Aaaand once again, I am running behind! *Sigh* I don’t know how this month got away from me, and it didn’t help that a bunch of library holds all came in at the same time. Never fear, it looks like I’m still on track to finish my 31 books by the end of the month!
**Reviews may contain spoilers**
What I’ve Been Reading
The Witch Tape: A Scary Short Story by Stories From the Attic — 3.5 out of 5 stars
(H 10/31) This creepy little tale has three friends deciding to spend the night in the nearby woods to see if the rumors of witchcraft and strange rituals are true. I agree with one reviewer likening this story to a campfire tale. There’s nothing new or overly frightening, but it would make for a good read on Halloween night.
Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children edited by Vanessa Morgan — 4.5 out of 5 stars
(H 11/31) We’re all familiar with those infamous horror movies featuring diabolical children: The Exorcist, The Omen, and Children of the Corn to name a few. This 500+ page book showcases movies from around the world that feature children who aren’t exactly innocent little lambs. From the 1950’s through 2020, various contributors give brief summaries and opinions on hundreds of films. Needless to say, I now have a list a mile long of movies I will be looking for on various streaming services this Halloween season (and beyond!).
Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi — 4.5 out of 5 stars
(H 12/31) On a stormy night, a gravely wounded man is brought to St. Vincent’s Orphanage for Boys, his skin carved with strange occult symbols. His death releases an evil into the orphanage, pitting orphans and priests against each other and the unknown. This novel of good vs. evil grabbed me from the beginning and refused to let go. Fracassi did a great job with character building and creating such an ominous setting. And the ending broke through my cold, jaded heart. I’ve read several short stories by this author. This is the first novel of his that I’ve read and I’m definitely adding more of his titles to my future TBR lists. Highly recommend.
Brad, Unwound by Jamie Kort — 4 out of 5 stars
(H 13/31) Short story. Think of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho, only his name is Brad, he lives in an attic, and he’s a sock puppet with a fetish for crochet hooks. I think that about sums up this truly bizarro horror tale.
The Soxorcist by Jamie Kort — ??? out of 5 stars
(H 14/31) Short story. Jamie Kort seems to be the king of writing about deranged sock puppets, and The Soxorcist is one of the latest installments. Now, I’m no stranger to extreme/bizarro/splatterpunk horror, and I’ve read my share of totally deranged and disgusting stories over the years. However, this one crossed the line for me, and that is saying A LOT. The premise of the story was good, but when it got to a certain scene, I just couldn’t deal with it any more. It’s a shame since I had been enjoying these off-the-rails murderous sock puppet tales.
Nestlings by Nat Cassidy — 4 out of 5 stars
(H 15/31) Ana, paralyzed after the complicated birth of her daughter, and her husband, Reid, finally receive some great news: they have won an “affordable housing lottery,” and their new apartment is in the very exclusive Deptford building. Of course, looks can be very deceiving. There is a strong nod to Rosemary’s Baby, especially in the beginning, but, for me, much of this reminded me of season 5 of American Horror Story (aptly named Hotel and one of my favorite seasons of the show). While I thought most of the story was pretty predictable and I am still on the fence with my feelings for the main characters, I found it suspenseful and well-paced. It also made me thankful that I don’t live in an apartment building and have to worry about weird neighbors.
Inside the Indie Horror World — 4 out of 5 stars
(H 16/31) Essays. A collection of essays from over thirty indie horror authors offering advice and their experiences on getting their stories published. Why include this on my Halloween list? Mainly because some of my favorite horror authors contributed their two cents (Chad Lutzke, John Boden, and Steve Stred for starters). Also, why not? 🙂
The Night Parade by Ronald Malfi — 4 out of 5 stars
(H 17/31) Wanderer’s Folly is a plague that is threatening to wipe out the human race. David Arlen and his young daughter, Ellie, are on the run, not only from disease-ravaged towns but from mysterious people looking for them. While this story has very strong Firestarter vibes, it is it’s own story, and one that I really liked. I’ve been a fan of Ronald Malfi for a few years now, and this novel offered the pacing, strong characters, and atmosphere that I’ve come to expect with his works. Strongly recommend, and a great starting place if you are new to Malfi’s writing.
Beneath the Poet’s House by Christa Carmen — 2 out of 5 stars
(H 18/31) After her husband’s death, Saoirse White moves to another state and into the house that once belonged to Sarah Helen Whitman, the fiancee of Edgar Allan Poe. She soon befriends three people she found holding a seance in her basement, starts a love affair with a guy obsessed with Poe, and adopts a black cat with diabetes. Plus, there’s the mysterious Aidan, who wants to talk to her about her husband’s death but Saoirse is afraid he’ll find out “the truth.” Oh, and the Poe-obsessed lover she’s known for about three seconds isn’t who he claims to be. *Shocker.* I really thought I would like this book, and it looks like I’m in the minority with my two-star rating. I did appreciate the author’s ability to create mood and atmosphere. But beyond that? Well, I wanted to DNF at chapter 2. I have rocks in my back yard with more common sense than the MC. The only thing that kept me reading was to find out the secret that Aiden may or may not know. I won’t steer anyone away from this one, it just wasn’t for me.
The Guest is a Goner by Carly Winter — 4 out of 5 stars
(H 19/31) Bernadette (Bernie) inherits her grandmother’s home in Sedona, Arizona, turning it into a Bed and Breakfast to make ends meet. After being struck by lightning at a cousin’s wedding, Bernie returns home to find out she has someone else living with her: the ghost of her grandmother, Ruby. Then a guest is found murdered, so Bernie and Ruby set out to find the killer. I truly enjoyed this cozy paranormal mystery! Ruby is an absolute blast, the mystery was well done, and even the Scooby Doo ending was satisfying. I’m looking forward to continuing this series.
Paradise Club by Tim Meyer — 3.5 out of 5 stars
(H 20/31) If you like “dystopian action horror” movies like The Purge, then this book may be for you! An all-inclusive resort on a remote tropical island, where all phone/internet access to the outside world is prohibited. Security guards escorting bloodied guests to dark basement rooms. And rumors of something called “The Skirmish?” Well, you know that can’t be good. Tim Meyer starts the bloodshed early and doesn’t let up as we follow several of the guests in their quest to survive. A fun note about this story: the author originally set this up for his Patreon page, asking his readers to vote for certain outcomes. That may explain the totally off-the-wall twist at the end.
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Stay safe, and Happy Reading!