The Wild Dark by Katherine Silva is a supernatural horror tale where the forest is overtaking the land, bringing darkness along with it. And within that darkness, there are more horrors than just the wolves that have been spotted.

Told in dual timelines that weave seamlessly together, we follow Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Raleigh who has gone to a pretty isolated cabin in New Hampshire to collect herself after going through major trauma. When she awakens, she hears someone on the porch. When she goes to investigate, she hears someone call her name. But she thinks she was just dreaming as the owner of that voice was dead. Though it’s not long before she realizes that it really was someone on her porch.

From there, we’re off on a journey where things only get more and more terrifying the deeper into the story we get. There are screams echoing from the woods, large wolves attacking, and ghosts of loved ones are being seen, and that’s not even half of it! People have gone into a frenzy of panic over the events as the media, religious groups, and the government pumps various takes into the public eye.

Let me tell you, the “humans are scarier than the monsters” is very real here, but it’s a very close race.

I loved the dual timeline so much. Setting this up in a way where the character is recalling various memories and having dreams of the past, this format supported the current timeline, giving more information just when it was needed most. This also makes the book one that is very difficult to put down. Each time I told myself, “just one more chapter,” I would soon realize I had read at least three more.

Needless to say, I absolutely loved this read. I had so much empathy for the main character, I loved the horror that had me nervous to look out my windows at night, and I couldn’t read the action scenes fast enough to see how things were going to turn out. The overall plot had me totally captivated.

Bring on book two!

I’d loved to adventure outdoors as a kid. I’d imagined there were wild woods for me to conquer and undiscovered kingdoms to be claimed. As I grew older, the world outside grew less entrancing and more sinister. I couldn’t relax in the woods. There was always something had to watch out for. Nothing needed discovering anymore; it was about protecting others from it. I had to make sure the dark corners didn’t grow larger or blacker.

It was amazing how the smell of food could rewire a tired and sorrow-filled mind. Minutes ago, I’d resolved to go to bed without so much as a cup of tea. Now, I was staring at what could only be described as a boulder-sized burrito, smeared with sour cream and guacamole.

My footsteps sounded like cannons in the cramped space. The first gated door looked into a small room, about the same size as our holding cells back at Flintland PD. There was a body sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, slumped forward. What didn’t make any sense was another figure sitting in the same chair leaning back. I blinked, hoping I had mistaken something but it only got clearer the next time I opened my eyes. The figure slumping was ashen, long dead; traits that distinguished any humanity on its face gone. There were no eyes, no nose, no lips; only decayed skin. The thing leaning in the opposite direction shared the same legs as the body, but melted into a new torso, a new neck and head as dark as a hole. It flexed against the corpse in the opposite direction, as if trying to pull itself free.

Being truly alone in the midst of this silence, it was easy to be paranoid. It was easy to think that the sounds of the forest were something much worse. I dreaded the moment when I’d look behind me and actually notice something there instead of chalking it up to my terror getting the best of me.

I stared at the ground, forcing the exasperation down, down, deep down into the abyss where my brain had lingered these last couple days. I needed to not show anything. The media hungered for any speck of emotion, the faintest crumbles of sugar they could spin into vibrant cotton candy for their viewers and readers.

There wasn’t a minute of this read that I relaxed back and just enjoyed the calm. Even in lighter moments, you could feel the shadows closing in on you, ready to sink their claws back in with another terrifying moment.

Horror fans and supernatural fans alike are sure to love this!

And for readers that love when there is more in the journey; book two, The Wild Fall, comes out this year! There are also a few short stories set in this world that you can use to quench your thirst while you wait! Check out Katherine Silva’s website to learn more!

Forbidden Magic: The Cellar Door Issue #2 is a collection of captivating tales of magic that ranges from fun magic to some very real-world terror where magic is involved. 

I had such a blast with this collection! There is such a fun variety here. With each one, I couldn’t wait to see how strong the magical elements would be and what the overall topic was. 

I really loved every single story here, but my top favorites were All The Other Toys Faced The Walls by Patrick Barb and Born In A Tomb by Ville Meriläinen.

Per usual, here are my thoughts on each tale! 

Unsure if she wanted to go to her school reunion, she can’t help but be drawn in by her old best friend’s request to join. Once in town, she remembers a spell that her friend had promised to share with her later. 

I could relate to this main character’s dread so much. I was also the kid that couldn’t wait to get out of their hometown. I got out during college and didn’t look back. Visiting now certainly feels strange. 

This tale was so eerie. I kept expecting something wild to happen, but the slow-burn dread was so much more fun! I loved the path this one took. 

As the girl’s favorite toy, this teddy bear is there for her through everything. Most recently, it’s there for her while she goes through a stage of being terrified of other toys that look at her. Even while other major events occur, it’s still the toys she’s afraid of. 

I loved that that story was told from the perspective of the teddy bear! It was so unsettling when the toy explained being stuck and only getting glimpses of things as the girl moved it around. The other terrifying elements are added in here quietly, which makes them so much more unnerving. 

When two young women go into her shop, this woman knows what she needs to do immediately following an interaction between them and her boyfriend. But will she be able to convince them to listen to her?

Oh gosh, the tension that builds under the surface here was intense! I was so nervous to see what was going to happen. 

Discovering a vial of mysterious liquid, this woman is enchanted by what happens when she smells it. But her curiosity doesn’t rest there; she’s determined to figure out what it is. But will she like the answer?

My gosh, this is the perfect example of such a sweet tale that suddenly takes a dark turn! I loved how unsettled I felt while reading this one! 

Pushed too far when her coworker steals yet another idea, this woman has a plan to get back at her. But her mental state is quickly deteriorating as she keeps getting pushed further and further.

Who hasn’t had a toxic coworker like this?! My goodness, I can relate to the rage. And that ending!

Working to lay lost souls to rest, this man asks them to tell him a story of who they were and who they wanted to be. The dead rise one time to share their stories as they are led to their final resting place. But this isn’t the only power this man has.

I was so nervous to see where this would go, as we all know that “sometimes dead is better,” but when grief rears its ugly head, we’ll do anything to see our loved ones again. What a great grief-horror tale with a twist! 

While people in this town keep being murdered, this family continues to participate in the annual tradition of tossing easter egg shells in the river. Fed up by losing another loved one, this young woman decides she needs to go to the place where they bring the dead.

A classic tale of a quest for revenge gone sideways. I felt so bad for this poor girl who just wanted things to be better. 

A woman obsessed with her looks and her followers has made deals that she cannot take back. And these beings she has made deals with want payment. 

What a twisted tale filled with so many turns. When this one started I was so nervous. Then things took their first turn and I was intrigued. Things just kept getting more and more intense! The scene with the photo made me shudder!

Stuck watching as people come and go, following tour guides that tell the same stories over and over again. But this day, they are shocked that one tourist can actually see them. 

I love any tale about the Salem Witch Trials. This was a fun and heartbreaking take. And that last line!

Determined to do a ritual to try to call to a lost brother, these young women go to a church to take part. 

Split between the events leading up to the ritual as well as the ritual itself and an interview discussing a very old ritual and everything that can go wrong, the tension here slowly builds until things get bloody!

Sometimes, it astounds me how much towns like these never change for the better.
— Hear, Hearth, Heartbeat by Gwendolyn Kiste 

What happens to the things we leave behind? And what about the things we take with us, even if we don’t mean to? We were just two strange girls, pretending to believe in witchcraft. Until the day came, and the witchcraft believed in us.
–Hear, Hearth, Heartbeat by Gwendolyn Kiste 

To acknowledge my terror would have dismantled the architecture of my life, so I kept it tucked away in the pit of my stomach.
— Love Potion by Jaye Nasir 

Demi shook her head and bit down on her lower lip. Years of practiced speeches and an ocean of emotion threatened to submerge her, but now that they’d reached this moment, she didn’t waste the words. Nothing Sandrine could do would fix the past, or restore their souls, or save the relationship she’d discarded.
— Hex And Sandy by Michelle Tang

Magic is everywhere, though none seem punished for it. Not as we were. Not as we are. We are strangers to this earth, unchanged as stone, chained here as the world around alters and bewilders us.
— The Glory Of Our Flesh by Michael Harris Cohen

Fantasy and horror fans, this collection is definitely one you’re going to want to pick up! This one gave me a wicked book hankering. All I’m craving is more stories with magic now!

Everything the Darkness Eats by Eric LaRocca is a dark and brutal supernatural thriller set in a town where small-minded hatred runs rampant.

In the quiet town of Henley’s Edge, vulnerable people are going missing. The police are aware but don’t seem to have any leads. One officer is determined to solve the case but soon finds himself a victim of hate crimes that steadily get more violent.

Can both cases be solved before it’s too late for everyone involved?

Set up to focus on various perspectives, readers will get sucked into each storyline! Following the characters into their individual circles of darkness, orbiting around one another until they all meet in a dark basement.

I absolutely couldn’t wait to see where this twisted and dark tale was headed.

With Eric’s writing, you know he isn’t going to shy away from the darkness. As I highlighted some content warnings above, please be prepared for various scenes that will make you flinch and want to rage over the horror of it all.

She mindlessly began to covet the lines around his mouth and eyes until they resembled the scratches at the bottom of a teacup. She thought of a silver spoon, circling the bottom of a cup–going over the dark thin lines like the immeasurable loop of time, the nauseating ache of infinity.

Ghost felt unclean, as if he could sense Mr. Crowley crawling around inside him, rummaging through his thoughts and overturning stacks of memories until he came upon the one thing that mattered most to Ghost-his sweet Hailey. He knew he should leave, but a curious part of him begged to know the answer to a question that needed to be asked.

Horror fans, you need to have this book on your radar!

IT’S HERE! The World You Loved by Brennan LaFaro! The conclusion to the Slattery Falls series is here! And my goodness, this one really dials up the intensity. Everything is on the line this time. But will everyone make it out okay?

As this is the very exciting conclusion to the trilogy, I will tread very lightly with my notes below so you can all rest assured I won’t spoil anything. If you’ve read the book and would like to discuss, feel free to reach out!

At the very end of the last book, we saw Elsie call Officer Robin to discover that it wasn’t just a few hours that had passed while they were in the other world. It was eleven years. The first scene in The World You Loved jumps right back into that phone call. 

On the way back to Robin’s house after Robin had gone to Slattery Falls to pick Travis and Elsie up when they popped back into the world, Elsie informs Robin and Travis that unfortunately, Weeks hasn’t let go of Elsie just yet. Rather than keeping anything to herself, she reveals that he has given her five days to make an impossible decision.

The reunion with their daughter is bittersweet as Travis and Elsie have missed a huge part of her childhood and are now parents to a teenager. While the group would have loved to relax and spend time catching up after they were reunited, the clock is already ticking.

Luckily, while Travis and Elsie were in the other world, Robin, Penny, and April spent their time continuing to research. Getting Elsie and Travis caught up on everything, they share notes, stories, and videos. But they soon realize that they need to go back to Slattery Falls…

One of the many things that Brennan does that I absolutely love, is that he provides readers with a recap at the start of the book to get readers back up to speed. The Story So Far… recap here does an excellent job with that! Highlighting all of the terror and situations they found themselves in, this snapshot will have readers wanting to go back to experience the first two books all over again!

In the first few chapters, my stomach was in knots for poor Travis and Elsie. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to learn that the world has moved forward eleven years. My heart broke for them realizing how much time they had missed with their daughter, April. And April’s initial reaction to seeing her parents for the first time was so touching it made me cry! I enjoyed seeing that she was no-nonsense just like her mom, and creative, like her dad!

I loved how awkward Travis and Elsie were with April at first. That gap alone is a doozy to wrap their minds around, but on top of that, they also had no idea how to parent their daughter as a teenager. I loved seeing how they handled the situation and how much trust they put in her, clearly seeing how capable and grown up she was immediately.

The whole group worked so well together. I was so confident with them. But queue the viral TikTok song… “And nothing can go wrong! On no, it all went wrong!“

I was so invested in seeing what was going to happen next, and how the whole storyline would come to an end, that I couldn’t put this one down.

The World You Loved is a novel that is heartfelt and uplifting, but also tense and terrifying in a way that only Brennan LaFaro can do. You’ll be on the edge of your seat rooting for these characters to take down Weeks once and for all.

Isolation amplified every noise in the night, no matter how small. The creak of a building settling became a green-eyed deviant emerging into the night. The hum of a soft breeze transformed into conspiratorial whispers, interlopers ready to pounce. The night air reeked of paranoia and I bought into it. The way Travis’ eyes darted back and forth–prey exposed in an open field–told me he felt the same way.

My stomach dropped so hard I expected it to crash through the car’s floor and splatter all over Route 91.

Travis gazed at me from behind a steaming mug, a genuine smile on his face. The kind of absent grin you get when you stare at someone you love and lose yourself a little. 

The surrounding woods kept their secrets well, remaining as wholesome and unthreatening as the path that led us to that point. The previous doorway in the woods only appeared after a catastrophic supernatural storm that poured not one drop of rain, but made the wind howl like a banshee with its shoes tied too tight.

There’s not much dependable about this kind of house, but creaky steps are something to hang your hat on.

Their glowing number pulsed a bright white, so clean, so pure, it made fresh New England snow look dingy.

This was such a great conclusion to the series. I told Brennan that it feels like he had planned all of this out at the start because everything flowed so well, and the connections between the books were done so perfectly. He stated that he was writing by the seat of his pants. This is wildly impressive to me. As a reader, I had a few instances where it felt like puzzle pieces had been put together made me want to shout out of excitement with the connection!

Needless to say, if you haven’t yet picked up any of the books in the series, now’s the time! You can read all three back to back and experience the chilling story from start to finish.

The Horror Collection: LGBTQIA+ Edition is a collection of tales that captures such a wide variety of fears; violent shadows, people doing horrible things to one another, nightmare rideshares, terrifying forests, and so much more!

Kevin J. Kennedy has done it again! What a killer collection of tales. So many of these authors were new to me while I recognized a handful.

My favorites stories from the collection include:

Per usual, here are my thoughts on each tale!

Such a great intro to kick off this collection! 

Receiving an invitation to an exclusive party, one man is thrilled while the other just tries to make the most of it. Once attending the festivities, they each soon realize that something was seriously wrong here. But they have no idea just how wrong.

What a tale of getting what you deserve! I loved how this story slowly unfolded, showing us the heart of the darkness going on. 

Born out of blood, dust, and hate, this being follows its person, sinking into his every thought and feeling. Growing stronger with each instance of long-overdue payback, this being also feels jealousy and more rage. 

I’m obsessed with this tale. While it’s heartbreaking and maddening as you watch events from the characters’ life play out, it’s a great reflection on the fact that there’s a stronger emotion than hate. 

Lured in by what he thinks is a connection, this man follows a man dressed like a cowboy to a house that’s clearly not his own. Once there, the cowboy tells the man why he’s tricked him and brought him there. Of course, while the main character just can’t help but be nice and helpful, he soon learns there are more tricks in store.

My gosh the tension that built while reading this one! So many ignored red flags. And what an ending!

Forging a new lover from clay, blood, and loneliness, this being has made their favorite one. But their creation grows to more than just something that they can control. 

What a slow burn! I was so nervous to see where this was going as there was clearly some major unrest. 

A husband and father working on Christmas Eve decides to take just one more ride request, thinking it will be good money. But of course, this one last ride doesn’t go as expected. 

What a brutal and terrifying tale! Not just the big reveal, but the little things that lead up to it like dealing with drunk people. I don’t know how ride-share folks do it. The bravery and patience… 

Secretly in love with his best friend, this teen gets quite the surprise one night after a workout. 

I was so caught up in the mindset of ruminating while running, I was so unprepared for what came next!

Frustrated to find that someone has decorated his statue for Halloween, this man goes out to clear it off. Soon, he realizes it’s not just the neighbor’s kid playing a prank.

Phew, this story had so much packed into it! Guilt, shame, fear, growth, and so much more. A difficult read, but such a powerful tale. Content warnings here! 

Told not to enter a forest as it is protected land, this woman can’t help but take the shortcut when she misses her bus during a storm. What she ends up discovering inside the treelike hooks her curiosity, refusing to let her go. 

My gosh… I can’t wait for readers to learn what is in these woods!!

Sneaking out at night to meet with her lover, this Christian woman just doesn’t understand her people’s hatred of their neighbors. When wolves close in, the two aren’t deterred. But one day, the wolf gets too close. 

A great tale of breaking ties with toxic beliefs and the people that drag you down on your way to salvation. 

Haunted by a being that fuels itself off of grief, this character sees it take his friend before coming for him.

This an interesting take on grief and how it affects the body! What a great quick spurt of body horror at the end as well! 

Desperate to move into a new home, this woman is being haunted by something strange. She thinks finally getting the keys to her new place will solve the issue, but she has no idea what’s to come.

What a fun and spooky haunting tale!

Getting into a vehicle with a man he’s never met before is common for this young man. But what’s not coming is for him to form a bond. But there’s something else magical going on. And one element of magic is about to go dark. 

This story was filled with so many turns! I was so excited to see what would come next. The violent scenes were brutal! 

Leaving the office late, this woman is shocked to see a bloodied and terrified face right outside the doors. She recognizes him and lets him in, locking the doors behind them. He tells her zombies attacked him. She doesn’t want to believe him at first, but soon they’re just trying to survive.  

This story was so much fun! I loved the quick setup before were right in the action! This story also had a wonderful blend of horror and comedy!

“He was a charming man, I will give you that. That doesn’t mean good. This man has a body count worthy of the greatest serial killers, he just managed to do it without getting his own hands dirty.”
— X-Treme by Callum Pearce

The six o’clock train slammed into Brick’s tumbling body at a hundred miles per hour. He burst apart like a melon. His spine went one way carrying his head. His legs another.
— Husk by James Bennett

He hadn’t slept properly all week. His eyes bore the brunt of this. Usually a soft brown, now they were red and bloodshot. The bags living under his eyes were not designer.
— Drop. Rock. Death. By James Lefebure

She fears the idea of going into the woods at night. As irrational as it is, she can’t unmarry the idea of a darkened forest with monsters and sinister beasts hiding at the edges of her vision.
— Like Peonies by Caitlin Marceau

To be evil is to enforce your own ill will upon someone else’s fragility…
— Zero Sum by J. Daniel Stone

This is the FIFTEENTH book in this series! If you haven’t yet picked any of them up, I highly recommend them!

This edition specifically covers amazing ground in both story topics and diversity. You’ll never know what story you’re about to enter next!

Our Own Unique Affliction by Scott J. Moses is a tale of monsters, grief, and the power of family.

These two sisters have a secret; they’re not like everyone else. But while they are tied together in the darkness of their past, it’s the present that’s even more trying.

One sister tends to stay with someone they consider their protector, bending to their every request. The other sister can’t be held back and goes out to explore and meet new people, desperate to stay stimulated.

Both sisters are struggling. Both are hiding it from one another.

Soon, both will come to terms with their grief. But things are about to get worse before they can get better.

The only real gods in this world are uncertainty and death.

“…And what are the living without stories?” 

Grief is a tomb for those left behind. The true undead. An impossible weight, and you know? I hope it clings to me forever, because what is grief but unexpressed love? And if I still love her, she’s still here somehow.

In Our Own Unique Affliction, the author puts grief down on the page in such a creative way. Readers will be mesmerized by the events within as if the main character has looked them in the eye and told them to keep up.

Bound in Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror edited by Lor Gislason is a collection of dark tales filled with violence, sex, and terror.

Extreme horror fans, you’re in for such a treat here! There is such a perfect blend of tales here that range from blood-boiling to full-blown terror.

My favorite shorts included:

Per usual, here are my thoughts on each tale!

Such an awesome foreword! I love that Lor shares how this anthology came about. This is everything I love about the horror community! 

Determined to get a meeting with The Physician, this young man has a desperate need to become something he is not. 

The slew of things The Physician rattled off when she was first approached had me squeamish! Her blunt honesty was intense. Paired with imagining the poor guy on the chair waiting to hopefully get his wish had me feeling so uncomfortable right along with him! Seeing what came next was so much fun! 

Coming across a dead body, this hiker picks up the phone of the deceased and finds a video log among some screenshots on their camera reel. Watching the videos, the hiker learns what happened to this boy. 

This story is terrifying! The hiker is in the woods, lost, in the dark. That’s scary enough! But then they find the dead body AND learn about a terrifying creature. This is pure nightmare fuel. 

After a vicious attack in prison, this man ends up with a colostomy bag and a private cell. Unsure how to even process the events, he sees mushrooms growing in the cell and becomes fixated on them. 

Such a vicious and brutal beginning that moves into an unsettling and bizarre tale! 

Never straying too far from home, this kid has been told their whole life that they’re a monster. Their mother stitches skin over them to make them “human.” But one day, they make a friend, and they start to think of things that their mother had tried so hard to avoid. 

This tale is heartbreaking! The level of horridness in what the mother was doing is unbelievable. Such a terrible, beautiful, and tragic tale all in one!

An old man has spent his life helping others with a very unique talent. He can bring the souls of the departed back. But this time, he’s working on a project for himself. 

The tension that builds here is amazing! I couldn’t wait to see what was coming!

Suddenly finding themselves in an odd situation where a woman is constantly changing them into whatever her latest whim is, they realize that they’re losing themselves and need to get away. 

The lack of control for the main character was terrifying. But forcing this poor soul to go through various transformations when they just wanted to be the self they’ve worked so hard to become was heartbreaking. 

They know that you shouldn’t buy magic items at yard sales, and yet, this character just can’t help themselves. Using the item they picked up, they wish for one thing and get something unexpected. 

What a wild ride this one takes readers on!  I was so nervous to see what magic this thing held, and while there was a very happy bright spot, there was also terror and hate that spilled out. 

Looking at a horde of breeders, one character wants to run while the other won’t let them leave. Soon, chaos breaks out. 

What a gory, brutal, and sickening tale! An extremely difficult one to read while pregnant! Tread carefully here if you’re in that boat.

Seeing a finger in her coffee, this woman initially screams but then lets her scientific inklings take charge. 

This is one of those stories where you want to root for the main character, but can’t help but wonder if she is making the right choice. What if everyone trying to contain her were the ones that were right? Such a great tale of the unknown and how people react to it! 

Determined to learn where these magical black eggs come from, this main character lets themselves get swept up by the one with the answers. 

In a marriage where the husband dictates exactly how to do every single thing, the wife begins to ask him to show her exactly what to do. later, when he finally pushes things too far, she again wants to know exactly what to do.

My goodness, the things this man says will have your blood boiling! 

Buying a house that is haunted by a ghost, this man believes he can get rid of the ghost. But this ghost has other plans. 

Rooting for the ghost, I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen. That ending was brutal and perfect!

Determined to die, this character has a more difficult time than expected.

But instead of the pockets of black between the trunks that he was used to, his eyes snagged on something up ahead. In the distance, just within the reach of the light, a sheet ghost stood still and watched him, its black balloon held aloft.
— The Haunting of Aiden Finch by Theo Hendrie

“Hey, I’m just saying we’re all special in some kind of way. So you’re just more unique than most other people! That doesn’t make you bad.” Samantha lay back in the grass with her hands under her head. “It’s scary to see yourself for what you really are. That’s true for anyone. But you said it yourself, what’s the point of knowing anyone if they don’t know the real you? Shouldn’t that count for yourself the most?”
— Mama is a Butcher by Winter Holmes

There is a finger in my morning coffee. The digit, a repetition of middle and proximal phalanges, originates behind the bread bin and seems quite pleased to be scalding its pale flesh in my expresso. At first, I think it is a snake, a worm, or a wire. Something that makes sense.
— Long Fingers by Layne Van Rensburg

Ronnie cries out as the pages drive themselves in, a stream shooting into Darryl’s mouth and down his gullet, crumpling fast and wet as they work their way down him, through him, one after the other. Hot blood bubbles from his mouth before being shoved back in, spitting up out of his nose and running down his cheeks. The thundering ripple of paper downs the last sound he ever makes.
— Man of The House by Lillian Boyd

I felt for so long that death was a lover I hadn’t met yet.
— Looking for the Big Death by Taliesin Neith

What a collection! Horror fans, if you haven’t yet picked this one up, go snag a copy today! This is some extreme horror at its finest!

Table for 3 is a collection of three novellas that will fill you with unease, dread, and hunger while also emptying you of any hope you may have had for these poor characters.

This charity anthology features three novellas, which include:

If I was starving and needed to choose a favorite here in order to get something to eat, I wouldn’t be able to pick! Each story was so uniquely terrifying while staying tied together in the fear of going hungry.

Here are my thoughts on each tale.

Disgusted by the stories his mother has told him, this young man is determined to do something. First, he throws a bit of gravestone through his father’s window, but that doesn’t make him feel any better. In fact, the fallout from that only makes him feel worse. Worse enough to do something more drastic. But when he is in the middle of that next attempt, he hears a girl calling for help. Little does he know, he’s about to get himself into something wild. 

The setup for this tale is absolutely blood-boiling. I was so ready to rage on behalf of the poor girl. That rage quickly turned to nervousness and shock when I learned what was happening here. What a wild story! 

Starving and desperate for meat, this man and his friend plan to steal dead animals from the shelter. They figured no one would miss them anyway. But after eating the meat just once, they suddenly can’t get enough food. 

This was so unsettling! I kept expecting something to happen with the drugs used to kill the animals, but what was really happening here was far beyond my imagination. The blend of terror and gross-out scenes here was intense! The scene at the gas startup had me ready to gag! Phew, what a tale! 

Warned by their loner roommate about a potential food shortage, the other roommates don’t take the warning seriously. Only realizing that they’re in trouble once it’s far too late.

While these young adults can technically leave the apartment, this one reads very similarly to a locked-room horror story. Every day that passes, things just get more and more intense! This one is certainly going to haunt my nightmares. I have a very real fear of something like this happening and the pandemic didn’t make that any easier to try not to worry about!

With those words, Laura’s hopes that her son felt some moral ambivalence began to face.
— The Last Slaughter by Douglas Ford

She stopped and turned toward the house. A palpation of memory hung in her head, but she couldn’t figure out what it dangled from or how it swayed. Carrie stared at the house with one corner of her mouth turned down when the truck slammed into her.
— Cat Food by Holly Rae Garcia

Shelley shook her head, trying to wipe the image’s remnants from her mind like an Etch-a-Sketch.
— Rock Of Ages by Rebecca Rowland

Eat something before diving into this book because while these stories will make you suddenly realize you’re feeling pangs of hunger, you’ll also be filled with other feelings that aren’t exactly conducive to eating.

Horror fans, this one is going to absolutely blow you away. Happy reading!

The After-Death of Caroline Rand by Catherine Cavendish is a chilling tale filled with secrets and time jumps that slowly reveal the darkness that’s lurking deep within Canonbury Manor.

Get your 60’s music playlist ready and let’s dive in!

Suddenly getting laid off and unsure what to do, Alli receives a message from an old school friend, inviting Allie to her friends’ estate for a weekend. The weekend promises to be an exciting one as it will be 60’s themed, an era that Alli has a soft spot for.

Without any reason not to go, Alli heads to the Canonbury Manor, curious to learn what her childhood friend had been up to in the last decade. But once arriving at the manor, strange things begin to happen, getting more and more intense as the weekend goes on.

My gosh. I became invested in our main character, Alli, immediately! Throughout the story, I equally wanted her to leave the house but also stay in order to get answers.

This is such an atmospheric and tense story that will keep you totally captivated. The twisted maze of mystery here was so much fun to discover. With each sharp turn and each dip back into the past, I got more and more nervous to see what this was all building up to.

And let me just say, that ending did not disappoint!

Darkness surrounded her, cloaking her in a shroud that was at once comforting and, within seconds, menacing. She fought it off. Struggled to breathe. Pushed hard, resisting its temptation to sink deeper into a cocoon of softness.

He didn’t seem to be moving of his own volition. He proceeded with awkward, jerky steps as if someone was placing one of his feet in front of the other.

Alli went on a tour of the house, searching every room, but found no one. There was no on else there. No one living at any rate. The house was empty. Or as empty as this house could ever be.

If you enjoy gothic horror tales that will keep you on the edge of your seat, you’re going to love this! I promise you that as a reader, you will be just as invested as Alli was to get answers.

Go snag your preorder today!

House Of Rot by Danger Slater is a bizarre tale of new beginnings, fungi, and trying to see outside of the box no matter what circumstance you find yourself in.

Moving into an apartment, these newlyweds are excited to start their new journey. With a goal of saving up to move into a house in the suburbs, they expect the next few years will be a bit rough. But that same night, things take a turn, showing them that the struggle is already present. 

Hearing footsteps and a toilet flushing, the couple investigates in the middle of the night. They don’t find any intruders, but they do discover a bit of mold under a sink. Saying they will handle it the next day, they go back to bed. When they get up in the morning though, the mold has spread unnaturally fast. 

The couple quickly realizes that something is very, very wrong. 

My goodness. This entire read had me itchy and ready to go soak in an oatmeal bath! 

I’m extremely allergic to mold, so just seeing the bit under the sink, I would have been trying to leave… I couldn’t believe how fast things progressed! That’s truly my biggest fear when I see mold, that it’s too late and all is lost. I go into a panic immediately!

This is such a unique locked-room horror story. What seems innocent at first quickly spirals into one of the most terrifying situations I’ve ever read. 

This author covers so much ground; intruders, body horror, unhinged neighbors, and even classical music and old food commercials! Blending the horror with humor so seamlessly, this tale will suck you right in. 

I picked it up late one afternoon and finished it that same evening. I just couldn’t wait to see what else was going to go wrong for this poor couple. 

What have you done to deserve it? He repeated her question as if he were weighing it on a scale. What have you done that makes you think that you don’t?

Elena looked down to see half her horrified face still glued to the wood. Mouth agape. Nostrils flared. One of her eyeballs yanked right out of her skull, left in a gooey pile, like a scoop of ice cream melting on a hot sidewalk.

“You can see that I’m wearing my guts like a backpack, can’t you? I think we might be past the point of ideas.”

A perfect read for fans of bizarre horror! If you can suspend belief and sink into this one, you’ll have an absolute blast while reading! Just don’t get too comfortable, or the fungus will come for you too!