Book Review- Midnight Rain by James Newman

If I'm a sucker for anything, it's a great coming of age story. It, A Boy's Life, The Traveling Vampire Show, December Park, Stand By Me, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Something Wicked This Way Comes... Get my drift?  These are all vastly different, but the same recurring element will often show up in these stories... A young protagonist is suddenly forced into a very adult situation where they must make very adult decisions. From now on, I will be adding James Newman's, Midnight Rain, to the list above. 

This is a real deal, no holds barred mystery/thriller that packs a punch from the get-go. I am beginning to suspect that Newman is incapable of writing a novel that doesn't grab your attention right away, as this is the second book in a row that I have read by him that was capable of making me think about what was going to happen next whenever I wasn't reading it. 

When 12-year-old Kyle Mackey witnesses a violent murder at the hands of an adult that he knows to trust, his entire childhood comes to an abrupt halt as he comes to terms with what he must do, no matter how terrified he is of the outcome. This story captures the magical wonder of childhood through the eyes of a child who knows he will never believe in magic again. The story of a boy becoming a man by experiencing the worst that humanity has to offer.  

Midnight Rain is easily consumable in one sitting.  I, on the other hand, sometimes enjoy the prolonged anticipation so I will purposefully walk away from a book like this for a bit. Not too long, grant you, but just long enough so I get those tingly tendrils of impatience that make you look at the book sitting so lonely on that table... perhaps just one more chapter... 

For a debut novel, you would never guess it. Newman writes with the confidence of a master storyteller, one who can't wait to shine that flashlight under his chin as he leans in silently to scream "Boo" in your ear.   

Alright, what are you waiting for? You want that feeling you got when you read It? How about A Boys Life? You know this shit is like a drug.  It get's in your blood, and once you get that first taste, you always remember it. Go ahead, stick your tongue out, the forecast is cloudy, with a chance of murder. 

Nothing good ever happens at those old shacks in the woods. 

Pick up your copy of Midnight Rain here...

Check out James Newman's Amazon page here...

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