The Zombie Who Cried Human by Brian James Freeman

 

The Zombie Who Cried Human is the first book a new series from Brian James Freeman and Glenn Chadbourne, who are blending classic fables with modern storytelling techniques to entertain children and adults of all ages.

Little Boy Zombie lives on a big farm just outside of ZomBeeTown with Mama Zombie, Papa Zombie, and Rex the Zombie Dog.

One day, while Mama Zombie and Papa Zombie are away, Boy Zombie is left in charge of the farm. But when he gets bored, he decides to play a prank on the citizens of ZomBeeTown. He yells toward town, "Humans here, humans here!" And everyone comes shambling to the farm to help.

When they discover they've been tricked, Boy Zombie is warned by his elders: "Don't cry 'humans' when there are no humans!"
But will he learn his lesson in time?
In this fun adaptation of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, zombies are the norm, and humans are raised to be sold at market. While Mama and Papa are away, little boy zombie recalls the time that wild humans descended on the farm and the whole town showed up when Papa yelled for help. Deciding to try it for himself, he learns why it's not a good idea to cry human. The illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne are marvelous.

I received an advance copy for review.

 

Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach by Ramsey Campbell

Description

It’s Ray’s and Sandra’s first family holiday in Greece, on the island of Vasilema. The skies are cloudier than anywhere else in Greece, and they’re intrigued by local eccentricities—the lack of mirrors, the outsize beach umbrellas, the saint’s day celebrated with an odd nocturnal ritual. Why are there islanders who seem to follow the family wherever they go? Why do Sandra and the teenage grandchildren have strangely similar dreams? Has Sandra been granted a wish she didn’t know she made? Before their holiday is over, some of the family may learn too much about the secret that keeps the island alive.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launching in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

 

As a long time fan of Ramsey Campbell I was so excited to get a copy of this book just before I left for my own vacation. The subject matter seemed to make it perfect timing. Ray and Sandra are a happily married couple who embark on a family vacation with their adult children, grandchildren and the spouses of their kids. Things get off to a bit of a rocky start and with such a large group of people spending so much time together it's hard for everyone to get along. Ray and Sandra are hoping to make this a vacation to remember while keeping a secret from the rest of the family. The locals also seem to have some secrets, and between their strange customs and unusual folk lore the family is a bit on edge. This was a slow burn, building up to an experience of unbridled weirdness.

 

I received a complimentary copy for review

On Vacation See You Soon

I didn't want you to think I've abandoned you. We will be away for 2 weeks at the lake house. I will still be reading, especially considering we are expecting on and off thunderstorms, but I won't be posting reviews until we return on August 12.
My current read is "Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach" by one of my favorite authors Ramsey Campbell. That will be my first review when I return.
Be good! I'll miss you!

The Witching Well by S.D. Hintz

It's the end of the world…
as Murray Macabe knows it. The security of his home life has been ripped out from under him when his mother was brutally murdered. Rejected by his aunt, Murray only has one place left to go, and that's to live the rest of his life with a woman he barely knows.

To Grandmother's House He Goes

At first, life with his grandmother doesn't seem like it's going to be that bad, but Murray soon learns his grandmother harbors dark secrets.

Double, Double Toil and Trouble; Fire Burn and Caldron Bubble
As bad as Grandma's secrets might be, they are nothing compared to the secrets held by the neighbors, three elderly women who have set their sights on Murray for their own dastardly purposes. Soon Murray finds himself fighting for his very life, and there's no one to turn to for help because everyone knows there's no such thing as witches.

Murder and witches and scorch-roaches Oh My! Supernatural elements and mystery abound in this engaging YA novel about a young boy uprooted from his home. When Murray's mother is killed he has no choice but to move in with Grandma Anna, a woman he barely knows since his mother and she kept very little contact over the years. Grandma Ana lives in a very strange neighborhood occupied by a vicious dog and odd neighbors who hate children and keep strange secrets. Grandma has lived there for years without suspecting their true nature but when Murray begins to figure out what's going on will she believe him? This was an exciting read with a hair raising climax.

I received a complimentary copy for review.