Clown Moon by Alex Jameson

LOCK YOUR DOORS AND WINDOWS... PULL THE COVERS OVER YOUR HEAD...
Author Alex Jameson is going to make you scream.

Former Marine sniper Sam Asher enjoys his casual civilian life. He’s content with his mundane job, steady girlfriend, and halfway decent apartment, until tragedy strikes too close to home, in a manner that appears to be related to a nationwide epidemic of creepy clown sightings.

Bent on vengeance, Sam hits the road to track down a deranged killer. Accompanied by his brother Jake, and pursued by an overly ambitious Homeland Security Agent, Sam will need to use every resource, every skill, and every friend he’s ever had to find the madman.

As the “clown crisis” ramps up, receiving constant coverage from the media and keeping regular folks hiding in their homes, a rash of murders takes Sam halfway across the country on his quest for justice. The battle-tested Marine will be sucked into a vortex of madness at the hands of a psychopath, engaging in a battle of will and wits that will test his heart, mind and loyalty.


So honestly this is not usually the type of book that attracts my attention. I'm not a fan of detective stories, or government agents and snipers etc. But I had some extra time and the cover really caught my eye. Homeland Security is not the star of this show at all. Neither are detectives, and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself totally immersed in this story.
Some people fear clowns, maybe even more so after several creepy clown sightings across the nation. One man in particular has reason to both fear and hate clowns. Something horrible happened when he was a child, but he's not a kid anymore. Now he's a serial killer, and he's hyper focused on clowns.

Meanwhile a group of kids think it would be fun to join in the craze of dressing as creepy clowns to scare people. Little do they know they have attracted the attention of a psychopath. When one of them is killed Sam is willing to risk everything to catch the murderer in this action packed thriller.

4 out of 5 stars from me.
I received a complimentary copy for review.

The Year They Burned the Books by Nancy Garden

By the author of Annie on My MindWhen Wilson High Telegraph editor Jamie Crawford writes an opinion piece in support of the new sex-ed curriculum, which includes making condoms available to high school students, she has no idea that a huge controversy is brewing. Lisa Buel, a school board member, is trying to get rid of the health program, which she considers morally flawed, from its textbooks to its recommendations for outside reading. The newspaper staff find themselves in the center of the storm, and things are complicated by the fact that Jamie is in the process of coming to terms with being gay, and her best friend, Terry, also gay, has fallen in love with a boy whose parents are anti-homosexual. As Jamie's and Terry's sexual orientation becomes more obvious to other studetns, it looks as if the paper they're fighting to keep alive and honest is going to be taken away from them. Nancy Garden has depicted a contemporary battleground in a novel that probes deep into issues of censorship, prejudice, and ethics.


A coming of age story that deals with accepting one's own sexuality in a world in which it's not always safe or comfortable to be yourself. In other words the world we all live in right now.
Jamie, the editor of the school paper, and her best friend both feel they might probably be possibly maybe gay (I believe that is how they put it.)
The school has recently adopted a free condom Friday policy which has upset some of the parents, and particularly those who believe sex is sinful. Things escalate as books are removed from the library and some want to adopt an abstinence only policy for sex education.
It was an enjoyable although simplistic story that I don't feel quite grasped all the complexities of the subject matter but keeping in mind it is intended for a YA audience I am rounding up my 3 and a half stars to 4.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

Halloween Carnival Volume 5 Edited by Brian James Freeman.

Richard Chizmar, Lisa Tuttle, Norman Prentiss, Kevin Quigley, and Peter Straub unmask monsters hiding in plain sight in an anthology of heart-pounding short fiction assembled by horror author and editor Brian James Freeman.

DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar
You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought.

THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle
Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there.

THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss
People think there’s some sort of mystical power that allows enchantments and witchcraft to come to life on Halloween night. But real magic obeys no calendar—and true evil strikes whenever it’s least expected.

SWING by Kevin Quigley
In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me.

PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub
When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past.

In this last installment of the 5 part Halloween Carnival anthology there are some real winners and a couple of clunkers. I was hoping the final volume would end with a bang. Instead it just kind of fizzled out.

I like Peter Straub a lot but I am just not a big fan of Pork Pie Hat. I know someone must really love it, since it's been published so many times, but that somebody is just not me.

For me,  only 2 stories  really made this  anthology worth reading. DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar in which an ordinary school teacher gets wrapped up in murder and mayhem on a windblown Friday, the night before Halloween.

THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle was another 5 star read for me. Two old friends, each of them a grandma now, who haven't seen each other in many years happen to bump into each other on Halloween. Their granddaughters hit it off immediately. What seems like a happy reunion soon turns into a nightmare. I loved this story.

I received an advance copy for review.

Halloween Carnival Volume 4 Edited by Brian James Freeman

Description

Kealan Patrick Burke, Ray Garton, Bev Vincent, C. A. Suleiman, and Paul Melniczek treat readers to some spooky tricks with a hair-raising assemblage of tales gathered together by author, editor, and master of the macabre Brian James Freeman.

THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE by Kealan Patrick Burke
For some, office parties are the highlight of the season. For others, they can paralyze with dread. Theo is determined not to let his anxiety stop him from attending—though maybe he’s right to be afraid.

ACROSS THE TRACKS by Ray Garton
The candy’s always better on the other side of town, even if it means crossing paths with bullies. But a rich house with an unlocked door might just be too good to be true

THE HALLOWEEN TREE by Bev Vincent
Every town has one: a house or a field or an old tree that just gives off a bad vibe. Of course, those feelings are just silly superstition, nothing to take seriously. Right?

PUMPKIN EATER by C. A. Suleiman
Peter loves Halloween—almost as much as he hates his wife. Luckily, his favorite holiday presents an opportunity to fix his problem. After all, putting his wife in her place should be as easy as pie.

WHEN THE LEAVES FALL by Paul Melniczek
Haverville always seemed like a typical town to me: a place where people work hard, and no one ever really leaves. Until the night I went to Graver’s Farm—and discovered what Haverwille was really hiding.

 

 

Halloween Carnival is back with 5 more stories to celebrate the most wonderful time of year for Horror fans. Not surprising for me, that my favorites in the bunch were by Ray Garton and Kealan Patrick Burke, 2 of my most beloved authors of all time.

 

As not just Halloween, but the entire holiday season approaches, take a moment to consider how many office parties, family gatherings or other social functions you may feel obligated to attend. How many have you already been to over the years? Occasionally you may end up enjoying yourself at a party you would have preferred to skip. More often than not you may wish you had just stayed home.  In THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE by Kealan Patrick Burke Theo attends an office party he should have just skipped. Keep him in mind the next time an invitation shows up.

 

ACROSS THE TRACKS by Ray Garton is all treat and no tricks as Kenny and his friends prepare for a Halloween of dodging bullies and locating the best candy, but the grass isn't always greener on the richer side of town. Some times, you may be bettor off sticking closer to home.

 

THE HALLOWEEN TREE by Bev Vincent is also a fun trick or treat story as friends must venture past the spooky old tree that seems to be just waiting for someone to get too close.

 

PUMPKIN EATER by C. A. Suleiman Takes a dark peek into the lives of an unhappily married couple "enjoying" a Hallloween at home. There is much to do, bake the pies, set out the candy, and hate each other's guts.

 

WHEN THE LEAVES FALL by Paul Melniczek was the longest of the stories, in which we find out what really happens when people are "working long hours" at the factory.

 

A perfect collection to curl up with as the leaves begin to drop from the trees and make delightful crunchy noises underfoot.

 

4 out of 5 stars from me.

 

I received an advance copy for review.