Succulent Prey should come with a warning on the cover: WARNING - Not for the faint of heart, weak stomachs or if your idea of horror is Stephen King and Dean Koontz. If you like your horror to be serial killers, cannabalism, and graphic page after page drenched in blood, Succulent Prey might be for you. This is my first forray into Wrath James White's writing and yes, it's brutal, but White isn't a one-trick pony. The guy can flat out write. In the hands of a less talented author, this story easily gets lost. But White breathes life into it...well...right before he rips open a chest and yanks our a heart and eats it. Okay, I'm regressing. Joey is an 11-year-old kid that gets abducted by a serial killer who gets his kicks by slicing his victims and drinking his blood. Joey was the first victim and for some unknown reason, the killer lets him go. The subsequent victims aren't so lucky. They're brutally sliced apart, blood drank and flesh consumed. The killer, Trent, is finally apprehended and sent away to a mental institution. Flash forward to present day where Joey is a sophomore in college and he's a big boy, and when I say big, I mean football player/body builder big. Top it off that he look like Superman from the comics and you can see why he has no problem picking up women. Unfortunately, the scars of his past have made his sex life and desires slide to the extreme. And when I say extreme, I'm not talking a little light bondage S&M. No, Joey dreams of sinking his teeth into their flesh and consuming them in one bloody bite after another.

I'll stop here on the story's details and say that this story could've easily went off the rails into the rediculous many times, but Wrath gives us a compelling tale that pulls you in. Joey is a complex character that you can't decide how you feel about him. His victims are the sad sacks with no self esteem that society typically exploits. At times, you think, "who'd do that?", then you realize that yes, there are people out there like that. At times, the story walks the razor's edge of suspension of disbelief, but White delivers a blood-soaked thrill ride with your hair on fire. If you like your stories to extreme splatterpunk, grab your raincoat and try to avoid the splatters.

4 1/2 Chewed-Off Nipples out of 5

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Splatterpunk Fighting Back by MULTIPLE
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The definition of "splatterpunk" should give an idea of what this volume entails: characterised by the explicit description of horrific, violent, or pornographic scenes. With an abundance of monsters, gore, and sexual tones, it stays true to the nature of the sub-genre. My advice? Just be prepared.

(WARNING: This review contains spoilers.)

I never would've known about this analogy had I not joined the one and only Horror Aficionados on Goodreads, and took part in their January group read with author invite. Being new to the horror sub-genre of splatterpunk, I expected that it would probably involve some disgusting and gruesome "what the hell did I just read?" moments, and I quickly discovered that I was correct. I enjoyed some stories more than others, however as a whole I consider it a great piece of horrifically violent and graphic literature.

Listed below are each individual tale, starting with my most favourite. I also thank the authors for being so pleasant to talk with, and for donating all proceeds of sale to charity.

Check out my blog to see the Q&A with some of the authors.

* * *Hellscape by Rich Hawkins* * *
Even this quick glimpse into this forsaken world left me completely engrossed. A twisted, bloody apocalypse? My cup of tea any day of the week. The Cthulhu-theme fascinated me, as I've actually never read any such thing before (I know, shame on me). Even though it was short, and seemed to drop the reader right in the middle, I was immediately pulled into the maternal desperation of the protagonist, as well as that drive of trying to keep the madness at bay. I loved every gruesome detail and the sheer brutality.

* *Feast of Consequences by WD Gagliani & Dave Benton* *
Victims fighting back - it's a particular favourite of mine. This one actually began as rather typical, reminding me of the whole Texas Chain Saw Massacre trope, yet it turns into something else entirely. The inclusion of the "Sasquatch" type monsters made my skin crawl, as I suspected the family had a rather... intimate relationship with them. Definitely images I didn't need in my head.

*Extinction Therapy by Bracken MacLeod*
This one made me think a lot, admittedly a bit more in comparison to the others. There's a belief that we all have it inside ourselves - an animal, primitive, left over from our ancestors. What if that gets tapped into? Even good people can do bad things, and we all have unwanted thoughts that seep to the forefront sometimes. I found Spencer's journey to be fascinating, and I couldn't help but want a full-length novel.

Darla's Problem by Kristopher Rufty
A classic, isn't it? The monster in the closet, or beneath the bed. I really liked this one and, sure enough, the monster creeped me out! It made me think about how we so readily dismiss children when they speak of monsters or other such creatures that don't fit into our notion of reality - no wonder it's been the plot of so many books and movies. Also, poor Darla.

They Swim by Night by Adam Millard
If it's one thing I love, it's mythical creatures, especially when an author involves their own personal twist. Ana was portrayed with such raw sexuality, and I loved the hold she had over the men in her midst. This one in particular sparked my imagination; I couldn't help but ponder over Ana's origins. She struck me as an apex predator, but also something more. Ancient. Malevolent. Like at one point in time her kind were respected and feared, yet they faded away into nothing but stories and superstition.

The Passion of the Robertsons by Duncan Ralston
Well, this one certainly took religion to the extreme, and delved into the sheer insanity of two individuals. Being an atheist myself, I wouldn't want to get on the Robertson's bad side. Really, I think the couple would've been better suited to the good ol' days of when atrocities in the name of religion were the norm. Whilst I enjoyed it for what it was, it lacked in something to really make an impact. The ending was good, though!

Limb Memory by Tim Curran
To think if we lose a part of ourselves, a piece of our soul goes with it. Despite the added humour to the otherwise eerie tone of this one, I didn't favour it as much as the majority of other readers. Disembodied limbs generally don't interest me all that much.

Molly by Glenn Rolfe
My partner has pediophobia and while I often tease and laugh, I admit that there's something unsettling about dolls. It's the uncanny valley, right? I was left with a lot of questions regarding Molly, and I would've liked a bit more information for the events that transpired to make sense. She was able to clean up after her own murders? I felt like there was perhaps too much telling and not enough showing.

Melvin by Matt Shaw
I admit, this one made me laugh, but there was a tinge of discomfort below the absurdity. The detail was disturbing - such as Claudia's skin darkening from her insides being torn apart. It makes me shift in my seat when I think about it even now. The ending? Well, it was a great ending. However, despite my brief flare of enjoyment, I can't say I favoured it highly.

Only Angels Know by George Daniel Lea
I get the impression this was supposed to be intentionally hard to follow - as it was a piece written by the character himself, of whom was a very intense and unstable individual. I had to read it twice, and still I'm not sure exactly what happened. I know he had a procedure done to himself, but it doesn't give details, and I'm left wondering if that's the whole point. Whatever we come up with in our minds might be bad enough, if not worse than what George Daniel Lea intended. Was he getting parts of himself surgically removed? Getting parts of other people stitched onto him? Maybe I just missed it completely, and it's lost within his jumbled rambling!

The Going Rate by John Boden
Honestly, this one was just too short for me to get a real feel of anything. I liked the idea, of a neighbourhood having to give their pound of flesh to appease the demon, but I was left with too many questions. Like a flash, it was just over, offering what I felt like very little. I would've loved this had it been longer.

In conclusion - There's something here for everyone, but be aware of the pushing of limits. It's not pretty!

© Red Lace 2018

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Woom: An Extreme Horror Novel by Duncan Ralston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally returning to the one place that's caused him a great deal of pain in his life, Angel hires Shyla - a prostitute that has no idea what's in store for her. Settling down into Room Six at the Lonely Motel, Angel begins their encounter with stories of that very room - terrible stories that Shyla finds hard to believe. Just what is Angel's motive? Shyla will inevitably find out, one way or the other.

(WARNING: This review contains spoilers.)

One thing's for sure - this one will stay with me for a while to come, it's even possible that I'll never forget it. It's seared into my mind, each and every disturbing tale that left Angel's lips. Despite becoming so engrossed in the twisted playground that is Ralston's imagination, I actually needed to take several breaks throughout and come up for air. I'm fairly new to the whole "extreme" side of horror, and whilst I enjoy the pushing of limits and whatnot, I feel small doses are best. Admittedly, one particular story actually caused me to feel a bit sick. Don't get me wrong, I consider myself having a strong stomach, but there's some things that just freak me out, and what transpired with Mary in "Woom" was one of those things. Perhaps it's because what Mary did to herself wasn't far-fetched at all; it's a very real thing that women in the world still do to themselves, or maybe it's just because I own a vagina and the descriptive detail offended my female parts.

Below are the respective parts of the book, and the "theme" for each tale.

Room 6 - Essentially the introduction, where Angel and Shyla first met. I admit, Angel gave off that serial killer vibe from the beginning, despite being all gentlemanly and polite.
Cram(ps) - What's the term? Stuff or swallow? Boy, this one was unpleasant to start with, but Ralston just had to add icing to the cake. It got considerably worse. (Drug muling, miscarriage.)
Pro(lapse) - Probably my least favourite of the lot. It didn't deal directly with Angel or Shyla, but added some rather bizarre humour. (Rectal prolapse.)
Woom - As I've already stated, this one made me feel sick. I don't even want to think about it anymore. (Bathroom abortion.)
(S)mother - It was Shyla's turn to share. I wasn't surprised at all by her account - someone in her profession would obviously meet all sorts. (Account of rape, asphyxiophilia.)
Man(nequin) - This was my favourite! I didn't see it coming. At first I felt sorry for Bethany, but she was absolutely mad as all hell by the end. (Mutilation.)
(Still)born Again - The climax of it all, and what a climax it was. I knew Angel had something in mind, but I didn't know just how twisted it was. (Rebirthing.)

I know a lot of people are put off by an authors intent to shock and disgust, and I'd agree if the plot suffered and was nothing more than fluff. I, however, think there was a clear, thought-provoking story here; one of hardship after hardship, and a person's tragic connection to a specific place. Angel was, by all means, a very traumatised individual that obviously needed professional help, yet I suppose, in a way, professional help is exactly what he received from Shyla. Do I believe the room itself had anything to do with it? Well, it was definitely odd that that specific room was the stage to most of the events, and considering the number of the room, it was implied something more was going on. I, however, don't think the room was "evil", or had any paranormal connections. Perhaps negativity just attracted negativity.

I was spurred on to do a bit of research of my own after finishing, regarding the rebirthing therapy. I love it when something I read prompts me to delve deeper into a topic I wouldn't otherwise be interested in, or even know about. Whilst Angel took it WAY too far in the end, the practice itself, specifically the blanket / pillow version, is heavily controversial. What's especially harrowing, is the story of Candace Newmaker; a ten year old girl who died during a seventy-minute session. I recommend reading about it, if you're into that sort of thing!

Originally I gave a rating of three, but I've increased it to much-deserved four. I'm glad I happened across this on Amazon!

In conclusion - Very well done, but not for the faint of heart. Includes highly sensitive material. I'll be reading more of Ralston's work in the future - something about the dark and twisted is addicting.

Notable Quote:

"You should always listen to that voice when something doesn't feel right. Always look for the red flags. Stop worrying about being nice, about making a scene. I know that now."

© Red Lace 2018

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The Basics

The Thurmans decide to take a vacation, and what better place to spend it than a five star resort? The Reata has fantastic reviews, lots of activities, and reasonable rates in the off season. Then the inconveniences and the disturbances start to pile up, until it’s clear the Reata has a mind of its own.

My Thoughts

Sometimes you read a book because you want a good, gory time. I picked this out as part of my October reads because I had a feeling Little wouldn’t let me down on that score. I have a good track record with his books, and he always brings the most disturbing things he can to the table. This book went above and beyond. It was one weird, creepy, nasty set piece after another, and being in the perfect mood for it, I reveled in it. The spider scenes (you’ll know when you read it) especially got under my skin, as I have an innate fear of spiders. While I know that sort of thing, an author finding that spot inside you that makes you shudder and shriek, would make other readers turn away, it thrilled me to find a book that unnerved me on that level. That made me squirm as I read it and jump when he delivered the punch.

So that means I’m speaking to those horror fans. The ones that read horror because it thrills and chills and all those old movie poster highlights. The ones that declare, “oh, that’s so fucked up!” And then read on with glee. This book is for you. If you don’t read horror but you see this book and say, “oh, this sounds interesting…” Put it down. Back away. This isn’t for you. Readers who find gritty, down-and-dirty horror to be “disgusting” and “offensive” need not apply.

I’d like to bring up the fact that in so many cases like these, the splatterpunk stories and their love of nastiness, the characters feel cardboard and slim and like they might blow away in a stiff breeze. Little actually goes to the trouble of making you worry about the Thurmans, and the squirming grows exponentially due to this. It’s effective, and in my mind it’s what horror should be. Why would it scare you unless you were concerned about the victims? Little tends to agree, and we spend a lot of time in these character’s heads. Thankfully.

The escalation of the events in this book grows to epic proportions. Little has a tendency to do that, to take his books places that get absolutely and delightfully ridiculous, and part of the delight comes in knowing few authors would take these chances and get these wacky, awesome results. All around, this was an entertaining read that I sped through, and it made my Halloween that much more festive.

Final Rating

5/5