drakaina16's Reviews (2.21k)

Oh, I loved this book! I read a review of it in the Books of Horror Facebook page and I immediately sought it out. I feel like the less you know about the book, the bigger the payoff will be. It's somewhat of a slow burn. I found it absolutely riveting, though. If I didn't have other ARCs due soon, I would have put down everything else I'm reading to finish it. 

This is an excellent collection of bizarro and horror poetry. It contains some of the best horror poetry I've read recently. The Troublesome Amputee is my first John Edward Lawson book and he is definitely on my radar now. I can't wait to read some of his novels. 4.5 stars, rounded up. 

I had a really good time with this book. Small towns with big problems is one of my favorite horror tropes. This one has a slight twist on that variation that I enjoyed. 3.75 stars

Thank you to the authors for providing a review copy. 
I had so much fun with this book! It brought back the nostalgia of reading Choose Your Own Adventure books, combined with my favorite genre. I think you could enjoy this book if you haven't read Ghostland, but I can't recommend that book enough. As I was reading it, I thought it would make an awesome video game. Try Not to Die allows you to play at being in Ghostland. Strong 5 stars. 

Thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy. 
Abnormal Statistics is one of the best short story collections I've read. Max Booth III really knows how to write about fucked up family dynamics. 

Indiana Death Song ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
You Are My Neighbor ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Blood Dust ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fish ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
In the Attic of the Universe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Disintegration is Quite Painless ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scraps ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Boy Takes After His Mother ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Every Breath is a Choice ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Munchausen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Abduction (Reprise) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Video Nastie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
List of Familicides in the United States (By Decade) ⭐⭐⭐.5

This was a pretty tough read. It's extremely well-written and I loved the mash-up of police procedural and extreme horror. The book even had me squirming a couple of times, and I consider myself an extreme horror veteran. Definitely check your triggers, because it covers just about everything. If you think you can stomach it, definitely give it a read. 4.25 stars

Thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy. 
Grant Wamack came blaring onto my radar with his novella God's Leftovers. I was eager to pick up this collection and by and large, I enjoyed the stories. There are a few real standouts here, too. 3.5 stars, rounded up. 

What Happens When the Crickets Stop Singing ⭐⭐⭐.5
And the Flies Will Follow ⭐⭐⭐
Cardboard Citadels ⭐⭐
Vermilion Borders ⭐⭐⭐
Dark Scriptures ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Black Static, How Lovely the Sound ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Flute of Ribs ⭐⭐⭐
Fire in the Black Night ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Time to Shine ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Fossilization Method ⭐⭐⭐.5
The Hum of the World ⭐⭐⭐.5
A House Lay Deserted ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Where Old People Go to Die ⭐⭐⭐
The Dreadheads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rolling With the Gods ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The sequel to The Wild Dark, this book leans more dystopian. There is still plenty of horror, however. The Wild Fall takes place 10 years after the events of the first book and we do get some answers about what the heck is going on in the woods. I am looking forward to seeing where the series goes next. 

Thank you to Encyclopocalypse and BookSirens for providing a review copy. 
This is a very solid anthology, themed around cryptids, legends, and lore. I had a great time with it and I'm looking forward to Volume 2.

Invitation to the Feast by Stephanie Ellis ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Womb is a Tomb by Ross Jeffrey ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sad, Spooky Sally by R.J. Joseph ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reckless by Rayne King ⭐⭐⭐
Perchta by Brennan LaFaro ⭐⭐⭐.5
Laugh at Us by Tim Meyer ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Marriage by Mo Moshaty ⭐⭐⭐
Feather by Bret Nelson ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
The Spider and Her Parlor by Mocha Pennington ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Mercy Brown, Are You a Vampire? by Stephanie Rabig ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It Wasn't A Squonk by Judith Sonnet ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Lovers by Markus J. Williams ⭐⭐
All My Bastards by Ken Winkler ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5