Kerry E.B. Black Binges Books!
This week, Kerry E.B. Black spotlights two books, the folksy body horror Itch by Gemma Amor and historical horror The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
Book Review: Itch by Gemma Amor
If you yearn for some folk horror set in a little hamlet in England with a healthy helping of body horror and insects, Gemma Amor knows how to scratch that - ITCH. Her novel with its stunning pink cover staring right at its readers introduces a vulnerable and damaged protagonist who has repressed childhood memories. She’s escaping an abusive relationship by reluctantly returning to her childhood home with its quaint traditions and quirky characters. Then she discovers a dead body. This is a story told in tense prose with high stakes. It features some female friendship and a cool dog named Finn. Anyone who’s ever hoped for justice for anonymous victims and who enjoys watching a woman grow and claim her power will enjoy this.
Book Review: The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
Don’t be fooled by the cutesy cover. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White has a pseudo-historical horror story with adult themes and real, heart-breaking bite. This tells of a fictional time in the1880’s England when violet-eyed men commune with the dead. This is carefully monitored by an oversight society who feels violet-eyed women can only become wives and valuable “breeders” for men who want other mediums in the bloodline. Our protagonist was born a violet-eyed female, but he knows he’s a medical man (and autistic). Of course, in Victorian England, such breaks with convention can not go unpunished. He’s diagnosed with some mental disease and thrown into a “reprogramming” facility. While there, he hears the voices of past non-conformist spirits begging for help. Because, sanatoriums, especially those unchecked by independent oversight, can breed evil practices, and the abuses perpetrated on the unprotected should sicken every reader.
Kerry E.B. Black, crazy cat mom of felines named for great authors and nearly grown children who are not, writes an eclectic collection of tales from an itty, bitty house (which is for sale, if you’re interested) outside of the city of steel, three rivers, and zombies. This author of two paranormal thrillers (Awakening at Equinox and Spring of Spirits), four collections of short scares (Herd of Nightmares, Carousel of Nightmares, Nightmares on Holidays, and Fairy Herds and Mythscapes), two poetry collections (Poetic Nightmares and Witches in the Air) and a pseudo-historical novella (Wolves at Bay) is a member of the HWA. Please follow her social media, including her website https://www.KerryEBBlack.com
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