Human Waste by C.M. Saunders

Description

A Short Splatterpunk Story.

Dan Pallister is a survivalist and prepper. Much to the annoyance of the people around him, he has been surviving and prepping since childhood. He just didn’t know what for. When he wakes up one morning to find the world overrun with bloodthirsty zombies it all becomes clear, and despite the fall of civilisation, he can’t wait to get started. He just needs to stock up on supplies from the local supermarket first.

But is everything what it seems?

Bonus Content:

Til death do us Part (short story)
No Man’s Land: Horror in the Trenches (exclusive extract)

WARNING: This book contains descriptions of graphic violence and/or sex, and is not suitable for children.

 

Dan Pallister woke up one morning to find the world had gone to hell over night. The zombie apocalypse has arrived without warning. He doesn't know what caused it, whether it's something in the air, something in the water, or even whether or not he is already infected. Dan knows one thing, survival. He's been preparing all his life for just such an occasion. Forgoing sports, friendships, childhood fun. He's always been preparing and he's ready for whatever happens. If only it hadn't happened right before his regular shopping day. Luckily there's a supermarket near by so Dan makes his move to stock up on supplies while he plots his next course of action. But wait.. there is something odd about these zombies. Why do some of them seem to be going about their usual human habits? Oh well, Dan doesn't have time to ponder all the gruesome details!
This was a quick and creepy read.

 

Freakier still was the bonus story Til Death Do Us Part
"He was going to have to eat Margaret soon. That much was obvious."

Ronald and Margaret have had 40 years of wedded bliss, but it's no longer safe to go outside and the cupboards are bare. What's a starving man to do?

I would recommend it to all fans of horror and dark fiction.

 

4 out of 5 freaky stars from me.

 

I received a complimentary copy for review 

 



Angel of the Underground by David Andreas

"David Andreas was a super-talented contributor to Fangoria during its glory gory days. His fiction debut bodes well for readers of unique and scary horror."
--Tony Timpone, former editor, Fangoria magazineWhen three children in a Catholic group home are brutally murdered, the survivors are hurried into separate foster homes across Long Island. Robin Hills, a fifteen-year-old who has spent the past several years under religious care, is thrust into a new, dysfunctional family with no spiritual beliefs. No longer protected by the religion and the nun she had come to love, Robin is completely alone and enveloped in fear.As the murders continue and Robin fears she may become the next victim, her faith increasingly falters. However, she finds solace in a budding friendship with Dennis, a boy her age living in her new foster home. Dennis’s kindness, his acceptance of Robin, and his bravery in the face of evil--born of his passion for horror movies--combine to reassure her that she'll survive the killings.Armed with this new friendship and fueled by a rage she finally discovers within herself, Robin finds the courage and self-reliance to confront the darkest aspects of human depravity.

 

Murders in the group home have forced out the last few children for "safe keeping" to separate foster homes. Robin is sent to live with a creepy family where the mom seems to hate her, the obese and repulsive father is a groper, and one brother apparently worships the devil and is an all around scumbag. Robin is alone and miserable except for the only member of this odd family who seems normal, a boy named Dennis who she grows to trust and confide in. As the murders continue and the police seem to have no leads it may be up to Robin to unravel the mystery and put an end to the killings, if she can survive! This was a quick and creepy read, that held my attention and had me rooting for Robin to find a happy home. I would recommend it to young adult horror fans.

4 out of 5 stars from me.

 

I received an advance copy for review.

 

The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright

Description

Outstanding Debut Novel from an Author to Watch
Kaine Prescott is no stranger to death. When her husband died two years ago, her pleas for further investigation into his suspicious death fell on deaf ears. In desperate need of a fresh start, Kaine purchases an old house sight unseen in her grandfather's Wisconsin hometown. But one look at the eerie, abandoned house immediately leaves her questioning her rash decision. And when the house's dark history comes back with a vengeance, Kaine is forced to face the terrifying realization she has nowhere left to hide.

A century earlier, the house on Foster Hill holds nothing but painful memories for Ivy Thorpe. When an unidentified woman is found dead on the property, Ivy is compelled to discover her identity. Ivy's search leads her into dangerous waters and, even as she works together with a man from her past, can she unravel the mystery before any other lives--including her own--are lost?

 

 

This was an intriguing dual mystery, though I had hoped for a bit more suspense. It's told from two points of view. In the present day we have Kaine, still grieving the loss of her husband and looking for a new start away from old memories and a stalker. Her husband's death had been ruled an accident but in her heart she knows it was a murder.The police ignored her suspicions, and her stalker even though she could have made several enemies while helping to get other women out of abusive situations.

On the other hand we have Ivy. A century ago Ivy had assisted in the autopsy of a murdered woman whose body was found near what would later become Kaine's home. When it became apparent that the murdered woman had recently given birth, Ivy was willing to risk her own life to find the baby, and the murderer. As the mystery of the past unravels we slowly learn how it pertains to Kaine. I did enjoy the way the stories intertwined these two strong female characters.

 

I received an advance copy for review.

Poison by Galt Niederhoffer

Description
Poison is a literary psychological thriller about a marriage that follows minor betrayal into a bubbling stew of lies, cruelty, manipulation, and danger.

Cass and Ryan Connor have achieved family nirvana. With three kids between them, a cat and a yard, a home they built and feathered, they seem to have the Modern Family dream. Their family, including Cass' two children from previous relationships, has recently moved to Portland —a new start for their new lives. Cass and Ryan have stable, successful careers, and they are happy. But trouble begins almost imperceptibly. First with small omissions and white lies that happen daily in any marital bedroom. They seem insignificant, but they are quickly followed by a series of denials and feints that mushroom and then cyclone in menace.

With life-or-death stakes and irreversible consequences, Poison is a chilling and irresistible reminder that the closest bond designed to protect and provide for each other and for children can change in a minute.  


I really enjoyed the first half of this book. Cass presented as a strong and intelligent woman who had faced some tragedy in her life but been able to move on. She had little to no emotional support from either of her parents yet still grew into a compassionate and capable woman and mother.
The problems in her marriage, although supposedly subtle at first seemed glaringly obvious to me. There was  a lack of respect from her husband that to me seemed apparent from the start. He gave off a general feeling of ill will and derisiveness. An  insult said with a smile is still insulting, Overriding of a woman's parental authority done with an air of fun, is still disrespectful.
Towards the halfway point of the story and beyond I just found that it strained believability. I can't say much without giving away the plot but I just found it hard to believe a woman of her intelligence would make such choices, or give out personal information so easily to people she had no reason to trust. There were also some medical and safety issues with the children that if faced with in reality a person would seek immediate help. Since Cass was a journalist I would have expected her to have better sense.

I received an advance copy for review.