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Showing posts with the label horror

Book review: Fever House by Keith Rosson

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Book review: Fever House by Keith Rosson   Book links: Amazon , Goodreads ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Keith Rosson is the author of the novels Fever House, Smoke City, Road Seven, and The Mercy of the Tide as well as the Shirley Jackson Award-winning story collection Folk Songs for Trauma Surgeons. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his partner and their two children. Publisher:  Random House ( Aug 15, 2023) Length: 448 pages Formats: a udiobook, ebook, paperback  Fever House opens with two leg-breakers, Tim Reed and Hutch Holtz, doing their rounds, collecting money for their boss. Initially, you get the noirish vibe but once they find a peculiar artifact in the freezer of one of their "debtors", all hell breaks loose. The object in question? A severed hand that makes people around it mad and violent, filled with the urge to hurt, bite, and rend. Of course, the government is involved; it’s all a part of a potentially world-breaking conspiracy. Once the action hits the groun...

Book review: Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

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Book links: Amazon , Goodreads ABOUT THE AUTHOR:   CATRIONA WARD was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in the United States, Kenya, Madagascar, Yemen, and Morocco. She studied English at the University of Oxford and later earned her master’s degree in creative writing at the University of East Anglia. Ward is a three-time winner of the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel: for The Girl from Rawblood, her debut; Little Eve; and The Last House on Needless Street. Little Eve also won the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel. Ward is the international bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial. Publisher: Tor Nightfire (August 8, 2023)  Page count: 352 pages Formats: Audiobook, ebook, paperback Well, damn. My head hurts. As expected - making readers feel this way is Catriona Ward’s specialty. I’m not sure how much to reveal about the story without giving too much away, so I'll keep it brief. The book opens with the coming-of-age story of Wilder ...

SPFBO Finalist review: Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Morgan Stang lives in the humid part of Texas. He graduated from the University of Houston with a BBA. By day he works in accounting and by night he sleeps, and sometime in between he writes in a wide variety of fantasy genres, ranging from dark fantasy (The Bartram's Maw series) to gaslamp murder mystery (The Lamplight Murder Mysteries) to cozy fantasy (The Bookshop and the Barbarian). He is a fan of all things nerdy, and lives with an immortal ball python. Murder at Spindle Manor links:  Amazon ,  Goodreads ADAM This is why I SPFBO. Loved,  loved  this book. A mashup of Agatha Christie, Clue, and John Carpenter's "The Thing" in a single-location murder mystery that starts weird and ends up bananas. Strong, humorous dialogue, a compelling plot that grabs you from one of the best first lines I've read in quite some time, along with an engaging cast of suspects and victims made this an absolute joy to read. ESMAY Agatha Christie-style c...

Book review: Slewfoot by Brom

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Book links: Amazon , Goodreads ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Over the past decades, Brom has lent his distinctive visions and artwork to all facets of the creative industries, from novels and games, to comics and film. He is also the author of a series of award-winning illustrated horror novels: Lost Gods, Krampus the Yule Lord, The Child Thief, The Plucker, and The Devil’s Rose. Brom is currently kept in a dank cellar somewhere just outside of Seattle. Visit him at www.bromart.com. Publisher:   Tor Nightfire; 1st edition (September 14, 2021) Page count: 320 Formats: audio, ebook, paperback Cover art & Design - Brom Blood, tears, witchcraft, and mayhem – that’s Slewfoot in a nutshell. We dive into the story of Abitha , a feisty woman forced to adapt to life in a patriarchal Puritan colony. In this austere community, everyone’s on the lookout for devils, witchery, and moral failings behind every corner. Almost everyone there firmly believes women should have no say at home. When ...

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland (Reviewed by Shazzie)

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  Book Review: The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland Official Author Website OFFICIAL AUTHOR BIO:  Krystal Sutherland is an internationally published author. Her first novel, Chemical Hearts, was published in over 20 countries and was named by the American Booksellers Association as one of the best debuts of 2016. The film adaptation, produced by Amazon Studios, stars Lili Reinhart (Riverdale) and Austin Abrams (Euphoria); Sutherland served as an executive producer on the project. Her second novel, A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares, was published to critical acclaim in 2017 and has been optioned for adaptation by Yellow Bird US. In 2018, she appeared on the annual Forbes “30 Under 30” list. Originally from Australia, she has lived on four continents and currently calls London home. Her next novel for young adults, House of Hollow, is set for publication by Penguin in spring 2021. FORMAT/INFO:   The Invocations  will be launched in January 2024 by Bonnie...

Book review: The September House by Carissa Orlando

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  Book links: Amazon, Goodreads ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Carissa Orlando has a doctorate in clinical-community psychology and specializes in work with children and adolescents. In her “day job,” Carissa works to improve the quality of and access to mental health care for children and their families. Prior to her career in psychology, Carissa studied creative writing in college and has written creatively in some form since she was a child. It was only a matter of time before Carissa, an avid horror fan for much of her life, merged her understanding of the human psyche and deep love for storytelling into a piece of fiction. Publisher: Berkley ( Sep 05, 2023)   Length:  352 pages   Formats: ebook, audiobook, paperback Navigating the housing market is hard. Margaret and Hal had always dreamed about owning the house but couldn’t afford it. Once they saw a listing for a grand Victorian home at an unusually low price, they took a leap of faith. Without getting into details...

Book review: The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

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Book links : Amazon , Goodreads ABOUT THE AUTHOR:   Simone St. James is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel and The Broken Girls. Her debut novel, The Haunting of Maddy Clare, won two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America and an Arthur Ellis Award from Crime Writers of Canada. Simone spent twenty years behind the scenes in the television business before leaving to write full-time. She lives just outside of Toronto, Canada with her husband and a spoiled rescue cat. Publisher: Berkley (March 15, 2022) Page count: 352 Formats: ebook, paperback, audiobook I had a blast listening to this story. It finds a nice balance between mystery, drama, and paranormal elements. Shea Collins , a newly divorced medical receptionist, has one passion - a blog Book of Cold Cases she writes by night. Among the local cases that haunt her, one stands out: the Lady Killer murders. In 1977, 23-year-old Beth Greer faced accusations of killing two men. With no ap...

Graphic novel review: Courtney Crumrin series by Ted Naifeh

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ted Naifeh is a writer and illustrator of comics for readers of all ages. He's best known for COURTNEY CRUMRIN, a multi-volume horror-fantasy adventures of a tween curmudgeon witch and her warlock uncle. In 2014, Ted created PRINCESS UGG, the adventure of a barbarian princess going to princess finishing school. Courtney Crumrin has been nominated for several Eisner awards, and remains a popular mainstay on the shelves of discerning comics shops. Princess Ugg has garnered much praise from the comics community and beyond. Publisher : OniPress The Courtney Crumrin comic book series by Ted Naifeh is an absolute delight. Even more so if you like stories that combine fantasy, magic, and dark humor. The series follows Courtney Crumrin - a young and cynical girl who moves in with her eccentric uncle Aloysius after her parents' financial troubles force them to live with him in a spooky mansion. The series' unique art style perfectly captures the eerie and mysteri...

Book review: All Against All by Alex Paknadel & Caspar Wijngaard

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Book links : Amazon , Goodreads ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Alex Paknadel is a writer and academic from London, England. His first comics work, the dark sci-fi thriller ARCADIA from Boom! Studios, met with critical acclaim and led to additional projects with a range of publishers including VAULT COMICS (GIGA), Marvel Entertainment, Valiant Entertainment, Lion Forge, and Titan Comics. He is also a founding member of White Noise Studio alongside fellow writers Dan Watters, Ram V, and Ryan O'Sullivan. Publisher: Image Comics ( July 11, 2023 )  Page count: 144 p According to the author, All Against All tries to answer the following question -  “what if Tarzan were the Xenomorph from Alien?”  The answer entails savage violence, exoskeletons vs flesh, stellar art, and strong writing. The story takes place in a distant future ravaged by continuous war. The Operators, parasitic and body-snatching aliens, recreated the most violent earth animals in an artificial jungle. Among them i...

Book review: The Secret Life of Souls by Jack Ketchum & Lucky McKee

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  Book links: Amazon , Goodreads ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Dallas William Mayr (November 10, 1946 – January 24, 2018), better known by his pen name Jack Ketchum, was an American horror fiction author. He was the recipient of four Bram Stoker Awards and three further nominations. His novels included Off Season, Offspring, and Red, the latter two of which were adapted to film. In 2011, Ketchum received the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award for outstanding contribution to the horror genre. Publisher : Pegasus Crime (November 8, 2016 ) Page count : 240 Formats: ebook, audiobook, paperback The Secret Life of Souls is my first foray into Jack Ketchum’s books, and it certainly won’t be my last. It’s about a dysfunctional family, fame, money, accidents, and a little girl and her dog. It’s also about the need for empathy and tenderness. And lost souls. Eleven-year-old Delia Cross is a talented young star on the rise, and she’s on the verge of a big break with a network sitcom. Her ...

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro (Reviewed by Daniel P. Haeusser)

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 Book Review: The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro Order The Haunting of Alejandra HERE Official Author Website OFFICIAL AUTHOR BIO: V. Castro is a two time Bram Stoker award nominated writer born in San Antonio, Texas, to Mexican American parents. She’s been writing horror stories since she was a child, always fascinated by Mexican folklore and the urban legends of Texas. Castro now lives in the United Kingdom with her family, writing and traveling with her children. OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB:  Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her. Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.  When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s his...

Book review: The Child's Thief by Brom

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The Child's Thief by Brom review   Book links: Amazon , Goodreads ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Over the past few decades, Brom has lent his distinctive vision to all facets of the creative industries, from novels and games to comics and film. He is the author of The Child Thief and the award-winning illustrated horror novels The Plucker and The Devil's Rose. Brom is currently kept in a dank cellar somewhere just outside of Seattle. Publisher: HarperCollins (August 18, 2009) Print length: 508 Formats: ebook, audiobook, paperback If you think Peter Pan is an endearing fairy tale, think twice. Or just read Brom’s dark and twisted retelling of the original story. Just remember that it’s not a Disney fairy tale - this brutal retelling blurs the lines between hero and villain. And when I say brutal, I mean it. Severed heads, mutilated corpses, and guts spilling out of them occur frequently. However, the graphic violence serves a purpose - it shows the harsh reality of a world where surv...

Book review: The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker

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The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker review Book links: Amazon , Goodreads ABOUT THE AUTHOR:   Clive Barker was born in Liverpool in 1952. His earlier books include The Books of Blood, Cabal, and The Hellbound Heart. In addition to his work as a novelist and playwright, he also illustrates, writes, directs and produces for stage and screen. His films include Hellraiser, Hellbound, Nightbreed and Candyman. Clive lives in Beverly Hills, California Publisher:   Harper Perennial; Reissue edition (October 2, 2007)   Page count: 186 Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart will make your skin crawl with dread and fascination. As a fan of the dark and twisted, I couldn’t resist delving into the depths of Barker’s imagination. And let me tell you - it was an unsettling trip that transported me to a world of darkness and depravity. The atmosphere of this book is haunting. From the very first page, Barker’s use of language paints a vivid picture of a world both familiar and yet st...