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True Crime by Samantha Kolesnik is a dark and ugly tale that centers around a victim of horrible abuses. But in the darkness, there is always a bit of light. As difficult as it was to read, this novella was equally difficult to put down.
There are many trigger warnings for this one; rape and sexual assault, emotional and sexual abuse, child abuse/pedophilia, animal cruelty and animal death, self-injurious behavior, incest, kidnapping, death, murder… Take care of yourselves, friends <3
Like I mentioned above, this tale is a novella. So while there is a lot of darkness, it doesn’t focus on the details of any one thing too much. There’s also a healthy mix of happier elements like love, kindness, and second chances.
True Crime is a tale about a young girl that is just trying to get by while growing up with a monster. When she finally snaps, her life takes a new path. But had the darkness that hovered around her soul already settled in?
I have to admit, when I first started reading this, I almost had to put it down. The first three chapters were so uncomfortable to read due to the horrific subject matter. I can’t say it that got much easier to read, but for me the first three chapters were the most difficult. Once I got past them, I couldn’t stop reading!
I really enjoyed that this story grappled with the whole nature vs. nurture debate. It wasn’t spelled out for the reader in the text, but the things that happened definitely made me question how everything would turn out.
Another element that was really interesting was the psychological aspect. As we followed the perspective of the main character that went through all of this, we also got to see how she grappled with it. Many things weren’t black or white situations to her, there was plenty of gray.
It was so powerful to see how the main character progressed over the course of the story. I won’t give any more detail there, as it will give away too much…
While this covered some really tough subjects, it was also beautifully written. Check out some of my favorite passages below.
My Favorite Passages:
I started to see my life as a finite series of moments and I tried to catch each one as it passed. It was like trying to catch fireflies. Every time I thought I snagged one, I opened my hand to look at the pretty light and it disappeared.
We stood in line for tickets. All around us ran children and families. Fathers shouted after sons and mothers twirled their daughters’ hair. In their midst were at least two murderers, though they were none the wiser.
I wondered how the world made its villains and why it never apologized for making them.
But there was something about me which made people hesitate. I was the black sheep, the sheep with teeth, the sheep even the wolf wouldn’t eat.
To come in as a murderer and to murder is one thing. To come in as a friend, but to be a foe is another. Deceit is really the true crime of humanity.
My Final Thoughts:
This story is brutal. It’s heavy. But it’s also beautifully written. I can’t remember the last time I read a tale that was this uncomfortable, but also this absorbing…
A must read for horror fans. This one will demand your attention the minute you begin reading.
There are many trigger warnings for this one; rape and sexual assault, emotional and sexual abuse, child abuse/pedophilia, animal cruelty and animal death, self-injurious behavior, incest, kidnapping, death, murder… Take care of yourselves, friends <3
Like I mentioned above, this tale is a novella. So while there is a lot of darkness, it doesn’t focus on the details of any one thing too much. There’s also a healthy mix of happier elements like love, kindness, and second chances.
True Crime is a tale about a young girl that is just trying to get by while growing up with a monster. When she finally snaps, her life takes a new path. But had the darkness that hovered around her soul already settled in?
I have to admit, when I first started reading this, I almost had to put it down. The first three chapters were so uncomfortable to read due to the horrific subject matter. I can’t say it that got much easier to read, but for me the first three chapters were the most difficult. Once I got past them, I couldn’t stop reading!
I really enjoyed that this story grappled with the whole nature vs. nurture debate. It wasn’t spelled out for the reader in the text, but the things that happened definitely made me question how everything would turn out.
Another element that was really interesting was the psychological aspect. As we followed the perspective of the main character that went through all of this, we also got to see how she grappled with it. Many things weren’t black or white situations to her, there was plenty of gray.
It was so powerful to see how the main character progressed over the course of the story. I won’t give any more detail there, as it will give away too much…
While this covered some really tough subjects, it was also beautifully written. Check out some of my favorite passages below.
My Favorite Passages:
I started to see my life as a finite series of moments and I tried to catch each one as it passed. It was like trying to catch fireflies. Every time I thought I snagged one, I opened my hand to look at the pretty light and it disappeared.
We stood in line for tickets. All around us ran children and families. Fathers shouted after sons and mothers twirled their daughters’ hair. In their midst were at least two murderers, though they were none the wiser.
I wondered how the world made its villains and why it never apologized for making them.
But there was something about me which made people hesitate. I was the black sheep, the sheep with teeth, the sheep even the wolf wouldn’t eat.
To come in as a murderer and to murder is one thing. To come in as a friend, but to be a foe is another. Deceit is really the true crime of humanity.
My Final Thoughts:
This story is brutal. It’s heavy. But it’s also beautifully written. I can’t remember the last time I read a tale that was this uncomfortable, but also this absorbing…
A must read for horror fans. This one will demand your attention the minute you begin reading.
The Horror Collection: Purple Edition: THC Book 3 by Kevin J. Kennedy is another amazing collection of tales that range from creepy to totally terrifying. Two stories had me squirming in my chair! I mean, in the famous words from Ron Weasley… “Why spiders?”
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
What a bad time to have finally gotten a reading chair in my library! I was reading this collection and then suddenly realized that I don’t have any curtains over the windows that are ground level…
Needless to say, I went right upstairs to continue reading in the light, away from windows where someone could be standing just on the other side of the glass, looking in…
Per usual with these types of collections, here are my rating breakdowns for each story along with some immediate thoughts/reactions:
Cat Lover by Ray Garton 4/5
YIKES! This poor guy! This tale was heartbreaking and horrible. I wanted someone decent to pop by so badly!
To Love Is To Hate by Mike Duke 5/5
Oh good lord. This one was terrifying on so many different levels. First the virus and the betrayal, then the spiders, no thanks!!
Malignant by Christina Bergling 4/5
Horribly dark and sad. Wonderfully written!
The Twelfth Labour of Hercules by David Owain Hughes – 4/5
Woah. I loved that this one had you guessing at what happened right until it laid everything out for you.
An Evacuation of Bones by P. Mattern 5/5
Oh my gosh! I loved this one so much! I’m a total sucker for tales about a haunted space that has the power to drive someone to change. This one had light ‘The Shining’ vibes, but was SO much creepier!
All That Glitters by Gord Rollo 4/5
Whoa! What a neat idea! I did not see that coming at all! I was picturing a Sasquatch or something…
Rakshasi by Kelley Armstrong 4/5
Another interesting one! I love the idea behind this being ridding the world of crooks.
Don’t Grass by Kevin J. Kennedy 5/5
Oh my God, this tale. The poor kid! This was the second time I’ve read this one, and this read was just as shocking as my first!
Live Wire by Simon Clark 4/5
Woah! I really liked the choppy monologue format of this one!
Deprivation by Chad Lutzke 4/5
Oh boy, this one had me cringing!! And that ending- WHAT?!
My Final Thoughts:
Another amazing collection from Kevin J. Kennedy!! This one had so many tales that are going to really stick with me…
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
What a bad time to have finally gotten a reading chair in my library! I was reading this collection and then suddenly realized that I don’t have any curtains over the windows that are ground level…
Needless to say, I went right upstairs to continue reading in the light, away from windows where someone could be standing just on the other side of the glass, looking in…
Per usual with these types of collections, here are my rating breakdowns for each story along with some immediate thoughts/reactions:
Cat Lover by Ray Garton 4/5
YIKES! This poor guy! This tale was heartbreaking and horrible. I wanted someone decent to pop by so badly!
To Love Is To Hate by Mike Duke 5/5
Oh good lord. This one was terrifying on so many different levels. First the virus and the betrayal, then the spiders, no thanks!!
Malignant by Christina Bergling 4/5
Horribly dark and sad. Wonderfully written!
The Twelfth Labour of Hercules by David Owain Hughes – 4/5
Woah. I loved that this one had you guessing at what happened right until it laid everything out for you.
An Evacuation of Bones by P. Mattern 5/5
Oh my gosh! I loved this one so much! I’m a total sucker for tales about a haunted space that has the power to drive someone to change. This one had light ‘The Shining’ vibes, but was SO much creepier!
All That Glitters by Gord Rollo 4/5
Whoa! What a neat idea! I did not see that coming at all! I was picturing a Sasquatch or something…
Rakshasi by Kelley Armstrong 4/5
Another interesting one! I love the idea behind this being ridding the world of crooks.
Don’t Grass by Kevin J. Kennedy 5/5
Oh my God, this tale. The poor kid! This was the second time I’ve read this one, and this read was just as shocking as my first!
Live Wire by Simon Clark 4/5
Woah! I really liked the choppy monologue format of this one!
Deprivation by Chad Lutzke 4/5
Oh boy, this one had me cringing!! And that ending- WHAT?!
My Final Thoughts:
Another amazing collection from Kevin J. Kennedy!! This one had so many tales that are going to really stick with me…
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Last of the Mountain Men by Tony Moyle is the second hilarious and exciting novel in the Ally Oldfield Series. This book had me laughing out loud!
Full Disclosure: I received an early release copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way. (I also purchased a copy of the final version as well.)
n this tale, we center mainly around two characters from the first novel:
1) Ally, the stern researcher.
2) Gabriel, a ditsy doomsday prepper.
We’ve also added to the crew, a very clumsy and lanky young man named Lance, and a very aggressive FBI Agent, Daniel, who is quite used to getting his way no matter what.
Per usual, these characters all find themselves in quite the situation. Each time they seem to solve something, they learn that it’s just one small part of the overall mystery. As they work toward saving the world (again!), they must continue to band together in order to figure out what all the clues mean before it’s too late.
The characters are all so wonderfully developed. Some I just couldn’t help but love, while others made me shake my head with their absurdities.
I loved seeing more of Ally in this novel. I have to admit that I didn’t love her in the first book, but her snark and tendency toward rudeness grew on me! I also really enjoyed seeing her very slight turn toward being less aggressive and more open-minded. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how she grows next.
Gabriel was her usual self, which made me laugh but also seriously worry about her. Lance was definitely my favorite of the crew. As a wicked clumsy person myself, I related to Lance quite a bit. I also loved his innocence. The poor guy…
I loved how this story was organized! It all flowed together perfectly. Right from the start, Ally had me chuckling over the things she got herself into. It wasn’t long before the first major situation arose and then we were off and running!
I just love Tony’s writing style and how many chapters seem to go off on a rant or tangent before perfectly looping back to the story. Take this chapter opening for example:
Deep inside all of us, dodging in-between the double helix of life like a racing driver navigating a chicane, are attributes that wear a cloaking device and can’t be explained by counting the pairs of nucleobases. However much the chain is assessed it will never explain why incredibly attractive women date ugly men, why anyone might voluntarily eat a durian fruit or why someone would attach a piece of elastic to their feet and jump from a tall building only to bounce half way back up again.
They will also never develop a test to explain why people with absolutely nothing to hide will feel an immediate sense of guilt the moment they come into contact with a blue flashing light or a policeman. When this occurs the instinctive response within every human being is to convince themselves that they’ve secretly stashed have half a kilo of cocaine up their arse, are knowingly holding fourteen illegal immigrants in their basement and have recently fiddled their tax return to the tune of six million pounds. Hands will sweat like sprinklers at the thought of the polygraph test that will clearly prove their guilt, their eyes will find it impossible to look at their accuser and even light questioning will bring a full and lengthy confession for every unsolved crime from the last fifty years.
On this particular Monday morning it was Ally’s turn to engage the paranoia.
I especially loved the last 40% or so of the novel. When that section of the story hit, I could not put this one down! SO many things were happening and I couldn’t wait to see how everything would turn out!
Another element that I loved was the Fact or Fiction section at the end of the book where Tony explained each of the Mountain Men. In this section, he also told us what was truth or made up from what we learned about each man in the story. I thought this was such a clever addition!
My Favorite Passages
Tracing the money would be more complicated than working out why God saw fit to give the Tyrannosaurus Rex ridiculously small arms when clearly the rest of its torso had been designed for something much more fear inducing.
“Was this all he left?” demanded Hudson.
“That and a few items of clothing,” replied Timon looking up from the wallet.
“Odd though wouldn’t you say?”
“Not really. People generally don’t die naked unless they slip in the shower.”
“The letters,” said Daniel pointedly.
If a complete stranger talked to you only once it was officially and rightfully labelled as a normal human pleasantry. If, however you’d offered them clear facial signals that you’d rather rip your own ears off than continue with the social interaction, and yet they’d continued blindly marching on towards it, then you’d snagged yourself a bona-fide nut job.
“No. Stop, you’ll only make it worse. In all my years I have never met anyone with such a natural talent for clumsiness. It’s like a super power. It’s not normal.”
As she pulled the duvet down further around her body to cocoon herself from the increasingly dazzling sunlight that had joined the birds in their incessant campaign to force everyone out of bed, the doorbell decided to join in. Two seconds later it rang again.
Ally took the news of her suspension pretty well. Nine dinner plates smashed in to a thousand pieces on the kitchen floor weren’t keen on agreeing with her.
However well you think you know someone, they can still surprise you. Ally had seen this wisdom in Gabriel before, yet it always came out of the blue like a summer thunderstorm.
Asking Lance to be careful was like asking a bee to be less buzzy. The two aren’t easy to separate.
Books are everything. They document our history, enrich our present and secure our future. They capture humanity’s progress in the fields of the arts and sciences. They reveal who we were, are and want to be. Without books humans lack knowledge. Books are a tangible proof of human progress.
The trees of Stanton St John has shaken off most of their leaves, forming an autumnal blanket of orange and brown over the paths and bridleways of the village. At the entrance to the village a white sign with black writing confirmed its identity.
The human ego’s reaction to mistakes can generally be separated in to two polarised categories. ‘Fuck it’ and ‘Go again.’ The first might not be a permanent state of being, although the more frequently the same mistake repeats the more likely that outcome becomes fixed. Occasionally, after a brief period of ‘fuck it,’ the emotions might relent, the mind might clear, and the right support might be offered to engage the ‘Go again’ instinct. There’s a small fraction of people in the world who only know ‘Go again,’ but they’re freaks and aren’t to be trusted.
“That’s just the point though isn’t it. Not everyone can, or wants to, reach the top of the mountain, there’s just not enough room.”
My Final Thoughts
Yet again, like Tony’s other tales, this book had a little something for everyone! It had humor, mystery, light romance, historical elements, and a bit of suspense!
I highly recommend this one if you’ve read the first in the series!
Full Disclosure: I received an early release copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way. (I also purchased a copy of the final version as well.)
n this tale, we center mainly around two characters from the first novel:
1) Ally, the stern researcher.
2) Gabriel, a ditsy doomsday prepper.
We’ve also added to the crew, a very clumsy and lanky young man named Lance, and a very aggressive FBI Agent, Daniel, who is quite used to getting his way no matter what.
Per usual, these characters all find themselves in quite the situation. Each time they seem to solve something, they learn that it’s just one small part of the overall mystery. As they work toward saving the world (again!), they must continue to band together in order to figure out what all the clues mean before it’s too late.
The characters are all so wonderfully developed. Some I just couldn’t help but love, while others made me shake my head with their absurdities.
I loved seeing more of Ally in this novel. I have to admit that I didn’t love her in the first book, but her snark and tendency toward rudeness grew on me! I also really enjoyed seeing her very slight turn toward being less aggressive and more open-minded. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how she grows next.
Gabriel was her usual self, which made me laugh but also seriously worry about her. Lance was definitely my favorite of the crew. As a wicked clumsy person myself, I related to Lance quite a bit. I also loved his innocence. The poor guy…
I loved how this story was organized! It all flowed together perfectly. Right from the start, Ally had me chuckling over the things she got herself into. It wasn’t long before the first major situation arose and then we were off and running!
I just love Tony’s writing style and how many chapters seem to go off on a rant or tangent before perfectly looping back to the story. Take this chapter opening for example:
Deep inside all of us, dodging in-between the double helix of life like a racing driver navigating a chicane, are attributes that wear a cloaking device and can’t be explained by counting the pairs of nucleobases. However much the chain is assessed it will never explain why incredibly attractive women date ugly men, why anyone might voluntarily eat a durian fruit or why someone would attach a piece of elastic to their feet and jump from a tall building only to bounce half way back up again.
They will also never develop a test to explain why people with absolutely nothing to hide will feel an immediate sense of guilt the moment they come into contact with a blue flashing light or a policeman. When this occurs the instinctive response within every human being is to convince themselves that they’ve secretly stashed have half a kilo of cocaine up their arse, are knowingly holding fourteen illegal immigrants in their basement and have recently fiddled their tax return to the tune of six million pounds. Hands will sweat like sprinklers at the thought of the polygraph test that will clearly prove their guilt, their eyes will find it impossible to look at their accuser and even light questioning will bring a full and lengthy confession for every unsolved crime from the last fifty years.
On this particular Monday morning it was Ally’s turn to engage the paranoia.
I especially loved the last 40% or so of the novel. When that section of the story hit, I could not put this one down! SO many things were happening and I couldn’t wait to see how everything would turn out!
Another element that I loved was the Fact or Fiction section at the end of the book where Tony explained each of the Mountain Men. In this section, he also told us what was truth or made up from what we learned about each man in the story. I thought this was such a clever addition!
My Favorite Passages
Tracing the money would be more complicated than working out why God saw fit to give the Tyrannosaurus Rex ridiculously small arms when clearly the rest of its torso had been designed for something much more fear inducing.
“Was this all he left?” demanded Hudson.
“That and a few items of clothing,” replied Timon looking up from the wallet.
“Odd though wouldn’t you say?”
“Not really. People generally don’t die naked unless they slip in the shower.”
“The letters,” said Daniel pointedly.
If a complete stranger talked to you only once it was officially and rightfully labelled as a normal human pleasantry. If, however you’d offered them clear facial signals that you’d rather rip your own ears off than continue with the social interaction, and yet they’d continued blindly marching on towards it, then you’d snagged yourself a bona-fide nut job.
“No. Stop, you’ll only make it worse. In all my years I have never met anyone with such a natural talent for clumsiness. It’s like a super power. It’s not normal.”
As she pulled the duvet down further around her body to cocoon herself from the increasingly dazzling sunlight that had joined the birds in their incessant campaign to force everyone out of bed, the doorbell decided to join in. Two seconds later it rang again.
Ally took the news of her suspension pretty well. Nine dinner plates smashed in to a thousand pieces on the kitchen floor weren’t keen on agreeing with her.
However well you think you know someone, they can still surprise you. Ally had seen this wisdom in Gabriel before, yet it always came out of the blue like a summer thunderstorm.
Asking Lance to be careful was like asking a bee to be less buzzy. The two aren’t easy to separate.
Books are everything. They document our history, enrich our present and secure our future. They capture humanity’s progress in the fields of the arts and sciences. They reveal who we were, are and want to be. Without books humans lack knowledge. Books are a tangible proof of human progress.
The trees of Stanton St John has shaken off most of their leaves, forming an autumnal blanket of orange and brown over the paths and bridleways of the village. At the entrance to the village a white sign with black writing confirmed its identity.
The human ego’s reaction to mistakes can generally be separated in to two polarised categories. ‘Fuck it’ and ‘Go again.’ The first might not be a permanent state of being, although the more frequently the same mistake repeats the more likely that outcome becomes fixed. Occasionally, after a brief period of ‘fuck it,’ the emotions might relent, the mind might clear, and the right support might be offered to engage the ‘Go again’ instinct. There’s a small fraction of people in the world who only know ‘Go again,’ but they’re freaks and aren’t to be trusted.
“That’s just the point though isn’t it. Not everyone can, or wants to, reach the top of the mountain, there’s just not enough room.”
My Final Thoughts
Yet again, like Tony’s other tales, this book had a little something for everyone! It had humor, mystery, light romance, historical elements, and a bit of suspense!
I highly recommend this one if you’ve read the first in the series!
The Horror Collection: Silver Edition is yet another amazing collection of short stories organized by Kevin J. Kennedy!
This collection was so much fun to read! It had tales that ranged from wicked creepy to totally bizarre; I loved every second of it!
Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
Per usual, here are my very quick notes on each story:
Won’t You Open the Door? by Steve Stred – 5/5
What a creepy tale to begin the collection! This is one of those stories that will make you nervous to hear a knock at the door during the night… I loved the eerie atmosphere and the really dark premise. And an old crone that hovers above the ground?! So spooky.
Hooch and Honey by Kevin J. Kennedy – 5/5
I loved this one!! I immediately felt for the main character and worried about what he was getting himself into with these older men. The alcohol aspect was interesting, both as the boy learns how to drink it and sees where it comes from. This is a wonderful love story with a bit of the bizarre!
The Blood-Soaked Branches of the Bullingdon Family Tree by Lex H. Jones – 4/5
Yikes! What a horrific tale! Poor Jenna… Right from the start, this one had a creep factor and it just got more and more intense as the tale went on.
Death, She Said by Edward Lee – 3/5
Yikes! How terrifying. I’m not a huge fan of tales that center around suicide, but I did enjoy the Christmas Carol aspect with the past, present, and future.
Forbidden Fruit by Calvin Demmer – 4/5
Oh, this one was so fun! I was so curious to see where this one was going after finding out that the characters are poachers. The ending was wonderfully satisfying.
My Final Thoughts:
This one was a quicker read for me compared to some of the other collections, but it still packed a punch! I absolutely loved it. These are definitely more tales that are going to sick with me!
I would highly recommend this one to fans of lighter horror, or for people that don’t read horror but want to try it out!
This collection was so much fun to read! It had tales that ranged from wicked creepy to totally bizarre; I loved every second of it!
Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
Per usual, here are my very quick notes on each story:
Won’t You Open the Door? by Steve Stred – 5/5
What a creepy tale to begin the collection! This is one of those stories that will make you nervous to hear a knock at the door during the night… I loved the eerie atmosphere and the really dark premise. And an old crone that hovers above the ground?! So spooky.
Hooch and Honey by Kevin J. Kennedy – 5/5
I loved this one!! I immediately felt for the main character and worried about what he was getting himself into with these older men. The alcohol aspect was interesting, both as the boy learns how to drink it and sees where it comes from. This is a wonderful love story with a bit of the bizarre!
The Blood-Soaked Branches of the Bullingdon Family Tree by Lex H. Jones – 4/5
Yikes! What a horrific tale! Poor Jenna… Right from the start, this one had a creep factor and it just got more and more intense as the tale went on.
Death, She Said by Edward Lee – 3/5
Yikes! How terrifying. I’m not a huge fan of tales that center around suicide, but I did enjoy the Christmas Carol aspect with the past, present, and future.
Forbidden Fruit by Calvin Demmer – 4/5
Oh, this one was so fun! I was so curious to see where this one was going after finding out that the characters are poachers. The ending was wonderfully satisfying.
My Final Thoughts:
This one was a quicker read for me compared to some of the other collections, but it still packed a punch! I absolutely loved it. These are definitely more tales that are going to sick with me!
I would highly recommend this one to fans of lighter horror, or for people that don’t read horror but want to try it out!
Looking for a novella that will make you want to walk around your house checking spaces where anyone could potentially hide? Then look no further! Blind Date by Nick Clausen is that book.
Blind Date totally spooked me!
Blind Date begins with our two main characters, Lily and Jake, meeting up for, as I’m sure you could guess, a blind date. The date is going really well! So well that before they know it, the restaurant is closing up.
Neither party wants the night to end just yet, so they head to Jake’s parents home as they were away. This isn’t just any home though. It’s a home that is totally decked out with an advanced security system that only allows you to open doors to enter or exit using a phone that is properly programmed.
The two mix drinks and then Jake heads upstairs to change. When he doesn’t return, Lily goes to look for him… and that’s when the action really kicks off!
I loved how this went from super cute romance to terrifying action! And the intensity doesn’t let up until the very last page.
This tale was so perfectly written! I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a quick, awesome read that will totally creep you out!
Blind Date totally spooked me!
Blind Date begins with our two main characters, Lily and Jake, meeting up for, as I’m sure you could guess, a blind date. The date is going really well! So well that before they know it, the restaurant is closing up.
Neither party wants the night to end just yet, so they head to Jake’s parents home as they were away. This isn’t just any home though. It’s a home that is totally decked out with an advanced security system that only allows you to open doors to enter or exit using a phone that is properly programmed.
The two mix drinks and then Jake heads upstairs to change. When he doesn’t return, Lily goes to look for him… and that’s when the action really kicks off!
I loved how this went from super cute romance to terrifying action! And the intensity doesn’t let up until the very last page.
This tale was so perfectly written! I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a quick, awesome read that will totally creep you out!
Until the Sun by Chandler Morrison is a tale about a very troubled fifteen-year-old boy. Everywhere this boy goes, death soon follows…
I picked this book up after Mr. Morrison announced some personal news on Twitter. Shortly afterward, a group of horror fans all joined together to do a read-along. I’m so happy that I was able to participate! <3
Let’s dive in!
Until the Sun was a book that is WAY out of my comfort zone. If it wasn’t for our group that were all reading this together to discuss, I probably would have bailed on it. I personally just don’t like anything that centers around sex and drugs, and that was a major part of this book.
However, I’m SO glad I stuck with it.
Overall, Chandler Morrison’s writing style was wonderful. I really enjoyed the use of dialog and how the story overall was organized. This book started off in a way that made me curious… so I just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. The ending was definitely worth me following the elements that I didn’t care much for.
Other than that, I gotta say that this is one that’s really best to just dive in for yourself!
Below, I have listed a few of my likes and dislikes. Feel free to skim past these if you haven’t read the book.
Likes:
The vampire-like characters and how they processed foods and blood was unique. I at least hadn’t seen vampires like this before, so I enjoyed learning more about them right up until the very end.
The Grinning Man was super eerie!
The element of the serial killer was very creepy. Especially the bit that the police hid from the press…
I loved all of the pop culture references. Like people that have been in the news, Instagram filters, Bunnicula, Hawthorne Heights (even if the emo-bashing got old real quick).
The violence was intense and written so vividly!
Dislikes:
All of the sex and drugs. This was a main focus of the book and I’m just not a fan, personally. Related to that, the flashback to the main characters life in LA wasn’t for me. If you enjoy teenage angst, lustful longing, and lots of sex and drugs, you’ll love this section though! (Note: It was wonderfully written! It really gave you a great look into the character’s past and allowed you to understand his mindset at current times.)
The use of the word “retarded.” From the characters and how they all acted, it made sense as it went along with their privilege and self-centered personalities. It’s just an exhausting word to keep seeing used, even more exhausting when seeing it used as an insult.
The attack on the people in the house who had a Trump-Pence sign certainly highlighted the toxic mindset of lumping people together and hating all Trump supporters. Again- this was wonderfully written, I’m just totally exhausted on this political mindset of hating those that don’t agree with you.
My Favorite Passages:
With everything that’s happened to you over the past year, there isn’t much room left in your mind for doubt.
“My friends,” Varney says, grinning and spreading his arms wide. “Let us make haste, for the night is calling to us, and we alone have the answer it seeks.”
My Final Thoughts
My goodness. This book. If you don’t mind elements of sex and drugs, or you can skim past them like I did, I highly recommend giving this a read!
The ending of this novel is something that I won’t soon be forgetting!
I picked this book up after Mr. Morrison announced some personal news on Twitter. Shortly afterward, a group of horror fans all joined together to do a read-along. I’m so happy that I was able to participate! <3
Let’s dive in!
Until the Sun was a book that is WAY out of my comfort zone. If it wasn’t for our group that were all reading this together to discuss, I probably would have bailed on it. I personally just don’t like anything that centers around sex and drugs, and that was a major part of this book.
However, I’m SO glad I stuck with it.
Overall, Chandler Morrison’s writing style was wonderful. I really enjoyed the use of dialog and how the story overall was organized. This book started off in a way that made me curious… so I just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. The ending was definitely worth me following the elements that I didn’t care much for.
Other than that, I gotta say that this is one that’s really best to just dive in for yourself!
Below, I have listed a few of my likes and dislikes. Feel free to skim past these if you haven’t read the book.
Likes:
The vampire-like characters and how they processed foods and blood was unique. I at least hadn’t seen vampires like this before, so I enjoyed learning more about them right up until the very end.
The Grinning Man was super eerie!
The element of the serial killer was very creepy. Especially the bit that the police hid from the press…
I loved all of the pop culture references. Like people that have been in the news, Instagram filters, Bunnicula, Hawthorne Heights (even if the emo-bashing got old real quick).
The violence was intense and written so vividly!
Dislikes:
All of the sex and drugs. This was a main focus of the book and I’m just not a fan, personally. Related to that, the flashback to the main characters life in LA wasn’t for me. If you enjoy teenage angst, lustful longing, and lots of sex and drugs, you’ll love this section though! (Note: It was wonderfully written! It really gave you a great look into the character’s past and allowed you to understand his mindset at current times.)
The use of the word “retarded.” From the characters and how they all acted, it made sense as it went along with their privilege and self-centered personalities. It’s just an exhausting word to keep seeing used, even more exhausting when seeing it used as an insult.
The attack on the people in the house who had a Trump-Pence sign certainly highlighted the toxic mindset of lumping people together and hating all Trump supporters. Again- this was wonderfully written, I’m just totally exhausted on this political mindset of hating those that don’t agree with you.
My Favorite Passages:
With everything that’s happened to you over the past year, there isn’t much room left in your mind for doubt.
“My friends,” Varney says, grinning and spreading his arms wide. “Let us make haste, for the night is calling to us, and we alone have the answer it seeks.”
My Final Thoughts
My goodness. This book. If you don’t mind elements of sex and drugs, or you can skim past them like I did, I highly recommend giving this a read!
The ending of this novel is something that I won’t soon be forgetting!
Cabins: A Short Story by R.F. Blackstone is a quick 47-page tale that’s a wonderful nod to slasher films! It was eerie, it was gore-filled, and it had a wonderful twist.
This is one that you don’t want to miss if you’re a horror fan!
When the story begins, we see a bunch of teens partying in the cabin. The music is loud, there’s a kid hiding in a closet just trying to read his comics, and two teens are getting frisky in the bedroom, not knowing that the closet was already occupied.
Suddenly the music cuts out, and people start screaming. The two going at it are too occupied to notice that anything is wrong until someone starts pounding on the door. What’s on the other side isn’t just a buddy trying to interrupt…
Flash forward a bit and we meet two detectives as they are on the way to a crime scene. But will they be able to gather the evidence they need and get away from the scene before it’s too late?
This story started out with a sex scene that wasn’t really up my alley. Luckily, it took a quick turn into horror and then I was hooked!
This author was new for me, but I have to note that I absolutely loved his ability to do gore without it being too over the top. I felt that the mix of the brutality and story were very well balanced. Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely cringing at times, but I also couldn’t stop reading because I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next!
I mean, we all know that there’s just something about cabins in the woods for me…
My Favorite Passages:
The door was ripped from its hinges and a hulking form blocked the light. The young woman didn’t bother looking at the thing that had killed her lover; she was resigned to her fate.
There was something about this cabin, like every single other cabin they had been to, that creeped him out. It made his skin want to crawl off of his body and hide in a dark corner until someone told him everything would be okay and that yes, Santa and the Easter Bunny were real and nothing could get him. But he knew for a fact that this was life, horrible and frightening at the same time.
My Final Thoughts:
I had so much fun reading this quick short story! I loved that it kept getting more and more strange as the tale progressed. This is definitely one that I will be returning to again soon!
I highly recommend this one to those that love slasher novels with a dash of weirdness.
This is one that you don’t want to miss if you’re a horror fan!
When the story begins, we see a bunch of teens partying in the cabin. The music is loud, there’s a kid hiding in a closet just trying to read his comics, and two teens are getting frisky in the bedroom, not knowing that the closet was already occupied.
Suddenly the music cuts out, and people start screaming. The two going at it are too occupied to notice that anything is wrong until someone starts pounding on the door. What’s on the other side isn’t just a buddy trying to interrupt…
Flash forward a bit and we meet two detectives as they are on the way to a crime scene. But will they be able to gather the evidence they need and get away from the scene before it’s too late?
This story started out with a sex scene that wasn’t really up my alley. Luckily, it took a quick turn into horror and then I was hooked!
This author was new for me, but I have to note that I absolutely loved his ability to do gore without it being too over the top. I felt that the mix of the brutality and story were very well balanced. Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely cringing at times, but I also couldn’t stop reading because I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next!
I mean, we all know that there’s just something about cabins in the woods for me…
My Favorite Passages:
The door was ripped from its hinges and a hulking form blocked the light. The young woman didn’t bother looking at the thing that had killed her lover; she was resigned to her fate.
There was something about this cabin, like every single other cabin they had been to, that creeped him out. It made his skin want to crawl off of his body and hide in a dark corner until someone told him everything would be okay and that yes, Santa and the Easter Bunny were real and nothing could get him. But he knew for a fact that this was life, horrible and frightening at the same time.
My Final Thoughts:
I had so much fun reading this quick short story! I loved that it kept getting more and more strange as the tale progressed. This is definitely one that I will be returning to again soon!
I highly recommend this one to those that love slasher novels with a dash of weirdness.
Chase Darkness With Me by Billy Jensen is a fascinating tale about the path of a true-crime writer and how he began to help authorities and the family members of victims solve cases using social media.
I’m a huge fan of the Jensen and Holes podcast. When Billy announced that he had a book coming out, I preordered a copy immediately!
This book was exactly what I was hoping for.
Chase Darkness With Me is a must read for not only true crime fans, but people that are interested in learning more about how others become involved in solving cases.
The book focuses mainly on Billy and his path that lead him to where he is today. I had so much fun reading about his past and all of the situations he found himself in, even the difficult ones, as they packed in the most life-lessons.
I also enjoyed the tidbits that he threw in about his family as well as all of the nerdy elements that popped up, like talking about superheroes and Star Wars. It will never not be enjoyable to me to learn about things like this that my heroes are interested in!
This book doesn’t shy away from the darkness of various crimes. There were a few cases Billy wrote about that I had been aware of from my various murder-focused podcasts, but there were many more that I hadn’t heard about.
I was reading the book one day out on the deck of the house we just bought. It was a case that I was familiar with. Even so, just when it got to a reveal, an acorn fell off the tree above me and hit the deck. My bum left my chair… I was so captivated by the story and how Billy wrote it!
Each case was portrayed wonderfully. Billy treated each with respect. In fact, that was one of my biggest takeaways from this read- just how much respect Billy always showed in whatever situation he was in. Toward the end of the book, he outlined his rules for others that want to start helping to solve crimes. But all of that can be summed up with this awesome quote:
“… the rules you should be living by every day: Be kind. Be true. Don’t be an ass. Use your head.”
– Billy Jensen
While reading this book, I learned that Billy helped to finish Michelle McNamara’s book, I’ll Be Gone In The Dark, when she passed away. Amazing! And as I’m sure many readers have said, thank you, Billy, for bringing her book into the world! And readers, if you haven’t yet read her book, I highly recommend snagging a copy ASAP!
My Favorite Passages:
In the newspaper, people read the story to the end. But in Siwiak’s story, there was no end. It was my first of a thousand dances with the guy who got away with it.
No matter what is thrown in your way, you keep moving forward.
There were also a few of the racist and just-want-to-watch-the-world-burn comments that seem to come with most every story about a crime posted on Facebook. I won’t repeat them, but let’s just say proper spelling and grammar are kryptonite to racists.
Everyone has someone who thinks of them as their starshine.
It’s hard not to see the world in good and evil colors when all your heroes wear capes or carry lightsabers. Baked within us is the ability to identify the villain within five minutes of watching a Disney movie. But the grainy, fleeting image you chase is every shade of gray.
I’m not chasing people. I’m chasing shadows, phantoms that flit in and out of a surveillance video. That’s on a good night. On the other nights, I’m chasing darkness.
That evidence sitting in evidence lockers and old files is a bonfire of hope, burning ridiculously bring now that familial DNA matches are in play. The needles in the haystack are now buzzing, glowing, bouncing up and down, screaming to be found. We just have to look for them using these new tools.
…the rules you should be living by every day: Be kind. Be true. Don’t be an ass. Use your head.
My Final Thoughts:
Wonderfully written, perfectly organized, and very interesting; this is a book I cannot recommend enough to true crime fans.
Go snag a copy today!
I’m a huge fan of the Jensen and Holes podcast. When Billy announced that he had a book coming out, I preordered a copy immediately!
This book was exactly what I was hoping for.
Chase Darkness With Me is a must read for not only true crime fans, but people that are interested in learning more about how others become involved in solving cases.
The book focuses mainly on Billy and his path that lead him to where he is today. I had so much fun reading about his past and all of the situations he found himself in, even the difficult ones, as they packed in the most life-lessons.
I also enjoyed the tidbits that he threw in about his family as well as all of the nerdy elements that popped up, like talking about superheroes and Star Wars. It will never not be enjoyable to me to learn about things like this that my heroes are interested in!
This book doesn’t shy away from the darkness of various crimes. There were a few cases Billy wrote about that I had been aware of from my various murder-focused podcasts, but there were many more that I hadn’t heard about.
I was reading the book one day out on the deck of the house we just bought. It was a case that I was familiar with. Even so, just when it got to a reveal, an acorn fell off the tree above me and hit the deck. My bum left my chair… I was so captivated by the story and how Billy wrote it!
Each case was portrayed wonderfully. Billy treated each with respect. In fact, that was one of my biggest takeaways from this read- just how much respect Billy always showed in whatever situation he was in. Toward the end of the book, he outlined his rules for others that want to start helping to solve crimes. But all of that can be summed up with this awesome quote:
“… the rules you should be living by every day: Be kind. Be true. Don’t be an ass. Use your head.”
– Billy Jensen
While reading this book, I learned that Billy helped to finish Michelle McNamara’s book, I’ll Be Gone In The Dark, when she passed away. Amazing! And as I’m sure many readers have said, thank you, Billy, for bringing her book into the world! And readers, if you haven’t yet read her book, I highly recommend snagging a copy ASAP!
My Favorite Passages:
In the newspaper, people read the story to the end. But in Siwiak’s story, there was no end. It was my first of a thousand dances with the guy who got away with it.
No matter what is thrown in your way, you keep moving forward.
There were also a few of the racist and just-want-to-watch-the-world-burn comments that seem to come with most every story about a crime posted on Facebook. I won’t repeat them, but let’s just say proper spelling and grammar are kryptonite to racists.
Everyone has someone who thinks of them as their starshine.
It’s hard not to see the world in good and evil colors when all your heroes wear capes or carry lightsabers. Baked within us is the ability to identify the villain within five minutes of watching a Disney movie. But the grainy, fleeting image you chase is every shade of gray.
I’m not chasing people. I’m chasing shadows, phantoms that flit in and out of a surveillance video. That’s on a good night. On the other nights, I’m chasing darkness.
That evidence sitting in evidence lockers and old files is a bonfire of hope, burning ridiculously bring now that familial DNA matches are in play. The needles in the haystack are now buzzing, glowing, bouncing up and down, screaming to be found. We just have to look for them using these new tools.
…the rules you should be living by every day: Be kind. Be true. Don’t be an ass. Use your head.
My Final Thoughts:
Wonderfully written, perfectly organized, and very interesting; this is a book I cannot recommend enough to true crime fans.
Go snag a copy today!
Made In Britain
David Owain Hughes, David Turnbull, Kevin J. Kennedy, Ross Baxter, James H. Longmore, Lex H. Jones, Guy N. Smith, Michael Chapman, C. Bailey Bacchus, Nick Stead
Made In Britain by Kevin J. Kennedy is a wonderful collection of tales, all of which have a focus on something Britain related. I absolutely loved this collection!
Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
The intro by James H Longmore ruled! I was like attending a rally before a big game; it got me so pumped up to keep reading!! I mean, this passage:
So, do read on – we dare you – and enjoying all of the dark stories we have on offer. We would recommend that you read Made In Britain with all the lights on, and within safe shouting distance of help, but, like any other fervent horror aficionado, you wouldn’t listen. Would you?
Britain’s Best Clown by Ross Baxter – 5/5
In this tale we meet a circus owner and a clown that had been in a relationship. The two are determined to keep the show from shutting down. The owner is cutting acts, and when she gives the clown six weeks notice, he is determined to make the show popular again no matter the cost. I loved this so much! The stunts were intense and they certainly had me nervous for the clown. And THAT ENDING!!
From The Darkness Within by C. Bailey-Bacchus – 4/5
This tale was about a man that was living on the streets. One evening, a woman saved him from being heckled by two drunks. While hiding under an overpass, they shared a bottle of alcohol and their stories. The man told the girl that she should be afraid of him, but he was the one that should have been afraid. I loved how this one took quite the turn!!
Mr Elvid by Justin Boote – 5/5
This tale was about a very well mannered gentleman called the Good Samaritan who goes around stopping people from committing crimes and leaving them with a reason to remember him and change their ways.
Formaldehyde by Munib Haroon – 5/5
This tale is about three medical students that decide that it’s a good idea to cut off their cadavers hand and run around town drinking and taking photos with the hand. But when the hand goes missing and one of them ends up falling over their balcony… they start realizing that sawing off the hand of a dead body wasn’t the best idea. Oh my gosh, I loved this! What revenge!
Foundations by Lex H Jones – 5/5
This tale was about a small town that has a mysterious turret. It seems as if the structure is a mystery but when a camera crew comes out to explore the area, we soon see that there is a man that is protecting the area and will do whatever needs to be done to keep the secrets safe. Ah! The fungus made me second guess everything! Was this really supernatural or is there an annihilation thing going on here?!
After Midnight by Michael Byrne – 4/5
A heartbreaking and terrifying tale of something going on in a retirement care center. These poor lovely souls.
Mirrored Evil by Guy N. Smith – 5/5
This tale is about a family that moves into an old house. While the husband is determined to fix it up, the wife is hesitant because it was on the market for so long, and the daughter thinks it’s creepy. One night, the daughter says she saw a woman in the mirror. The parents try to downplay her fear, but when the husband sees the woman for himself, he knows he needs to destroy the mirror. But will that solve the haunting? I loved this one SO much! So creepy and also so sad. I loved the open ending as well!!
Yobs by Kevin J Kennedy – 5/5
This story began with a young woman walking home and getting accosted by a group called the Young Team. One boy was especially aggressive. Luckily her brother arrived in the nick of time. He fought off three of the boys and then sent the girl home before beginning the next fight. That gained him respect with the leader, but one of the crew wanted revenge… my goodness this one made me so jumpy! I get so nervous reading about 1) girls walking alone at night and 2) people fighting. I was on edge the whole time!! What a read!
The Devil’s Tree by Lee Franklin – 5/5
This tale is about a woman that temporarily works for a children’s center. One day, she sees a boy out by an old tree. The boy is upset because his ball ended up near the tree. He tells her it’s an evil tree and that they cannot go near it. The woman does anyway, but when she approaches the tree, she realizes she should have listened… the tale gets more sinister from there! I enjoyed this one so much! It was so creepy!
Sisters of Solicited by David Owain Hughes 4/5
My gosh. This is a topic my friends and I discuss a lot. It’s like a pendulum; we’ve swung so far in one direction, it’s time to swing back a bit and settle out. I loved this tale because it took some of my very real world concerns and turned it up to the max! This story was so intense and violent! I loved it!
To Put A Price On Love by J.C. Michael – 4/5
This story centered on a man who had just gone through a divorce. On a trip away to clear his head, he ended up summoning the green lady… and while she seems helpful at first, her intentions aren’t so sweet. I did not see the ending of this one coming! Phew!
Childe Abbas by Bill Davidson – 5/5
This story is about a little girl who moves to a new town with her parents. It’s a town that seems nice, but with one thing… there aren’t any children. After they go on a ghost tour, strange things start to happen. This poor little girl. This broke my heart! As sad as it was, it was equally terrifying!
The Swarm by James H Longmore – 3/5
Woah. Take a bunch of punks and add in a contagious urge to kill as they act very strangely and you’ve got this tale! I seeing a bunch of punk bands I knew of referenced! And phew, the violence!
Ocean’s Bounty by Andrew J Lucas – 3/5
This tale was about a crew aboard a ship helping out during the war. While the boat isn’t as impressive as other navy ships, it’s still able to do decent work. One night, the ship hits a German submarine. The crew immediately fears that they’ll be attached, but in searching the sub shows them that while they were right to be fearful, they should have just left the ship alone. So spooky! I can’t imagine having to board the sub!
Raven’s Curse by Nick Stead – 3/5
This was quite the tale of old curses and revenge! I loved that we began years ago and jumped to present time. I can’t say I felt too bad for the main character of the present time though…
Down Where the Hogweed Grows Tall by David Turnbull –
Not one for me unfortunately.
Ten Paintings of Nettle Wood by Michael Chapman – 4/5
This story is about a series of paintings. The artist had a troubling past and rumor was that his mother had a heart attack and he killed himself. One day, they realize there’s a person hidden in the grove of trees in one of the images. But later on, the figure is in a different painting! This one was really eerie and woah did this one take a turn!
Tag by Richard Farren Barber – 5/5
This story was about a classmate that the teachers can’t see. Only her classmates can see her. And she’s not a regular student. She’s really old. Once kids start going missing, the kids realize that their old classmate is changing… she’s getting younger. What a tale! I loved this one!
My Final Thoughts
Another wicked fun collection of tales! Most of these were a total hit for me and only one wasn’t up my alley.
This is another collection that I highly recommend to long-time horror fans or someone just wanting to start out with a dip into horror, as this collection has a wide range of tales!
Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
The intro by James H Longmore ruled! I was like attending a rally before a big game; it got me so pumped up to keep reading!! I mean, this passage:
So, do read on – we dare you – and enjoying all of the dark stories we have on offer. We would recommend that you read Made In Britain with all the lights on, and within safe shouting distance of help, but, like any other fervent horror aficionado, you wouldn’t listen. Would you?
Britain’s Best Clown by Ross Baxter – 5/5
In this tale we meet a circus owner and a clown that had been in a relationship. The two are determined to keep the show from shutting down. The owner is cutting acts, and when she gives the clown six weeks notice, he is determined to make the show popular again no matter the cost. I loved this so much! The stunts were intense and they certainly had me nervous for the clown. And THAT ENDING!!
From The Darkness Within by C. Bailey-Bacchus – 4/5
This tale was about a man that was living on the streets. One evening, a woman saved him from being heckled by two drunks. While hiding under an overpass, they shared a bottle of alcohol and their stories. The man told the girl that she should be afraid of him, but he was the one that should have been afraid. I loved how this one took quite the turn!!
Mr Elvid by Justin Boote – 5/5
This tale was about a very well mannered gentleman called the Good Samaritan who goes around stopping people from committing crimes and leaving them with a reason to remember him and change their ways.
Formaldehyde by Munib Haroon – 5/5
This tale is about three medical students that decide that it’s a good idea to cut off their cadavers hand and run around town drinking and taking photos with the hand. But when the hand goes missing and one of them ends up falling over their balcony… they start realizing that sawing off the hand of a dead body wasn’t the best idea. Oh my gosh, I loved this! What revenge!
Foundations by Lex H Jones – 5/5
This tale was about a small town that has a mysterious turret. It seems as if the structure is a mystery but when a camera crew comes out to explore the area, we soon see that there is a man that is protecting the area and will do whatever needs to be done to keep the secrets safe. Ah! The fungus made me second guess everything! Was this really supernatural or is there an annihilation thing going on here?!
After Midnight by Michael Byrne – 4/5
A heartbreaking and terrifying tale of something going on in a retirement care center. These poor lovely souls.
Mirrored Evil by Guy N. Smith – 5/5
This tale is about a family that moves into an old house. While the husband is determined to fix it up, the wife is hesitant because it was on the market for so long, and the daughter thinks it’s creepy. One night, the daughter says she saw a woman in the mirror. The parents try to downplay her fear, but when the husband sees the woman for himself, he knows he needs to destroy the mirror. But will that solve the haunting? I loved this one SO much! So creepy and also so sad. I loved the open ending as well!!
Yobs by Kevin J Kennedy – 5/5
This story began with a young woman walking home and getting accosted by a group called the Young Team. One boy was especially aggressive. Luckily her brother arrived in the nick of time. He fought off three of the boys and then sent the girl home before beginning the next fight. That gained him respect with the leader, but one of the crew wanted revenge… my goodness this one made me so jumpy! I get so nervous reading about 1) girls walking alone at night and 2) people fighting. I was on edge the whole time!! What a read!
The Devil’s Tree by Lee Franklin – 5/5
This tale is about a woman that temporarily works for a children’s center. One day, she sees a boy out by an old tree. The boy is upset because his ball ended up near the tree. He tells her it’s an evil tree and that they cannot go near it. The woman does anyway, but when she approaches the tree, she realizes she should have listened… the tale gets more sinister from there! I enjoyed this one so much! It was so creepy!
Sisters of Solicited by David Owain Hughes 4/5
My gosh. This is a topic my friends and I discuss a lot. It’s like a pendulum; we’ve swung so far in one direction, it’s time to swing back a bit and settle out. I loved this tale because it took some of my very real world concerns and turned it up to the max! This story was so intense and violent! I loved it!
To Put A Price On Love by J.C. Michael – 4/5
This story centered on a man who had just gone through a divorce. On a trip away to clear his head, he ended up summoning the green lady… and while she seems helpful at first, her intentions aren’t so sweet. I did not see the ending of this one coming! Phew!
Childe Abbas by Bill Davidson – 5/5
This story is about a little girl who moves to a new town with her parents. It’s a town that seems nice, but with one thing… there aren’t any children. After they go on a ghost tour, strange things start to happen. This poor little girl. This broke my heart! As sad as it was, it was equally terrifying!
The Swarm by James H Longmore – 3/5
Woah. Take a bunch of punks and add in a contagious urge to kill as they act very strangely and you’ve got this tale! I seeing a bunch of punk bands I knew of referenced! And phew, the violence!
Ocean’s Bounty by Andrew J Lucas – 3/5
This tale was about a crew aboard a ship helping out during the war. While the boat isn’t as impressive as other navy ships, it’s still able to do decent work. One night, the ship hits a German submarine. The crew immediately fears that they’ll be attached, but in searching the sub shows them that while they were right to be fearful, they should have just left the ship alone. So spooky! I can’t imagine having to board the sub!
Raven’s Curse by Nick Stead – 3/5
This was quite the tale of old curses and revenge! I loved that we began years ago and jumped to present time. I can’t say I felt too bad for the main character of the present time though…
Down Where the Hogweed Grows Tall by David Turnbull –
Not one for me unfortunately.
Ten Paintings of Nettle Wood by Michael Chapman – 4/5
This story is about a series of paintings. The artist had a troubling past and rumor was that his mother had a heart attack and he killed himself. One day, they realize there’s a person hidden in the grove of trees in one of the images. But later on, the figure is in a different painting! This one was really eerie and woah did this one take a turn!
Tag by Richard Farren Barber – 5/5
This story was about a classmate that the teachers can’t see. Only her classmates can see her. And she’s not a regular student. She’s really old. Once kids start going missing, the kids realize that their old classmate is changing… she’s getting younger. What a tale! I loved this one!
My Final Thoughts
Another wicked fun collection of tales! Most of these were a total hit for me and only one wasn’t up my alley.
This is another collection that I highly recommend to long-time horror fans or someone just wanting to start out with a dip into horror, as this collection has a wide range of tales!
