I had the amazing honor of interviewing the author of my #1 book of 2026, Disco Barrington. Check out their answers below and then go snag the book that will be living rent free in your head for long time to come. Christina Pfeiffer: First and foremost, where did the idea for the novella begin and how did you decide the setup/formatting? Disco Barrington: In April 2025, I was sitting in an airport when I got the news that the UK Supreme court had ruled that the definition o

Title: LOOK ALIVE Directed by: Amanda Prescott Country: US Run Time: 3 mins Synopsis: Moral of this film - just don’t do dishes. It invites evil into your life. Favorite line: N/A (no dialogue) Thoughts: The lack of backstory and context adds SO much to the three minutes. It feels longer and that it will never end but in a creepy, scary, spooky kinda way. Very minimalistic, no dialogue, and the suspense between the two characters… killer. Also, it seems she has a ru

Title: THE PROTOCOL Directed by: John Rizzo Country: US Run Time: 8 mins Synopsis: … when a plan doesn’t go the way one thought. Favorite line: “You saved me, now I’m going to save you.” Thoughts: For eight minutes, Rizzo decides to just make the viewer feel every emotion possible. Confusion? Yes. Hope? Yes. Anger? Oh, yeah. Fear? Sure. But he also forces the viewer to ask questions - Would I do the same thing the female main character did? Was the release worth the

Title: PSYCHO SLASHER Directed by: Ted Hogeman Country: US Run Time: 5 mins Synopsis: Killers are gonna kill, am I right? Favorite line: “Claiming souls is my game and I’m on fire.” Thoughts: Imagine IN A VIOLENT NATURE but make it funny and add a sprinkle of Dexter. Bloody and girl power fueled, the viewer is along for the ride of insanity and let me tell you, it’s a ride. Actor to watch for: Psycho slasher - Kristen Hopkins Title: MEGA BALL Directed by: Max August

Title: HEIRLOOMS Directed by: Dan Ambramovici Country: US Run Time: 13 mins. Synopsis: When Jamie’s mother dies, she is forced to clean and get rid of household goods. But one in particular is going to be a bit to deal with. Favorite line: “I’m cancelling my meetings.” Thoughts: There is a scene that just broke my heart. It was the bamboozle of the festival for me. HEIRLOOMS is creepy, relatable, and deeply unsettling. I loved every second of it. Actor to watch for:

Title: THE RESERVOIR Directed by: Jack Gardner King Country: US Run Time: 15 mins Synopsis: A group of friends enjoy a lake but that same lake holds secrets that only one knows the truth about. Favorite line: “Maybe I can see my sister, Rebecca.” Thoughts: King brings the suspense in this short film. Between the confusion of the characters and the growing tension, the viewer is left on the edge of their seat. And the bamboozles? Plentiful. Actor to watch for: Nate -

Title: THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF AIR Directed by: Shayna Connelly Country: US Run Time: 16 minutes Synopsis: When Lauren witnessed a tragedy, she has to question everything she holds dear. Favorite line: “Desire doesn’t fade with age… or marital status.” Thoughts: This short is so damn well done. Between the vulnerability the FMC portrays to the realization that photos truly only tell one half of a story that is a millisecond in time. The viewer walks away with heavin

Title: DAGON Directed by: Paolo Gaudio Country: Italy Run Time: 6 mins Synopsis: When a traveler comes home from a tragic situation, he may not have come back alone. Favorite line: “If it bleeds, we can kill it.” Thoughts: DAGON has one of the most oppressive feelings of the festival. What fascinated me the most about this short was the open endedness. Was the boat a warship? Titanic? Was it PTSD? It’s all up to the viewer and with each decision comes a completely d

Title: NEVER FINGERBANG A WENDIGO Directed by: John Brennan Country: US Run Time: 10 mins Synopsis: What should you NOT do when you have a broken heart and a belly full of liquor? Go near a tree, that’s what. Favorite line: “She changed her fucking hair without asking me.” Thoughts: The entire film is shot with VHS camcorders and it brings such a nostalgic and whimsy to it… then you remember the title. It’s silly, insane, and I couldn’t look away - which I feel say

Title: CRAMPS! A PERIOD PIECE Directed by: Brooke H. Cellars Country: US Run Time: 89 mins Synopsis: A young woman must choose her own path but her uterus makes a few decisions for her. Favorite line: “I don’t drink that hippy swill.” “Put a curse on them.” “I’m a Satanist. Not a witch.” Thoughts: Cellars brings it with CRAMPS! From the commentary of patriarchy to loyalty, self-discovery melding with self-love, the viewer is taken on a journey of womanhood. Can it

Title: DEMONETIZE Directed by: Alexander Watson Country: US Run Time: 96 mins Synopsis: Five influencers are offered the gig of a lifetime, spend some time in a house and get paid. The problem is, a few former tenants aren’t all that keen on the visiting. Favorite line: “What are you, a ghost gobbler or something.” - Cherdleys “Oh, I’m about to Build-A-Bear inside of you.” - Cherdleys Thoughts: Imagine the most annoying YouTubers currently (and I could name a few

Title: THE BLACK HILLS NIGHT HIKE Directed by: Various Country: US Run Time: 78 minutes Synopsis: A young woman goes on a night hike with a rag tag group of strangers, but her life will never be the same after. Favorite line: “Do I look like aluminum foil right now?” (SNALLYGASTER) “No, I’m afraid of bears, raccoons, and weirdos.” (SNALLYGASTER) Thoughts: Six different scary stories for the brave at heart. While the main story (the hike) as well as a few others a

“Shoot first. Think never.” If anyone had told me two months ago that I would not only rewatch and enjoy ARMY OF DARKNESS but go on to watch the TV series in its entirety in less than ten days, I would have told you that you needed to take your meds. But of course, I was wrong. This series was a blast and I cannot wait to rewatch it! We find Ashley J. Williams (Ash) a little older (by 30 years), a little more of a dad bod, but just as insane and still hocking hardware. His co

HERO CAVE By: Syd Madia Release: 7/30/25 Page count: 50 KU: No Hoopla: Yes Synopsis: A skeleton that scares adventurer’s and continuously dies has lost his passion for the job. Can he find that spark again before it’s too late? First line: “Welcome to… uh… Welcome! To Hero - ehhhhh W-Welcome.” Favorite line: “Skeleton on the first floor is ass. If I could give zero stars, I would.” Thoughts: Mr. Skeleton is way too relatable, especially for adults and their everyday life

CROSSROADS By: Laurel Hightower Release: (re-released) 4/21/26 Page count: 126 KU: No Hoopla: No Synopsis: When does a mother’s sacrifice turn to pure selfishness? Can Chris realize she may be crossing the line before it’s too late? First line: “The first time Chris buried a part of herself by her son’s roadside cross, it was an accident.” Favorite line: “She believed in a smiling sacrifice.” Thoughts: Well, I needed a good cry and to renew my stock in Kleenex. What I

THE BOATMAN By: Alex Grecian Release: 4/14/26 Page count: 110 KU: No Hoopla: No Synopsis: A common cruise liner becomes hunted when a mysterious man, in a rowboat, leisurely stalks them. First line: “June wanted for a morning when Walt had taken little Mai to the beach, then she rode her visible to the bazaar in Pekerjaan.” Favorite line: “I didn’t want anyone to ever find me. I wanted to be forgotten.” Thoughts: If you are planning or thinking of planning a cruise -

MORTY’S HOLIDAY By: Bryn Grover Release: 2/27/26 Page count: 93 KU: Yes Hoopla: No Synopsis: Morty just wants a vacation. A few days without the burden of killing people for a quota, the bosses breathing down his neck, just sweet, sweet life on the life on high seas. First line: “Stepping off the ramp of the cruise ship and taking a deep breath, Morty stopped and looked around him.” Favorite line: “I already had things set up father down the beach for them to fall into

A whole month? I have neglected you all for that long? My heavens above. Between my eleven year old learning a new trick (sleepwalking) that turned into an ER visit at 3 a.m. and five staples in his head, to my chubby ass falling in a IHG parking lot and getting a sprained ankle to living on plastic furniture… I’ve been a little all over the place. But never fear! I’m back with two amazing recommendations! Enough jibber jabber, let’s get into them. SICK FLICKS Volume 1 By : M

Since Christina is busy moving her family for the next couple of weeks, we will be running a couple of very worthy re-posts of her reviews. Today, we wanted to remind you about these wonderful, award-nominated reads! WONDERLAND AWARDS NOMINEES - Finalist KENNEL By: Garrett Cook Release : 12/24/24 Page Count : 126 KU : No Hoopla : No Synopsis : Pup, a sub, lost his Dom and finds a home with Daddy. But Daddy is known in the community for sinister reasons and Pup finds that not

THE BLOODY BRICK ROAD: A Wizard of Oz Retelling By: Maude Royer Release : 1/6/26 Page count : 320 KU : No Hoopla : No Synopsis : Dorothy losses her job, boyfriend, and not only witnesses a terrible car crash, but is one of the injured. Twenty-four years later, the past is coming back to haunt her. First line : “It’s the hormones, Dorothy told herself as she parked in from of an old brick house in downtown Montreal.” Favorite line : “Kansas? That’s unusual. Is that