I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and hones review. All opinions are my own.
A young girl must learn who to trust and what path to walk in author Catherine McCarthy’s “The Wolf and the Favour”.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
Ten-year-old Hannah has Down syndrome and oodles of courage, but should she trust the alluring tree creature who smells of Mamma’s perfume or the blue-eyed wolf who warns her not to enter the woods under any circumstance?
The Wolf and the Favour is a tale of love, trust, and courage. A tale that champions the neurodivergent voice and proves the true power of a person’s strength lies within themselves.
The Review
This was such a fantastic and thoughtful dark fantasy and horror story meets mythological tale. The rich and chilling imagery was brought forth by some highly detailed and creative writing on the author’s part, and the infusion of Welsh culture and dialect really helped bring a unique spin on the fantasy and horror genres.
To me, the heart of this narrative rested in the unique character development and world-building the author put into place. The author’s ability to make the protagonist neurodivergent and showcase their individual selves perfectly while also showcasing the challenges that both the protagonist and her parents face was so grounded and moving to read. Paired with the mystery of the good wolf versus the alarming wolf dilemma, the addition of the fantasy element with the witches also made the growth and development of these characters that much more impactful.
The Verdict
Memorable, entertaining, and richly developed, author Catherine McCarthy’s “The Wolf and the Favour” is a must-read dark fantasy and horror novel! The twists and turns in the narrative and the heartfelt connection that readers will draw to the cast of characters made this a memorable read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Catherine McCarthy weaves dark tales on an ancient loom from her farmhouse in West Wales.
She is the author of the novellas Immortelle and Mosaic and the novel A Moonlit Path of Madness. Her short fiction has been published in various anthologies and magazines, including those by Black Spot Books, Brigids Gate Press, and Dark Matter Ink.
In 2020 she won the Aberystwyth University Prize for her short fiction.
Time away from the loom is spent hiking the Welsh coast path or huddled in an ancient graveyard reading Dylan Thomas or Poe.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Edo Van Belkom shares the 25th Anniversary Edition of one of the most compelling collections of horror stories in the book “Death Drives a Semi”.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
Keep one eye on the road ahead and another on the rearview mirror.
Because, like the legendary phantom semi of this book’s titular story, these stories will creep up on you and overtake you without warning.
Edo van Belkom twists his unique perspective and droll, black sense of humor into twisted observations of the sad, violent, and ironic sides of life in this special 25th anniversary release of a compilation of his most beloved horror stories.
With a voice and range that has drawn comparisons of Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson and Stephen King, van Belkom takes the reader down a most unique highway that breaths new life into classic horror tropes, all the while maintaining the essence of the best of a combination of “The Twilight Zone” and the old E.C. horror comics of the 1950s.
The Review
The stories found in this collection were both profound and haunting all at once. The chilling imagery the author infuses into the stories found within is shocking and engaging, and the heart and emotion put into these horror stories ground the characters enough to keep the reader invested in each and every story.
The heart of this narrative was the quick pace of the stories and the emotional depth of the characters that helped to highlight the horrors of the story. One story that stood out to me immediately was The Basement, which not only highlighted the strong cultural elements of being an Italian immigrant in Canada but played on the protagonist’s emotional state to elevate the terrifying realities of this mystery basement, making this a story readers will be drawn to time and time again.
The Verdict
Thoughtful, entertaining, and masterfully written, author Edo Van Belkom’s “Death Drives a Semi: 25th Anniversary Edition” is a must-read horror short story collection. The atmosphere and tension of each story when blended with the dynamic character growth really brought me back to Stephen King’s Night Shift and Everything’s Eventual, two collections that defined the horror genre for so many. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Edo van Belkom is the author of three novels, including the best-selling Wyrm Wolf and Lord Soth. He has also compiled Northern Dreamers: Interviews with Famous Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Writers and edited Northern Horror, an anthology of new stories. “Rat Food,” a short story in Death Drives a Semi, won the Bram Stoker Award.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A woman forced to start over after a shocking divorce finds herself caught in a battle between love and the essence of evil itself in her brand new Italian home in the novel “Strange and Twisted Things” by Holly Payne-Strange.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
In a quiet village nestled deep within the heart of Italy, an elderly woman finds herself abandoned by her family, the depth of her loneliness almost overwhelming. Seeking solace in a decaying house, Greta clings onto the memories of her estranged husband, whose absence haunts her every waking moment.
As she steps over the threshold of her new home, the house awakens with an ominous energy, enveloping her in its unsettling embrace. Strange occurrences plague Greta’s days, while chilling whispers echo through its dilapidated hallways. Only one fact cheers her- she is clearly not alone.
Caught between the longing for companionship and the terrifying consequences of embracing darkness, Greta must make a harrowing choice. Will she succumb to the allure of the house’s sinister inhabitants, finally gaining the company she so desperately craves, or will she break free from their clutches and confront the horrors that lurk within?
“Strange and Twisted Things” is a chilling tale set against the scenic backdrop of Italy, where Greta’s unwavering love battles against the very essence of evil itself.
The Review
This was a compelling and haunting gothic ghost story. The first thing that stood out to me was the exceptional detail and passion for the Italian culture and setting in which this narrative occurred. The heart and respect that went into bringing this setting to life and the imagery the authors used in their writing allowed the reader to feel instantly transported into this story.
The setting allows the reader to feel balanced with the dark and gritty nature of the home and the rich character dynamics at play. The idea of starting over and moving on from the life you knew is an important theme in this narrative and the allure of a life that differs significantly from our own plays well into the chilling nature of the home and the energy within it. The haunting atmosphere and horrors that the author brings to life highlight the heartfelt character development of the protagonist.
The Verdict
Harrowing, entertaining, and mysterious, author Holly Payne-Strange’s “Strange and Twisted Things” is a must-read horror and paranormal thriller. The twists and turns in the narrative, the engaging character development, and the heart-pounding thrills made this a compelling and haunting read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Holly Payne-Strange is the creator of the hit podcast series Echoes, as well as being an accomplished novelist. Her poetry has been published by various publications including Curating Athena and Door Is A Jar magazines, as well as featured in a live installation by Rising Sun Productions. She lives with her wife and three cats. She spends much of her time in England and has a particular passion for the Italian language, which she is fluent in.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author and Poet LindaAnn LoSchiavo shares 19 dark and gritty poems that speak to the allure and dangers of living in the confines of death in the collection “Vampire Ventures”.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
“Vampire Ventures” beckons readers to embrace the mystique of the shadow sphere and savor the forbidden allure of encounters with the undead — be it a moonlit rendezvous, an otherworldly romance, or a seductive soiree thrown by the enigmatic Count himself. In a realm where immortal desires and human emotions intertwine, 19 poems explore the paradox of “living in death,” a theme central to the vampire mythos.
The Review
This was a compelling and engaging collection of poetry. The author’s unique writing style does a great job of crafting poetry that both speaks to us emotionally and touches upon great themes while also providing a captivating story that the reader can get lost in. The imagery that the author used in these poems was fantastic, allowing the reader to feel and visualize the gothic elements of the poems themselves coming to life on the page.
The heart of this narrative was the marriage of gothic storytelling and impactful themes that relate to our modern world. From tales of modern dating and the habit of ignoring immediate red flags, to the horror of being driven by uncontrolled nature, this collection was magnificent. The way the author explores vampire lore from both the perspective of the people enthralled by vampires and the vampires themselves makes this equally memorable.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, fast-paced, and thrilling, author LindaAnn LoSchiavo’s “Vampire Ventures” is a must-read poetry collection and just in time for the fall/spooky season. The powerful imagery and fabulous blend of vampire lore and strong themes made this a compelling collection that readers will return to time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Native New Yorker LindaAnn LoSchiavo, a four time nominee for The Pushcart Prize, has also been nominated for Best of the Net, the Rhysling Award, and Dwarf Stars. She is a member of SFPA, The British Fantasy Society, and The Dramatists Guild.
Elgin Award winner “A Route Obscure and Lonely” (US: Wapshott Press, 2019), “Women Who Were Warned” (UK: Cerasus Poetry, 2022), Firecracker Award, Balcones Poetry Prize, Quill and Ink, Paterson Poetry Prize, and IPPY Award nominee “Messengers of the Macabre” [co-written with David Davies] (US: Audience Askew, 2022), “Apprenticed to the Night” (UK: UniVerse Press, 2023), and “Felones de Se: Poems about Suicide” (Canada: Ukiyoto Publishing, 2023) are her latest poetry titles.
In 2023, her poetry placed as a finalist in Thirty West Publishing’s “Fresh Start Contest” and in the 8th annual Stephen DiBiase contest.
LoSchiavo is a Prohibition Era historian and her Texas Guinan film won “Best Feature Documentary” at N.Y. Women’s Film Fest (Dec. 2021).
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Advertisements
A woman must navigate her way through a dangerous cult and the killer going after them in author Luke McCamley’s “The Gods Who Want To Die”.
The Synopsis
A devoted mother is torn between love of family, and loyalty to a religious cult leader whose demands become increasingly bizarre-and deadly.
To all appearances, Shelly Grinstead is a happily married woman with three children. But appearances can be deceiving. There’s a dark past behind her, and a greater darkness looms ahead. Shelly is a firm believer in Necrotheism, a religious cult that helps immortal gods end their lives through the ceremonial mock-deaths of cult members. The only problem is, the latest deaths aren’t just ceremonial; they’re real. Someone is killing those who kill the gods, and no one knows who, or what, or how to stop it.
Shelly is also in love with cult leader Magnolia Blanchot, whose increasingly bizarre demands threaten to rip Shelly’s family apart. The police are just as bad in their own way, blackmailing Shelly’s son into playing bait for the killer. Whether that killer be god or man, Shelly’s not sure.
When tragedy strikes close to home, Shelly is forced to choose between loyalty and betrayal, faith and disbelief, life and death-before her tenuous grip on reality slips away….
The Review
This was a gritty, yet wonderful blend of dark psychological horror and fantasy. The harsh realities of cult life and the psychological trauma and mind games that occur for people lost in these groups were extensively explored in this novel, allowing the more fantastic and supernatural elements of the mythos of this world to feel grounded and engaging to readers.
The author did a remarkable job capturing gripping character development and vivid imagery in this novel. The passionate and cruel reality of protagonist Shelly and her situation within the cult and her family really highlights the horror of this storyline and the depth of the world-building that went into the author’s narrative, allowing the gripping psychological drama to take hold in the reader’s mind.
The Verdict
Memorable, captivating, and entertaining, author Luke McCamley’s “The Gods Who Want To Die” is a must-read psychological horror and fantasy read. The twists and turns in the narrative, the grim horrors that the author brings to life through captivating detail, and thoughtful looks into the narrative made this a brilliant read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Luke has a background in teaching philosophy, religion, and ethics. He has written two novels and is currently working on a third. Formerly a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Luke left the cult in 2014 and experienced a profound transformation in values and outlook. He has two children, and currently lives in the west midlands in the UK. Major influences on his work are authors such as Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Alissa Nutting, Marisha Pessl, Iain Reid, Matthew Stokoe, and William Burroughs. His style is one that typically blends elements of true crime stories with philosophical, moral, and supernatural themes including fantasy horror. On a personal level, Luke subscribes to the philosophy of Absurdism, inspired by the writings of Albert Camus.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Jennifer Anne Gordon takes readers on an emotional journey of reflection, exploring the horror that is grief through a collection of short stories from a mysterious narrator in the book “The Japanese Box and Other Stories”.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
This is the story of our unnamed narrator…an origin story of a would-be, hopes to be, serial killer.
The Japanese Box is a story that blends memoir, creative nonfiction, and the horror of a coming-of-age story, and a coming of middle-aged story.
Imagine growing up with a reflection that is often absent, and a Japanese box that is filled with things that should never have been there.
Memories.
Violence.
The Japanese Box is a love letter to anxiety, trauma, grief, and longing. It is a story of a child becoming
an adult, and all the ghosts and misfortunes that happen in order to survive.
The Lithium Moon: Simone is an artist by day, and an emotionally abused wife at night. She is a
successful artist with a long history of schizoid effective disorder with bipolar tendencies.
When her marriage goes from good to bad, she suffers her first miscarriage. The tragedy coincides with a
wolf moon—Trauma and magic converge seem to converge in Simone’s head.
This story explores sadness, illness, hallucinations, full moons, and the creative process.
What Stage of Grief is not a poem, or a song, but a dirge.
Fantasy and facts, this poem walks a fine line between nightmares and memories. Grief stories and love
stories. Dogs, and drama. Nightmares, and nevermore.
The Review
This was such a powerful and thought-provoking read. I’ve been such a huge fan of the author’s previous works, and so I was immediately drawn into the narrative. The visual imagery, the atmosphere, and the tension were all perfectly executed in this narrative, and yet it was the simple observations that really stood out. Amongst the horror and the tragedy of each story, moments, where one character would fixate on a K-Mart razor blade or a plastic bag from a convenience store, would create that unsettled feeling and become a great juxtaposition to the narratives themselves.
The combination of the mystery behind these narrators in each story with the emotional tragedy each story seemed to touch on made this such a compelling collection. The themes of toxic love, loss, trauma, and so much more became the focal point of each story’s dark twist, and the imagery and dialogue surrounding those themes in each story felt like something out of a Mike Flannigan show, speaking to the depth of what it means to be human against the backdrop of a great horror story.
The Verdict
Shocking, emotional, and heart-pounding, author Jennifer Anne Gordon’s “The Japanese Box and Other Stories” is a must-read horror anthology. The surprising, at times jarring twists each story takes onto itself and the heartfelt themes that speak to so many of us and touch upon everything from mental health to relationships and more, made this a gripping collection that you will return to time and time again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
JENNIFER ANNE GORDON is a professional ballroom dancer and choreographer by day, and a curly haired neurotic writer by night. She is an actor, a traveler, a photographer, a lover of Gothic Horror, and a dog mom. She lives in the wilds of New Hampshire with her partner on and off the dance floor. Her novels include the Kindle Award for Horror 2020 Winning book, Beautiful, Frightening, and Silent, as well as the historical Gothic novel From Daylight to Madness (The Hotel #1) as well as When The Sleeping Dead Still Talk (The Hotel #2). She also has a published collection of her artwork, titled “Victoriana {mixed media art of jennifer anne gordon}.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
As I often—maybe crassly—put it, writing was my brain’s way of going to the bathroom. I had the fortune of being read to at a very early age, which gave me an appreciation of storytelling and the written word. Soon, the ol’ (or, young) creative bladder was full of ideas that had to come out. There were some detours—for much of my adolescence, I routed my creative energy into screenwriting and designing video games—but I returned to prose for its refreshingly solitary nature. With fiction, I’m not producing a blueprint. I’m making the thing, and it’s all on me if it doesn’t get done. So I began selling short stories when I was about 19, and wrote a novel a year till I sold one—Skunk Ape Semester—to a small press when I was 27.
Advertisements
What inspired you to write your book?
Like a lot of my books, it came from the intersection of different interests: physics, cosmology, mythology (from ancient Egypt to Celtic), paranormal phenomena, spirituality, and more. All these swirled together like cosmic debris for a while, before my subconscious eventually coalesced them into workable galaxy of an idea, which became Walking the Dusk. My books tend to be strange marriages. Dreamshores: Monster Island mixes stop-motion B-movie monsters with pantheism and the nature of consciousness.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Mostly to meditate on the vastness of not only the universe out there, but the universe within you and other people. Altogether, we inhabit, share and exist as one great mystery, and the book fancifully explores the possibilities of that mystery based on what crumbs we’ve been able to sweep together, as well as the limits of what a human brain can know.
What drew you into this particular genre?
I’ve always been drawn to speculative fiction—meaning any shade of fantasy, science fiction and horror. Particularly what’s now called “curio fiction”, which takes our world gives it an offbeat, mystical or fantastical edge. I think it’s a perfect vehicle to combine what I see as the more attractive qualities of a “literary” story—psychology, philosophy, culture, intellectual insight—with the broader imaginative probing of the supernatural, the nature of existence, God, consciousness, otherworldly realms, etc. The ideal is to fulfill the best that both “literary” and “genre” have to offer.
If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I would ask Megan Barry, the protagonist’s sister, how she reconciles in her head the bizarre things she witnessed as a child, and what worldview grew out of that that compelled her as an adult to seek whatever it was she sought. Did she know exactly what she was seeking? Does she now? She sort of represents a fear of mine: bright, creative, and restless, with no outlet, and no real direction.
Advertisements
What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
If any, it would be Facebook, my only one. I’m taking a stand against all our time with social media. I think it’s been a net drain on society, honestly. And the years I tried building a platform on Twitter yielded little more than a sea of bots and people rudely and nakedly out for themselves. Sorry to sound like a downer. I just think we could all benefit from scaling back. Way back.
What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Keep the balance between hubris and humility. Hubris keeps you doing, from idea to idea, rejection to acceptance. It affirms you have a contribution to make. Humility allows you the self-awareness to make that contribution shine, to know when to check your worst impulses, or when your editor is right, and to ultimately grow your craft and career. Go to conferences, too. Meet people—in real life. Listen to what others have to say and develop a fine enough radar to know when it applies to you, and when it doesn’t. It’s unhealthy to always accept or always reject a piece of advice.
What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I have a dark urban fantasy coming out February 29th, 2024, Ancient Tides Ashore, which takes place on the Hawaiian island of Kauai and explores a psychic connection between a modern woman, an ancient Polynesian, and a mysterious elemental spirit in the local waters. I also have stories coming out in the anthologies December Tales II (Curious Blue Press) and Tangle & Fen (Crone Girls Press).
Advertisements
About the Author
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Mike Robinson is the award-winning author of multiple speculative fiction novels and dozens of short stories which have appeared in the likes of 2019’s American Gothic Fantasy anthology, Storyteller Magazine, A Woman Unbecoming, Underland Arcana and more. He has received honors from Writers of the Future, Publishers Weekly’s BookLife Contest, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Maxy Awards and others, and is also the editor of J.P. Barnett’s popular, award-winning “Lorestalker” series.
In between, he hikes (often with his two dogs), swims, draws, tries to learn the didgeridoo and, yes, has even been known to actually write a screenplay or two, some of which have received their own notices.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Mo Moshaty terrifies readers in the best way possible with a collection of short stories that will show the horrors that await when love becomes deadly in the book “Love the Sinner”.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
According to Dante, a sin is the misdirection of love – the human will, or essentially, the direction of our beings. Love the Sinner is an examination of just how those sins can kaleidoscope into horrific consequences creating a distorted and deadly landscape. These stories stand stark before you in full glaring misstep and macabre to show the human psyche in all its twisted reality.
From grief and its rage to medical meddling to ensure a new world order to bloody revenge within a quantum leap, these stories seek to solidify one absolute truth: man is the scariest monster.
The Review
The author did a tremendous job of crafting compelling stories that felt whole and complete, no matter how long or short the stories lasted. The imagery and atmosphere were immediately felt in the book’s opening chapter, playing into the theme of sin and love quite beautifully. The tension builds quickly and intensely in this book and allows the reader to really hone in on the settings of these stories immediately.
To me, the stories found a great balance between heartfelt character development and intense themes. The stories each found that battle between sin and love and character to embody that juxtaposition of darkness springing forth from light. The story Maddalena really stood out, as what started out as a passionate and romantic encounter turns into a truly terrifying moment of horror that will stick with readers long after the story ends.
The Verdict
Intense, heartfelt, and chilling, author Mo Moshaty’s “Love the Sinner” is a must-read horror short story collection you won’t want to put down. The twists and turns in this collection and the way the author is able to craft characters the reader can identify or engage with made this a compelling read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Mo Moshaty is an Afro-Latina screenwriter, author and producer. Raised within the clash of her mother’s Yaqui heritage and her father’s strict Southern Baptist upbringing, Mo’s work contains worlds in which characters of color strive for identity, sentiment and belonging within the comedy, horror, and sci-fi genres.
Co-producer and member of Nyx Horror Collective, she’s partnered with Stowe Story Labs to provide a fellowship for women genre writers over 40, and has also partnered with horror streaming giant, Shudder Channel, to co-produce the 13 Minutes of Horror Film Festival 2021 and 2022.
Still engaging with her first love, short horror literature, her work can be found in “A Quaint and Curious Volume of Gothic Tales”, by Brigid’s Gate Press and “206 Word Stories” by Bag O’ Bones Press. “Love the Sinner”, a psychological horror collection of short stories will be released by Brigids Gate Press in July 2023 as well as “Clairviolence: Tales of Tarot and Torment Vol 1 & 2” by Spooky House Press in 2024.
Mo has lectured on Trauma in Cinema with Prairie View A&M Film & TV Program, Horror Studies BAFSS Sig, and the University of Sheffield in the UK.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A move to the countryside with his wife and child takes a dark turn when a series of deaths and the appearance of sinister figures prove the country is just as dangerous, if not more so, than anywhere else in author Colin Leonard’s “Country Roads”.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
Something is outside; in the fields, by the ditches, on the roads. Something old and cruel and vicious.
When Luke Sheridan moves out of Dublin city to rural Kilcross with his wife and baby, he imagines the worst part will be his extended commute to work. They can look forward to enjoying the countryside and being part of a small community. After all, his old friend Declan Maguire lives in the house next door and is a Garda in the nearest town.
But Declan’s devilish attitude towards drink, drugs and women means trouble is never far from his door. And worse, gruesome murders and the appearance of sinister figures at night mean the countryside is becoming a very dangerous place to live.
Country Roads—don’t go outside alone.
The Review
This was such an atmospheric and haunting read. The author did an incredible job of capturing the isolation and dread that can happen when facing an extreme threat in the countryside. The world-building and character development were incredible in this book. They showcased the author’s ability to artfully infuse tension into each scene that elevated the character’s struggles and fears significantly as the threats grew.
To me, the heart of this narrative rested in the folklore and mythos the author was able to bring to life. The way the setting and culture of the people in this small town played into the grander Irish folklore and the stunningly dark and creepy imagery really elevated the backstory behind these creatures and the impact they’ve had on this area and made the struggle for this man to protect his family feel all the more urgent.
The Verdict
Memorable, haunting, and entertaining, author Colin Leonard’s “Country Roads” is a must-read folklore and horror novel of 2023. The shocking twists and turns in the narrative and the small-town vibes and atmosphere that helped establish the terror these creatures would have on the story made this a compelling novel you won’t put down. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Some grotesque creatures lurk in the ancient countryside of Co.Meath, Ireland. Colin Leonard is one of them. His stories have appeared in various online venues and been published in the anthologies Eyes from Gravestone Press, It Calls From The Veil from Eerie River Publishing, Horror Library Volume 7 by Dark Moon Books and The Vampiricon from Mind’s Eye Publications. His first novel, Country Roads, is published by Brigids Gate Press and is brimming with nasty Irish monsters.
