Showing posts with label horror. Show all posts

03 May, 2024

Odd Devils by Zwahk Muchoney - [Book Spot Light]

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Here is an interesting book on Occult fiction! This book has a series of unusual short stories with moments of horror.

Book Details:

Title: Odd Devils

Author: Zwahk Muchoney

Genre: Occult fiction, horror, short stories

Publisher: Independently published (Dec 11, 2023)

Print length: 195 pages

Blurb:

Satan was once a mortal shepherd, but through a tragic series of events he became the icy hearted angel of the damned. Aleister Crowley creates an astral doll in the shape of a child and forces it to live on as a double of himself. A mortal woman falls in love with a demon. A new angel is born in Hell.

Excerpt:

Crowley turned to the creature, and said-

"Now that the festivities have ended, we have work to do." He put on a dark blue silken robe and a peculiar hat, pulled out what appeared to be blueprints, and opened them up on his desk. The creature took a peak, but hadn't the faintest idea what any of the symbols or drawings meant. Its master turned to it and said-

"I believe you are like some kind of astral automata, and that I was the one who created and arranged your clockwork, but I made you far too simple, in large part because I didn't realize what I was doing at the time." Crowley cut out another line of his magical white powder, and said-

"It's no good, going to the trouble of teaching you to read my books if you can't remember them, so I do believe I've figured out how to improve your mechanisms. By my own operations, I will transform you from a wind-up doll to something with a level of complexity akin to a motor car."

Purchase Link:

Amazon

About the Author:

Zwahk Muchoney writes all manner of strange occult fiction. A long time resident of Western Washington State, this author is always looking to blend comedy and tragedy in order to create the attempted perfection of book swooning bliss.

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Until next time,

02 November, 2023

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward - [Book Review]

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Book Details:

Title: The Last House on Needless Street

Author: Catriona Ward

Genre: thriller, horror, suspense, psychological thriller

Print length: 368 pages

Source: Kindle copy from local library

Blurb:

This is the story of a serial killer. A stolen child. Revenge. Death. And an ordinary house at the end of an ordinary street.

All these things are true. And yet they are all lies...

You think you know what's inside the last house on Needless Street. You think you've read this story before. That's where you're wrong.

In the dark forest at the end of Needless Street, lies something buried. But it's not what you think...

Purchase Link:

Audio Book - Limited time deal!

Paperback

My Review:

Layer within a layer, story in multiple perspectives, a mental disorder, and domestic abuse - This is what I can tell about this book in one line.

The story is definitely not straight forward. It's complex as it's narrated from 3 entities' perspectives and one of them is cat!

This book has rave reviews and many recommendations from other book lovers. That reason made me pick this up to read. But, this book is not for me. I felt it's tough to follow. I agree, it's my favorite genre and perfect combo - thriller, suspense and psychological thriller, but it is a bit complex for me to understand.

Ted is living alone in a house after his mom dies and he is one of the suspects in the case of a missing girl Lulu. Lulu's sister Dee moves in to the neighboring house to reveal the murderer of her sister or to find her sister (if she is alive). But, how Ted lives, his insecurities, his mental disorders, how he copes up with problems, his secrets and what happened to Lulu is the remaining story.

The story is narrated in the perspective of Ted, Lauren (daughter of Ted) and Olivia (Cat of Ted). This is like going into their brains and reading their thoughts closely. The writing might be great as other book lovers said, but at some places, it felt too boring for me that I wanted to stop reading in the middle.

So, without spoilers I can say, it's an average and unique read for me.

My Rating: 3/5

About the Author:

CATRIONA WARD was born in Washington, DC and grew up in the United States, Kenya, Madagascar, Yemen, and Morocco. She read English at St Edmund Hall, Oxford and is a graduate of the Creative Writing MA at the University of East Anglia.

'The Last House on Needless Street' (Viper Books, Tor Nightfire) was a Times Book of the Month, Observer Book of the Month, March Editor’s Pick on Open Book, a Between the Covers BBC2 book club selection, a Times bestseller, and is being developed for film by Andy Serkis’s production company, The Imaginarium.

'Little Eve' (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2018) won the 2019 Shirley Jackson Award and the August Derleth Prize for Best Horror Novel at the 2019 British Fantasy Awards, making her the only woman to have won the prize twice, and was a Guardian best book of 2018. Her debut Rawblood (W&N, 2015) won Best Horror Novel at the 2016 British Fantasy Awards, was shortlisted for the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award and a WHSmith Fresh Talent title. Her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. She lives in London and Devon.

Until next time,

30 October, 2023

The Legend of Rachel Petersen by JT Baroni - [ Book Review]

This post may contain affiliate links, clicking on those links may earn some commission to us without any additional cost to you.

Just in time before Halloween, I received this book for the review. Being a horror fan, I really enjoyed the book. Here is the review. Happy Ghosting 👻

Book Details:

Title: The Legend of Rachel Petersen

Author : JT Baroni

Genre: Horror, thriller, Paranormal, Ghost Fiction

Print length: 276 pages

Publisher: Sky Publishing

Source: A free book review copy

Blurb:

Did his book raise the dead?

Outraged when The Post Gazette overlooks him for a well-deserved promotion, 43-year-old Sports Writer Christian Kane quits the Paper and moves to the country to write fiction.

Inspiration flows from a lone grave he stumbles upon in the woods. He compiles "The Legend of Rachel Petersen," a fascinating story revolving around the dead twelve-year-old girl laid to rest beneath the weathered tombstone. His book quickly becomes a Best Seller; then Hollywood turns it into a blockbuster movie. Kane becomes rich and famous. But then? Does an enraged Rachel become more than a figment of the writer's imagination? Does she rise from her grave to seek revenge on Kane for slandering her name?

Purchase Links:

Amazon Paperback

Kindle Version

Apple Audio Book

My Review:

Christian is a sports writer for a magazine and when he is sidelined by his boss for promotion citing his inability to keep up with latest technology, he wants to try his hands on writing a fiction Novel. He gets inspired by the grave of a child - Rachel, while walking along the woods.

So, this makes it a story inside another story. The remaining story is about the novel written by Christian about Rachel and her death.

This book piqued my interest further as characters are authentic and seemed relatable. The fights between the kids - Seth and Thaddy are enjoyable and of course very much relatable to me.

It is not a like a regular horror story where a ghost haunts a family and takes revenge. When Thaddy digs the grave of Rachel, all hell broke loose. But, interestingly, both the brothers are open minded and not always scared of the ghost. They are good human beings who want to know what Rachel's ghost is trying to tell them.

There are many unknowns - Why Rachel is haunting the brothers? where is she pointing them to? This made me guessing the story till the last page. I love that the book is well written, and easy to understand. The twists are great and unpredictable. The climax is open ended leaving the reader with multiple thoughts.

The book cover is well designed and very apt. Those eyes on the cover are really scary. The title suits the story well.

I would recommend this book to all horror lovers who want to read a different ghost story.

My Rating: 5/5

About the Author:

JT Baroni - Now retired, I am able to devote more time to one of my hobbies - writing. Other hobbies include fishing, classic cars and gardening. Once, I was an avid hunter, but my health restricts me on that hobby. Lifetime resident of Johnstown, Pa.

Connect on Facebook

Until next time,

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08 February, 2023

The Broken Darkness by Theresa Braun - [Book Review] #WriteAPageADay

Book Details:

Title: The Broken Darkness

Author: Theresa Braun

Genre: horror, thriller, short stories, an anthology

Print Length: 264 pages

Blurb:

In her debut collection, Theresa Braun explores the inner workings of the human heart and what it is we most desire—forgiveness, acceptance, love, fame, or merely to escape who we really are. Whether we are battling ghosts, demons, mythical monsters, the past, or other dimensions, we are really facing the deepest parts of ourselves.

These thirteen tales of horror and dark fantasy may appear to be a matter of good versus evil, but they are all a reflection of the hidden corners of the soul that are often shades of broken darkness. The characters in these stories must face their inner and outer terrors or else suffer the consequences.

Purchase Link: Amazon

My Review :

I always love reading short stories. Liked this book but I felt a few stories are not very clear to me. The plots / the details are confusing. The narrative might have been better.

I liked that the stories selected in this book are of good variety. Each one's plot is unique. Except for a few, I didn't feel the stories are scary. A few are really good and unpredictable though.

Loved the following stories:

Dead over heels
The ending is completely unexpected and the story is interesting. I wouldn't say scary but intriguing.

Guilty as cell
Loved it. A story about not texting while driving

Stillborn
Interesting and unpredictable. Loved the story and ending.

Dying for an invitation
A true vampire story and is narrated well. Loved it.

Stay tuned
The story is gory with a lot of violence.

While my Guitar gently weeps
This story is like a little mystery. Loved the characters and the plot. Simple, yet interesting.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My Rating: 3/5

About the Author:

Theresa Braun was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and has carried some of that hardiness with her to South Florida where she currently resides. An English teacher and adjunct college professor for over twenty years, she continues to share her enthusiasm for literary arts with her students.

She earned a Masters in English literature with a thesis on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. In her spare time, she enjoys delving into her own creative writing, painting, photography and even ghost hunting. Spending time with her family and traveling as often possible are two of her passions. In fact, her world meanderings are often backdrops for her work. Striving to make the world a better place is something dear to her heart. When she's not writing, she can be found looking for romance or shopping for antiques.

Until next time,

Wordcount: 455 words

06 February, 2023

Meat by Dane Cobain - [Book Review] #WriteApageADay

Book Details:

Title: Meat

Author: Dane Cobain

Illustrator: Steve Woodcock

Genre: horror, thriller

Print Length: 468 pages

Blurb:

Veterinarian Tom Copeland takes a job at a factory farm called Sunnyvale after a scandal at his suburban practice. His job is to keep the animals alive for long enough to get them to slaughter.

But there are rumours of a strange creature living beneath the complex, accidents waiting to happen on brutal production lines and the threat of zoonotic disease from the pigs, sheep, cows, chickens and fish that the complex houses.

Suddenly, disaster rocks Sunnyvale and cleaners, butchers, security guards and clerical staff alike must come together under the ruthless leadership of CEO John MacDonald. Together, they’ll learn what happens when there’s a sudden change to the food chain.

Bon appétit.

Purchase Link: Amazon

My Review :

Meat is a story of a factory farm in Sunnyvale, where farm animals are treated ruthlessly making them live until their slaughter. Tom Copeland joins the factory as a new Vetenerenian.

Tom observes the employees getting hurt mysteriously and before he even gets to the root cause, he realizes there is a mysterious animal living beneath the complex. Like magic, all animals seem to form a network and they try to kill the other animals and employees. There is a virus that makes these animals predators.

The employees who were treating these animals (pig, sheep, hens and fish) badly are now scared to death trying to escape the factory. But, the military steps in to avoid further contamination and quarantines all employees inside leaving them to feed themselves and survive without water and basic necessities.

The story is raw and gory. It is action-packed and thought-provoking. It's real karma - the employees struggle to live without food and water for treating the animals harshly and keeping them in inhumane environments.

I wouldn't say this is a horror, but it's like a zombie apocalypse. The narrative is interesting throughout. But, In the end, it seems stretchy and predictable. A few mannerisms/slang seemed tough for me to follow. In the end, I felt the story is boring and it's like going on forever.

My Rating: 4/5

Note: If you don't want to know about the real truth of how your meat is made in the factory, don't read. Because you cannot unread it and it might make you vegan/vegetarian :-)

I am a vegetarian and I felt difficult to read a few chapters.

About the Author:

Dane Cobain (High Wycombe, UK) is a published author, freelance writer and (occasional) poet and musician with a passion for language and learning. When he’s not working on his next release, he can be found reading and reviewing books while trying not to be distracted by Wikipedia.

His releases include No Rest for the Wicked (supernatural thriller), Eyes Like Lighthouses When the Boats Come Home (poetry) Former.ly (literary fiction), Social Paranoia (non-fiction), Come On Up to the House (horror), Subject Verb Object (anthology), Driven (crime/detective), The Tower Hill Terror (crime/detective), Meat (horror), Scarlet Sins (short stories), The Lexicologist’s Handbook (non-fiction) and The Leipfold Files (crime/detective).

His short stories have also been anthologised in Local Haunts (ed. R. Saint Clare), We’re Not Home (ed. Cam Wolfe), Served Cold (ed. R. Saint Clare and Steve Donoghue) and Eccentric Circles (ed. Cynthia Brackett-Vincent).

Find out more: www.danecobain.com

Until next time,

Wordcount: 555 words

24 April, 2021

Short Horror Stories Vol.3 by Brendon Faife - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title: Short Horror Stories Vol.3: Aliens, Reptiles, Paranormal & Supernatural Hauntings (World Creepy Tales Collection)

Author: Brendon Faife

Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Short stories

Print length: 58 pages

Blurb from Amazon:

Not all Gods are benevolent….

I am thrilled to put together this collection of creepy short stories set in different parts of the world!!
From the pristine beaches of the Andaman Islands, a quaint seaside town in Bali or the rugged plains of Oregon — the locations are as beautiful as the horrifying events which unravel in them!

This volume contains 3 horror stories that will have you feverishly turning pages, wanting more—

Whether it is the mysterious tribe of the Sentinel Island who violently reject contact with outsiders , an abandoned theme park in Bali that holds a dark disturbing secret, or the sinister undertones of mysterious cattle mutilations that take place in Oregon, I hope you find every story as creepy and exciting as I imagined it in my mind’s eye!

The fast-paced, simple narration will keep you hooked until the chilling climax!

So, settle down in a quiet place, dim your lights and let the stories transport you, across different cultures and continents, into another world!

This horror short story collection contains:
1.The Island
2.The Theme Park
3.The Visitors

Purchase Link:

Amazon

My Review:

This book is a collection of short stories mostly themed around horror, alien, supernatural, reptile / alien creatures. I would say, the stories are mysterious, not gory or scary. But, only 3 stories in a collection felt very short.

By the way, the book cover is amazing!

The island

This story about a mysterious creature on a remote island is riveting and well written. But, it felt a bit predictable and fell flat at the end.

The Theme park

This story is interesting throughout and has a good unpredictable end.

The Visitors

This alien suspense is my favorite in the book. The suspense build-up is good till the end. The theme of the story is unique and the ending is not predictable.

My Rating: 4/5

About the Author:

Brendon Faife is an engineer by profession and works for a leading MNC in Bangalore. If he was not an engineer he would have been a teacher! He is passionate about writing short stories and is inspired by the works of Ruskin Bond, RK Narayan and Kenneth Anderson. His short stories are a mix of supernatural events, human relationships and everyday life. He likes to think of himself as a free thinker, a dreamer and a great singer when no one is listening!

Until next time,

28 February, 2021

Ekleipsis by Tamel Wino - [Book Review]

Book Details:

Title: Ekleipsis

Author: Tamel Wino

Genre: Short stories, Anthology, Suspense, Horror

Print Length: 178 pages

Source: A free review copy from the author

Blurb:

Winner of Literary Titan Gold Award.

The sun has finally set on humanity…
What happens when we give in to the darkness?

Ékleipsis is a short story collection that explores the havoc wreaked when ordinary people abandon their humanity to pursue their darkest desires, and questions just how far people will go to follow their baser instincts.

Each story takes a version of a person we’ve known in our own lives and transforms them into something completely unnerving—yet all too familiar.

These dark, complex characters and twisted tales of the once ordinary will change your perception of humanity forever.

Purchase Link:

Amazon

My Review:

The first thing that seemed mysterious about this short story anthology is its name. This ancient Greek word Ekleipsis means an eclipse. A good name for the collection of horror stories that expose darkened souls of ordinary people.

I don't see an index at the beginning of the book, which might have been useful to go to a specific story and see the list of stories. Each story is divided by a picture of the eclipse into different stages going darker story by story. That really helped to set the mood for each story.

Stories touched a few mental disorders, alcoholism, and the dark side of human emotions.

I liked a few stories. My favorite is closing costs. The characterization is very good. The climax is unexpected and spine-chilling. My Second Favorite is All-In about a person addicted to gambling. A good story with suspense and morals.

I didn't enjoy a few stories well. Some stories are very good with narrative and suspense build up till the end, but the climax wasn't impressive for them. For a few, I thought the narrative is confusing a bit and I couldn't understand the characters/storyline that well.

My Rating: 4/5

PS: I have received this book in exchange for a review and this is my honest opinion of the book.

Until next time,

05 December, 2020

Dream Cottage by Harriet J Kent - [Book Review]

Summary:

Newly married Greta Berkley's dream is to return to live on her beloved Isle of Wight, her birthplace.

During a weekend visit to her parents' house on the Island, Greta and her husband Max, discover a remote, rundown cottage. Having tracked down its owner, Rev. Oliphant, who agrees to show them around, Greta falls in love with the place. She persuades Max it's their dream home. The Reverend agrees a price and the sale is arranged.

Greenacres is in need of complete refurbishment. During the renovations, Greta accidentally falls through a hole in the kitchen floor, which she assumes to be an old well. It harbors a passageway and an underground room where Greta finds an old wooden box. She also discovers that Greenacres has an unwelcome occupant of the spiritual world. With the help of struggling celebrity medium, Nonie Spangler, Greta tries desperately to protect her home and combat the supernatural happenings.

Set against the Isle of Wight's rolling, breath-taking countryside, Dream Cottage charts the dissolution of a dream into a nightmare, as Greta Berkley battles with the unknown, with startling consequences.

Information about the Book

Title: Dream Cottage

Author: Harriet J Kent

Release Date: 4th March 2015

Genre: Thriller

Page Count: 240

Publisher: Clink Street Publishing

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25027041-dream-cottage

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Cottage-Harriet-J-Kent-ebook/dp/B00SQLLGNU

My Review

Dream Cottage is a different type of horror. There is some comedy and suspense combined with horror.

The storyline is quite unique. The story starts with the wedding of Max and Greta. Greta sure makes her wedding fun by making the guests and groom search for the Spider due to her phobia and at last faints. After marriage, Greta is impressed with the cottage that she finds during dinner with the family and asks Max if they can buy that cottage and live in the countryside of the beautiful island.

When they buy their dream cottage from Reverend Oli and start renovations, they experience paranormal activity inside the house and some mysterious incidents. What happens next is the remaining story.

I love Greta and Max, and their chemistry. Jeanne is an interesting character. The book cover is perfect. The narrative is fun and easy to follow. The climax is fantastic. Enjoyed reading this book!