s all going to be fine. You’re not dead. You’re not bleeding to death. You’re alive. His hand, though… Yes, your hand. It’s going to be fine. You’ll…you’ll find a way to play guitar still. Your dream didn’t just come screeching to a halt because of one pesky mugging gone wrong, did it? Did it? He sat there for a long moment, staring at his mutilated hand, smelling the smoke from his half-consumed car as the flames licked at the seats. He wondered how any of this could be real, how it could be happening to him of all people."
Where Dreams Are Entombed is about a man named Tommy who left his family to pursue his dream of hitting it big and becoming a famous musician in LA. He wants to not only provide for his new girlfriend Lita but but also to be a good father and be able to provide for his son. As time goes on, however it becomes very clear that his rock dreams of fame and fortune will not come true and he becomes desperate for money as he loses his job due to a viral altercation with a self help guru. When he's sent an invitation to become a collaborator at an experimental art gallery, he's offered a path toward financial security and personal fulfillment. But big dreams come at a high price...and the owner of the art gallery has her own plans for Tommy.
This once again is another debut from a up and coming author and yet another great outing. The writing is on point as the story parlayed out and kept me wanting more as we learned the type of artwork being done at this gallery. But the escalation of Tommy being put in a position to need money, and seeing just how far he would go to get it, is what really shines throughout this book. I highly recommend checking it out and look forward to more from this author!
4/5
08/26/2023
CROSSROADS
By Laurel Hightower
"But it was that love, the same love that gets you up and out the door to school as a teenager after spending all night on the phone with some boy. The love that gets you in the shower and to work after an all-night session with a new boyfriend. It was that high times a hundred, so even though it had damn near killed her back then, she’d done it."
How far would you go to bring back someone you love? When Chris's son dies in a tragic car crash, her world is devastated. The walls of grief close in on Chris's life until, one day, a small cut on her finger changes everything. A drop of blood falls from Chris's hand onto her son's roadside memorial and, later that night, Chris thinks she sees his ghost outside her window. Only, is it really her son's ghost, or is it something else-something evil? Soon Chris is playing a dangerous game with forces beyond her control in a bid to see her son, Trey, alive once again.
I don't know why I've been on a family trauma/grief horror kick this month but once again I have another great example of it. Laurel Hightower is becoming one of my favorite authors, period. Her writing is so well done and never with a wasted word thrown in. This story was highly unnerving as we watched a mother literally do anything and everything to see her son again, which is made all the more sad as she finds love with a new man who will do anything for her, but the grief just won't let her move on. I personally need to have a sit down with Laurel because this makes two books in a row from her that has left me saying wtf at the end. Highly, highly recommend this book to everyone! 5/5
08/19/2023
EX-BOOGEYMAN
By Kristopher Triana
“We’re completely re-imagining the legend of Nicky Hector,” Siricho said in an interview with Rue Morgue Magazine. “We’re going to make him scary again. In fact, I’m gonna make him scarier than ever. My Lunatic will top them all in that department.” John’s fists clenched. The young punk’s quote filled him with a toxic fury. The audacity to think he could outdo the originals! And who was this pipsqueak dipshit they’d cast as Nicky? John had never heard of him or the little bitch they expected to fill Lola’s role."
Jonathan Zain played one of the most infamous killers in franchise history for movies called Lunatic where he played Nicky Hector. However, Father Time is undefeated and now he's just a washed-up actor that relives the glory days as he does guest appearances for the movie franchise at horror conventions. After discovering the remake is being filmed at the same rafting center as the original, and his former “final girl” co-star Lola Lang is involved, Zain begins a descent into insanity. He slips into his old costume, sharpens his meat cleaver, and brings the Nicky Hector character back from the dead for one last bloodbath.
As a slasher fan this book checked all the boxes for me, the callbacks to slashers of the 80s never gets old and when done properly makes for a fun and bloody good ride. Triana's writing style has become one of my favorites and his attention to detail to naturally let the story progress while not sacrificing on gore is what makes him one of the best. If you're in need for an amazing slasher for this spooky season I highly recommend this one!
4.5/5
08/19/2023
THE SUMMER I DIED
By Ryan C. Thomas
"Who's hungry?" He asked. Butch barked. Skinny Man lunged, grabbed Tooth's dick, and sliced it off. Tooth screamed, the razors opening his cheeks back to his ears. His bowels let loose and evacuated all over the floor, piss spraying out like it was coming from a shower head."
When Roger Huntington comes home from college for the summer and is met by his best friend, Tooth, he knows they're going to have a good time. A summer full of beer, comic books, movies, laughs, and maybe even girls. The sun is high, and the sky is clear as Roger and Tooth set out to shoot beer cans at Bobcat Mountain. Just two friends catching up on lost time, two friends thinking about their futures, two friends--suddenly thrust in the middle of a nightmare. Forced to fight for their life against a sadistic killer.
I am extremely late to reading this one and honestly, I was a little afraid to as well because of all the praise and hype for this book but thankfully it was as amazing as everyone claimed it to be. Although you will never find my black ass out in the middle of nowhere shooting guns, I fully understand the situation our characters found themselves in and I loved the brutality of the killer. This is definitely a must read for all horror fans and I can't wait to read the other two books in the series to see how everything plays out!
4.5/5
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8/12/2023
DAMNED TO HELL
By Mike Salt
"The two of them sat there for a while, listening to the fire crack and pop. The night sky was brighter than it had been in years, the moon glowing with authority over the night sky. David leaned over to Jed and nudged his beer bottle against him. “Drink. Get drunk. Then... come find me.” Jed smiled. “Sure.” “I’m serious.” Jed’s smile slowly dimmed. “Alright?” David and Jed both stood. David leaned in again and said, “I need to ask you a question. It might seem strange, and believe me, it will be...” Jed hesitated. He had never seen David act so out of character. “Yeah, what’s up?” “What would you do to see your father again?”
Rob is a broken man whose life has spiraled out of control since the death of his son. No wife, no career and no real reason to continue living other than alcohol and the opportunity to honor his son on the day he died each year. That is until he's given the opportunity to see him again. But everything comes at price, and we soon found out how desperate Rob is to see his son again.
This is my first time reading any of Mike's books and I am so mad at myself. Michael Eugene Salt is a national treasure and must be protected at all costs because this book was a punch to the mouth with the vivid imagery and heartbreaking subject matter. The things Rob did throughout the book just kept getting worse and worse until he decided to make one final sacrifice. I cannot recommend this book enough and can't wait to read more from this author!
5/5 stars
08/12/2023
HER TEETH, LIKE WAVES
By Nikki R. Leigh
"As the orb zipped towards the entrance of the cave, the first diver was consumed. Ripped to shreds in a whirlpool of red and teeth and bubbles. The divers couldn't scream. Sand churned violently around the group of underwater cavers. They had no hope of seeing their hands in front of their faces. No way to check how many fingers remained, how many bloodied stumps they were left with."
Kat and her girlfriend Jules are on a mission to find Kats twin brother Mitch after he has gone radio silence for multiple days will out on a diving trip. When they arrive to the island, they learn he went to a new spot, a spot locals never go to because of mysterious disappearances and the local legend of an unknown predator in that part of the ocean. What unfolds is death and mayhem for all of those involved.
This was a very quick read that I finished in an hour, and I couldn't put it down because I had to know what was going to happen next. Once again triggering my fear of the deep ocean and never in life thinking about deep sea diving. This was a really great novella and I look forward to reading more from this author.
4/5 stars
STOLEN TONGUES
By Felix Blackwell
"I suppose that if you speak long enough into the void, someone is bound to start listening. With her eyes still closed, she looked right into my face, and said, “Tell the man in the hall…he needs to leave. Whatever it was that had found us at the cabin had followed us home."
High up on the windswept cliffs of Pale Peak, Faye and Felix celebrate their new engagement. But soon, a chorus of ghastly noises erupts from the nearby woods: the screams of animals, the cries of children, and the mad babble of a hundred mournful voices. A dark figure looms near the windows in the dead of night, whispering to Faye. As the weather turns deadly, Felix discovers that his terrified fiancée isn’t just mumbling in her sleep – she’s whispering back.
This book has made a lot of rounds in the horror community, and I am late to the party but nonetheless I have finally read and have very mixed thoughts. The first 50% of this book I absolutely loved. Felix has an amazing writing style and was able to create an atmosphere of dread and creepiness like I've never experienced before. However, as the book went on it felt very dragged out to me with a lot of unnecessary information that didn't push the story forward. Lastly, I wasn't a fan of the ending at all, and that took away from what was an incredible book. This is only my opinion and I know plenty of people that loved it and gave it 5 stars. It just fell flat in areas for me.
3/5 stars
DOLLS
By Eve L. Fell
"We all stop dead in our tracks and look around and we don’t see anything. There’s one girl who’s in the very front and she’s past the wall about to make her way down the next hallway. Out of nowhere we all hear a fast wind like sound along with a mechanical whirring and the girl standing out in the next hall screams but it only lasts for a second. Total silence falls over the group. The girl who is in the next hall shakes and her body shivers. Suddenly terror washes over the group as her body slides to the floor in five separate parts. As the different parts of her body hit the ground, blood pools around the pile of her cut up remains. This is when most of the group starts screaming, crying and puking."
Sarah and Lindsay are best friends and couldn't be more different. An odd couple but would do anything for each other. On a night out, they are drugged and awaken in life sized doll boxes with makeup, new clothes and their hair in pigtails, looking exactly like dolls. There are other women who have been taken with them and they learn that a psychopath who calls himself Cutthroat is going to make them go through his maze of death in order to survive the night.
Eve Louise Fell is a menace to society and we should lock her up and throw away the key. I've had the pleasure of reading some amazing debut novellas from some talented authors this year and this is another one to add to the list. A true fight for survival while also only caring about yourself and your best friend who you are secretly in love with, I connected so much with Sarah and would've made all the same decisions she did throughout this bad boy even the final two big decisions. This book is brutal, bloody, and unforgiving, and as a splatterpunk fan I loved every minute of it. Eve has solidified herself as one of my new favorite authors and I can't wait to read every single book she comes out with!
5/5 stars
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08/05/2023
Ghostland
By Duncan Ralston
"Immediately the man burst into flames. Garrote laughed, the firelight giving his features a demonic look while the man in the chair screamed, his entire body engulfed by the blaze. Garrote's cardigan burned off the man's torso and the flesh began to peel off his bones."
Ben and Lilian are best friends and outcasts that love gaming and anything spooky. One day they notice an entire house being transported into their little town heading for the piece of land that is supposedly to become a new amusement park. A haunted amusement park with real ghosts and the house belongs to Rex Garrote, our version of Stephen King but much darker who killed himself in the house and wanted his legacy to be this amusement park. Ben sees something in that house and is literally scared to death.
Jump forward 4 years and it is time for the amusement park to open and Ben did survive his near death experience and is determined to burn that house to the ground. However Ghostland isn't quite what it seems and things go very bad very fast for the patrons of the park on opening day.
This book was more than what I was expecting in every single way and shows just how masterful of a storyteller Duncan is. The amusement park alone makes for a suspenseful and frightening book, but the complex relationships been the characters just adds to the dealing the situation. I was not expecting this to be such a gory book, but I loved the violence inflicted on the humans of the book by the ghost.
This is a must read for anyone that wants a bloody wild ride!
4.5/5 stars
08/05/2023
BLUEJAY
By Megan Stockton
"The happy dream sequence was shattered too quickly. Phil was dragging half of his body inside, struggling to close the door behind him with his one arm. His intestines left a bloody streak on the floor, squeaking as he dragged himself to the foot of the bed. He smiled, reaching forward to offer Noah a bouquet of gore and eyeballs. They rolled and glared at him. Jack was strapped to the wall, naked, bleeding. He didn’t respond to them. Phil opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was the cacophony of snarling dogs and Phil’s own dying screams. Phil’s jaw dropped unrealistically, unhinging and bobbing like the mouth of a ventriloquist’s dummy as the noise droned on and on."
Noah is an internet troll/keyboard warrior that loves the sick and disturbing side of life and talks with fellow likeminded people on a message board about the same things. After he humiliates a fellow troll and is given access to his account, he finds an invitation to an inclusive club to experience the extreme side of human nature that you can't get anywhere else. With his best friends Phil and Jack in tow they embark on a night they will never forget or survive.
Megan Stockton has solidified herself as one of my favorite authors, period, and Bluejay is her bloodiest and goriest book to date. Her writing style is unmatched and her way of making a reader 100% invested in the story and characters is unmatched. This book is fucked up in the best way possible and I never wanted to end.
Check your triggers before reading this one because there are some themes that I know some people can't do but I love this one so much and will sing its praises until the end of time!
5/5 stars
08/05/2023
JASPER AND THE APPALACHIAN ZOMBIES
By Jason Nickey
"The tweaker had Jasper by the throat and was trying to bite his face off with his jagged brown teeth. I went to aim the rifle but was afraid to aim for the head. My aim still wasn’t the best, and I didn’t want to risk accidentally shooting Jasper. “Shoot the fucker!” Jasper managed to get out, though it sounded like a gurgle. His face was turning red. I pointed the rifle further back and pulled the trigger.”
Trent buys a small house in Rural West Virginia after growing tired of the hustle and bustle of live in DC. His new next-door neighbor is an old man by the name of Jasper. They form the unlikeliest of bonds and become best friends and even have a father/son relationship. One day a group of tweakers roll into their land and attack. What follows is one of the craziest and most hilarious stories I have read in a very long time and this book is exactly the mix of comedy and gore I needed in my life. Appalachian zombies, crazy cults and old man with a third leg.
This novella won't disappoint at all!
5/5 stars.
07/29/2023
THE HEADLESS BOY
By Kelli Owen
Reeling from the loss of a child, Maggie finds her job at the local daycare unbearable and errands around town impossible. She knows every child, every single parent, and they're all reminders of what she's lost. Unable to heal, she sinks further into the grip of grief and depression.
Jake is a good guy, a great husband, and wants only the best for his broken wife. Therapy and medications aren't helping, and a change of scenery makes perfect sense. A new home. A fresh start. He is nothing but patient, giving Maggie the space and emotional support needed to move on. They get a fresh start at a new home hoping that this will lead them on the road to recovery but as Jake sees his wife getting better, he realizes they aren’t alone in the house.
Grief horror is becoming one of my favorite sub genres and this book is yet another example of why I enjoy them so much. As a parent myself I immediately put myself into the position of these characters to truly feel the grief and depression but on top of that the entity in this book is what really pushed it over the top for me. This book gave me goosebumps and freaked me out in the best way possible. If you can handle the themes in this book, I highly recommend it!
4/5 stars
07/29/2023
ABNORMAL STATISTICS
By Max Booth, III
“There are always concerns. Eating holes in your stomach. Scrambling your brain. Making your skin itch and itch and itch. Sometimes it feels like too much for a kid your age to handle. Sometimes it feels like too much for anybody of any age to handle. Sometimes it feels like this is all there is. All there will ever be.“
Suburban decay, familial horror, bleak lullabies. Bad Times are waiting for you. This short story collection from Max encompasses fear, anxiety, grief and dread from his perspective growing up in Gary, IN. Being from Chicago and visiting Gary many times I was able to connect with this book on a different level which I can appreciate as a reader so much. These collections of stories unsettling to say the less but gives up a horrific twist on life in America when the American dream isn’t available to all of us. The Familial horror in this collection is what shines the most in my opinion and at times is the scariest thing you can read especially for anyone that has gone through the things our characters go through in this collection.
The standouts are the novella “Indiana Death Song,” which follows a homeless teenager who discovers that he can experience the lives of dead people by sucking on their teeth, and closing with “List of Familicides in the United States (By Decade),” which calls back to that first piece in the form of a Wikipedia article chronicling its fallout. Booth creates fever dreams that weave the chillingly impossible with the all-too-probable, as in “You Are My Neighbor,” in which a devout Christian family hides a terrible secret in their basement, and “Fish,” about a teenager who agrees to far more than he realizes in a bargain to lose his virginity. I highly recommend this collection if you’re looking for something out of your norm.
4.5/5 stars
07/29/2023
THE ANOMALY GOD
By Henk Wester
This is a short story I discovered on Godless.com that follows a group of teenagers that stumble upon a cult performing a ritual in the woods. When they are discovered a fight for survival begins and what one of the is willing to do to survive the night will test his own sanity.
I went into this story completely blind and I enjoyed it very much, the unique circumstances going on in the world of this story give the cult a very bizarre ideology but made for a very fun read. It’s definitely worth the short read for a wild ride!
4/5 stars
07/29/2023
A PATH THROUGH THE FOREST
ALISHA GALVAN
“Hopefully this next one was a spirit in purgatory or one lost, roaming the earth still. The others were always so loud and mean. She had noticed that she was getting more and more of them lately. And who wants to hear that their loved one is in hell? What can you do but lie?"
A Path Through The Forest is a collection of horror short stories that gives us a glimpse into the mind of Author Alisha Galvan as she shocks, thrills and scares us with so pretty amazing and disturbing stories that cross so many sub genres of horror.
Some of the standout stories are:
"I Miss You, and Other Words"
"The Best He Could Give"
"Emergency Services "
"How It Ended For Jasper Malyhe"
"A Good Deed"
"Love, Ann"
Alisha is a good friend I made through Booktok and when she released this book I was so excited to read it! She has a very distinct writing style that creates well written and creative stories that will appeal to readers so much. If you're looking for a good collection of short stories I highly recommend this one!
4/5 STARS
07/22/2023
LINGHUN
By AI Jiang
"Back outside, a man leans against the large SOLD sign stuck into the grass. Below it is the neighborhood's name in a smaller bold font: HOME--Homecoming Of Missing Entities. It sounds like a joke, but nothing about this place feels worthy of laughter."
Linghun follows the story of Wenqi, who with her mother and father, have moved to a neighborhood known as HOME. This is a very unique neighborhood because all the houses in the neighborhood are haunted and once you move in and fill the house with your belongings the loved one who you wish to see again eventually shows up to the family as they were when they died.
As not to give to much more away about what happens in this novella, I want to just say this book had me hooked from the very beginning and once I finished, I just wanted more! The author did such a great job of storytelling while also showing how bleak and heartbreaking things are for people who are hoping to live in this neighborhood and seeing their loved ones again. Such an interesting concept for a book and it was executed perfectly in my opinion.
I highly recommend this one to all of you and I am now a huge fan of Ai and look forward to reading more of her books!
5/5 stars
07/22/2023
UNFORGIVING
By Asia Brito Guerrero
“Robin’s face ached from the memory of when she was 7 years old, the first time her mother cracked a shovel against it. The grin on her mother’s face was just as menacing. Robin knew her nightmare had been true and was, once again, a reality.”
Sometimes we read a book and by the end of it we are geeked with joy, excitement and sometimes appreciation for the hard-fought victory and survival the MC of a book was able to go through. If that’s the kind of book you are looking to read, then this is the book for you. You will leave feeling repulsed, angry, sad and any other adjective you can think of for the dread that your heart and soul will experience reading this novella. I loved it.
Unforgiving follows Robin, a young woman whose mother suddenly went missing one day when she was a child after experiencing a stillborn delivery of her baby brother. Robins life was filled with alcohol and bad decisions until she’s given an ultimatum by her father to turn things around. Now in a new relationship and one year sober the only thing Robin wants to come to terms with is the disappearance of her Mother. But unfortunately seeking closure sometimes is the last thing you need, and this book is a perfect example of that. The last 50 pages of this novella was twist and turn nonstop and ends in such fucked up fashion that only horror can do best. This is the debut Novella from Asia and I am hyped to read more from her!
5/5 stars.
07/22/2023
DEVIL'S TRACK
BY JULIE HINER
“Flashes of the sacrifice Dami had made pulsed in her mind. The smell of broiling flesh stuck in her nostrils. The glow of the red-hot symbol of Satan burned through her thoughts. Dami had talked, night after night, about sacrificing an evil human, making Viviana’s ears bleed with fear. Viviana didn’t know how much more she could take. Until Dami finally did it. Viviana had stood and watched.”
Forget Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll. I will now only be acknowledging Metal, Murder and Mayhem. Plus, witchcraft and ritual sacrifice doesn’t hurt either! I went in completely blind to this book and I must say that is the way to go because reading this book was an experience like no other and everyone must take a listen to the Devil’s Track.
10 years after the murder of her father, who himself was tracking a serial Killer, homicide detective Stella Mahoney is now working on a high-profile case and hopes to live up to the legacy her father started. Dead bodies are showing up burned and branded with the symbol of Satan which leads our detective to the Devil’s Track, an album filled with satanic chanting that keep a hypnotic hold on whoever listens. Witchcraft is immediately thought to be involved and with the stakes so High Stella who usually works alone is given a new partner to help in the investigation.
The only slight problem I had with the book was the chapters dedicated to the two antagonists Val and Damaris because it did feel like it slowed the pacing down but that’s just my opinion and you may feel differently but at the end of the day this book was amazing, and I could not put it down!
4/5 stars
07/08/2023
THE WARRIOR RETREAT
By John Lynch
"The concussive force of the explosion turned Ray's world black, rendering him unconscious. After a short time, his mind clawed its way out of the abyss and back to reality.
Confused, he did not know where he was, but before long the reality of the situation set in. He checked himself, for injuries. Blood soaked the right leg of his trousers and his hand, grazed a piece of Shrapnel sticking out of his thigh."
The Warrior Retreat follows a group of Marines on assignment in Iraq as their unit is hit with an IED and then ambushed by the enemy taking heavy fire. Great loss and injuries are sustained, and we follow their journeys as they readjust some more poorly than others to civilian life back in the states. Simpson has taken it upon himself to set up a retreat to bring them all back together and help his brothers heal and work through their PTSD as best as he can, however as we find out one of the men is too far gone and it becomes brutally clear at the retreat.
Going into this book I was not expecting the thorough examination of the marines' lives post combat but learn that John himself served it makes perfect sense. While I would've loved that this book was about 30 pages longer to really play out the events at the retreat, I do love the attention to detail he gave the story setting up the lives of these men and showing us just how much PTSD affects their lives and that in the end sometimes no matter what we do the mind is fragile and can't always be healed.
I highly recommend this book but if you are triggered by war stories, over the top vulgar language and extreme brutality then you might want to skip this one but if you can handle all that this is a must read and tied for for my book of the year so far!
5/5
07/08/2023
A WHISPER IN THE DARK
By Guy Quintero
"Well, during the Antediluvian Period, the Nephilim were the children of fallen angels and mortal women. They were born giants, but because they didn’t have the nephesh from God after their mortal bodies perished, they couldn’t ascend to heaven. Their spirits remained trapped in the lower etheric layers. They became the demons that we know and love today. Oh, and they’re responsible for most of the wonderful monsters we hunt now in the present. They created them in labs. It’s all in the Book of Enoch, which was one of the dozens of books removed by the church after the enemy infiltrated it. They didn’t want the public knowing the truth about what’s going on. My guess is they tapered down the bible just enough to keep us blind, without incurring God’s wrath.”
A Whisper in the Dark is the first book in a series that follows the Unholy Slaying Agency. The are a secret government agency whose main priority is to investigate and eradicate all hostile threats from supernatural entities! In this book we follow Ghost team that investigates a unknown and powerful energy disturbance in Los Angeles where they discover that a Voodoo Priest has teamed up with demons to help bring a demon Prince into our world by any means necessary.
This book was an action-packed thrill ride that was the perfect mix of horror, thriller, military fiction and comedy. I loved the banter between the members of the team that kept things fresh as we were constantly throw for a loop by homicidal asylum patients and staff possessed by demons to religious zealots that live underground. If you're looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry and keep you on edge the whole time I highly suggest this book and can't wait to start the second book in the series!!!
4.5/5 ⭐️
07/08/2023
THE SUFFERING
BY MJ MARS
“All we know of how the events unfolded that night comes from Lucius himself, the only person to escape the house. Grant, along with his seven-year-old son, their maid, Lucius’s beloved cousin, Jenna, and two of Grant’s friends, perished at the hands of the ghosts that were released in the séance. Lucius managed to use his powers to vanquish the spirits, banishing them within the walls of the house. This house.”
I am a believer in the occult and love all things spooky and scary. I’ll stay at A supposedly haunted hotel or go through haunted tours in New Orleans (which I’ve done multiple times) and go to cemeteries at night when it’s nice and spooky but a seance and using a ouija board is where I draw the line. Some of you all are out of your fucking minds and I will never understand you. Who brings the demonic forces into their life willingly, like don’t you want to sleep peacefully at night in your own homes. Well boys and girls, this here book is about a dumbass group of friends that decided to fuck around and find out. My black ass could never, lmao!
Kyle and his friends at university live in the Brackenby House which was the site of the infamous Victorian suffering. Their house supposedly is haunted by 5 ghosts that died that fateful night and after their stupid decision to hold a seance, they learn just how true the legend and haunting is. However, things do not go as you might think.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book despite the absolute dumb decision they made but nonetheless I highly recommend this book if you are in need of a good book about ghost and hauntings!
4/5 ⭐
07/08/2023
THE FILM STUDENTS CABIN
By Daniel Bayer
“He walked over to the table once more, picking up the other half of the sheet and dropping it on the ground. Jill, so far into her own head, could not register the danger she was now in as he picked up a cat o’ nine tales, spinning it beside him to test the balance. He gracefully walked over, striking it in the air a few times before hitting her in the back. She was shocked out of her trance, screaming in agony as the metal hooks attached to the nine leather lashes, dug in, catching into her back and ripping the skin as they were pulled out."
In today’s episode of “it be ya' own friends” we have a nice short, twisted tale Godless that reminded me a lot of the movie Hostel in a way. The prologue starts with a death scene of a young woman that just happens to be getting filmed for a snuff film. Then it’s revealed that the film was shown as a final project for in film class, obviously no one knows it’s a real snuff film, but the teacher is a little unnerved by the brutality of it. Our cast of characters are film students in film school on their way to a weekend getaway at a cabin in the woods. And then all hell breaks loose as they are killed one by one by strange, masked killers in the woods with them.
This is a good old-fashioned slasher with a twist at the end as to who and why these killings are taking place. As you all know slashers are my bread and butter and while this isn’t groundbreaking in any way it is still a very enjoyable read and will make you question going on the weekend away with friends to a remote cabin. At the end of the day isn’t that what we want a book to do?
3.5/5 ⭐
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07/01/2023
UNMASKED
By Candace Nola
"Broken and damaged, recognizing their own, they exhale, they tremble, no longer alone.
Holding on to hopes quite dark, too damaged to make it, too burned by their spark.
Soul mates bound by eternity's mark yet destined for a life apart."
I don't read poetry collections that often, even though I have written some myself, and understand the therapeutic sensation you get from letting all that suffering and pain out. However, I am absolutely glad I took the time to read this collection. Unmasked is a journey through the mind of Candace from her teen years into adulthood and now gives us a look behind the veil or mask as the title would suggest.
There is raw emotion and pain in each line and each word that will invoke some type of feeling out of you whether you yourself have gone through such struggles or know someone that has. The vulnerability displayed in this book is unlike anything I've seen before and captures the author at a snapshots of her life and dealing with it through words as only she can.
Grief, love and pain are the words that stick out to me the most reading this and each poem has a little bit of all 3. I highly suggest you take a chance and read something out of your comfort zone from an amazing author!
5/5️
07/01/2023
HYDE COVE
by Joseph Pesavento
"Good Evening, people of Hyde Cove" Brother Sight said, "are you all enjoying your evening?" We're certainly about to. Tonight is a very special night for all of us. "First, let's all congratulate Officer Noah on his promotion again." He leaned toward the camera. "That's right. We can see and hear all of you."
"We're going to keep this short and sweet," Brother Berserk informed them. "We're here to bring back the Kirk name and reclaim Hyde Cove. You imprisoned our father and murdered our brother. We deserve retribution!"
There's tales of revenge and then there's Hyde Cove tales of revenge and let me tell you this revenge tale is everything you could ever ask for. The peaceful small town is gearing up for their annual fair unaware that danger is lurking in the shadows. Three brothers dead set on inflicting as much pain and death on the people of their hometown for how their family has been villainized even if they brought it upon themselves. As the body count rises and the way these brothers torture the residents of the town without remorse we get to the climax where all will be revealed.
This is my first read by Joseph and certainly won't be my last. He had a voice that is suited for horror and fits like a glove intent on causing as much death and destruction as his characters. I literally could not put this book down and had to message him to say WTF because the things the poor inhabitants of Hyde Cove went through are horrific in the best way possible. I definitely have another new favorite author and highly suggest you all add this one to your summer read list!
4.5/5 ⭐️
07/01/2023
GREY NOISE
By Marcus Hawke
"His vision, kaleidoscope and ringed with churning pinwheels. Toxic flowers offered up to him, courting his destructive lust. Skewed forward. Narrowing to points. Strobing. Honing in on what they sought.
Evan, or whoever--whatever--he was now appeared in the doorway. As he wound back with the crowbar and pivoted forward into the room, he let loose a savage yell, crackling with the dirty connection of an industrial speaker."
Have you ever felt so alone, so lost within yourself that you feel like nothing can ever go right? I'm sure that's something a lot of people can relate to. Our main character Evan sure can, as he waits for the grand opening of his VHS store Rewind Video, he goes through all the emotions of self-doubt, worthlessness, failed love and a failed life. However, he happens to find an old school tube television in perfect condition just sitting on the curb. It's like fate has smiled upon him, it'll be that perfect missing piece for the new story. However, some things are way to good to be true and this television will send him down a trail of despair and torture unlike he's ever known before. The Grey Noise has you now.
Marcus has an incredible writing style that just leaves you wanting to crawl into his brain and setup camp there. This book made me very uncomfortable and gave me a first-class seat into this man's descent into madness as only Marcus knows how. It's not full of jump scars but the despair and hopelessness the MC experiences is what is truly frightening. Marcus also writes of his own fears and what he's afraid of in the afterthought section of this story which makes me love this book even more and really puts me into his thoughts while he wrote it. You all must read this book or else the grey noise may come for you.............
Kshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....
5/5⭐️
06/24/2023
THEY WANT US GONE
By Judith Sonnet
“The leader of The Saints is hosting a livestream, taking credit—even gloating—over the attack, which has now killed hundreds if not thousands of American people—” It was a whirlwind. Fire, blood, decimated bodies riddled with gaping wounds, lost limbs squirming on the ground in search of their missing hosts. Renaldo felt his eyes haze with tears and his teeth chatter. “They want us… gone,” Steven said.
In honor of Pride Month, I moved this short story collection from one of my favorite authors to the top of my TBR. If there's only one book you read based off my reviews and recommendations, please let it be this one. Judith put together a collection of stories about death, destruction, revenge, despair and the overall tragic nature of what it's like being a member of the LGBTQ+ community in America.
What I found especially unique about this book was the meta-aspect as she placed herself inside the book to talk about her raw emotions of what it was like writing these stories and what they represented while also talking about the daily struggle she goes through being a trans woman and everything that entails. Every story in this is phenomenal and I highly suggest if you haven't read it already, you do immediately!
5/5 ⭐
06/24/2023
SLEEPING AMONG WOLVES
By Robert Poff
“He slammed the brakes. Either side of the street was littered with corpses strung up in crucifixion, at least a dozen, various sizes and ages, hanging limply in the wind as their chest cavities showed through, picked clean by vultures. A family of birds was nesting within the head of one that appeared to be a young boy.”
It is very rare to find a book under 100 pages that has the ability to leave me feeling disgusted, excited and in awe but that’s exactly what Robert was able to do with Sleeping Wolves Among us. I had never heard of this book until a great friend of mine Kiera included it in one of her videos of 5 star reads so I was immediately intrigued. Upon finishing it I was not disappointed whatsoever.
This book follows Atlas and Moose, a gay couple in love and trying to survive in a world where everything has turned to shit and surviving for each other. When Atlas is infected by the disease that has collapsed society as we know it he will do anything to help safe Moose and get him to the Safe Zone before he inevitably is taken over by this infection.
At its core this is a beautiful love story that ask the question how far would you go for the person you love, are you willing to kill to make sure they are safe? I cannot recommend this book enough and I am so looking forward to read more from Robert!
5/5 ⭐
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06/17/2023
MASTADON
By Steve Stred
"It's Something we don't take lightly," Constable Ron, Carson said, "but the reality is we just don't have the finances or the manpower to continue doing full scale searches. A week in the wild I survivable, especially by someone with Sandra's skills. We'll keep our eyes open for any signs and have been in touch with local conservation officers so that they will contact us at the first indication of Sandra's whereabouts. If you are out hiking and notice anything, anything at all, please don't hesitate to contact us. Sometimes the smallest clue is all that is needed to break a case wide-open."
Mastadon is a creature feature unlike one I've ever read before, Steve was able to deliver a fast-paced survival story and rescue mission packed into a concise and smooth read that I would've devoured in one day had I not been reading it as a group read.
On June 1st, 1990, Neil and Sandra Barton were hiking near Ogre Peak and Amiskwi Peak when Sandra mysteriously disappeared. 17 years later Neil's plane crashed over that same spot on the same day. Tyler, the couple's son, decides to take it upon himself to figure out what really happened because in his heart he knows his father is still alive. He goes on a quest to bring home no matter what!
This was my first read from Steve Stred and won't be my last, the creatures he created in this book were so well written that I could see them clearly in my mind. So looking forward to what he brings us next!
4.5/5 ⭐
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THE SHERIFF OF SALEM
By Aaron Lebold
The Sheriff of Salem by Aaron Lebold
“Time had no meaning, but it seemed to be crawling. He couldn’t be sure how long he lay there. Once again, he closed his eyes as tightly as he could. When he eventually opened them, he saw Giles Corey backing away from him slowly. He looked to his left and saw Patrick’s severed head. He was back in present-day Salem. The apparition stared at him, blank-faced yet somehow smirking. Seamus could feel rage building in him. He narrowed his eyes and glared at his ghostly visitor. “More weight.”
If you want a story about a good man who is a good cop that becomes sheriff of an infamous town to bring peace and justice to it then this is definitely not the book for you because this story is full of murder, trauma and bad things happening to good people. So obviously I loved it.
Salem, MA is has been cursed by the spirit of a man named Giles Corey who was pressed to death by sheriff at the time during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. He placed a curse that if the town has a sheriff that person will survive great loss. Insert Seamus Vorbex who has accepted the role of the new Sheriff of Salem and moved there with his wife and kids. What follows is a string of freak accidents, murder and unimaginable heartbreak as Seamus’ life completely falls apart and just goes to show that some curses are very real.
This book was very well written and a prime of example if it can go wrong it will go wrong and happens in the most unfortunate ways, there is the death of multiple children in this story so if you have a problem with that you may want to skip otherwise buckle up for a wild ride through the streets of Salem!
4/5️
06/10/2023
THE FIRE ON MEMORY LANE
By Felix I. D. Dimaro
"Saw it all, heard it all, from start to finish inside of every home in Memory Lane. And, as he watched, his grief-racked body struggling to walk along, The Pitchman's voice filled his ears. It boomed over that same loudspeaker, and from right beside him. That tinny up-tempo voice no longer sounded so soothing. No longer was reminiscent of a calming touch. As the two stood in the middle of the infinitely long road that was Memory Lane, the same identical house burning for endless miles in all directions, to Connor, The Pitchman said,
"What if you could experience it all again? What if you could relive a certain time in your life forever...."
This is first book I've read from Felix and I'm honestly glad it was because this book is an amazing example of the kind of storytelling and vivid imagery that I love in a book. We follow Connor who is a broken man that has lost everything he loves and on the brink of committing suicide when a commercial for a mysterious product comes on that promises to allow him to relive the best moments of his life. With nothing to live for he chooses to accept it and take a trip down memory lane, but nothing this good can be had without consequences...
If you are a looking for a book that takes you into a world of despair and depression, then this is something you absolutely must read. The characters made me feel like I was a fly on the wall watching a true story play out while feeling absolutely wrecked by the sad life and poor decisions Conner made throughout his life leading up to the ultimate tragedy that caused him to lose everything. I highly recommend this one and can't wait to read more from this author.
5/5
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06/10/2023
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF TOM NERO
By T.J Price
I went into this book completely blind which I highly recommend for anyone that's planning on reading this book and for that reason I won't be telling you what it's about at all. I will however screb you that this book was a complete mindfuck and left me feeling confused, exhausted, excited, reinvigorated, screbbed, and wanting more. Honestly all those adjectives are just the tip of the screb, I could go on and on about this book. You're given breadcrumbs to figure out what is going and why these disappearances are happening, it truly feels like watch a found footage movie play out and those are my favorite type of horror screbs so that just made me love this even more.
I highly screb all of you read this screb and go into it with an open screb and prepare yourself for a wild ride.
If you're screbbing why I keep saying screb then you better screb this book and screb out. Just fair warning once the screb has taken hold you make never be seen again.......
4/5 ⭐
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06/10/2023
BUNKER DOGS
By Gage Greenwood
“Do you feel the way the dirt sifts through your fingers? This is knowledge, slowly filling your brain. The more you let in, the more you know, and the more you can see the stones and gems hidden within. But do you see that mound of dirt? That’s all you’ve yet to learn. Dumb people will glance at the mound of dirt and think they know it all. But the smart ones will keep sifting, knowing they’ll never understand it. Complacency is weakness, Cassiopeia.”
Every once in a while, a book comes along and leaves you feeling speechless, Bunker Dogs is that book for me. Anyone who knows me know I am a Gage Greenwood Stan and worship at the altar of Kevin Bacon (iykyk) so I went into this book not knowing what it was actually about but expecting it be a phenomenal read. Well, let me tell ya' boy was i right because it should be criminal for how incredible this book was, so let me paint a picture for you about a girl name Cassie...
Bunker Dogs follows the story of Cassie a young woman with a very troubled family life that has endured many tragedies. She's asked if she can babysit for a family she used to sit for in the past and agrees however this particular night is literally the end of the world as the country is invaded and bombed by nukes. In the chaos of trying to survive she and the boy make their way to a bunker the boys dad has in the rot backyard and what they hope because their salvation ends of being just another fight for survival due to the "dogs" that are being kept in there.
Gage is one of the best voices in indie horror and if you've never read any of his books you are doing yourself great harm and should cut that shit out because his storytelling ability is top notch, and his imagination knows no bounds. The things he pulled off in this book are amazing and that ending left me pissed off because I need the next book right now. I'm literally holding Gage hostage in my closet right now as he writes it because I will not tolerate being left like this, so yeah go buy and read this book immediately. Kevin Bacon smiles upon you
10/5
06/03/2023
BAD VIBRATIONS
By Lucy Leitner
What if I told you that the newest health and wellness trend you see on IG and Tik Tok is really a master plan for Vampires to brainwash the youth of America to live in a hippie commune and drink blood and have endless sex with everyone including minors!?!?!?!? 😱😨😳
Ok so this book doesn't have vampires whatsoever but we do have a bunch of people that drink each other's blood to receive the high vibrations and energy to live a clean and healthy life so they won't be compromised by the diseases of the world.
Bad Vibrations is the first book I have read by Lucy and absolutely won't be the last. She created one of the most unique stories I've read this year that takes a dark Satirical and thought-provoking look at the influence social media and health lifestyles have on people while merging it with a Manson Family style dynamic that makes for one bloody and hilarious wild ride.
You are doing yourself a huge disservice if you haven't read this book yet. Lucy is a force in the indie horror world and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!
5/5 stars
06/03/2023
STRANGE LITTLE GHOULS
By Wendy Dalrymple
“Trust me, what I did to the woman that was supposed to have my job was a mercy compared to what I’m about to do to you. I always did envy your perfectly straight white teeth. Maybe I’ll take those first.”
Strange Little Ghouls is a collection of short stories by my good friend Wendy that covers many aspects of what made me love horror in the first place. Whether it's a creepy creature feature or homicidal obsession stories to the downright strange and bizarre there's something here for everyone. It also has a Foreword by Caitlin so you know it's amazing and also my new mission in life to have Wendy and Caitlin write a foreword one of my short story collections 😆
My favorite stories from the collection are:
I'm Turning into You
Diana Davidson Wins First Place
No Vacancy at the Flamingo Motel
Sunset Village
Babe
I highly suggest you all go out and support an amazing Indie Author because she's an amazing writer but more importantly an amazing person!
5/5 stars.
06/03/2023
THE BUNKER
By C.D. Kester
"A beautiful scripture, isn't it Madison? You see, today is the day that my lovely daughters will be able to do the most glorious thing that one can for the Lord. They will lay down their very lives to glorify his name. You will have new heavenly bodies, gone will be the sins and vices of the flesh. You girls will be awaiting your Mother in paradise, where the streets are paved with gold. Far, far away from all of the evil of this forsaken world." Her voice was soothing even though not a word she said had the same effect.
I've said it once and I'll say it again, Religious zealots are truly the worst things that ever existed and this book just goes to show how true that statement is. We follow Madison who with six sisters live with their mother in a bunker underground cut off from the outside world and never have set foot outside. Abigail, Madison's sister discovers something that proves that the lives they are living aren't as they seem but then disappears so Madison jumps into action to find out what is going on. What we discover can only be explained as the worst small town in America where virgin sacrifices is a way of life and it's finally time for those who have orchestrated these heinous acts finally get the bloody justice they deserve!
C. D. is an amazing writer and this story was so well crafted and keep me fully engaged from beginning to end. More than anything I love the badass girls in this book who jump right into action don't hesitate to kill anyone that gets in their way or threatens their sisters. This is an absolute must read as far as I'm concerned and being under 100 pages will be a quick read for all the horror lovers out there.
4.5/5 stars
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