Near the Bone by Christina Henry

 

Mattie can't remember a time before she and William lived alone on a mountain together. She must never make him upset. But when Mattie discovers the mutilated body of a fox in the woods, she realizes that they're not alone after all.

There's something in the woods that wasn't there before, something that makes strange cries in the night, something with sharp teeth and claws.

When three strangers appear on the mountaintop looking for the creature in the woods, Mattie knows their presence will anger William. Terrible things happen when William is angry.

This was a heart pounding horror, set in a desolate cabin on a snow covered mountain where one woman tries to survive more than one kind of monster.

Mattie knows no other kind of life than being beaten and abused while spending her days working on her never ending chores in an attempt to avoid the brutal punishments her "husband" will mete out if everything is not done to his satisfaction. Mattie has not seen or spoken to another living soul but William for what she estimates to be about 12 years. She's not even sure how old she is anymore. She has vague memories of another life, with a mother and sister who loved her, but William tells her none of this is real, that it was just a dream, she has never been anything but his wife, and his property. Just when it seems she has given up on ever having a life worth living, a strange and deadly creature in the woods attracts the attention of amateur hikers and cryptid hunters who stumble upon William's cabin in the woods. This could be Mattie's one chance at escape or it could mean the death of all of them at the jaws of a vicious creature that can kill with one swipe of it's claws before you even know it's upon you. 

As a huge fan of creature feature type horror and anything to do with being trapped in a winter storm this was a big hit with me, but when combined with the evil that mere mortals do the author created a perfect duet of terror with William and the creature being equally dangerous to Mattie's chances of survival.

5 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy for review.

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About the author

Wasatch Witches: A Collection of Utah Horror

 

This anthology is full of original poetry, short stories, and long fiction crafted by talented horror authors from around the world. Each piece has a connection to Utah, whether it's in the events of the story itself or on the part of the author.

Each piece in the anthology has a distinctly unique horror flavor. While it features some classically witchy tales, and there are most definitely creepy witch stories, it also has some stories featuring the witch as the hero! Wasatch Witches is the 7th installment in the Collection of Utah Horror series. 

Our previous anthologies were a hit in the community and helped promote horror. We've come a long way; when we ran our first open call, we barely received enough submissions to even put the book together. Since then, our anthologies have become a known staple and many authors look forward to submitting their work each year. This time around we received so many quality submissions that the judging process (a blind read by three judges) was intensely competitive

One of the reasons I love horror anthologies, aside from my addiction to short stories is that I get to sample the work of writers I may not have heard of before. In this case all of these authors were new to me and though I can't claim any credit for discovering them I can hopefully help other readers to find a new favorite.

This anthology is a treasure trove of witchy horror stories and poems. Each author brings something unique to the table, from a modern day reimagining of Hansel and Gretel to a darkly humorous poem about the deliciousness of caramelized children.

Not all of the witches are wicked but the stories are sinfully good.

Some of my favorites did feature witches with less than honorable intentions, such as The Lady of The Lake by Levi Robinson in which a seemingly kind old woman takes in two lost travelers, who will soon come to regret accepting her gracious offer of food and a place to rest.

The Crazy Cat Lady by Jo Schneider about a reporter for the university paper who is granted an interview with a reclusive woman who has never before agreed to speak for any publication.

in Persona Non Grata by Lehua Parker a religious zealot goes behind the back of her televangelist husband to seek help from her estranged psychic sister in locating her missing daughter. For Scrying Out Loud by Caryn Larrinaga features another psychic, this one trying to save a drunken woman from a horrible fate. Cadmium Blue by Jeff Dosser is the aforementioned modern day twist on Hansel and Gretel and it was shocking how quickly what first appeared to be a helpful police officer turned ugly and hateful. There's no candy cottage here just a house of horrors.

There are many more great stories included, these are but a few that cast their spell on me and still linger in my mind after finishing the book.

I received an advance copy for review.

Expected publication: April 6th 2021 by Fear Knocks Press

Condemned by Christopher Renna

 

The suburb of Newman, Connecticut, nurtures its upper-middle class clichés. It's a picturesque community that boasts ambitious career-oriented parents and overachieving children. The residents prefer to keep family matters behind closed doors, locked away in their high-priced Colonial homes, hidden from the eyes and ears of curious outsiders.

Conner and his two best friends, Trevor and Adam, are enjoying their senior year of high school. Competitive and popular, they're focused on academic and athletic successes paving their way to college. But the sudden death of their former friend, Jared, forces them to tackle a new challenge, a growing interest in the unofficial cause of Jared's death: Possession by the devil.

Gossip threatens to reveal secrets. A paranormal investigator arrives in town seeking demons and fame. As media attention mounts, Conner and his friends must confront the rumors head-on to salvage Jared's memory. Then they must accept the reason why they allowed their friendship with Jared to crumble. Because the devil is in the details.

The sudden death of a healthy high school boy brings a flurry of attention to the town when it sparks rumors that he died during an exorcism. His former friends set out to find the truth, and grapple with the guilt of not having made enough of an effort to remain friends with Jared when they first noticed the strange changes to his personality that may have marked the beginnings of demonic possession.

The beginning of the book was a little slow and seemed more like a mystery than a horror. It took a while for anything scary to happen and I was anxious for it to pick up speed and get to the good stuff. Some of the actions and reactions of the parents seemed unrealistic but the friendship between the boys felt genuine to me.

There were some creepy happenings revealed when the boys look back at a week they spent together in a cabin on the lake which was the beginning of the end of their friendship with Jared. It was not until that point that I felt fully invested in the story. I think at it's heart this was a story of good against evil, deep and abiding friendship, and the sacrifices someone may be willing to make for those they love.

I received an advance copy for review.

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About the author

We Make Monsters Here by Richard Newby

 

In a country built on dreams, nightmares swell beneath the surface. Monsters face job insecurity in a new age. A group of former friends gather for one last game. A pizza delivery driver’s search for the ultimate high becomes an odyssey in body horror. Romance blossoms between a DJ and a woman who wants to be dinner. A soldier returns home from war but isn’t what he seems. The lessons learned at a family dinner have bloody consequences. History darkens the present as an underground boxing match leads a young woman to a path of destruction.

These stories and more sift through the pieces of 21st century American wreckage as the pursuit for identity and belonging take dark twists of fate. Discover what we’ve sown in this place we call home. Discover what happens when a society based on winning ultimately loses. Discover the truth, that above all else, We Make Monsters Here.

This dark collection of grim stories contain an eclectic mix of humor, horror, sci-fi and parable. Most of the monsters are of the human variety. While not every story was a big hit with me, the reason I ended up giving this book a 5 star rating was because the stories that I did love, were so crazy over the top good. The kind that make me wish somebody in Hollywood would pick up a book once in a while, and read a new author instead of rehashing sequels and remaking played out tired plots.

My favorites in this collection were A Dinner Date, in which a lonely young woman who is obsessed with a strange fetish thinks she has finally found the man who can fulfill her bizarre desire.

The Weed, which brought to mind two things from the 80s, a combination of Nancy Reagan telling me to just say no to drugs and Stephen King's comedic portrayal of Jordy in Creepshow, although the moral of the story delves deeper.

What I Learned About Ghosts off Route 64 shows that sometimes people are not haunted by ghosts, but by the actions of other people.

In Doughboy A man brings home a toy that can feed on and mirror the values he and his wife have passed on to their children.

War Mother is a heartbreaking reminder that the casualties of war don't just occur on the battlefield but continue long after the war has ended, and can spread to those who never fought.

The final story Black-Bone Pit was in my opinion the star of the show. It is a visceral tale that put me through a wringer of emotions. It is one of my favorite types of horror, full of small town secrets built on a dark history of evil. In the end, justice delayed does not always mean justice denied.

 5 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy for review

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About the author

Richard Newby is an author and pop culture journalist covering film, television, comic books, and horror. His coverage has appeared at The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, and Fangoria. He resides in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife and son, along with their cat and dog.

Twitter: @RICHARDLNEWBY