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HOLLY RAE GARCIA
Recommended Dark Fiction Books/Stories
(Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Thriller/etc)
* They are in no particular order.
* The summaries are copied from Goodreads or my own reviews.
* Yes, several could be in multiple categories and I may have some in what you may consider the "wrong" category. It's okay. Pour yourself a drink and grab a book.
* Updated often.
Creature/Folk
Sci-Fi
Apocalyptic/Dystopian
Human Monsters
Psychological
Bizarro
Coming of Age
Extreme
Supernatural
Anthologies
Single Author Collections
Gothic
Western
Poetry
Other
True Crime by Samantha Kolesnik
The cover is slightly misleading, but the fantastic design is what led me to pick up the book. I'm glad I did, and I'm not. This is a strange one, and the comparisons to The Girl Next Door have to be made. The writing itself is brilliant, the story heartbreaking and simultaneously hard to look away from and hard to keep going. It's a character study in trauma. It doesn't claim every victim of trauma will end up like the main character, but this one did. And this is her story, no one else's. I almost stopped reading when it came to Moses, those things always hit a little different for me. But I needed to know what happened to Suzy, so I kept going. I wanted her to thrive, to heal, and to find worth in herself besides the price others claimed her to be. But sometimes healing doesn't happen. Sometimes, we are broken beyond repair. And sometimes, the demons inside us win.
Grandpappy by Patrick C. Harrison III
Look. -heavy sigh- This book. THIS book. It will disgust and horrify you. I wouldn't recommend it to my mother (or anyone's, for that matter) I almost put it down MULTIPLE times, I was THAT disgusted. Extreme horror may not be for me...but if it's your jam then this is the book for you. It's well written and shocking and the perfect book for fans of extreme horror fiction. I need a shower after this one. I've met the author and he's a lovely person not at all like his creation, lol.
Hamster's Ball by R.J. Benetti
I've met RJ and we chatted about dogs, gushing over our pups like any proud pet parent. For such a sweet dude, he sure writes some flucked-up stuff. I think my jaw was on the floor the entire reading of this book. Definitely EXTREME horror. I need a brain enema to cleanse these images from my skull.
The Vet by Candace Nola
Pets are loyal, loving, supportive companions. They can be trained to help us, care for us, support us. Some humans do not deserve their pets. One animal doctor has decided to give them what they deserve. The Vet Is In.
Wallflower by Chad Lutzke
After an encounter with a homeless man, a high school graduate becomes obsessed with the idea of doing heroin, challenging himself to try it just once. A bleak tale of addiction, delusion, and flowers.
Jaws by Peter Benchley
I grew up watching and loving the Spielberg film, which kept surprisingly close to the source material. This was my first read of the book, and it definitely took me back. :) I loved it, and not only for the nostalgia. It's well-written and thrilling, a fantastic creature-feature. My only complaint, and I realize this is because I saw the movie first, is the subplot about Hooper and Ellen Brody. Because the film holds such a place in my heart, it was uncomfortable to read about these iconic characters doing something so out of character (from the film roles). Yes, The books are always better and this is probably the equivalent of blasphemy. 🤣 But that's where I am.
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Oh man... so I went into this a bit guarded. The movie franchise is one of my absolute favorites. I was NOT disappointed. This book is fantastic. There's a bit too much on chaos theory but I skimmed over a few of those sections. Malcolm in the book is 100% Jeff Goldblum so that casting was on point. The little girl was a pain in the butt - I was hoping she would get eaten by the T-Rex. But even knowing the outcome from the movie, I was on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. Easy 5 stars.
Meg by Steve Alten
On a top-secret dive into the Pacific Ocean's deepest canyon, Jonas Taylor found himself face-to-face with the largest and most ferocious predator in the history of the animal kingdom. The sole survivor of the mission, Taylor is haunted by what he's sure he saw but still can't prove exists - Carcharodon megalodon, the massive mother of the great white shark. The average prehistoric Meg weighs in at twenty tons and could tear apart a Tyrannosaurus rex in seconds.
The Descent by Jeff Long
In a cave in the Himalayas, a guide discovers a self-mutilated body with the warning "Satan exists". In the Kalahari Desert, a nun unearths evidence of a proto-human species and a deity called Older-than-Old. In Bosnia, something has been feeding upon the dead in a mass grave. So begins mankind’s most shocking realization: that the underworld is a vast geological labyrinth populated by another race of beings. Some call them "devils" or "demons." But they are real. They are down there. And they are waiting for us to find them…
Congo by Michael Crichton
Deep in the African rain forest, near the legendary ruins of the Lost City of Zinj, an expedition of eight American geologists is mysteriously and brutally killed in a matter of minutes. Ten thousand miles away, Karen Ross, the Congo Project Supervisor, watches a gruesome video transmission of the aftermath: a camp destroyed, tents crushed and torn, equipment scattered in the mud alongside dead bodies — all motionless except for one moving image — a grainy, dark, man-shaped blur.
Bigfoot in the Bronx by Hunter Shea
Bigfoot in the Bronx makes a certain kind of promise with a title like that and it definitely delivers. This thing was wild from the very start and kept me entertained the entire time.
Zoo by James Patterson
All over the world, brutal attacks are crippling entire cities. Jackson Oz, a young biologist, watches the escalating events with an increasing sense of dread. When he witnesses a coordinated lion ambush in Africa, the enormity of the violence to come becomes terrifyingly clear. With the help of ecologist Chloe Tousignant, Oz races to warn world leaders before it's too late. The attacks are growing in ferocity, cunning, and planning, and soon there will be no place left for humans to hide
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a "mockumentary" bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy. Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they're not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life's work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.
'Pede by James H. Longmore
The once luxurious Mountainview Spa Hotel in the heart of California's Coachella valley lies decaying, abandoned and heavily boarded up - the site of a radioactive dirty bomb explosion five years' previously. Zoology Professor, Jane Lucas, harbors a lifelong phobia of Scolopendra gigantea, the Giant Centipede, despite being the world's leading authority on the creature. Following the savage deaths of two teenagers who broke into the hotel to cavort in the natural underground spa and the discovery of centipede remains over three times natural size, the professor teams up with four of her students to investigate. Their expedition quickly becomes a fight for survival when they're trapped inside the hotel with a gang of violent thugs and the voracious swarm of oversized centipedes that infest the place - and then discover another creature even more terrifying is hunting in the Mountainview's deserted a centipede of impossibly monstrous proportions... ravenous and desperate to feed.
The Cockroach King by Andrew Cull
I'm terrified of roaches. Now, immediately after finishing this, I feel sick to my stomach. Tight story with amazing dread and tension.
Cujo by Stephen King
It happens innocently enough, but doesn't it happen always. A big, friendly dog chases a rabbit into a hidden underground cave - and stirs a sleeping evil crueler than death itself. The little Maine town of Castle Rock is about to be invaded by the most hideous menace ever to savage the flesh and devour the mind..
The God in the Hills and Other Horrors by Jon Steffens
Loved this little horror collection! Four short stories with tons of gore ending with the fantastically brutal title story, "The God in the Hills". Warning: these stories (especially the last one) are not for the weak, expect all the trigger warnings one would expect from an extreme horror story :)
Island Red by Matt Serafini
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. With an original twist on the Jaws story, Serafini takes it to places Benchley would never have dreamed of. What do you get when you combine a rogue shark, aliens, and a secret government agency? Island Red, a fantastic thrill-ride of a book. I look forward to reading more by Serafini.
The Troop by Nick Cutter
Overall - this book is pretty damn good. I love the small journeys and back stories of all the characters. Nick Cutter knows how to write an intriguing character, that's for sure. I did find the descriptions of the sickness a bit repetitive, and almost DNF'd at the cat and turtle parts, but I'm glad I finished it.
Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
Claire Kovalik is days away from being unemployed—made obsolete—when her beacon repair crew picks up a strange distress signal. With nothing to lose and no desire to return to Earth, Claire and her team decide to investigate. What they find at the other end of the signal is a shock: the Aurora, a famous luxury space-liner that vanished on its maiden tour of the solar system more than twenty years ago. A salvage claim like this could set Claire and her crew up for life. But a quick trip through the Aurora reveals something isn’t right.
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
A thrilling, atmospheric debut with the intensive drive of The Martian and Gravity and the creeping dread of Annihilation, in which a caver on a foreign planet finds herself on a terrifying psychological and emotional journey for survival.
Paused by Stephanie Ellis
Ellis proves there IS a place for pandemic-related literature right now. We may all be sick of Covid to the point of not wanting to read about it...but this book isn't about that. It references things, of course, which serves to ground the story and lend believability. I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. It's fast paced, with a unique concept that I haven't seen anywhere else.
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
When the Creeds move into a beautiful old house in rural Maine, it all seems too good to be true: physician father, beautiful wife, charming little daughter, adorable infant son-and now an idyllic home. As a family, they've got it all...right down to the friendly car. But the nearby woods hide a blood-chilling truth-more terrifying than death itself-and hideously more powerful. The Creeds are going to learn that sometimes dead is better.
The Mummy by Anne Rice
Ramses the Great has reawakened in opulent Edwardian London. Having drunk the elixir of life, he is now Ramses the Damned, doomed forever to wander the earth, desperate to quell hungers that can never be satisfied. He becomes the close companion of a voluptuous heiress, Julie Stratford, but his cursed past again propels him toward disaster. He is tormented by searing memories of his last reawakening, at the behest of Cleopatra, his beloved queen of Egypt. And his intense longing for her, undiminished over the centuries, will force him to commit an act that will place everyone around him in the gravest danger...
The Policy by Bentley Little
Unemployed, divorced, and living in a new state, Hunt Jackson would be considered a risk by most insurance companies. Lucky for him, he's found one that will give him a policy. All he has to do is sign on the dotted line-and note a minor provision: they require a pound of flesh for their investment. No backing out. No joke. No running away.
Hell House by Richard Matheson
Regarded as the Mount Everest of haunted houses, Belasco House has witnessed scenes of almost unimaginable horror and depravity. Two previous expeditions to investigate its secrets met with disaster, the participants destroyed by murder, suicide or insanity. Now a new investigation has been mounted - four strangers, each with his or her own reason for daring the unknown torments and temptations of the mansion.
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
Johnny Smith has had a terrible accident, and his life will never be the same. He holds the fate of the world in the palm of his hand and is caught in a bitter battle between good and evil while trapped in a terrifying realm where there is no escape. Stephen King leads you up a winding path to the pinnacle of fear in this horrifying page-turner.
Spungunion by John Boden
Boden's style is strange and beautiful and haunting and REAL all at the same time. I was quite happy with the length and depth of this book until we came to the end. I won't give spoilers, but now I NEED to know more about Doyle and this drawer of his. This book is poetic and harsh in a way that probably only John Boden can be and deserves all the stars.
The Green Mile by Stephen King
At Cold Mountain Penitentiary, along the lonely stretch of cells known as the Green Mile, condemned killers such as 'Billy the Kid' Wharton and the possessed Eduard Delacroix await death strapped in 'Old Sparky'. But good or evil, innocent or guilty, prisoner or guard, none has ever seen the brutal likes of the new prisoner, John Coffey, sentenced to death for raping and murdering two young girls. Is Coffey a devil in human form? Or is he a far, far different kind of being?
Devil's Creek by Todd Keisling
Todd Keisling is a fantastic writer. Devil's Creek draws you into a horrific world that people more eloquent than I have discussed in other reviews. Suffice it to say: The writing is excellent, the world-building fantastic, and the religious aspects handled in a way that no one should leave a reading angry at the author. Though, I suppose some will find any reason to be angry when it comes to religious topics. I did wish for the main character to be featured a little more. We get so much backstory and characterization of the town itself and of the new god, that some of that space could have been used for more on Jack. The sexual abuse and incest bits were hard for me to stomach, but true to the nature of the cult and of its leader, Jacob. I almost DNF'd it after reading how someone "dismounted his sister", but I'm glad I finished it.
The Dark Half by Stephen King
Thad Beaumont would like to say he is innocent. He'd like to say he has nothing to do with the series of monstrous murders that keep coming closer to his home. But how can Thad disown the ultimate embodiment of evil that goes by the name he gave it-and signs its crimes with Thad's bloody fingerprints?
Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke
At first glance, Phil Pendleton and his son Adam are just an ordinary father and son, no different from any other. Some might say the father is a little too accommodating given the lack of discipline when the child loses his temper in public. Some might say he spoils his son by allowing him to set his own bedtimes and eat candy whenever he wants. Some might say that such leniency is starting to take its toll on the father, given how his health has declined. What no one knows is that Phil is a prisoner, and that up until a few weeks ago and a chance encounter at a grocery store, he had never seen the child before in his life.
Scanlines by Todd Keisling
For Robby and his friends, an urban legend is the last thing on their minds when a boring Friday night presents a chance to download porn. But the short clip they watch turns out to be something far more graphic and disturbing, and in the coming days, they’ll learn even the most outlandish urban legends possess a shred of truth.
Bones and All by Camille DeAngelis
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I'm a tad torn on what I think of this book. Did I want to know more about the process of eating? Of course. Did we necessarily NEED to know for the purposes of the book? Not really. Reading the author notes about them being more "ghouls" than cannibals explained a lot of it. There's a supernatural element at play. Did I want a different ending? Yep.
Is this an unexpected ending that keeps the reader guessing? Absolutely. While I wanted the story to go in a bit of a different direction, that's just my own horror-loving heart speaking. This book will enthrall tons of readers and will probably end up on their list of favorite books of the year. It kept me reading, kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. So whatever I feel about the story or ending or characters doesn't really matter. It entertained me.
The Gulp by Alan Baxter (connected short stories)
LOVE this collection. What a fantastic concept. I got a little "Haven" vibe (Sci-Fi channel show) but this was so much more than that. Love the weaving of stories, characters, and local legends. Such a unique way to merge these stories, that are individually complete and engaging, but collectively a masterpiece.
The Vile Thing We Created by Robert P. Ottone
This thing, y'all..... look, I'm a parent. I LOVE my kids. But have I ever looked at my baby in the middle of the night when they were screaming and projectile vomiting across the room and wondered if they were a dark force determined to take over my life? Of course. Thankfully mine grew past that stage. My own shortcomings as a parent aside, this book is great and you'd be an idiot not to read it. If Rosemary's Baby and The Omen had a one-night stand in a dark alley then put their resulting blob in a time machine and plopped the vile thing down in 2023, this book would be the result. I loved it.
The Waiting by Hunter Shea
This one hits a little close to home for me especially after reading the author notes after the story. I was hospitalized for a while after my husband and I had been married for 5 months. The recovery was long and hard, but thankfully I was awake more than the wife in The Waiting. It was interesting to read such an intimate pov from the husband during that time. From grief to persistence and patience then frustration...it all rings so real. Then, of course, the ghost just rounds it all out. Solid 4 stars.
Krampus: The Yule Lord by Brom
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, more than I thought I would. Not that I don't love Christmas horror, but I hadn't really read any Krampus-themed books. It could have easily gone the cheesy route but it didn't. From complex characters to a rich backstory, Krampus entertains from the first page.
Thinner by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
After an old gypsy woman is killed by his car, lawyer Billy Halleck is stricken with a flesh-wasting malady and must undertake a nightmarish journey to confront the forces of death
Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones
I LOVE the voice of the main character in this one- Stephen Graham Jones nailed the teenage vibes. Fantastic slasher/psychological? horror here, and a very quick read. Did I have to suspend belief towards the end? A little. Do I care? Not at all. :)
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Years ago, the haunting of the Overlook Hotel nearly broke young Dan Torrance’s sanity, as his paranormal gift known as “the shining” opened a door straight into hell. And even though Dan is all grown up, the ghosts of the Overlook—and his father’s legacy of alcoholism and violence—kept him drifting aimlessly for most of his life. Now, Dan has finally found some order in the chaos by working in a local hospice, earning the nickname “Doctor Sleep” by secretly using his special abilities to comfort the dying and prepare them for the afterlife. But when he unexpectedly meets twelve-year-old Abra Stone—who possesses an even more powerful manifestation of the shining—the two find their lives in sudden jeopardy at the hands of the ageless and murderous nomadic tribe known as the True Knot, reigniting Dan’s own demons and summoning him to battle for this young girl’s soul and survival...
Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
Something evil has come to the desert town that Odd and Stormy call home. It comes in the form of a mysterious man with a macabre appetite, a filing cabinet full of information on the world's worst killers, and strange, hyena-like shadows following him wherever he goes. Odd is worried. He knows things, sees things - about the living, the dead, and the soon-to-be dead. Things that he has to act on. Now he's terrified for Stormy, himself and Pico Mundo. Because he knows that on Wednesday August 15, a savage, blood-soaked whirlwind of violence and murder will devastate the town...
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
Victoria McQueen has a secret gift for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. On her Raleigh Tuff Burner bike, she makes her way to a rickety covered bridge that, within moments, takes her wherever she needs to go, whether it’s across Massachusetts or across the country. Charles Talent Manx has a way with children. He likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the NOS4A2 vanity plate. With his old car, he can slip right out of the everyday world, and onto the hidden roads that transport them to an astonishing – and terrifying – playground of amusements he calls “Christmas Land". Then, one day, Vic goes looking for trouble—and finds Manx. That was a lifetime ago. Now Vic, the only kid to ever escape Manx’s unmitigated evil, is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx never stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. He’s on the road again and he’s picked up a new passenger: Vic’s own son.
Blanky by Kealan Patrick Burke
In the wake of his infant daughter's tragic death, Steve Brannigan is struggling to keep himself together. Estranged from his wife, who refuses to be inside the house where the unthinkable happened, and unable to work, he seeks solace in an endless parade of old sitcoms and a bottle of bourbon. Until one night he hears a sound from his daughter's old room, a room now stripped bare of anything that identified it as hers...except for her security blanket, affectionately known as Blanky. The presence of Blanky in his dead daughter's room heralds nothing short of an unspeakable nightmare that threatens to take away what little light remains in Steve's shattered world. Because his daughter loved Blanky so much, he buried her with it.
Goblin by Josh Malerman (connected short stories)
Goblin seems like any other ordinary small town. But with the master storyteller Josh Malerman as your tour guide, you'll discover the secrets that hide behind its closed doors. These six novellas tell the story of a place where the rain is always falling, nighttime is always near, and your darkest fears and desires await. Welcome to Goblin. . . .
The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyn Kiste
Atmospheric and beautiful, The Rust Maidens took me by surprise. On the heels of reading a few extreme horror books, this was almost a breath of fresh (stagnant/rusty) air. The writing is gorgeous and while the main character did get a tad whiny at times, I was rooting for her to find her answers. The Rust Maidens themselves were intriguing, and unlike any character I've read before. I would love to read an accompaniment to this, told from their point of view.
Little Lugosi: A Love Story by Douglas Ford
Douglas Ford has given us something special with Little Lugosi. I could talk about the writing, which is tight and evocative. I could talk about the characters, which are relatable and complex. I could even talk about the title character, a fast-growing and seemingly anthropomorphic leech. You read that right. This is a story about a pet leech who becomes more than a pet. It's about Trevor, a maintenance worker at a university who is married to Madeline who comes home one day with a pet leech. This is where things get bizarre. But that isn't what I want to talk about here. I want to talk about THAT scene. There is a scene where Trevor is in bed recovering from a sickness. There's confusion as he comes in and out of consciousness and isn't sure if the strange things he's experiencing are real or not. The way Ford writes this is just masterful. I was physically ill. I'm saying I genuinely thought I was going to throw up. I had to put the book down and go outside for a few minutes to get some fresh air. Was it the way it was written, the confusion of Trevor bleeding onto the page and contaminating my fingers? Was it the truly disgusting scenes regarding blood just before and during that event? I honestly don't know. I typically have an iron stomach, but something about all of this melting together into a nausea-inducing scene just has me in awe. I'm also a writer of horrific and disgusting things. Reading this has freed something in me, to just write what I want to write no matter how weird or gross others may think it is. To just have fun with it. You know it's a good book when it inspires other writers. So... proceed with caution. This book will disgust you. It will enthrall you, it will inspire you, and it just might make you sick.
The Trick by Douglas Ford
The Trick opens with magic and ends with a fever-dream of ritualistic chaos. This is a story so unbridled and visceral, it can only come from the mind of Douglas Ford. Strange and incredibly immersive, it will keep you guessing until the last page.
The Hanover Block by Gregor Xane
What did I just read...and why do I like it so much.... :) Read this!
Dead Cats of Civilization by Douglas Ford
It's no secret that I'm a fan of Douglas Ford. His writing is smart, at times funny, and always wonderfully weird. This novelette was no exception - I thoroughly enjoyed it! I'm familiar with Hurricane-ravaged places and fish washing up in strange spots, and he nailed it all. Warning, there is a bathtub scene that will haunt you. :)
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
The story of a young man who, transformed overnight into a giant beetle-like insect, becomes an object of disgrace to his family, an outsider in his own home, a quintessentially alienated man. A harrowing—though absurdly comic—meditation on human feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and isolation, The Metamorphosis has taken its place as one of the most widely read and influential works of twentieth-century fiction.
Blood Roses: A Horror Western Novella by Robert Ford
This is an excellent book. The main character reminded me of Joanie Stubbs from the Deadwood TV series (played by Kim Dickens) Maybe that's why I liked it so much, she was one of my favorite characters from that show. I could hear Joanie when Claudia spoke, could picture her skirts swishing as Claudia walked. The western horror trend has picked up in recent years, and I think this was a perfect intro to the genre for me. Fantastic characters, bad guys you love to hate, and a realistic setting all combine to make a highly enjoyable reading experience.
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (a short story)
Diagnosed by her physician husband with a “temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency” after the birth of her child, a woman is urged to rest for the summer in an old colonial mansion. Forbidden from doing work of any kind, she spends her days in the house’s former nursery, with its barred windows, scratched floor, and peeling yellow wallpaper. In a private journal, the woman records her growing obsession with the “horrid” wallpaper. Its strange pattern mutates in the moonlight, revealing what appears to be a human figure in the design. With nothing else to occupy her mind, the woman resolves to unlock the mystery of the wallpaper. Her quest, however, leads not to the truth, but into the darkest depths of madness.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..." Ancient, beautiful Manderley, between the rose garden and the sea, is the county's showpiece. Rebecca made it so - even a year after her death, Rebecca's influence still rules there. How can Maxim de Winter's shy new bride ever fill her place or escape her vital shadow? A shadow that grows longer and darker as the brief summer fades, until, in a moment of climatic revelations, it threatens to eclipse Manderley and its inhabitants completely...
The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
Against the wishes of his mother, sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty is about to compete in the annual grueling match of stamina and wits known as The Long Walk. One hundred boys must keep a steady pace of four miles per hour without ever stopping... with the winner being awarded "The Prize" - anything he wants for the rest of his life. But, as part of this national tournament that sweeps through a dystopian America year after year, there are some harsh rules that Garraty and ninety-nine others must adhere to in order to beat out the rest. There is no finish line - the winner is the last man standing. Contestants cannot receive any outside aid whatsoever. Slow down under the speed limit and you're given a warning. Three warnings and you're out of the game - permanently...
These Violent Delights by Jessica Raney
Picture: Mad Max Thunderdome with a bad-ass female main character . Set in a post-apocalyptic world, THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS by Jessica Raney had me glued to the page with almost non-stop action and tension. AND the author is super nice, and a Texan! I had the privilege of meeting her at a book fair in Houston. I'm a sucker for a post-apocalyptic story and this one DELIVERS.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson (a short story)
In a small American town, the local residents are abuzz with excitement and nervousness when they wake on the morning of the twenty-seventh of June. Everything has been prepared for the town’s annual tradition—a lottery in which every family must participate, and no one wants to win.
I am Legend by Richard Matheson
Written decades before the market was saturated with this genre, it's a definite classic. Well written, and will definitely be on my favorites list. I know "the book is always better" but this book is almost a completely different story than the Will Smith movie. Read it.
The Stand by Stephen King
First came the days of the plague. Then came the dreams. Dark dreams that warned of the coming of the dark man. The apostate of death, his worn-down boot heels tramping the night roads. The warlord of the charnel house and Prince of Evil. His time is at hand. His empire grows in the west and the Apocalypse looms.
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans —though no one calls them that anymore. His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.” Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing. Then one day he’s given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved.
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
I loved this book and read it in less than 24 hours. I did have to work, sleep, and eat at some point. :) Malerman is a master of suspense and tension, and only someone with a voice like his could write a book about an unseen creature. The heart of the book is the tightness of his writing, the edge-of-your-seat situations, and the palpable fear and necessary coldness of Malorie. I'm severely claustrophobic, and perhaps that's why this book resonated so deeply with me. Not that they were in tight spaces but they may as well have been, living their lives beneath blindfolds. And not much is scarier than that which you can't see. I did see the movie first and was underwhelmed by it. But after being told that the book was much better, I am happy to say I gave it a chance.
Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
An unbearably tense, gripping tale of paranoia, sacrifice, apocalypse, and survival that escalates to a shattering conclusion, one in which the fate of a loving family and quite possibly all of humanity are entwined.
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Refreshing take on the post-apocalyptic novel. A world of beauty and hope, not stuffed with fear and anger like so many others. St. John Mandel is a master storyteller; weaving in and out of places, times, and intimacies. I will re-read this in the future.
The Complex by Brian Keene
Non-stop gory fun! Loved the characters and their POV chapters. There are some fantastic death scenes in this one.
Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed
Years ago, just before the country was incinerated to wasteland, ten men and their families colonized an island off the coast. They built a radical society of ancestor worship, controlled breeding, and the strict rationing of knowledge and history. Only the Wanderers--chosen male descendants of the original ten--are allowed to cross to the wastelands, where they scavenge for detritus among the still-smoldering fires. The daughters of these men are wives-in-training. At the first sign of puberty, they face their Summer of Fruition, a ritualistic season that drags them from adolescence to matrimony. They have children, who have children, and when they are no longer useful, they take their final draught and die. But in the summer, the younger children reign supreme. With the adults indoors and the pubescent in Fruition, the children live wildly--they fight over food and shelter, free of their fathers' hands and their mothers' despair. And it is at the end of one summer that little Caitlin Jacob sees something so horrifying, so contradictory to the laws of the island, that she must share it with the others.
Where the Dead Go to Die by Aaron Dries and Mark Allan Gunnells
The authors did a fantastic job of bringing a fresh take to the zombie genre.
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
Geek Love is the story of a carnival family, the Binewskis, who save their traveling "Carnival Fabulon" from bankruptcy by giving birth to fabulous freaks—the children born to Lil Binewski after she ingests drugs, insecticides, arsenic, radioisotopes, anything to make her babies more "special." The result is a world readers have never entered before, a place of horror and humor, where vengeance and love are realized in unimaginable ways. And where some unforgettable "Ripley's Believe It or Not" characters are both exotically unique—and hauntingly, chillingly, just like us.
The Hunger by Alma Katsu
Evil is invisible, and it is everywhere. That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party. Depleted rations, bitter quarrels, and the mysterious death of a little boy have driven the isolated travelers to the brink of madness. Though they dream of what awaits them in the West, long-buried secrets begin to emerge, and dissent among them escalates to the point of murder and chaos, unknowingly propelling them into one of the deadliest and most disastrous Western adventures in American history.
Misery by Stephen King
Paul Sheldon. He's a bestselling novelist who has finally met his biggest fan. Her name is Annie Wilkes and she is more than a rabid reader - she is Paul's nurse, tending his shattered body after an automobile accident. But she is also his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house.
Off Season by Jack Ketchum
A beautiful New York editor retreats to a lonely cabin on a hill in the quiet Maine beach town of Dead River, during off season; awaiting her sister and friends. Nearby, a savage human family with a taste for flesh lurks in the darkening woods, watching, waiting for the moon to rise and night to fall.
Red by Jack Ketchum
Did you ever wonder what it would be like if Jack Ketchum wrote John Wick? Wonder no more.... Love this.
Reception by Kenzie Jennings
I love this book! Even without that ending (!!) it would have been a fantastic piece of gory horror but with it...just perfect. The only bit I felt was unrealistic (yeah, I know, cannibals at a wedding reception but THIS part wasn’t realistic 🤣) was the banter between the sisters. Not sure if there would be that much joking around in that type of situation. Then again, with that ending it did all make sense looking back.
Bluejay by Megan Stockton
I thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride! From the very start, I was hooked on Stockton's wicked sharp writing style. The plot was very interesting and her descriptions and sensory details were superb. I can't wait to check out Megan's other work. Warning: This one is graphically violent and gory (part of the reason I loved it but I know some have weaker constitutions, lol)
Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King
Suspected of killing Vera Donovan, her wealthy employer, Dolores Claiborne tells police the story of her life, harkening back to her disintegrating marriage and the suspicious death of her violent husband, Joe St. George, thirty years earlier. Dolores also tells of Vera's physical and mental decline and of her loyalty to an employer who has become emotionally demanding in recent years.
Cannibal Creator by Chad Lutzke
Lutzke is pretty well known for "horror with heart". This one takes that literally. :) It's fast paced, with well-rounded characters and tons of action. I really enjoyed this book and read it in a single sitting. Cannibals and body horror are some of my favorite things so this hit all my marks. It's a classic ode to those old films. Sort of... Cannibal Holocaust meets The Island of Dr. Moreau. :)
Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
It wasn't that she didn't love her children. She did. But there was a fortune at stake—a fortune that would assure their later happiness if she could keep the children a secret from her dying father. So she and her mother hid her darlings away in an unused attic. Just for a little while. But the brutal days swelled into agonizing years. Now Cathy, Chris, and the twins wait in their cramped and helpless world, stirred by adult dreams, adult desires, served a meager sustenance by an angry, superstitious grandmother who knows that the Devil works in dark and devious ways. Sometimes he sends children to do his work—children who—one by one—must be destroyed...
Burner by Robert Ford
It’s terrifying how quickly everything can be taken away from you. Iris learns this agonizing lesson in the blink of an eye. Her future dreams. Her past life. Everything gone in a storm of pain.But this pain is only the beginning. Audrey had the perfect life. Great husband, beautiful daughter, lots of money. Except her husband isn’t the man she thought he was. Her dead husband’s burner phone was bad. The Polaroids were worse. But the secrets she uncovers next set her entire world on fire. Two women’s lives intersect because of one man’s actions. The transformation is pristine,and beautiful, and filled with pain. Sometimes the scars are on the inside.
The Black Cabin by Wayne Fenlon
The Black Cabin is packed full of tension and intrigue. I was hooked from the first chapter, eagerly flipping pages to see what had caused these characters to act in the ways that they had. Wayne Fenlon does a great job weaving back stories and motivations throughout the book. It's smart and well written, and I'm left in awe of Fenlon's writing skills to put something like this together. I finished it and immediately went back to reread the first chapter now that I had some answers to see if there were clues and hints as to what had happened. This one will definitely stick in your head long after finishing. Easy 5 stars.
1922 by Stephen King
"I believe there is a man inside every man, a stranger" So writes Wilfred James in his confession. It’s 1922. Wilfred owns eighty acres of farmland in Nebraska that have been in the family for generations. His wife, Arlette, owns an adjoining one hundred acres. But if Arlette carries out her threat to sell her land to a pig butcher, Wilfred will be forced to sell too. Worse, he’ll have to move to the city. But he has a daring plan. It may work if he can persuade his son.
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and every single reference to the horror genre. This is a book for horror fans. At times the amount of people were a bit too much to keep up with, and it was hard to try to remember who all was representing which classic film, but that could be partly due to my own crappy memory. The book pulled me in straight from the start, kept me on the edge of my seat, and ended with a bang. Were there some unbelievable moments in that last quarter? Sure. But it's fiction, it's allowed to do that.
Kin by Kealan Patrick Burke
Four stars to the first half of the book, three for the second half, so 3.5 rounded to 4 for Goodreads. There were so many great things about this book, and I loved every chapter where the backwoods/killer/cannibal family was featured. But then there are so many POVs that we didn’t get time to really get to know (and care more deeply about), each person. Some deaths felt “eh” for that reason. But the family...I could read about them all day long. KPB did a fantastic job bringing killers to life, reminiscent of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (which I’m a huge fan of, perhaps that colored this review) Can’t wait to read more by the author.
The Laws of the Skies by Grégoire Courtois
I listened to the audio edition of this book and maybe it was the narrator, or maybe it was the fantastic writing style, but this whole thing felt like a fairy-tale gone wrong. And I was HERE for it. From the first page you know that everyone dies (this isn't a spoiler, it's literally on the first page) so you read on to find out HOW twelve 6-year-olds and their three chaperones kick that bucket. It's wild and riveting and you won't be able to put it down. I love the way the author addresses the reader at some points, and explains things from a child's perspective. My only point of contention - and the only thing that kept this from being 5 stars - is that sometimes the children spoke and behaved more maturely than a typical 6-year-old would. But maybe this was a school for the extremely gifted or savant children? Either way - I'm off to find more books from this author.
Of Foster Homes and Flies by Chad Lutzke
Denny is a 12-year-old neglected boy who's been studying all year for the upcoming spelling bee. But when his alcoholic mother dies in her sleep, he suddenly faces foster care. To ensure he still competes in the school event, he hides his mother's death for one week so he can have a chance at something he so desperately needs. Something to be proud of. Something his dad would have been proud of: A win.
Out Behind the Barn by John Boden and Chad Lutzke
The boys crept to the window and watched as Miss Maggie carried the long bundle into the barn, the weight of it stooping her aging back. Rafter lights spilled from the barn doors, and Davey saw an arm fall from the canvas-wrapped parcel. He smiled. "She got someone!"Both children grinned and settled in their beds, eyes fixed to the ceiling. This was family growth.
Joyland by Stephen King
College student Devin Jones took the summer job at Joyland hoping to forget the girl who broke his heart. But he wound up facing something far more terrible: the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and dark truths about life - and what comes after - that would change his world forever.
Into the Forest and all the Way Through by Cynthia Pelayo
This is unlike anything I've ever read before. True Crime...poetry. After reading a few glowing reviews I had to see what this was about, and man did it screw with my head. There are some beautiful passages here, haunting tales. You'll run the gambit of sadness and anger and frustration. I love how she emphasized the names of the women and NOT those of the assailants. I love that she gave the personal information after each poem, and a number to call in case anyone knows anything. Because sitting around, waiting to know where your child is buried, is something I cannot fathom as a mother. All of these work together to highlight a heartbreaking reality for all women and girls. We'll be attacked, or know someone who was attacked. We'll be raped, or know someone who was raped (even if they never tell you about it). We'll be killed, or abducted, or just disappear into the forest.... and all the way through. May their families find peace, and their attackers die a thousand gruesome deaths as they burn in hell.
Found: An Anthology of Found Footage Horror Stories edited by Andrew Cull and Gabino Iglesias
Between April and August 2021 eighteen horror writers disappeared. Gathered together for the first time, these are the stories they were writing at the time of their disappearances. Reader caution is advised. Advance readers of this anthology have reported nausea, feelings of anxiety, paranoia and hallucinations after reading the texts included.
Spread: Tales of Deadly Flora edited by R.A. Clarke
When I was asked to write a foreword for this anthology, I had no idea how amazing these stories would be. You'll have to pick up a copy for my full thoughts on Spread: Tales of Deadly Flora, but for now... All the stories are awesome but if I had to pick favorites, they would begin with Alyssa Beatty’s “Black Thumb”. She starts things off with a bang and sets the tone for the rest to follow, exploring an alien world and the grieving process with beautiful prose. Katie Ess is next with her tense story, “Seedling.” I loved the dual point-of-view here and the highly imaginative “screaming cacti” and Dandelion invaders. Two of my favorites wrap up this anthology, the first being “The Bubble” by R.A. Clarke. Clarke drops you into her world so deftly, capturing your attention from the very beginning. And finally, Alex Grehy’s “Tears of Green” holds the number one spot on my list. Told through memos, news articles, and first-hand accounts, Grehy expertly conveys the tale of genetically modified plants used as weapons of war that (of course) get out of control. You know it’s a good one when you’re left wanting more. From plants that hug you to islands that need time to heal and ghostly apparitions springing from the moss and mold, there isn’t a story in the bunch that won’t grab you and refuse to let go.
Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers Vol. 8 edited by Patrick C. Harrison, III
Read my review on January 3rd, 2024 for the Fort Worth Weekly here.
American Cannibal edited by Rebecca Rowland
Each author takes an event in US History and invites cannibals to the party. And they ROCK it. They're all great, but my favorites include: "Carnivore" by Jeremy Megargee - Seriously, how Megargee manages to make disturbing and grotesque stuff sound so beautiful is beyond me. "Wendigo Dreams" by Owl Goingback - Just chilling. "And the Window Was Boarded Shut" by Elizabeth Massie - You can really feel the hunger and frustration and desperation as they build to a wild crescendo. "Papa's Night (or The Short, Happy Life of Elenda de Hoyos" by Douglas Ford - Fascinating dip into an unfamiliar (to me) place and time, grounding with perfectly placed details. "The Hungry Wives of Bleak Street" by Gwendolyn Kiste - The brutality of 50's sexism is surprisingly beautiful. "Tender Farm" by CV Hunt - Great build-up and that ending! "When a Stranger Bites" by L. Stephenson - Fun and creepy with a great ending. But seriously - all of the stories are fantastic.
SLASH-HER: A Women of Horror Anthology edited by Janine Pipe and Jill Girardi
Kandisha Press proudly presents SLASH-HER. Twenty-one women from across the world come together to explore the slasher sub-genre. Some embrace the tropes, some rip them to shreds. These powerful tales are provocative, contemporary and need to be told. Featuring own voices, you will discover the pen is mightier than the machete.Serial killers, revenge, lust and even the supernatural are just some of the elements in SLASH-HER.
Stories we Tell After Midnight edited by Rachel A. Brune
Horror is such a subjective genre, covering ghosts to psychological terrors to monsters. It's hard to please everyone, but there is something for all in this anthology. My favorites were: "L'appel du vide", "In Memoriam", and "It Has to Cool First", but all were well written.
Nightmare Sky: Stories of Astronomical Horror edited by Red Lagoe
Ranging from psychological to apocalyptic, sci-fi to bizarre, quiet to gruesome and all the horrors in between, these 28 dark stories and poems explore our awe-inspiring- and terrifying -human connection to the stars.
Under Her Black Wings: 2020 Women of Horror Anthology edited by Jill Girardi
What a great collection of short stories! Some of my favorites: "What you Eat" by Alys Hobbs. This was a fantastic piece to open up the collection, a very unique tale of a spoiled rich girl with a strange governess. Definitely had Hansel and Gretel vibes. "The Riddled Path" by Somer Canon. A group of Boy Scouts meet a mythological creature. YES. Did I love the dad-joke riddles? Not especially. Did I care because the rest was gory and amazing? Nope. "The Darkness" by Stevie Kopas. You had me at Apocalyptic Horror. This provided a refreshing twist that you won't see coming. It was my absolute favorite from the entire collection, I will definitely check out other work by Stevie Kopas. "Abigail's Army" by Sharon Frame Gay. Two sisters alone on a farm intersect with Union Army deserters. This ends exactly how you won't think it will. "Cold Calling" by Paula R.C. Readman. I cheered for the main character at the end of this. Saw it coming a little, since a lot of the "guest of honor" stuff seemed a tad unbelievable, but an entertaining read and still goes on my list of favorites. "Sadie" by Lydia Prime. Little Red Riding Hood meets....I have no idea what to compare this one to. It's one-of-a-kind and has you cheering for the main character at the end, even after she does horrific things.
Generation X-ed edited by Rebecca Rowland
In a unique anthology of monster, folk, paranormal, and psychological horror as glimpsed through the lens of the latchkey generation, twenty-two voices shine a strobe light on the cultural demons that lurked in the background while they came of age in the heyday of Satanic panic and slasher flicks, milk carton missing and music television, video rentals and riot grrrls. These Gen-X storytellers once stayed out unsupervised until the streetlights came on, and what they brought home with them will terrify you.
Something Bad Happened edited by Jennifer Bernardini
Something Bad Happened: An Anthology of Horror is based on the prompts in Something Bad Happened: A Horror Journal. Writers, illustrators, photographers, and graphic artists have created pieces in this collection that will have you gripping the edge of your seat. From angels to demons, creatures and humans, there's a story inside for everyone.
The Call of the Wyld edited by Mark Bilsborough
Twelve grisly new tales of fur and fury in this brand new anthology of werewolf stories.
Dancing in the Shadows: A Tribute to Anne Rice edited by Elaine Pascale and Rebecca Rowland
With her hauntingly beautiful reimagining of archetypal monsters from classic horror, Anne Rice was the undisputed queen of contemporary gothic literature. Her contribution to the movement first established by Shelley, Stoker, and Stevenson revitalized and continues to inspire dark fiction writers and readers. Dancing in the Shadows pays tribute to Rice’s legacy with tales from today’s most innovative authors, drawing from the darkness where vampires and witches, mummies and rougarous, spirits and demons move to the music of nightmares. All proceeds from the sale of Dancing in the Shadows benefit Animal Rescue New Orleans.
Trembling With Fear: Year 4 edited by Stuart Conover and Stephanie Ellis
To say that 2020 was a crazy year is an understatement and Year 4 of our ‘Trembling With Fear’ series contains every story published as part of our Sunday zine during that time. Written by authors determined keep calm and carry on, we reckon this is our best collection yet.
Growth: A Collection of Short Stories by Elin Olausson
Elin Olausson is quickly becoming one of my favorite short story writers. I first discovered her in Shadowy Natures (an anthology edited by Rebecca Rowland) and fell in absolute love with her story "Uncle." She's one of those automatically-read-anything-they-put-out authors so, of course, when I found out she had a collection coming out and she was looking for ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) reviewers, I jumped at the chance. This collection is fantastic. Almost every story is top-notch Elin Olausson quality stuff. She presents horror in a matter-of-fact way like it isn't horror at all and, in fact, the reader seems to be the only one with an issue about any of it. Her voice is refreshingly unique. I would be remiss not to mention my favorites of this collection: "Roadkill" - Such beautifully written lines here, too many to mention. "The Courthouse" - Wow. Just the depth of emotion and story that she can pack into such a short form is astonishing. "Uncle" - Still one of my favorite short stories of all time. "Honey, Silk, Gold" - Jesus....this one is disturbing. And I loved every bit of it. "Chalk" - Still love this one. "The Ice" - Such a gorgeous fairy-tale quality with a haze of wicked sisters and magic. "Seventh Floor" - Reads as a fever dream. "Lineage" - Riveting.
A Bouquet of Viscera by Bridgett Nelson (short stories)
I LOVED THIS BOOK. This one starts with a bang with the short story, "Auras" and continues on through revenge, disgusting body horror, sea monsters, zombies, and ghosts. I will say, heed the content warning with "Jinx." It was difficult to read. My favorites were "Auras" and "Cooked," but they are all written well. I also really dug the author notes at the very end of the book. I wish more authors did this!
Scattered Little Pieces by Wayne Fenlon (short stories)
A collection of 100-word stories of twists and unexpected endings. Funny, sad, poignant, shocking and sometimes absurd.You'll want to read them twice. Sometimes little things are so much more.
Perpetual Dread by Brian Bowyer (short stories)
Perpetual Dread by Brian Bowyer isn’t your average collection of short stories. It drops characters into the middle of a dark alley and surrounds them with addicts, despair, and pain. His compact prose lends to the feel of this collection, and it’s as short and sharp as the stories within. The characters seem devoid of hope, and you won’t see happy endings. The good guy might typically win, but there aren’t many good guys in these tales. You’ll get a wide range from body horror to cosmic horror and everything in the middle. Be ready, though. These aren’t for the faint of heart. They’re brutal, dark, and shocking. Here are a few that stood out most to me:
“Terminal” - Void of emotion, this sets the perfect tone for the rest of the book. Bowyer presents the story as it is, with no frills or purple prose. “Death Valley” - This one gave me From Dusk Till Dawn vibes. Just when you thought the characters would breathe for a minute, something else crazy happens. “Family Chapel” - I loved this ending. “Tattoo Magic” - Fantastic tale of revenge and unique ways of keeping your loved one’s close. “Gift and a Curse” - “We saw the world as a stovetop, and everywhere we looked, people were being cooked alive.” One of my favorites. So much packed into so little, as is the case with all of these. There’s a bit of a poetic ending to this that I really enjoyed. “Teacher’s Pet” - Cool cosmic horror. “They’re not laughing anymore.” “Scorpio” - Really liked this take on a monster story. Very cool.
Books of Blood: Volume One by Clive Barker (short stories)
The Books of Blood combine the ordinary with the extraordinary while radiating the eroticism that has become Barker's signature. Weaving tales of the everyday world transformed into an unrecognizable place, where reason no longer exists and logic ceases to explain the workings of the universe, Clive Barker provides the stuff of nightmares in packages too tantalizing to resist. This first volume contains the short stories : "The Book of Blood," "The Midnight Meat Train," "The Yattering and Jack," "Sex, Death, and Starshine," and "In the Hills, the Cities."
Candles, Bullets, & Dead Skin by L. Stephenson (short stories)
I’ve been a fan of L. Stephenson since I first read his short story, “Itch”, in the Anthology Shadowy Natures: Stories of Psychological Horror. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how strong your stomach is) that story is included in this collection! The collection as a whole takes a very intriguing form, starting off with “A Very Short Horror Story - Part I”. This definitely piqued my interest from the very beginning, and sets up a nice balance to the longer pieces with a total of three “Very Short” stories in the beginning, the middle, and the end of the collection. I really enjoyed these. Aptly titled, the collection takes its name from the three longer pieces within. There’s something for everyone here, whether you like a bit of crime/mystery, some witchery, body identity, or nausea, there’s not an itch out there that this collection doesn’t scratch. (I’ll show myself out, lol) L. Stephenson is the king of truly disgusting body horror. With his fantastic descriptions, he makes the reader feel everything the characters are going through. Warning: Don’t eat while reading “Itch”.
Nightmare Asylum & Other Deadly Delights by Sonia Kilvington (short stories)
I loved this collection of short stories, as each one is so unique. Sonia Kilvington did a great job of assigning each one its own “feel” and each character their own voice. The title story, “Nightmare Asylum” is a fantastically creepy story with a great twist that I didn’t see coming. It’s one of those stories that makes you immediately return to the beginning and re-read it all over again. “Women’s Work” and “Cry Baby” were also favorites of mine. “Deadly Desire” had so much story packed into such a short format, I don’t know how Kilvington does it! But my absolute favorite of all, “Perfect Love”, checked all the boxes of a unique, terrifying, and entertaining read. This was my first foray into the world of Sonia Kilvington, and I look forward to checking out her other work.
The Best of Joe R. Lansdale by Joe R. Lansdale (short stories)
In this red-hot collection from world-champion Mojo storyteller Joe R. Lansdale, you’ll find his best, most outrageous stories. The high priest of Texan weirdness does it all: horror, mystery, satire, suspense, and even Westerns. Prepare to be offended, shocked, and cackling like a crazed redneck.
All Things Deadly: Salem Stories by E.C. Hanson (short stories)
EC Hanson's ability to squish memorable characters into such small stories is a testament to his writing capabilities. While a few seemed to end too quickly, most were fantastic stories of the human condition, darkness, and the supernatural. I definitely look forward to reading more from this author.
COMING NOV. 24th
A Short Christmas Horror Story
A deadly pandemic kills 100% of those affected, and a desperate father makes the most of his daughter’s final Christmas.
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