I received a complimentary Kindle copy of E is for Exterminator by Ian Rob Wright in an Amazon promotion. It is found in A-Z of Horror: Complete Collection: Fear from beginning to end.
That did not change my opinion for this review. I gave this book four stars.
It is a compelling horror story.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BA0E680
This was a thoroughly enjoyable collection of short stories published by City of the Dead Tours. Many of the stories contain very dark humour and are all the stronger for this. I have added some of the writers' names to my watch list.
"Bunny Wunny Woo" was funny; "Lambent Lights" was a clever cautionary tale; "Mr Quibbly's Brain Emporium" was delightfully weird; "The Tunnel" was a satisfying short; "What's the Story Morning Star Glory?" was exciting and fun; "There's Something Wrong With the Baby" was chilling and one of my favourites in the collection. I'll be looking out for more from Samantha MacLaren. "The Tenant" was my favourite. I was blown away by the cleverness and originality of this story by Anita Sullivan about a tenement that somehow erases tenants and people's recollection of them. "Reverend Pea Pod and the Bloated Corpse" is brilliantly funny; "Skinner's Box" was very clever with a great twist in the tale; "Green Ladies" was a sweet, slightly creepy tale, set in a location I am familiar with and wrote my own short story about - Duff House in Scotland. Finally "The Plodder" was a satisfying short story that enchanted me. There are fourteen tales in total and none of them are badly written.
In summary, a delightful collection of short horror and one to check out.
I put in a special order at Barnes and Noble (because for some reason they didn't carry it in store!) for Paperbacks From Hell by Grady Hendrix and while I was at the store to pick it up, we had to go into the kids section to pick up a birthday gift for a 1-year-old.
I saw the Buffy the Vampire Slayer picture book based on the series created by Joss Whedon, with illustrations by Kim Smith. I had to have it! For me! I love horror, adult books, YA, middle grade and of course children books. I think even if my body breaks down over time, reading in this manner will help keep part of my mind young.
I'm such a dork. Both of these books are so cool!!
The back cover alone makes a Buffy fan happy! Look at the little attention to detail. When you read this, you have to remember it will be way different from the show. It has to be if they are marketing it for children.
I've only flipped through Paperbacks From Hell, but I've already seen some books I own or read, which is pretty neat!
Lupe by Gene Thompson is from 1977. I bought my copy in 2003 from a little used bookstore for $1. So I read it at 19 years old. From memory, this book freaked me out! I was pretty sheltered as a teen, even at 19, so this was probably considered a Taboo book to be reading with my relgious family. I imagine I hid it.
Creepy children...
My copy got a little beat up. I'm not too bothered by that. That just means this book has a history! Would I buy it again if I found a better copy of the first edition (and for cheap again... haha) I probably would if I read this again and still liked the story.
I tried to adjust the photo so you can see the faded text in the receipt! Not every day you find the original receipt tucked away.
As I read Paperbacks From Hell, I will keep track of which books I own, have owned and have read! (Oh, and of course the books I will want to hunt for and read! I know I will want to find the books with the covers the book shows, so my hunt might be harder.)
If you are a dork like me, you might look forward to my list, which I will share here. lol
Suspended in Dusk II by Simon Dewar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Seventeen stories that tell of life and death and those happenings inbetween, where change is all but inevitable. Be prepared for horrors of all kinds, some more subtle than others.
(WARNING: This review contains MAJOR spoilers.)
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I thank Grey Matter Press for giving me the opportunity.
First of all, I appreciated the large amount of diversity in this book; from the foreword it became clear that individuals of all shapes of life were given the chance to contribute, and I feel that’s largely absent in anthologies these days. It’s a shame, because nobody, no matter what ethnicity or sexuality or whatever else, should be excluded from such opportunities to expand their craft.
I’ll admit however, this anthology started off as rather weak for me, with stories I didn’t much care for situated right at the beginning. Angeline by Karen Runge was about, what I assumed to be, sexual abuse at a young age and the resulting aftermath in later years, whilst The Sundowners by Damien Angelica Walters focused on the complications of old age, and they were certainly interesting to a degree, but they both fell a bit short. Crying Demon by Alan Baxter made me smile, as I’m a personal fan of horror games, yet whilst it held a great deal of potential, it didn’t make it to the top of the list. Still Life with Natalie by Sarah Read was far too verbose, even for my tastes, and Love is a Cavity I Can’t Stop Touching by Stephen Graham Jones didn’t really include all that much. Yes, cannibalism is one of my most favoured themes, but the story struck me as hollow. The Immortal Dead by J. C. Michael also didn't do much for me - I mean, it wasmwell-written but just a little bland.
Now, let’s get into the stories that made an excellent impression and completely changed my overall thoughts regarding the book.
There’s No Light Between Floors by Paul Tremblay
A man emerges into something catastrophic, where gods freely roam. I feel like this is the one to either love or hate, as it’s left intentionally vague as to what’s actually happening, and it’s that obscurity that might put off a lot of readers. I tried to look at it from a different angle and take events less literal than how they were described by the character. My conclusion and subsequent theory was that his worldly perspective was entirely skewed, perhaps from trauma. I do enjoy tales that hold a deeper meaning, where I need to put my thinking cap on.
That Damned Cat by Nerine Dorman
A cult try to summon A Duke of the Ninth Infernal Circle, yet events take a rather odd turn. This surprised me - I never thought I’d be so entertained and find humour amongst this collection, but Simon Dewar clearly had his head screwed on right, as this in particular was incredibly engaging.
Riptide by Dan Rabarts
Desperate for revenge, a man sets out to hunt down the monster that took his family. I regarded this one as possibly the strongest addition. It introduced me to the taniwha, which compelled me to further read into Māori mythology. It was memorable in the sense that it was a perfect mini-novel, with a start, middle and end that captivated me the whole time.
It occurs to me that this review is already too long, so I'll refrain from writing a ten-page essay. Suffice it to say, the rest of these stories had me hooked, and there was a tremendous amount of variety in tone, atmosphere, and writing. In some, like Dealing in Shadows by Annie Neugebauer, I felt emotion, and in others, such as An Elegy for Childhood Monsters by Gwendolyn Kiste, I experienced a sense of fascination. Seriously, every one offered me something new.
In conclusion: I believe there's something here for everyone to enjoy. Naturally, there were the weaker links, but it was a simple matter of them not being my sort of thing. Those that did appeal to me, really made Suspended in Dusk II worth it.
© Red Lace 2018
The Between by Tananarive Due
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When threatening letters soon find their way to his wife, Hilton James becomes seriously afraid for the safety of his family. Being the first African-American judge in Dade County, Florida, it can be any number of individuals that Dede has prosecuted. With tensions running high, and the threats getting worse, Hilton's own picture-perfect life, as well as his own reality, begin to fray at the edges.
(WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers.)
This one wasn’t even remotely on my radar before it was brought to my attention by Mike Thorn, author of Darkest Hours. I decided to pick a random suggested novel, as generally my favourites are books other people have told me to read. That’s the great thing about the community; you never know what you’ll end up with. I found Due’s eerily crafted story to be rather complex, and in all honestly, it was that complexity that intrigued me even further. This wasn’t a typical ghost story, but a breach in one person’s reality. It was emotional, and I oftentimes experienced discomfort in how much Due toyed with the mental states of her characters; their lives truly took a traumatising turn and that downward spiral was dammed scary. I was shocked to find how much I wanted things to work out for the James family, and as events escalated that pesky sense of dread never did subside. You see, when an author can humanise their characters enough for me to regard them like actual living, breathing people, then that’s where my ultimate attachment lies. Much like a family unit they tried desperately to overcome the unexpected, and we all know what that’s like, even if our daily problems aren’t supernatural in origin.
I do have to admit that I found it to have a rocky beginning. Hilton didn’t really leave me with a good first impression, what with secretly lusting after one of his former patients and then complaining about his very busy and stressed out wife. Despite these unappealing actions however, I eventually warmed to him and felt sympathy toward his plight. He had his obvious flaws and whilst some of his mistakes actually disgusted me, I couldn’t help but acknowledge his struggle. The further I progressed into the chapters, the more his life went to ruin - it was akin to watching a trainwreck. Do you ever feel the need to put down a book because it just got too heavy for you? Well, there were moments throughout where I needed a respite. This being my very first encounter with Due's writing, I was thrilled at how captivating her use of prose was. I think, overall, I prefer a less straight-forward structure, and more of an artfully constructed one. Here, it highly benefited the tone of the book.
The plot did well in making me question the legitimacy of Hilton’s bizarre experiences. At times it was left open enough to theorise on if he was actually mentally ill and suffering from some form of schizophrenia, or if he truly was being hunted by reflections of himself. The added aspect of African spirituality also interested me a great deal; I'm always in search of fiction that will prompt me to do research on beliefs I wouldn't otherwise be aware of. As I've already mentioned, the complexity came in the form of certain elements being intentionally vague and left open to interpretation. The dreams, the occurrences that seemed to erase themselves, they all hinted that something very thought provoking was at play.
In conclusion: A heart-wrenching story of one family and the otherworldly forces trying to tear them apart. I found the story-telling to be engaging, endearing, and successful in making my mind whirl. It was however draining at times, to the point I needed time to recover. I definitely want more of Due's works on my shelf though, and here's hoping they're just as emotionally charged.
Notable Scene:
Even with the humidity in the little house and the steam from pots boiling over on top of the stove, their lids bouncing like angry demons, Nana's flesh felt as cold as just-drawn well water. As cold as December. He'd never touched a person who felt that way, and even as a child he knew only dead people turned cold like that.
© Red Lace 2018
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