Book Review- A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

Paul Tremblay has achieved the kind of book that makes you want to seek out and soak up every book you can find by that author. The kind of book you read and put it down, contentedly haunted. It floats somewhere just outside the realm of what elitists may call “true” horror. But what is “true” horror? Does it have to have severed limbs, unstoppable demonic foes with chainsaws, or a mutated zoo animal that suddenly develops a taste for human flesh? Can it be something subtle, like the soft whispers of the voices we hear in our heads? Or can it be the confused love of a trusted parent willing to do anything to protect their child?

Meredith Barrett is an adult trying her best to remember those patchy months of her childhood that changed her life forever. The time spent on a nationally televised reality show that focused on her demonically possessed older sister.  Meredith spends most of the book telling us about the show from the viewpoint of an eight-year-old girl who was as scared and confused as any child would be in such an unstable environment.  

Meredith wants to believe that her sister, Marjorie, is just pulling the wool down over everyone from her distant mother and ratings-obsessed TV crew members to her overzealous fanatical father and the viewers at home. It takes her years of looking at the past through the eyes of a wizened adult to see the truths that flutter around the edges of her reality.

 

If Alfred Hitchcock were still alive today, he would buy every copy of this book just to unleash the simple but beautiful horrors from within this book upon a world full of unprepared moviegoers. This book shows Tremblay’s ability to create strong characters and a swirling fog of a plot that embraces you just before it chills you to the bone.

Paul Tremblay doesn’t only write great horror, he writes good fiction. Do what you need to in order to get this book. Beg, borrow, or buy it now!

Go check out Paul's Amazon page, now!

Book Review- Animosity by James Newman

If James Newman were a rapper, Eminem could never say he was a Rap God. He's not, at least as far I know, and I am so glad he's not because he would have never wrote this book if that were the case. I have enjoyed some of James Newman's shorter works, but this is my first time reading something longer from him. I will punish myself later for that because this book was so much more than I was expecting. I had read some of the 5 star reviews and was expecting a good book, but I was not expecting one the best I have ever read!

Admittedly, I am easily entertained, I read a lot of books that are fun rides with lots of explicit sex, gore, cheap thrills and scares, and If I can get lost in that story for a few days, I'm pretty happy. I read this book in one day... I could not put it down for the life of me. Even though I had stuff to do, I put it off. I was too emotionally attached to this book to put it down and had to know what was going to happen next. So don't plan on doing this unless you want to get rude looks from your family while you completely ignore them for most of the day!

Andy Holland is a horror writer. He has a dark spot in his past he is not proud of, but it's something that could have happened to everyone. He manned up and paid the cost. When he finds a body of a little girl while out for a walk in his neighborhood, his past comes back to haunt not only him, but his neighbors as well. They soon become obsessed over Andy's past and the "sick" stories he now writes.

Andy is a like-able guy, he has a daughter and he argues with his ex-wife, but who wouldn't? When Newman sends trouble Andy's way, he sucks you in and makes you feel the pain that his protagonist is going through. I found myself getting angry at all the crap Andy was facing and couldn't wait for Andy to start fighting back.

Reading this book is watching a master at work. Newman makes you care about his characters. Some of them you like through the entire book, and some you really begin to hate. Soon he has you thinking of your own evil ways to kill them for their injustices against the ones you care about. The story moves fast, and it could happen to anyone, so it is easy to imagine Andy's hell as he storms through it all.

If you like a book that pulls you close, punches you in the chest, and makes you think, this book will not disappoint you in the least. Worth every penny and then some! James Newman knows what he's doing and is a top notch story teller that you won't soon forget.

Check out James' Amazon page to get this great book along with many more!

-Cory Cline

Book Review- Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

Mr. Mercedes is a great noir style thriller with an evil and twisted protagonist who pushes our hero to the brink in this impressive book by Uncle Stevie. 

Is it King's best work? Not really. I think we all have our favorites, but this book is very good. Don't expect to find any monsters under the bed in this tale. The monsters only appear in flesh and blood, and King is writing in full color. The characters are great, in fact, I look forward to reading the other books King has planned for the series. The villain is a twisted, douchey, momma's boy who will raise the hair on the back of your neck as effectively as Pennywise, only in a this shit can really happen kind of way. 

King can write anything. I would be convinced he is a robot if he wasn't so good at capturing human nature in his pages, as he proves here he can mimic any style of writing while maintaining the form he is known for. There are a few slow areas, but they felt needed and were appreciated and done well. King is a master storyteller and he does not disappoint. 

You may not hide under the sheets while reading this one, but you will make sure your doors are locked! 

I'm not going to post a link- if you need help finding a recent Stephen King novel, I suggest moving!

Book Review- Dark Screams Volume 1- Richard Chizmar & Brian James Freeman (Editors)

Richard Chizmar and Brian James Freeman serve up a great appetizer of creeps and chills in this collection of shorts that will surely leave you waiting for the next in the series. 

I was a tad disappointed that the Stephen King short, Weeds, was a reprint. I soon forgot my disappointment after rereading this classic tale that, come to find out, has not been reprinted since his early Cavalier days. You will be looking for your copy of Creepshow when you are done reading this one, just to warn you! This story is a great treat for the hardcore King fans and a great way for new fans to get acquainted with his mastery of the short form. 

Kelly Armstrong follows with a dark and gritty revenge thriller that doesn't just go out with a bang, it goes out with some Michael Bay explosions so make sure your seat is in the upright position and please wear your seatbelts! Ms. Armstrong is always a delight to read, and this story will leave you squirming in your seat. 

Magic Eye's, Bill Pronzini's psychotic window into a madhouse is another solid entry that will not disappoint. Psychological horror by a master of suspense who captures the essence of madness and unleashes it in torrents, Magic Eye's reminds us that the eye's are the window to the soul. 

Simon Clark's Murder In Chains is the best and the worst of the stories. Simon Clark has created such a wonderfully horrific place that I can't believe this is all there is to it. I want more... correction, I need more. This should be one of those books that you could use as a doorstop if needed, or to bludgeon an intruder with, not a short story. I am crossing my fingers that Mr. Clark has realized this and is working on providing the necessary completion to this dark world. 

Ramsey Campbell brings this collection to an end with The Watched, a creepy tale that is far from my favorite of Campbell's but nonetheless a solid story that will make you pay a bit more attention to what may be lurking in the shadows outside your window at night. 

This collection, while a bit short in length, makes up for that with quality stories that will leave you anticipating the next installment in this dark series. Richard Chizmar and Brian James Freeman who are as capable of churning out tales as good as any of the authors in this collection, have begun a great endeavor that will wet any horror fan's appetite. 

I received this ARC from Penguin Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Get Dark Screams Volume 1 here...

-Cory Cline

Book Review- Love Life by Matt Shaw

Matt Shaw really surprised me with this one. I have to admit, I was basing my judgement on the covers of some of his other books which are full of blurbs citing the inclusion of extreme horror, sex, and gore.

Instead of what I would call "extreme" I found myself mesmerized by Shaw's ability to lay down a subtle plot with despaired and flawed characters before he slams the doors on your fingers with glee. 

Kim and Kirk are two birds of a feather that come from completely different backgrounds. Shaw has the ability to make the reader care for Kim, a prostitute desperate for a change at the same time he makes the reader doubt the "too good to be true" intentions of an outwardly gentle john. Kirk seems nice and all, but it is obvious he has a secret and problems of his own. 

When Shaw performs his big reveal, he gives us the blood and unnatural jolt you would expect from an author who writes books with titles such as Rotting Dead F*cks. 

Great characterization, a fast plot that bounces from the present to the near past with ease, believable dialogue, and a pinch of darkness make for the perfect recipe for a great tale. 

Shaw seems to be a great storyteller and I will purposefully seek out more of his work, extreme warnings or not! 

Get this book or one of the other many Matt Shaw books to choose from here...

-Cory Cline

Book Review- Muerte Con Carne by Shane McKenzie

Shane McKenzie serves up a plateful of well-prepared exotic horror that Rolaids will never be able to soothe. This book is gory, twisted, humorous, and highly entertaining!

A couple takes a trip to Mexico to film a documentary on how terrible the plight of the immigrant can be. They are hoping to be caught and sent to jail in Mexico, but they will soon wish they were behind bars as their trip soon leads them to the sickest family since Leatherface's family reunion. You get Taco's that taste too good to be true, a wrestler that would sell out any WWE pay-per view event.. but never allowed back, and a family that would never yell at you for playing with your food.

Shane has a twisted sense of humor and it shows in his writing. His characters are likable, believable, and some are quite twisted. The story moves along at a good pace, perhaps a bit slow in the beginning but when the action comes, he brings it like Hulk Hogan calling for the approval from the Hulkamaniacs.

If you enjoy a twisted, gory horror story with a splash of humor then do not hesitate in purchasing this book! You will not be disappointed!

Go check out Shane's Amazon page for more great books!

-Cory Cline

Book Review- Night Life by Ray Garton

Ray Garton's Live Girls is one of those books that when you put it down, you know you want to read more. It's not fair that the only vampire books that get sequels are known for their sparkle, or whatever you call it. 

While his vampires are capable of falling in love, and can resist the urge to sink their teeth into every neck they see, they are also capable of being the brutal monsters they are meant to be. 

In Night Life, Garton moves his vampires across the country from the grimy strip club in Times Square, New York circa 1980 to the sleazy Los Angelas porn industries of the 2000's. The move is not only fitting, as everyone knows, sequels must always take things to the next level, but Garton effortlessly changes the whole feel of the story to match the move. 

Live Girls just felt like you were in Times Square, New York during the 80's. Peep Shows and adult entertainment found down back alleys of a city known for it's dirty little secrets. Night Life takes us to the shock me if you can era of adult entertainment, where girls have to do much more than just offer a peep. 

In Night Life we are introduced to Martin Burgess, a horror writer with an obsession over vampires. He wants to know the truth behind the stories he has read regarding the Live Girls club in New York. He hires a couple of private investigators; Karen Moffett and Gavin Keoph, to dig through the muck and trace these stories back to their origins. 

This leads them back to Walter Benedick, the reporter who tried to uncover the truth but has since gone into hiding to try and keep his distance from the Brutals. Walter's problem is that he is still a reporter at heart and wants the truth to be exposed. He convinces Davey and Casey Owens, now married and accustomed to living the life of the undead, to talk to the investigators. 

Of course, the Brutals are not keen on being exposed and are willing to do everything they can to keep these secrets from being exposed. Like an artist uncovering his painting for the world to see, Garton removes the cover and unleashes his Brutal's upon our heroes, and while there is no sparkle, there is plenty of splatter. 

Is Night Life as good as Live Girls? I wouldn't go that far. How many sequels are honestly as good or better than the original? I didn't know what to expect when reading Live Girls, and it's hard to recapture that feeling of stumbling across something new. That is perfectly acceptable though, I didn't want anything new with this book. I wanted to catch up with Davey and Casey, I wanted to see what these vampires were doing, and how they have adapted to the ever-changing world just like the rest of us have. Night Life is a solid sequel. It is gory, brutal- but most importantly, it is fun. Thank you, Mr. Garton, for catching us up with these monsters that do what they are supposed to do... act like monsters. 

                                                                       I keep telling Bobby to stay off the carpet, or no bed-time story

Find this book and others by Ray Garton on Amazon...

Book Review- Mountain Home by Bracken Macleod

Mountain Home is one of those rare stories where it is almost impossible to decide who you are rooting for. You have a protagonist who is classically in the wrong place at the wrong time while you are silently cheering the antagonist on as she ruthlessly chases down her demons. 

Bracken Macleod crafts a fast-paced story full of action, tension, bullets, and explosions. There is even a hint of a monster beside the human variety, but it is the least of the problems for the people who find themselves under siege in this cozy restaurant with a view. Macleod shows he is a master of character and is capable of making his readers feel love, hate, compassion, and revulsion, sometimes all on the same page, and he makes it all look so easy. 

Be prepared to choose a side, but know that you will not like doing so. Life is full of despicable people and when the line is drawn in the sand someone will eventually step across it.
Go get it on Amazon!




-Cory Cline

Book Review- Pus Junkies by Shane McKenzie

Pus Junkies is a book....

                                                                                      See, I told you so.


It is the kind of book you read and people ask, "What are you reading?"

You pause before answering. Not necessarily out of shame, though many people will find themselves feeling ashamed after and while reading this book, but mainly because you know the asker of questions will next say, "What is it about?"

"Shane McKenzie wrote this book," you will say as if that answers it all.

"Cool," The asker of questions will say."What's it about?"

There it is, the question you knew they would ask. Out in the open dangling, like a dead fish. You tell them.

Silence.

The asker of questions will do one of two things... They will give you a wide-eyed look of horror; mouth agape, teeth pulled back in revulsion; or, they will avoid all future eye contact and find the nearest distraction they can find.

Shane has created a uniquely sick and twisted modern horror for the perils of teendom in Pus Junkies. He's crammed this book full of sex, bodily fluids, drugs, gore, and humor. Sometimes all at the same time!

If you enjoy the look of people who have just swallowed a bit of bile, read this book and spread the word... Parents need to know and talk to their children about the dangers of drugs, and Shane McKenzie is the reason why!

                                                        This book is why my family hates it when I read during meals!

Go get it on Amazon!

-Cory Cline