Thursday, February 27, 2020
Red Hail by Jamie Killen
Professor Colin Ayres has spent years researching the strange story of Galina, Arizona, a sleepy border town ripped apart by violence and paranoia after the outbreak of a mysterious illness in 1960. Colin is certain the Galina Incident was simply a case of mass hysteria. But when his partner, Alonzo, starts exhibiting strange symptoms, Colin is shocked to realize they are the same as those that emerged in Galina decades ago. As Alonzo’s condition worsens, Colin scrambles to piece together what really happened during that terrible summer in the past. He uncovers a story of murder, corruption, and fanaticism. The deeper he digs, the more he becomes convinced that what happened in Galina wasn’t mass hysteria after all. When others start to develop the same eerie symptoms, Colin must confront the possibility that someone—or something—is driving the plague. Guided by rumors of a person who found a way to stop the plague in the sixties, Colin races to find answers before the disease destroys Alonzo and everyone else it touches.
Told on 2 timelines, 1960 and the present day this is a tale that straddles the line between horror and scifi.
It was 1960 when the Red Hail fell in Galina and the town was forever changed. Men, women, children, and animals were soon afflicted with mysterious and frightening symptoms. Racists and religious fanatics alike were quick to cast blame on everything from the Devil to the Mexicans, leading to dire consequences. Three brave souls dared to seek the truth behind this blight on the town and were able to put an end to it, but only for 60 years.
Now it's begun again. This time not in Galina but to those whose grandparents were the first stricken with symptoms there. Again it falls to 3 unlikely heroes to uncover the mystery of this terrifying ailment.
I'm not normally much of a scifi fan but this story had so many great horror elements to it and a great mix of characters that I couldn't help but enjoy it.
4 out of 5 stars
I received a complimentary copy for review.
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About the author
I'm a reader, writer, podcaster, feminist, and owner of two adorable yet spoiled dogs. I've published a couple dozen horror/SFF short stories and novellas over the years. At the moment, I'm the writer and producer of SPINES, MIRRORS, and THE SIX DISAPPEARANCES OF ELLA MCCRAY, all dark audio drama podcasts. You can check out my audiodrama work at https://spinespodcast.com/ or at https://www.mirrorspodcast.com/
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
ENANTIODROMIA: collected stories
Turning of the Bones - A lost spirit in Madagascar seeks to guide his descendants to his body so he can finally be free.
The First and Last Drink of Ilona Odd - A recovering alcoholic waits at a tavern in order to pay off a hit man. But there are more spirits around than just those behind the bar.
You Might Get It - A drunk and grieving widower has his wish fulfilled when his recently deceased wife knocks on the front door.
Tuesdays with Moran’d’arth - Sandy Kavanaugh is a world-renowned horror author with millions of dollars and a loving family. So why is he so miserable? Is it the ageless demon in his barn?
Peta Babkama Luruba - A Babylonian slave recounts the events that led to her emancipation over 4,000 years ago.
Well first off I learned a new word.
Enantiodromia-the tendency of things to change into their opposites, especially as a supposed governing principle of natural cycles and of psychological development.
Then, I was treated to a quick and creepy journey through 5 dark tales of loss, regret, despair, and revenge. First up is a trip into the past where a restless spirit can find no peace until his remains are are found. The longer it takes the more dangerous he becomes. Next one marriage dissolves in a violent way, followed by another marriage that continues beyond the grave. My absolute favorite story was Tuesdays with Moran’d’arth in which an aging horror writer finds the price of his fame and fortune to be harder to deal with and tougher to pay... Last but not least a slave discovers a mystical portal that may hold the key to freedom. This was a most satisfying collection of grim and gruesome tales.
5 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
Get a copy
About the author
Mike X Welch was born in Wilson, NY, and has always dreamed of being a writer. Despite indications to the contrary, he does not have enough cats...and he resents the accusation.
The First and Last Drink of Ilona Odd - A recovering alcoholic waits at a tavern in order to pay off a hit man. But there are more spirits around than just those behind the bar.
You Might Get It - A drunk and grieving widower has his wish fulfilled when his recently deceased wife knocks on the front door.
Tuesdays with Moran’d’arth - Sandy Kavanaugh is a world-renowned horror author with millions of dollars and a loving family. So why is he so miserable? Is it the ageless demon in his barn?
Peta Babkama Luruba - A Babylonian slave recounts the events that led to her emancipation over 4,000 years ago.
Well first off I learned a new word.
Enantiodromia-the tendency of things to change into their opposites, especially as a supposed governing principle of natural cycles and of psychological development.
"the remorseless enantiodromia between good luck and bad"
5 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
Get a copy
About the author
Mike X Welch was born in Wilson, NY, and has always dreamed of being a writer. Despite indications to the contrary, he does not have enough cats...and he resents the accusation.
Thursday, February 13, 2020
That Which Grows Wild by Eric J. Guignard
That Which Grows Wild collects sixteen dark and masterful short stories by award-winning author Eric J. Guignard. Equal parts whimsy and weird, horror and heartbreak, this debut collection traverses the darker side of the fantastic through vibrant and harrowing tales that depict monsters and regrets, hope and atonement, and the oddly changing reflection that turns back at you in the mirror.
Discover why Eric J. Guignard has earned praise from masters of the craft such as Ramsey Campbell (“Guignard gives voice to paranoid vision that’s all too believable.”), Rick Hautala (“No other young horror author is better, I think, than Eric J. Guignard.”), and Nancy Holder ( “The defining new voice of horror has arrived, and I stand in awe.”)
I love short horror stories, and what a perfect title for this collection of 16 dark tales. That Which Grows Wild encompasses myth, urban legend, and fairy tales for grown ups that could make the Brothers Grimm shiver.
The author conjures up worlds where spontaneous combustion is the norm, a never ending full moon allows werewolves to prowl as they please, and the voices of long lost loved ones call to you from sink holes. There is a re-imagining of beauty and the beast, where Belle is ugly on the inside, and "Dreams of A Little Suicide" which may be familiar to you if you know of the urban legend surrounding a hanging munchkin that people claimed could be seen in The Wizard Of Oz. My absolute favorite was "A Serving Of Nomu Sashimi" in which a low performing sales rep gets let in on the secret of the big earners. This book was like a trip down memory lane that suddenly leaves you abandoned in unknown territory just when you thought you knew where you were. From a horror lover, that is high praise.
5 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
Discover why Eric J. Guignard has earned praise from masters of the craft such as Ramsey Campbell (“Guignard gives voice to paranoid vision that’s all too believable.”), Rick Hautala (“No other young horror author is better, I think, than Eric J. Guignard.”), and Nancy Holder ( “The defining new voice of horror has arrived, and I stand in awe.”)
I love short horror stories, and what a perfect title for this collection of 16 dark tales. That Which Grows Wild encompasses myth, urban legend, and fairy tales for grown ups that could make the Brothers Grimm shiver.
The author conjures up worlds where spontaneous combustion is the norm, a never ending full moon allows werewolves to prowl as they please, and the voices of long lost loved ones call to you from sink holes. There is a re-imagining of beauty and the beast, where Belle is ugly on the inside, and "Dreams of A Little Suicide" which may be familiar to you if you know of the urban legend surrounding a hanging munchkin that people claimed could be seen in The Wizard Of Oz. My absolute favorite was "A Serving Of Nomu Sashimi" in which a low performing sales rep gets let in on the secret of the big earners. This book was like a trip down memory lane that suddenly leaves you abandoned in unknown territory just when you thought you knew where you were. From a horror lover, that is high praise.
5 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
Get a copy
Visit Eric at: www.ericjguignard.com, his blog: ericjguignard.blogspot.com, or Twitter: @ericjguignard.
Visit Eric at: www.ericjguignard.com, his blog: ericjguignard.blogspot.com, or Twitter: @ericjguignard.
Thursday, February 6, 2020
The Prisoners of Stewartville by Shannon Felton
Everyone knew about Stewartville's dark history. The mining war that led to the prisons. The prisons that brought the corruption. The drugs and the crime. It was no secret that something was wrong with the place.What we didn't know was why. Then Denny and I found that tunnel in his basement. And what we learned—what everyone learned—is that there's no escaping the ghosts of your past. But let me start at the beginning...
"You know you're in Stewartville when weird is normal."
This is Shannon Felton's debut novel but I was lucky enough to have a previous taste of her work in an anthology called Midnight In The Graveyard. If you haven't read that one you should. She had a great story in there called Devil's Dip.
Anyway, about this book.
It is told from the point of view of Casey, a teen who lives in a run down trailer park with his brother Shane and his elderly grandmother. It's just the three of them ever since mom got sent to prison for her drug habit. Shane works in the cement plant, and Casey is still in high school.
The first word that comes to mind in describing the town of Stewartville is bleak. What else can you say about a town that grew around a prison? Pretty much everyone who lives in Stewartville is there because they work in the prison, or have family in prison, or are inmates themselves. There's nothing much to do but get drunk or high and sometimes both. There's a long history of murder and mayhem here, and very little hope, so just to be clear this was no happy place even before Casey and his best friend Denny found the tunnel in Denny's basement. Once they did, Denny became obsessed with finding out what was inside and where it would lead to. Maybe if he had left it alone a lot of people would still be alive. Maybe not, because there was already something wrong with Stewartville, even before those scratching noises started in the walls.
I can scarcely believe this was a first novel. Shannon Felton is already quite adept at bringing her characters to life and weaving suspenseful tales.
5 out of 5 stars
I received an advance copy for review.
Get a copy
"You know you're in Stewartville when weird is normal."
This is Shannon Felton's debut novel but I was lucky enough to have a previous taste of her work in an anthology called Midnight In The Graveyard. If you haven't read that one you should. She had a great story in there called Devil's Dip.
Anyway, about this book.
It is told from the point of view of Casey, a teen who lives in a run down trailer park with his brother Shane and his elderly grandmother. It's just the three of them ever since mom got sent to prison for her drug habit. Shane works in the cement plant, and Casey is still in high school.
The first word that comes to mind in describing the town of Stewartville is bleak. What else can you say about a town that grew around a prison? Pretty much everyone who lives in Stewartville is there because they work in the prison, or have family in prison, or are inmates themselves. There's nothing much to do but get drunk or high and sometimes both. There's a long history of murder and mayhem here, and very little hope, so just to be clear this was no happy place even before Casey and his best friend Denny found the tunnel in Denny's basement. Once they did, Denny became obsessed with finding out what was inside and where it would lead to. Maybe if he had left it alone a lot of people would still be alive. Maybe not, because there was already something wrong with Stewartville, even before those scratching noises started in the walls.
I can scarcely believe this was a first novel. Shannon Felton is already quite adept at bringing her characters to life and weaving suspenseful tales.
5 out of 5 stars
I received an advance copy for review.
Get a copy
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