I just closed this late last night and let it settle, or maybe unsettle? I'm not sure this was the best intro to Matt Serafini's work for me. Don't get me wrong, this book is phenomenal, but having never read Serafini before I was ill-prepared for the things this story did to my mind, without even having bought dinner first.

Rebecca Daniels takes unreliable narrator to a new level, and as such the timeline and narrative can be a bit hard to follow. I'm more than willing to chalk that part of the experience up to me not being quite as smart as the story. I found myself doing a but of rereading, and taking time to process. In other words, I didn't fly through this story in the same manner as some other novellas I've thrown myself into in the past few weeks.

Once I got my bearings and figured out just what this guy was doing to me, so like 3 minutes ago, I fell in love with the ending. I don't mean to sound holier-than-thou, but there's something to the way it all wraps up that only a parent could have wrote, and parents will appreciate in a different manner. Tragic, yet peaceful. Despite the confetti-like state my gray matter is currently in, I'm already on the look-out for my next Serafini book.

Readers, prepare yourselves, for The Cult Called Freedom House is now upon us. Stephanie Evelyn has unleashed her debut novel upon the world, and so long as you think you can take it, you don’t want to miss it.

Evelyn introduces us to Officer Sophia Rey, our protagonist who comes with a bit of baggage. We get to know a bit of her backstory, but I suspect there may be more to unpack in future adventures. In this, the first book in the series, Sophia Rey is investigating the disappearance of a teenager named Samantha. Despite Rey being the titular character, we spend a great deal of time with Samantha. One does not find it over difficult to empathize with the situation Samantha is running from, or the one she’s walking into. We’ve all been that teenager looking for our place in the world.

Maybe it’s the parent in me, but I found myself wanting to take Samantha under my wing. The story hinges on Sophia Rey going undercover to infiltrate Freedom House, not only to find Samantha, but to bare witness to any illegal activities the cult may be party to. The scenes where Sophia is initiated into the house, and makes attempts to contact her unit, are dynamically paced and terrifyingly tense. Then again, there are a lot of moments that are going to have you on the edge of your seat.

This novel has all the makings of a bullet thriller, but what Evelyn puts her characters through knocks it much more neatly into the realm of horror. The book is full, seriously full, of bad things happening, and doing so in a graphic manner. The cult leader, Cyrus, is a miserable hunk of human being, that latter term being applied rather loosely. What makes his characterization work so well is how real he feels. Not to accuse Ms. Evelyn of anything as untoward as being part of a cult, but the novel reads like she certainly did her research.

By the time you close this book, I expect you’ll find yourself stunned and emotionally ravaged. Also, please note that I’ve already anticipated you adding it to your wish list. If you have an interest in cult horror, or even if you just have a strong stomach and enjoy a horror story with well-developed characters, The Cult Called Freedom House needs to be on your radar. I, for one, can’t wait to see what horrors Stephanie Evelyn has to unveil to us next.

I never know quite what I'm going to get inside a Josh Malerman. Honestly, that's one of the draws. Despite the fact that Malerman is like a box of chocolates, I have yet to be disappointed. He is a wealth of creativity and a seemingly bottomless pit of engaging stories.

A House at the Bottom of a Lake introduces us to James and Amelia and lets us tag along in their budding romance. The reader is privy to outward observation as well as inner thoughts, and I was pretty much into these two as a couple from page one.

I'm not going to take you through the synopsis, but I will let you know that your appreciation of what's to come depends a lot on being invested in these kids. At least, that's what I found to be the case. This book operates on so many levels. I found the focus on the type of magic one feels at the beginning of something new, and the exploration of loss of innocence to be exquisitely done.

This is a story that I could spend hours talking about and unpacking with a fellow reader, consider that an open invitation to anyone who feels the same. The ending also leaves the door ajar for reader interpretation, and I had no trouble imagining how things went in my version. This novella has a special place in my heart, and is definitely one of my favorite reads this year.

Some of the best books I've read this year have been written by these two gentlemen, so making sure this collaboration was on my November list was positively crucial. Out Behind the Barn is very different in that the subject matter is horror, but it's written in a very non-horror way. Were I to divulge a one sentence spoiler-y synopsis, no one would argue the genre, but it would not encompass the heart that makes this book shine.

Boden and Lutzke drop us right into the story and respect their readers enough to allow us to piece things together on our own. We're able to move pretty quickly from something's not quite right here to a bit closer to a full understanding.

I read this mainly in one sitting, wrapping it up right before work, and this was a mistake. When you start this book, I would recommend giving yourself time to close the book, sit, and reflect. It's beautiful. These two authors write very different works individually, but together have a symbiotic partnership that crafts a unique and engrossing third voice. If memory serves, they're working on another collaboration right now, and I'm here for it.

The brilliance of this book, and it is brilliant, is that Victor LaValle uses Lovecraftian mythos and scale to make extremely relevant social commentary. By the time all is said and done, it's hard not to empathize with Mr. Charles Thomas Tester, be he true protagonist or not. I won't pretend I can relate exactly to the human struggles faced here, but I did find myself struck by the poignancy.

This story is expertly plotted and paced, and drags the reader through all its bends and scrapes, stopping here and there for some gloriously creepy imagery. The part where Detective Malone arrives at the home of Ma Att is particularly unforgettable. LaValle delivers a story set in the 1920's, mixes this setting with horror most cosmic, and leaves us with a stunning revelation regarding the main character's journey.

This is a good story presented in a magnificent manner. So far, this has been my experience with the work Stephen Graham Jones. A perfectly good idea is put forth, but with such love and decorum, it nestles into your soul. Nobody else writes quite like Mr. Jones.

We spend the 109 pages of Mapping the Interior inside the head of a twelve year old boy. We tag along as he deals with the death/absence of his father, a mother that must work all the time to make ends meet, a brother with a seizure disorder, and struggles with his heritage on top of all that.

Despite some truly horrifying and gory substance, the strength lies in the emotional impact that Jones is able to convey throughout the story. I love a good coming-of-age story, but add an affecting relationship between two brothers, and forget it, you can consider me hooked. The set-up was stellar, but the way this relationship goes on to play out through the climax of the story only served to endear me to this story that much more.

The Thicket is the relatively straightforward story of 16 year old Jack seeking revenge on the men who killed his grandfather and kidnapped his sister. From the get-go, Lansdale doesn’t offer up any illusions as to the gravity of the trouble the sister is in. These are seriously bad dudes. Incapable of going after this gang of outlaws on his own, Jack looks to round up a posse of very unlikely heroes.

We have Shorty, a man who more than makes up for lack of stature with a sharp tongue and some non-traditional fighting methods. Eustace is an African-American bounty hunter and makes for quite an interesting odd couple with Shorty. Accompanying them on their journey is Hog, a large, well, Hog that Lansdale manages to inject personality into, making for one of my favorite characters. As we travel, we round out the cast with some more interesting characters, and even feel like part of the crew ourselves.

During my first Lansdale read, Cold in July, I remember turning the pages in disbelief at just how good he was at writing dialogue. Here in a relatively different setting, the dialogue sparks just as brightly. I’d even go so far as to say it makes the story. The slick and hilarious back and forth repartee, going on for pages without going stale, had me thinking of Joseph Heller’s Catch 22.

The Thicket is a page-turner in what I’m starting to see is that trademark Joe R. Lansdale style. It reminds the reader of True Grit, in that it deals with heavy topics and storylines with an appropriate amount of levity, in a way letting us know that even in the darkest of times, it’s okay to laugh.

What an interesting amalgamation Jonathan Janz has crafted with The Dark Game. The story within takes on the trope of reclusive person(author in this case) invites people to partake in some sort of contest taking place at their estate. We've seen it everywhere from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the Haunting, but never quite like this.

Janz transforms the story into something of a love letter to horror literature, and writing in general, and even adds a dash of autobiography to the mix. I remember hearing an interview with Janz in which he recounts an inspiring piece of advice from Jack Ketchum that makes its way into The Dark Game as an anecdote told by one of the main characters. Not to mention, dropping nods to his beloved Chicago Cubs throughout; a Janz staple.

The story opens with a gathering of writers coming together at the house of world-famous, and reclusive, author Roderick Wells to learn under his tutelage and compete for the opportunity of a cash prize and a major-league publishing deal. We get a fair few authors to keep track of, but through backstory, as well as presentations of journal entries, stories in progress from the different authors, and the like, keeping them straight doesn't present much of a problem. Also, if you know this author's work it won't surprise you to learn they don't all stick around. The formatting that jumps back and forth between the main story, and bits of fiction relevant, and serving, to move the narrative along brought me back to Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted, another favorite in this very specific sub-genre.

The whole book contains quite a few quandaries into morals and ethics, primarily visited via backstory, but certainly explored in the present tense as well. When Janz turns up the heat right around parts 4 and 5, we get to see how the chess pieces left on the board will carry on in light of the things we've discovered about them. The way things pan out did not leave me disappointed in the slightest.

I've truly enjoyed, and blasted through, everything I've picked up by this author, and will be making a concentrated effort to make my way through his back catalog in the coming year. In the mean time, The Dark Game is an easy recommend because in its' exploration of character, writing, and imagination, there's a little bit for anyone and everyone. Also, just my opinion, but with how self-referential this book can get at times, I have to imagine Jonathan Janz had a hell of a time writing this.

Found Shadows, by P.T. Hylton, starts off with a bang. Books tend to hook me when they begin with an engaging, creepy, and mysterious prologue that leads to a time jump into our main story. Specific, I know, but it tells me that the author has already planned the payoff for me later, and is trying to spring that trap on me in as creative a manner as possible.

Once we get to the present, we meet our main character, Eric Partin. Eric was kidnapped when he was twelve years old, kept for weeks on end with nothing much really happening except for some strange tests, and then released with no answers or explanations. He goes on to live a relatively normal life, but is never able to shake those inexplicable events. When some strange happenings bring those past events racing to catch up with Eric, he's forced to return to his hometown of Wakefield to get the bottom of it.

Hylton's concept of the fade, which most of this book revolves around, is refreshingly original. We get a chance to see how different characters and different personality types handle this supernatural ability in a variety of ways. Seeing this, the author has created a lore that is explored thoroughly in Found Shadows, but hints at a multitude of other ways that this ability could pervade life both in and outside of Wakefield.
As a rule, concept is only as good as characters, and Hylton gives us a cast we can root for or against as the situation dictates. Eric is likeable and relatable, especially as he deals with normal transition in life, and is then thrust into extraordinary events. In the author's note when we read that we'll get to see what happens next with him, it just feels right. Baughman, our FBI agent who can't let a cold case go is all too easy to empathize with. Perhaps the story the reader will want to continue with the most is Becky, with the events she goes through and the teases present in the afterward. Our villain, Merle, is a bad dude, who somehow never comes off quite as threatening as he should given his actions throughout. If I had to guess at a reason for this, it could be because I wanted to find out more about his backstory and reasoning. Admittedly this is something that could be resolved in a sequel.

Something else about Hylton's work that caught my attention is the way he has carved a little piece of Appalachia out to make room for something of a shared universe. I'm an absolute sucker for stories that span not only multiple books, but even multiple series within an author's work. Wakefield/Rook Mountain make up Hylton's very own Castle Rock type getaway. Finding this out, I've now got my eye out for his Deadlock Series. If it's as alluring as Found Shadows, I'm sold.

I received a copy of this book from the author for review consideration. 


The Possession of Natalie Glasgow promises a new spin on the possession trope, and it absolutely delivers. Hailey Piper’s story clocks in at just over 100 pages, and is formatted to be devoured in one sitting. In that regard, it has a very cinematic quality.

We’re dropped right into the action on page one; 11 year old Natalie Glasgow is an average kid by day, but by night she sleepwalks, and every step rattles the house to its’ foundations. Not only that, but her destination is typically the refrigerator to see what raw meat is on tap that particular night.

Fed up with doctors who don’t seem all that eager to help, Natalie’s mother, Heather, enlists the help of Margaret Willow to investigate the paranormal rather than the medical. And, man, the things they find.

Piper’s novella could best be described as a supernatural horror mystery. There are some truly terrifying and tense scenes that are immensely well-written. It’s a very self-enclosed tale that answers everything the reader needs to know, the keyword here being “needs”. Could Margaret and/or Natalie’s father have used more backstory? Couldn’t hurt. Would it be cool to have had a wider glimpse at how the big reveal came to be? Yes, that would be cool. However, leaving these things out does not detract from the story as a whole.

Piper sets out to be put a unique spin on possession horror and, harking back to the first sentence, succeeds admirably. Hailey Piper gets 5 stars and a new devotee to pick up whatever she puts out next.