I first read “Creepy Sheen” from this author and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it, and this collection was a great follow-up, full of fresh, creative, somewhat insane ideas. I think I laughed almost as much as I cringed. A turducken come to life? That’s only theContinue Reading
Have I read pretty much everything this author has put out? Yes, yes, I have. And once again, I was not disappointed with this short story collection. These are fun – albeit spooky and disturbing – horror stories that are unique and always, always leave me wanting more. Demmer isContinue Reading
I seem to be reading and reviewing mostly horror lately, but this collection stood out and did not disappoint. I always enjoy horror that focuses on the inner demons of its characters rather than simply external monsters and gore. Each of these thirteen stories comes at these inner demons slightlyContinue Reading
I loved this quick and suspenseful story. It was great to see a unique deviation from typical zombie storytelling in that this story is from the monster’s perspective – not something you often see with these “mindless” walking corpses. Everything in the beginning was vague, but you very quickly getContinue Reading
In a word: Gripping. Here’s yet another story from this author that made me want to read an entire novel about the main character. In just a few short pages, Demmer tells the story of a man with a far more interesting past than anyone suspects, a man both cursedContinue Reading
I cannot say enough about this book. I can’t pick a favorite story from this collection. I can’t wait for more from this author. He and these stories are just that good. “Peel Back and See” is a perfect title to encapsulate these 16 stories. In each one, the charactersContinue Reading
Today I’d like to welcome Mike Thorn, author of the horror novel, Shelter for the Damned, which I recently had the privilege of reviewing. Can you give us your quickest description of your book? Shelter for the Damned is a coming-of-age narrative wrapped up in a pessimistic, suburban horror plot.Continue Reading
While looking for a secret place to smoke cigarettes with his two best friends, troubled teenager Mark discovers a mysterious shack in a suburban field. Alienated from his parents and peers, Mark finds within the shack an escape greater than anything he has ever experienced. But it isn’t long beforeContinue Reading
This one feels like it could easily be a movie. Set in a high school, centered around an upcoming dance, the story could be predictable and all-too familiar, but the interesting part for me was that this was from the perspective of a teacher. That certainly kept it from feelingContinue Reading
It might be odd to call a collection of horror/noir short stories “beautiful,” but that is the impression I’m left with. These are incredibly well-crafted, well-written stories from an author I quickly grew to respect. Thorn’s mastery of prose is an absolute delight to read. His creativity is refreshing. HisContinue Reading
This author never disappoints in coming up with unique, impressively well-written shorts. This collection of 23 stories has a little bit of everything – from crime to love to androids to the worst English class imaginable. There’s a great balance of creepy, troubling, sometimes funny (in an “oh, that’s terrible”Continue Reading
I finished this collection the day after Valentine’s Day, which was kind of perfect. These are not your typical love stories, although “love” is the general theme connecting them. I was very impressed with each writer, and I didn’t feel like there was a weak story in the bunch. TheContinue Reading
At the start of this book I couldn’t tell exactly where it was going, and I wasn’t sure I was going to like it (based purely on another book’s similar premise where I ended up hating that story entirely). However, THIS book drew me in pretty quickly. The twists and complexityContinue Reading
First of all, I found the cover intriguing. Secondly, short stories can be tricky. You want enough detail to set the scene but not so much detail that you can’t get to the meat of the story. It’s hard, in so few pages, to be drawn into whatever mood,Continue Reading
Today I’d like to welcome Barbara Chioffi, romance/horror author of Angel Mine, Lycan Heart, and Trickery. Can you give us your quickest description of your books? I’m all about romance, except for Trickery. The horror trilogy indulged my childhood love of horror comics. Is your horror writing targeted towards a younger audience,Continue Reading
(I reviewed this on its release date but just now remembered I didn’t want anyone to miss this, so I’m posting here too. So GOOD! And yet again from Garza, a creepy good cover with eyes that will haunt me a little bit.) This story is so much more than just anotherContinue Reading