This is the comic where Deadpool makes his first appearance!! In the issue, Gideon is taking out a bunch of green combat module things while Adam looks on and helps plan out Gideon's day. Meanwhile, Cable (also called Nathan) is also training. Deadpool shows up on an assignment from Mr Tolliver, who has sent him to kill Cable. During the fight, Domino shows up but they've already got Deadpool all tied up, literally. So Cable sends him back to Mr. Tolliver and then goes over the people that can create a team from. Then Ric leaves the place, but first leaves Tabitha a note. At the very end, Gideon goes to Roberto and tells him that his father is dead.

They Come At Night by Nick Clausen is a wonderfully atmospheric and nerve-wracking tale that will make you think twice about staying in a cabin near the ocean.

I snagged this ebook for free after seeing it pop up time and time again in one of my bookish Facebook groups. I am SO glad that I did.

This novella is about a group of teens that head to a cabin on a beach for a weekend getaway. They are expecting to sit around drinking and relaxing, but of course, things don’t go quite as planned…

I just love tales with this premise! I was sucked in immediately and had to force myself to put the book down so I could go do bed and then go to work.

The prologue is scary and very sad. But of course, when we jump into the first chapter, the tone of the timeline we focus on begins in a very happy-go-lucky way. However, it’s not long before that tone begins to darken… And then it’s nothing but action packed and intense!

The building of suspense and tension in the story was so wonderfully done. We began with the typical teenagers that don’t think anything is wrong, even when presented with some solid evidence. Then we eventually move into the scenes where one person begins catching on. And finally we make it to the event where they all finally realize that they are in serious danger.

Like many of my other favorite horror books and movies, it takes a long time before the author shows us what the creatures look like. But that wait is so worth it. When we finally see the creatures in the light, they are terrifying and bloodthirsty!

I LOVED every second of this read!

One more quick note- They Come at Night was originally published in Danish. With the English translation, there were a few instances where the translation was a little odd, but that didn’t take away from the tale!

My Final Thoughts:
I had so much fun reading this! This could be a great book to read during a readathon as you will cruise right through it and enjoy every second!

While this one is categorized as YA and there are certainly some cheesy moments, it was so wonderfully done and very suspenseful! This tale really creeped me out and it is definitely one that is going to stick with me for a long time.

After finishing this read, I immediately looked up other works that have been translated into English. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

A must read for horror fans.

Human Flesh by Nick Clausen was a creepy and very unsettling tale of love, the cold, and horror!

Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. Organized as various pieces of evidence, we see text conversations, blog entries, voicemail transcriptions, emails, and newspaper articles, all of which get darker and darker as the story progresses.

First of all… GOSH THAT COVER! SO creepy and so perfectly designed! The red really pops, and that creature and tag line…!

I had posted my review for another of Nick’s books, They Come At Night, and Nick spotted it and reached out to me directly to send a copy of Human Flesh over. I absolutely LOVE when authors get in touch when I rave about their books! It’s always such a great feeling!

Of course, as I had loved the other book, I couldn’t wait to dive into this one! Like I said above, I picked it up one evening and didn’t put it down until I had finished it.

I read it once nighttime had fallen in our new house… We’re still getting used to all the noises of the house settling, the refrigerator clicking on and off, acorns falling from the tree and hitting the roof, and other such things. So of course, I was jumpy to begin with, but this book really had me on edge!

I loved that this tale began light and easy, but then got darker and darker as it progressed. The organization of the tale as pieces of evidence was so interesting! Right from the start, seeing “EVIDENCE NO. O1,” you of course understood that something bad happened, but getting there was quite the trip!

This was so well written. The author absolutely nailed the teenager blogger persona. Reading these entries reminded me of the LiveJournal I used to keep back in grade-school, but of course, mine was much less interesting!

The spooky factory of this tale was wonderful. It gave me the chills! There was one scene where a girl is looking through her grandfathers bedroom to the window over the roof that was so terrifying, I couldn’t bring myself to look at any windows for the rest of the night!

I also loved that this tale was set in my home state of Maine! It was too funny reading the girl’s blog entries about one of the characters and his accent. And this passage had me laughing right out loud:

I also want to thank the reader who brought to my attention what Martin found so funny about what he said when he saw us, the thing about us being maniacs. Evidently, he didn’t said “maniacs” as in “crazy people,” but “Maineiacs,” a term used to describe the people up here.”

Let’s just say that I am very happy that I read this on a warm late-summer evening rather than a brutally cold winter evening. It was that spooky!

The Rising Tide by J. Scott Coatsworth is another amazing space adventure filled with suspense and this time, a sudden dash of horror!

This is the second book in the Liminal Sky series and just like the first, I found it near impossible to put this down. I was so immersed in the story thanks to all of the intense action, the plot, and all of the amazing characters!

Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my review in any way.

This tale picks up five years after the ending of the first book. And while I read the first book almost a full year ago at this point, it felt like I had just jumped from one book to the next, the story and characters were so memorable to me!

Just like the previous book, this one is split into three parts. However, with this timeline, each part only jumps a few years. I really enjoyed this because we got to spend plenty of time with the same main group of characters which were a mix of characters from book one as well as new characters that were born on Forever.

When this story begins, Forever as it cruises through space, still headed to it’s final destination.

While many things seem to finally be going well on Forever, there are other darker things that are hidden below the surface. But these dark elements won’t be kept a secret for long… And when things start coming into the light, the crew quickly realizes that Forever and all of its inhabitants are in danger. But can they figure out the root of the issue and fix things before it is too late?

Just like the first book, there was so much action and suspense! At one point, there was also some straight-up horror. As a horror fan I was equally disgusted and horrified. Well done, Mr. Coatsworth!

It was so difficult to put the book down when things got tense. I just had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. However, it was also difficult to put it down when all was going well simply because I loved the characters so much. I just wanted to stick with them for as long as possible.

This author does such an amazing job with character development and relationships! Just like I said with my review of the first book, the diversity of the characters wasn’t overly discussed; it was just totally natural, as it should be!

I loved that there were relationships of all kinds in this book. Each relationship was so realistic, natural, and beautiful. I really appreciated the fact that the author added in an asexual character in this book as well. The way that this topic was approached by two of the characters was equally informative and heartfelt. I couldn’t have imagined a better way for the discussion the two characters had to play out. It was so spot-on for each of their personalities, and it was also written in a way that educated the readers as well.

Of course, when I began nearing the end of the book, I started getting bummed out. I just didn’t want it to end! Thank goodness there’s a third book, I cannot wait to dive in. This time I won’t be waiting nearly as long!

My Favorite Passages:
Nothing like taking oneself too seriously. The universe was always ready to knock a person down a peg.

“I suppose people are always afraid of things that are new and different.”

My Final Thoughts:
I had so much fun reading this book. It’s one of those books that you read and just want to shout: GO READ THIS BOOK ASAP! It’s so difficult to put into words just how much I loved this.

If you enjoy sci-fi, then I highly recommend this to you!

Especially to those looking for sci-fi with wonderful LGBT characters. However, you definitely need to make sure to read the first book before this one as it helps to build the world and the backstory that you will need diving into this one.

What if you could enter a world where everything is exactly as you want it to be? In Dreamland by Nick Clausen, we see just that.

But of course, our main character also learns that some things are too good to be true, and that he needs to be very careful about what he wishes for…

The story begins with this awesome first line:

Louie had always had lifelike dreams, but he’d never had a dream continuing over several nights, like chapters in a book – not until he visited Dreamland.

From there, we dive right in to learning what has been going on with Louie and Dreamland. And while the world Louie visits in his dreams seems wonderful and inviting at first, we soon learn that the trips to this world aren’t having the best influence over Louie. He’s talking back to his mother, he’s causing a rift between his mother and her boyfriend, he’s falling asleep at school… and terrifyingly, with each night he enters Dreamland, he comes out feeling like he has been there for longer and longer periods of time, and he isn’t actually resting.

Soon, Louie learns that he’s in well over his head in the dream-world. But can he get out by himself? Or will he have to rely on the help of a ghost to escape?

There was so much to love about this tale!

-The plot was wonderfully executed.
-The pacing was perfect.
-The main character was realistic and interesting.
-The family dynamics and relationships were wonderful.
-The ghost element was very well done.
-The suspense was exciting.
-The “monsters” were super creepy! (I actually had a nightmare about them!)
-This was one of those tales that really plays out like a film in your head while you are reading and I had so much fun experiencing it!

While definitely on the lighter side of horror, this tale was still very creepy! It also really focused in on family and learning how to let go and move on from the past.

This is another novella that I would highly recommend to those looking for a quick, but impactful read that will stick with you! It is a perfect read for the fall season!

I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll is an intense tale centering around the disappearance of a young woman and told through the eyes of various characters that were involved.

The writing in this book was awesome! I’m definitely going to be snagging other works from this author very soon!

The way that she organized the plot was so perfect. I love tales that make you guess at what’s going to happen and then just prove you wrong time and time again. Only to get to the end and finally have everything click into place.

There were multiple POVs in this tale and they all worked extremely well together. Each character was interesting in their own ways and each storyline flowed together so well that I didn’t find myself preferring any over the others. I loved getting to know each of the characters and what role they played in this situation. It was so crazy to see how many people were involved.

The characters were all very well developed. I really felt for many of them as they dealt with their own demons and tried to move forward with their lives. Of course some of the characters gave me the willies as well with how sketchy they seemed.

The chapters from the unnamed watcher were terrifying! I couldn’t wait to see who this person was.

If you’re looking for a thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the very end, then this is a book for you!

In the Tall Grass by Stephen King and Joe Hill is a bizarre and horrifying tale of two siblings that walk into a field after hearing a young boy call for help. Once they have stepped into the grass, they very quickly realize that they should have heeded the warnings and small red flags that they had brushed aside just moments ago...

[NOVELLA REVIEW] IN THE TALL GRASS BY STEPHEN KING & JOE HILL
OCTOBER 8, 2019

In the Tall Grass by Stephen King & Joe Hill book photo
In the Tall Grass by Stephen King and Joe Hill is a bizarre and horrifying tale of two siblings that walk into a field after hearing a young boy call for help. Once they have stepped into the grass, they very quickly realize that they should have heeded the warnings and small red flags that they had brushed aside just moments ago…

Let’s dive into my review.

My Thoughts on In the Tall Grass by Stephen King & Joe Hill
Stephen King and Joe Hill are two of my favorite horror writers. When I first heard about this book, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t read it yet! Then I began to get a little nervous… My expectations were incredibly high, so I forced myself to wait a bit.

With the Netflix movie out now, I finally got around to reading it.

Who knows what my opinions would have been earlier on, but let me tell you… Reading it in 2019, this was a hit for me!

While this is a short tale, it certainly packs quite the punch!

The opening paragraph itself is very ominous:

He wanted quiet for a while instead of the radio, so you could say what happened was his fault. She wanted fresh air instead of the AC for a while, so you could say it was hers. But since they never would have heard the kid without both of those things, you’d really have to say it was a combination, which made it perfect Cal-and-Becky, because they had run in tandem all their lives.

After that passage, we move into some wonderful character building as we learn about the special bond that the siblings have with one another. Though it’s not long before the creep-factor really sets in.

The siblings are traveling to stay with their relatives. While driving through Kansas, they suddenly hear; “Help! Help! Somebody help me!” And then we dive right in to the horror.

While I really enjoyed this tale, I will say that it also made me incredibly uncomfortable while reading it.

Because of the setting, it made me feel super claustrophobic. There was also one scene that really had me cringing to the point where I found myself curling up in a semi-fetal position. This may sound odd, but I seriously loved it! I haven’t reacted to a tale of horror like this in a very long time.

The overall pacing was perfect. It started with a bang, then picked up quickly and got darker and darker before ending in a way that I just love; it was an ending that made me go, “Wait, what?! WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!” but also lets the reader mull things over on their own rather than being tied up in a nice little bow.

My Favorite Passages:
A scattering of dust-filmed cars was parked here, windshields beetle bright in the glare of the sun. That all but one of these cars appeared to have been there for days – even weeks – was another anomaly that would not strike them until later.

If you wanted to be a stickler for accuracy, you could say he was already losing it a little to even think he needed to try such an experiment. But by then reality was starting to feel much like the ground underfoot: liquid and treacherous.

Directions melted in the tall grass, and time melted as well: a Dali world with Kansas stereo.

Juicy Fruit was a waste of money. That citrus flash of sugar was always gone in four chews.

My Final Thoughts:
Throughout the novella, I just felt so unsettled. And that’s the perfect word for this tale; it was unsettling.

If you enjoy quick tales that are a bit bizarre, quite brutal, and will leave you feeling weird about that fact that you enjoyed it, then this is one I would recommend to you!

Help Me Follow My Sister Into the Land of the Dead by Carmen Maria Machado is an interesting short story set up in the format of a GoFundMe page.

I received a print copy through PageHabit... I was happy to have read this story. However, I wouldn't have labeled it horror, which is the box that I had gotten... So that was a bit of a let down.

But anyway!

This was an interesting story! I liked that the format was a GoFundMe page. As a result, the book followed along with the elements of the page; number of backers, amount pledged, how many days are left in the campaign, a description (which included the backstory), a quick FAQ (that dives a little deeper into the back story), the pledge amounts broken out by dollar amount and the gifts that go along with them, the updates that guided us through the story, and then finally the comments that end it.

This is a very quick read; I think it took me just ten minutes to read. I did enjoy it, but didn't love it. However, I would definitely recommend checking it out.

Doorways to the Deadeye by Eric J. Guignard is a captivating tale about the importance of stories and memories. A wonderful mix of magical realism and American folklore, this is a book that will stick with you!

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my review in any way.

You know books like this… You start reading it and you’re immediately totally immersed in the tale. Before you know it, you’ve reached the end!

This quote from the book sums the main storyline up very nicely:

The stories a person tells are lives in themselves. Even if you’ve heard the same old tale from the same old man, it’s told a littler differently each time. Maybe a gal’s dress was blue as the sea or maybe it was her eyes. Maybe she wore a blouse with a button popped off, so with a quick glimpse you could catch a view of heaven. Like lives, some stories are short and some are long; some are dull and some fill you with wonder.

My gosh… this tale certainly fills you with wonder!

The story begins with a man named Daniel Greenberg explaining how he shared a bottle of Jim Beam with a man named King Shaw over the course of four days. Shaw was dying, but before his time came, he wanted to make sure this tale was told so it could be passed on.

Over the course of the book, we get little glimpses back into the narrators life and his meetings with Shaw. We also get a great number of stories about various characters that all played a role in the overall plot.

This is a book that you really need to experience for yourself, so I will keep my notes a bit light.

The idea behind the plot was so interesting! I really enjoyed learning more about how everything worked in the memory world as well as how the “real” world affected the memory world.

The characters were all so perfectly developed! I absolutely adored many of them, but of course, the bad guys got under my skin and made me angry! Seeing each character come into play with the plot was interesting as well, and I loved how they all kept crossing paths. Seeing their relationships develop with one another was also lovely.

I thought that the American folklore that played a part of the overall storyline was super fun and interesting! We got to see characters like John Dillinger, Harriet Tubman, Pocahontas, Paul Revere, Lizzie Borden, Benjamin Franklin, Sam Adams, John Hancock, Blackbeard, and more! The way that the author included each of these characters was so great. I think Lizzie Borden may have been my favorite, but they were all amazing!

There was one element that really stood out to me as a horror-feature. This element was the “pox,” or the regulators. These little things were absolutely terrifying. Just the thought of little creatures that “eat” memories, completely wiping someone out of the memory world is wicked intense!

My Favorite Passages:
Of course, King was just one of many lost souls I met in 1985 in soup kitchens and shelters and alleys so dark they caused the shadows to invert their gloom shining like slashes of ebony light.

The stories a person tells are lives in themselves. Even if you’ve heard the same old tale from the same old man, it’s told a littler differently each time. Maybe a gal’s dress was blue as the sea or maybe it was her eyes. Maybe she wore a blouse with a button popped off, so with a quick glimpse you could catch a view of heaven. Like lives, some stories are short and some are long; some are dull and some fill you with wonder.

Luke quickly learned that the times he was most happy were when he was moving, feeling the rocking beneath him back-and-forth like an iron cradle, and listening to the chug-a-chug sound of wheels moving, soothing as a lullaby.

Everyone needs time to relax once in a while. Even God took vacation that seventh day.

Like’s heart thudded so hard he thought it might be mistaken for a herd of stampeding cattle. But the voices faded and passed, and he remained underground for what seemed half a lifetime.
The trapdoor lifted slightly, and the old woman put her head out, listening. The other half of life seemed to follow until she said, “Okay, let’s come up.”

Her face was all frown, more carved than expressed, with a countenance so stern it seemed ready to rake the devil over his own coals any day ending in “y.”

A thousand maybes and not a single surety. But ain’t that all of life?

He found a rusted nail and used it to carve a symbol in the trunk of a twisted oak that spread its canopy over her tomb. The symbol was some squiggly lines with an arrow through them, a pair of almond-shaped eyes, a cross and crown and set of dots, and all of it surrounded by a heart that, combined, no one else would understand if seen, not know to give veneration to the resting place for a princess of the wind.

He was barreling down a route not found on any map, and all he had to do was focus.

The path to knowledge is never direct.

And what stays true for us all is this: As we’re molded in life by the perceptions of others, we’re molded in death by their reminiscence.

My Final Thoughts:
This tale was such an enjoyable read. It was interesting and it certainly made you think! The story was filled with action and intensity, but also had various elements of love; friendships, chosen families, and romance. The pacing slowed where it was needed, but went along at a pretty quick pace overall.

The entire novel was wonderfully written, which I’m sure you can assume based on how many passages I pulled out in my favorites section!

I highly recommend this book to fans of adventure with a dash of creepiness! This is a story that I know is going to stick with me for a very long time because of how unique and interesting it was!

One last note: I would LOVE to see this on a screen, whether as a film or series! It’s just screaming for an adaptation!

If you haven’t read any of Nick Clausen’s work yet, you gotta check this one out! Chills & Creeps Vol 1 contains eight amazingly horrific tales. Each is so unique and they will totally suck you in.

While labeled as YA, these tales will really spook you and they will definitely get under your skin!

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my review in any way.

Each story in this collection was amazing. I was totally immersed in each and couldn’t stop reading them until I had hit the end of the tale. I also loved that the author added a little authors note to the end of each story to share where the idea from the story came.

Here are my quick reviews for each tale in the collection:

Under the Skin – 5/5
Eek! I wanted to scream at this kid to get out of there! Follow your gut instincts, kids! Phew, what a terrifying story with such a gross and creepy premise! And such a great ending!! I will forever think of this tale when someone compliments my skin, and boy am I glad I have tattoos and scars!

I loved the authors note on this one that came with a recommendation for other reading.

Snapper the Fish – 4/5
Oh my goodness! What a terrifying creature! Right from the start, you knew something bad was going to happen. After all, how many tales of dads throwing their money at someone to appease their child actually have happy endings? This ending was brutal!

Deadly Dreams – 5/5
Oh my gosh!! Getting sucked into a video game is always such a terrifying premise. This story is centered upon the curiosity we all have when someone tells us not to do something. I loved that the two boys in this story worked together, but the poor kid that was just trying to help his friend…

All birds hate me – 5/5
Holy! I watched The Birds for the first time when I was far too young… and this one certainly makes me think of that movie! Being bombarded by birds is such a terrifying thought! This one really spooked me! I’m very happy that this isn’t an actual condition!

Ghost Tennis – 4/5
Woah! Talk about a major red flag at the beginning! I both loved and hated this main character. But phew, what a crazy situation! And yet again, that ending!! I’m so glad I don’t live near a tennis court!

Drip-Drip-Drip – 5/5
Oh my gosh! This is definitely a nightmare!! The plot of this one is such a crazy thought, but one I’ve actually also had before. This one made me super anxious! The suspense was great, but I definitely felt claustrophobic quite a bit while reading this one!

When I Snap My Fingers… – 5/5
Woah! Horrifying. I equally love and hate this one because of how dark this got! Phew. Hypnosis freaks me out so much. And what a crazy thought to mix it with a seance-like session, to call forth a past life.

Lights Out – 5/5
Woah! Having a super power of turning lights on and off? What an awesome idea! But of course, with great power… comes great responsibility. This kid certainly learned a lesson.

My Final Thoughts
This collection was so much fun to read! I loved each of the stories so much. The two that I gave 4/5 were simply ones with slightly unlikable characters, which aren’t my personal favorites.

Each and every story was creepy and dark! I highly recommend this collection if you’re looking for a handful of short stories that you can really get lost in. But make sure that you’re prepared to be spooked!