Horror disguised as literature. Beautifully written. A 'thinking-readers' book. Poetic prose in a provocative narrative.Horror disguised as literature. Beautifully written. A 'thinking-readers' book. Poetic prose in a provocative narrative....more
OCTOBER ANIMALS follows four teenagers —Lizzie (Bat), Owl, Spider, and Kat—who live in the riverside city of October, Illinois. Lizzie is grieving theOCTOBER ANIMALS follows four teenagers —Lizzie (Bat), Owl, Spider, and Kat—who live in the riverside city of October, Illinois. Lizzie is grieving the loss of her father and has a dysfunctional relationship with her mother. In order to escape the family drama, she plans to rob the town’s Halloween store, brining her friends along for the felony.
OCTOBER ANIMALS has a lucid dream quality to it; I love the uniqueness and disquieting aspects to the storytelling. The approach is disquieting as you never know what acidic trip-like journey each stanza is going to bring. I wouldn’t go so far as to categorise OCTOBER ANIMALS as literary fiction but it’s damn close. Author BLAH makes you stop and think about each character’s underlying drama unfolding between the book’s poetically ink stained pages akin to the most crafty horror writers of modern memory.
Whilst short in terms of page count, OCTOBER ANIMALS crams a lot of spooky goodness into a tightly written package. A perfect read for Halloween season. ...more
This collection of short stories by Bora Chung (translated by Anton Hur) isn't confined within the bounds of a single genre; CURSED BUNNY takes core hThis collection of short stories by Bora Chung (translated by Anton Hur) isn't confined within the bounds of a single genre; CURSED BUNNY takes core horror elements and spreads them to the far reaches of fiction to provide the reader with a unique and deep experience.
THE HEAD, and THE EMBODIMENT immediately conjure images of Japanese body horror akin to Junji Ito's manga masterpieces where the scariest part of the story isn't what lurks behind closed doors or waits patiently in the depths of dark alleyways, but rather what's bubbling beneath the surface, ready to breakout and consume us from within (or consume our waste to make a doubleganger which will ultimately replace us, as it were...). Both are equally as good as one another and were perfect stories to set the tone of the collection.
CURSED BUNNY takes the reader down a slightly different path, where curses are sewn into the fabric of items gifted to unsuspecting souls. The result is a decent horror read which is just as much about character emotion as it is genuine scares. THE FROZEN FINGER, on the other hand (no pun intended) is pure horror written in a way which leaves the reader questioning the narrator's reliability and grips on their own reality - I really liked this one.
SNARE reads like a folktale and focuses on greed and abuse. There's a literary undertone which is thought provoking yet the writing is such that the story flows nicely without you having to sit an contemplate the actions of the characters too much if you don't want to. SNARE was another favorite of mine.
I'm being deliberately vague about each the content of each story as I feel this collection is best experienced 'cold'.
Now, onto the most life-like story of them of all, and perhaps the most scariest due to its plausibility; GOODBYE, MY LOVE reads like a script written for the Black Mirror TV series. Robots, companionship, artificial intelligence, humanoids...yeah, you know where this is going...
SCARS takes a little someone from Conan and a little something from Gladiator, and a little something from folklore (specifically the horror-kind) and mashes it all together to make a meaty broth of fantasy with a protagonist who, whilst mostly beast is genuinely the most 'human' character in the story. I would love to see SCARS written and fleshed out as a full fledged novel someday (it is the longest story in the collection but I could've read another 100 pages of this easily).
HOME SWEET HOME is the requisite ghost story, yet it doesn't read like a ghost story, with the characters and their all too real world problems taking centre stage. The chills in this one spine tingle at the end. Where the collection pivots is with RULER OF THE WIND AND SANDS which took me back to one of the stories in The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike. The fantasy element is high here but again, the theme of CURSED BUNNY shines through with pure character driven storytelling at the forefront.
REUNION rounds out the collection by adding another ghost story, which, whilst still enjoyable didn't hit the same highs as HOME SWEET HOME. This time round, the story focuses on a relationship bound by a ghost in a park square - it's an interesting take which works well, yet there's nothing scary which jumps off the page, but them again, I don't think that's the purpose; do I dare say this one is semi-romance? REUNION adds that last piece of the puzzle to a diverse and enjoyable collection of short stories.
If I were to rank my top five favorites from CURSED BUNNY, it'd go something like this: 1. THE HEAD 2. GOODBYE, MY LOVE 3. THE EMBODIMENT 4. SCARS 5. HOME SWEET HOME
Many thanks to Scibe for providing a review copy of this book! This did not influence my review in any way.
The summer of 1987 would be a summer like no other for Mark Prewitt. The long hazy days, the warmer weather, the hours spent doing a whole lot of nothThe summer of 1987 would be a summer like no other for Mark Prewitt. The long hazy days, the warmer weather, the hours spent doing a whole lot of nothing with friends, the of learning the dark arts with his witch-like girlfriend - seems kinda normal in a way, well, except for that last part...
George Farrow, one of the infamous Farrow girls is Wednesday Adams sans supernatural spooks. Her mystic lies in the veil of smoke and mirrors which clouds the townsfolk's perception of the family. They're weird outcasts, witches, recluses who stay behind closed doors, closed off to the town at large. When Mark tries to break normal in an attempt to cross over to their world, he gets more than he bargained for - a love interest and a glimpse at redemption for his own wicked ways.
WASPS IN THE ICE CREAM by Tim McGregor is a coming of age story first and foremost with horror themes at the peripheral. The story is one made of heart and heartache with lead character Mark, embarking on a journey to right some of his wrongs. School yard bullying, growing up, and finding oneself are key cogs in the story - all of which made me love/hate/love the characters.
The wasps (yes there's actually wasps in the ice cream 'parlor' Mark works at (one of his summer jobs)) play a pivotal role in proceedings. Their presence, at first somewhat comedic and light-hearted makes a whole lot more sense as the story progresses, with the fierce, ice cream craving creatures acting as a barometer.
WASPS IN THE ICE CREAM is one of those novels you don't want to end. The characters read so 'real' that each of their trials and tribulations is felt long after the last page is turned.
Many thanks to Raw Dog Screaming Press for providing a review copy of this book! This did not influence my review in any way.
Blue Hotel is a crime noir set in New Zealand. The topograpShe sighed. 'And then I was dead.'
I edged up on my elbow. 'What happened?'
'I was murdered.'
Blue Hotel is a crime noir set in New Zealand. The topography of seedy bars, shady businesses and S&M clubs complements the narrative perfectly. Along with the enigma that is the leather-clad tourist in Blanca Null; the plots' epicentre, Blue Hotel's tone is deliciously dark.
Taking a lone wolf approach to the murder mystery, Blue Hotel's tainted protagonist, newspaper journalist Ray Moody, wades in waters familiar to readers of this genre. His equal parts bad and redeeming qualities shine through as the story progresses with momentary glimpses of humility amongst the horrors of the investigation.
The story has a traditional private eye quality to it which keeps the pages turning nicely, whilst providing enough backstory to give Moody some strong character depth. His slow recovery from a alcohol infused car accident and the unravelling of his family life provide a welcome side bar to the plot proper.
If you enjoy reading crime fiction which has a darker tint to it than the norm, then definitely check this one out....more
Here Goes Nothing is a difficult book to categorise as its doesn't conform to typical genre tropes; with elements of romance, horror, crime, and dramaHere Goes Nothing is a difficult book to categorise as its doesn't conform to typical genre tropes; with elements of romance, horror, crime, and drama - there's a lot packed into this surreal story.
Now, to the main character Angus Moody...
He's dead.
No, that's not a spoiler, rather a key plot point, as the story primarily centres around Angus and his 'life after death' in a mystical realm not fully understood by even the longer term inhabitants who linger there. See Moody died a horrible death and pines for his 'living' wife back on Earth, Gracie, however, stuck in a supernatural realm located somewhere between heaven and hell, all he can do is haunt her (aka scare the sh!t out of her with his paranormal panache). It's during these hauntings that things really get interesting...
Forced to witness Gracie move on with her life (if I can say that, given Angus willingly seeks out Gracie in the 'real world'), he spirals into a state of perpetual torment leading to addiction, destructive behaviour, and questionable life, err, death choices. It's during these chapters I completely flipped on my feelings towards Angus and his killer...(let's just leave that gem there for prospective readers).
The bigger picture plays out between these paranormal visitations and Angus's 'life' in death. Along the way we discover a little more about what makes Angus tick and how he views not only himself but the wife he left behind in the land of the living. It provokes a heady mix of sense and sensibility (cheesy I know but I had to do it) along with providing an interesting insight into Angus's moral compass.
If I could sum up Here Goes Nothing in the most ominous way possible in four words it would be: when a stranger calls... let the imagination run wild, strap in, and prepare yourself for large chunks of time utterly consumed by this inventive and entertaining piece of surreal fiction by one of my new favourite authors in Steve Toltz....more
Papa Lucy and the Boneman is a literary dark fantasy novel which echoes similar themes prevalent in popular novels such as"Every Horror walks here..."
Papa Lucy and the Boneman is a literary dark fantasy novel which echoes similar themes prevalent in popular novels such as American Gods by Neil Gaiman and the Dark Tower series by Stephen King, complemented by some iconic visual stimulus akin to Mad Mad to deliver a highly imaginative and immersive experience.
I won't delve into the depths of the plot as there's so much to take in and I want to avoid spoilers, but I will say, Lanyard's (the protagonist) sojourn across the surreal landscape is never not eventful; from battling horrors unimageable, to facing beings with godlike powers in otherworldly cityscapes, to evolving and dissolving relationships with former mentors, present day captors, and likeminded kinfolk - there's plenty of action and drama to keep the reader on their toes.
The literary stylings make reading Papa Lucy and the Boneman in quick fashion impossible as you're likely to gloss over some pivotal piece of the puzzle. This is a book best savoured; slow and steady certainly wins the race here.
I can't wait to see where this series heads next!...more
Like a burn from a deep fryer, this story will stay with you forever. Especially if you've had the pleasure (or pain?) of working in the fast food indLike a burn from a deep fryer, this story will stay with you forever. Especially if you've had the pleasure (or pain?) of working in the fast food industry.
The Ghost That Ate Us is an incredible work of fiction cleverly disguised as fact. Set within a unique backdrop for a horror story, the workers of Burger City #8, a fast food franchise in Iowa tell their torrid tale of murder, violence, and chillies (the slushy/thick shake-like beverages all the workers are addicted to) via series of found footage, survivor interviews, and social media posts chronicling their decent into madness.
This approach to storytelling works on so many levels, it's easy to forget you're reading a fictional story stylised as non-fiction. I've got to admit I spent way too much time googling Burger City #8, Game of Pricks, Lil' Beefy, and a slew of other references from the footnotes in the hopes of finding more information about the fast food poltergeist and the colourful characters it tormented.
I wish I read this when I was a pimply faced teen working at Hungry Jacks (Burger King for those reading from the USA), it would've made those graveyard shifts cleaning the broiler and serving the midnight ghouls through drive window all the more interesting....more
"Nothing ever prepares you for the strangeness on the mountain." - [12]
Blood Mountain by Brenda S. Tolian is a collection of twelve short stories whic"Nothing ever prepares you for the strangeness on the mountain." - [12]
Blood Mountain by Brenda S. Tolian is a collection of twelve short stories which form part of a broader narrative centred around a truly harrowing and distinctly horror-infused locale destined to scare and intrigue the reader into a state of apprehensive giddiness and madness with each terrifying instalment. It's like watching the proverbial train crash, unwilling to look away until the last drop of blood hits the already red-stained pavement.
Opening with 'Blood Mountain' and concluding with 'Seraphim', this collection comprises a delectable dish of horror to satisfy anyone's appetite for nightmare inducing storytelling; monsters, cannibalism, witchcraft, and ghosts to name a few; all manner of macabre is catered for.
My personal favourites include the aforementioned 'Blood Mountain' which set the tone of the collection perfectly, 'The Stone Mother', 'Snake Man', 'William Zuni', 'The Turning of Tsetah Dibe', and 'What Remains', with an honourable mention to 'Slaughter Lodge' (such a great title and equally entertaining story) - but honestly, I'm just nit-picking, I love them all, however, if forced to pick my 'must read', check those out first.
I wish more authors took the same approach to Brenda S. Tolian when publishing short story collections as I felt more connected to each instalment, thanks to the familiar setting and reappearing characters and themes (Undersheriff Blackwood and the Red Women spring to mind).
"It was like the mountain had a mouth that just ate them up, never to be seen again, or if they were found, they were in pieces." - Ink Poison
"It cost an arm and a leg just to live on your knees,
And I'm trying to keep my sanity, God help me please"
- Snoop Dogg, Midnight Love
As an 80's kid g"It cost an arm and a leg just to live on your knees,
And I'm trying to keep my sanity, God help me please"
- Snoop Dogg, Midnight Love
As an 80's kid growing up in Australia, Hip Hop & Hymns provided the nostalgic trip down memory lane I didn't know I was craving until after I'd consumed every crumb off my plate. Commonwealth Banks' Dollarmites program, Bi-Lo, The Source - these were parts of my childhood I got to relive through the authors' easy flowing writing style. Yet, Hip Hop & Hymns takes the trip further, providing a behind the curtains look at a perspective most Aussie kids aren't privy.
"To make bread I gotta steal for sport,
So I stole the show and made some pennies for my thoughts"
- Onyx, Last Dayz
Dabbling in petty crime, exposure to drugs and alcohol and making bad decisions with members of the opposite sex paints a picture a lot of teenagers can relate. The raw honestly is refreshing and welcome. The ying to the yang in the ups and down of life is so eloquently depicted in Hop Hop & Hymns.
"I rap divine Gods check the prognosis, is it real, or showbiz?
My window faces shootouts, drug overdoses,
Live amongst no roses, only the drama, for real"
- Nas, Memory Lane
While there's plenty of drama, the strife life in Hip Hop & Hymns is accessible and relatable. The influence of circumstance and situational bias we experience as teenagers resonates throughout our adult lives and is beautifully articulated here. It's so pleasing to feel the profound impact rap has on author Mawunyo Gbogbo, equally as much as it has had in this reviewer's formative years.
True, there's a distinct lack of shootouts or drug overdoses in this memoir (per the Nas reference above), however the themes of hardship, perseverance, resilience, and survival in the face of adversity resonate throughout the chapters. Despite featuring little reference to the Queensbridge emcee; Nas' early albums Illmatic and It Was Written were playing on constant rotation in my head as Mawunyo Gbogbo took me by the hand and walked me down her memory lane, not shying from any truths or tribulations as she laid bare her story for all.
"So put your money on the bread winner.
I kick lyrics so dope that the brothers call em head spinners."
- Lady of Rage, Afro Puffs
I get a kick out of reading 'feel-good stories', particularly those where real people overcome hardships, personal demons, and bad situations for the betterment of their growth and maturity. It's inspirational and relatable. Hip Hop & Hymns makes for a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience....more
A Cosmology of Monsters is a heady mix of Lovecraftian lore infused with the dark and uncertain world of Grimm’s fairy tales. Visually immersive and dA Cosmology of Monsters is a heady mix of Lovecraftian lore infused with the dark and uncertain world of Grimm’s fairy tales. Visually immersive and densely dreamy, the plot is a poignant reminder of the importance of family and innocence and equally how easily both can be lost in the chaos of fantasy and fact. Noah is a likable character and I loved seeing him grow as the story progressed, ditto for his parents who share equally important page time via by virtue of their backstory which plays a large part instilling the Lovecraft inspired theme. Highly recommend for readers of high concept horror and character-focused narratives. ...more
Merilance; a place awash with gloom and grey, a home for a perpetual state of despair that desolates a child’s spark, turning it to ash; it’s a place Merilance; a place awash with gloom and grey, a home for a perpetual state of despair that desolates a child’s spark, turning it to ash; it’s a place where hope can be glimpsed in a dream, and even then, for only a fleeting moment.
The reality of life is all the more difficult a pill to swallow for Oliva Prior, one of the unfortunate residents of Merilance; a home school for the abandoned and forgotten.
Not to wallow in grief for the poor hand she’s dealt, Oliva is resilient, tough and is a pure joy to read. This isn’t a coming-of-age tale; Schwab writes Oliva battled hardened and determined from the outset.
From the haunted corridors and ghoul invested dorms of Merilance to the mysterious and equally haunted halls of Gallant, an isolated mansion with which hope springs true, Oliva traverses a delicate landscape filled with fantastical imagery and monsters of man and nightmare.
This is top shelf gothic horror with added layers of complexity by virtue of a deeply rooted family drama complimented by a protagonist who leaps off the page to capture the hearts and minds of readers....more
I wanted to like this book more than I did. The concept is....interesting yet it missed the mark, while the characters themselves felt two dimensionalI wanted to like this book more than I did. The concept is....interesting yet it missed the mark, while the characters themselves felt two dimensional and weren't fleshed out enough for me to connect with them in any meaningful way. The action scenes were great but did little to make me rate this higher than 2 stars. ...more
Horror abounds when an abused and traumatised child's imagination crosses the boundary of internal coping mechanism to intelligent killers seeking a mHorror abounds when an abused and traumatised child's imagination crosses the boundary of internal coping mechanism to intelligent killers seeking a misguided form of vengeance at the bequest of their creator.
Whilst not hitting all the 80's horror tropes, Best Friend serves up a veritable platter of gore and goodness which is sure to fill the void of mass market paperback horror rekindled for today's audience.
This was my first Ruby Jean Jensen book and it certainly won't be the last. ...more
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