In Wait Till Helen Comes, Michael and Molly are siblings who have a troubled younger stepsister named Heather. When their blended family moves to the country, Heather appears to have found an imaginary friend, Helen. Molly thinks Helen is a malignant ghost bent on killing children. But, Michael, their momContinue Reading
Fellstones is an atmospheric horror tale set in a creepy modern day English village. Michael Paul Dunston comes home to the adopted family he has not seen in years. His adopted sister has called him home because his adopted parents are ill. However, when he arrives, they seem fine—but justContinue Reading
I was worried that Lucky Girl was going to be an amateurish fan fiction about a not-very-good horror movie. However, I was intrigued enough to request a review copy. I was pleasantly surprised by this enchanting rom com/thriller/horror tale. At only 112 pages, I dare you to stop reading onceContinue Reading
I wanted to like Luda. I have watched every episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race and wanted to read a book set in that world. However, the prose style is both stilted and bloated with comma’ed phrases. The book is so overlong, it feels like it faced the rack in MedievalContinue Reading
Take classic monsters from yesteryear like Dracula, Frankenstein and even Dr. Moreau. Add thirty of the best minds in horror wring today. Stir and you will concoct the tasty and thought-provoking horror anthology, Classic Monsters Unleashed. With 29 short stories, one poem and several illustrations, there is sure to beContinue Reading
What Moves the Dead? I am pretty sure it’s Edgar Allan Poe turning over in his grave after the publication of this anemic adaptation of his short story The Fall of the House of Usher. Location, location, location is the mantra of real estate agents. However, atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere isContinue Reading
I picked up this book because I was looking for something different than my usual domestic suspense or cozy mysteries. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Little Bird is a darkly humorous cozy horror tale (or maybe fantasy or even magical realism—it’s hard to categorize and that is part ofContinue Reading
Black Tide begins with a romance that quickly turns into an apocalyptic horror tale. Beth and Mike meet over their garden wall and quickly get drunk together. When Beth wakes up alone in Mike’s bed, she has dreamed of an alien invasion. However, it turns out it is not justContinue Reading
Just Like Mother is a creepy crawly plot-heavy gothic tale featuring two girls born into a cult. Maeve and her cousin Andrea are part of The Mother Collective, which reveres motherhood above all else. At a young age, the girls are separated when the cult is broken up by lawContinue Reading
In Friend of the Devil, insurance investigator Sam is looking for a missing rare book at the hoity-toity boarding school, Danforth Putnam. He is helped, and hindered, by the school’s faculty, staff, and students. But what he ultimately finds will be miraculous. Friend of the Devil is marketed as aContinue Reading
Jacob Elliott picked a bad day to begin working as a temporary mailroom clerk at Delphi Enterprises. First, he went to the wrong entrance of the massive campus. After being directed to the correct location, he arrived late. All the permanent employees were leaving to hear the company’s CEO speakContinue Reading
Zmeu is a demon summoned from Hell by a child’s game. He quickly kills young Vadim and kidnaps another child. Luckily, the town has an albino religious healer who fights Zmeu and wins. The family prays to see Vadim again at his funeral. It’s a case of be careful whatContinue Reading
The love-hate relationship between teenage girl bffs is explored in Cherish Farrah. Farrah is the child of upper middle-class black parents. Her best friend, Cherish, is the black adopted daughter of even wealthier white parents. When Farrah’s parents have financial difficulties, she decides to take over Cherish’s life of beingContinue Reading
There are eleven adult Grimm Tales from the Cave. They are about sins and sinners. But all have a moral in there somewhere just like the original Grimm tales. “When you reach hell, I shall serve you a meal. What will be the meat? What will be the spoon? AndContinue Reading
With twenty horror tales, The Best of Dark Terrors has plenty for everyone. There are famous authors like Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison and Neil Gaiman alongside relatively unknown writers. While all the tales involve the paranormal, not all are scary. Both humor and pathos are also included. Whether you areContinue Reading
Pearl is a pig. A very special telepathic pig. The author, Josh Malerman, also wrote Bird Box. Enough said. If you want a totally original take on horror, pick up Pearl. You won’t be sorry. It’s perfect for a cold autumn evening. 4 stars! Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalleyContinue Reading