Savage Island by Brian Moreland

 

On an isolated island in the Philippines, it patiently waits. A mysterious terror lurks in the shadows, stalking the poor stranded souls who visit the island. When a group of four tourists find their vacation quickly turning into a nightmare, the terror taunts them and comes for them one by one. The sandy beach and crystal waters of the lagoon will run red with blood if they can't find a way off this savage island.

Two estranged friends that grew up together but parted ways when one married a less than honorable man have recently reunited. Jasmine has filed for divorce and regrets cutting Amy out of her life. Amy is still mourning the loss of her fiancée but is thrilled to have her friend Jasmine back. Maybe a little too thrilled actually because it causes her to go along with several things that she is uncomfortable with, just to keep Jasmine happy.

The friends take a vacation together and plan to relax on the beach with tropical drinks. Jasmine, however is making up for lost time and convinces Amy to be her "wing woman" when they meet a couple of guys. Against her better judgement but not wanting to spoil Jasmine's fun Amy agrees to take a yacht ride to a secluded location on this double date that she really wants no part of. They make some weird discoveries on the island but Amy is the only one who takes them seriously. The others will come to regret making light of her concerns. This book reminded me a bit of The Ruins, in the way the characters were out of their element, vacationing in a foreign country in a secluded area and chose to ignore local legends. If I said any more about what seemed familiar it may spoil the surprises so I will leave it at that, but though it does have other similarities it definitely goes it's own way. The first half is not especially scary but there is a lot of suspense and spine tingly moments once the characters arrive on the island. I would recommend it for all fans of adventure/eco horror.

4 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher with no obligation to write a review.

About the author

Brian Moreland writes dark suspense, thrillers, and horror. His books include THE DEVIL'S WOODS, THE WITCHING HOUSE, THE SEEKERS, DARKNESS RISING, TOMB OF GODS and SAVAGE ISLAND. A native Texan, Brian is enjoying life and writing new thrilling fiction.

For publishing news, updates, and to subscribe to Brian's newsletter, visit www.BrianMoreland.com

Blog: www.brianmoreland.blogspot.com

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Rock & Roll Nightmares: Along Comes Scary: '60s Edition Short Stories

 

Tune in, turn on, and drop in to the rock & roll rabbit hole! Along Comes Scary is set in an alternate spooky ’60s where vampires play screaming guitars, hellbound hotrodders start a new trend on AM radio, and there are groupies who will do anything for a piece of their favorite band. Stories include Papa’s Got a Brand-New Body Bag, Hell-A Woman, and She’s Got a Ticket to Die.

10 stories by Staci Layne Wilson, Jeff Strand, Darren Gordon Smith, Marco Mannone, Renee Mallett, and Shane Bitterling.

This anthology is a fun and freaky read full of 1960's nostalgia and dark humor. Even the titles made me smile.

My favorites were Do You Believe In Tragic By Jeff Strand, which is a rock and roll love story that never ends as long as there is someone else to fall in love with.

California Screamin' by Renee Mallett about an aging musician's desperate attempt to make a come back. Daydream Bereaver by Shane Bitterling  should be taken as a warning that not all beach babes are what they appear to be, and Eye Can't Get No Satisfaction by Staci Layne Wilson in which a woman tries to get the best out of her deal with the devil. Not to say the other stories aren't groovy too, this whole anthology was a blast.

4 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy for review

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Staci Layne Wilson

is an L.A. native who enjoys traffic, wildfires, and earthquakes—but since her recent move to Las Vegas, she’s learned to love 110-degree summers, drive-thru wedding chapels, and casinos that still reek of the Rat Pack’s cigars. She has been a professional writer since the age of 12 when she was hired as a columnist for a national magazine. When she's not writing books, she is making movies (Cabaret of the Dead, The Ventures: Stars on Guitars, and The Second Age of Aquarius). Catch up with Staci at: www.stacilaynewilson.com

Faithless by Hunter Shea

 

How do you survive hearing your family being brutally murdered over the phone? For Father Raul Figeuroa, all faith and hope are lost. Turning away from the priesthood behind, he retreats to his aunt's empty farmhouse in upstate New York, hoping to drink himself to oblivion. But he's not alone in the house. Something is trying to reach out to him. Or is he losing his grip on reality? When his childhood friend Felix comes to visit, things take a darker turn. The deeper they dig into the mystery, the closer they get to hell literally breaking loose.

Holy cow! or should I say Unholy moly! This is a gut wrenching story that swept me away from the start. A man of the cloth with a dark past is nervously navigating his way home in a rain storm. He's always been uneasy driving in the rain but this downpour is worse than usual. He calls his wife, hoping that it will help calm his nerves. Hearing her voice, and his children in the background is just what he needs. Suddenly the playful voices of his children turn to shrieks of terror. He is utterly helpless to do anything but listen to the brutal murders of his family. Their loss and his grief turn him into a shell of his former self and he locks himself away from anyone wanting to offer sympathy or help.

This is a step away from Hunter Shea's usual light hearted creature feature horror. although he has done it before with the equally serious novel Creature which I highly recommended to you a while back. Raul's grief is palpable and my heart was heavy with his pain. Felix, the former best friend with the criminal past and fierce loyal streak helped propel the story towards it's shocking climax. As the murders go unsolved by the police, Felix sets out to bring the killers to his own brand of justice, but what he uncovers is more horrifying than I could have imagined.

5 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy for review.

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The Best of Cemetery Dance II Edited by Richard Chizmar

About the Book:
The Best of Cemetery Dance: Volume Two showcases the very finest short stories from issues 26 to 50 of Cemetery Dance magazine, picking up where the acclaimed and award-winning first "Best of" volume left off! Featuring a virtual "who's who" of today's greatest authors of dark fiction, The Best of Cemetery Dance: Volume Two will be one of the most important anthologies of the year. Just a handful of the contributors include Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Peter Straub, Bentley Little, Michael Marshall Smith, Ray Garton, Jack Ketchum, Douglas Clegg, Poppy Z. Brite, Joe R. Lansdale, Nancy A. Collins, Peter Crowther, Norman Partridge, Ed Gorman, William F. Nolan, F. Paul Wilson, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Simon Clark, Richard Christian Matheson, David J. Schow, Stewart O'Nan, Glen Hirshberg, Ramsey Campbell, and dozens of others! Cemetery Dance magazine has been published for more than thirty years now, and is the winner of the World Fantasy Award and the International Horror Critics Guild Award, as well as a nominee for both the British Fantasy Award and the American Horror Award. Don't miss what's sure to be one of the most talked about anthologies of the year!

This was one of the two anthologies I brought with me on vacation, but being a whopping 756 pages it turned out to be the only one I had time to read.

This is a massive tome with so many authors that I feel confident in saying there is literally something for everyone in this book. Not every story was a huge hit with me but there were several I would rate 5 stars and a multitude of 4 star stories. There were only a couple I skimmed or skipped due to not holding my interest. The table of contents reads like a who's who of horror. There are many familiar names and only a few that I had not heard of, but now that I have I will be looking into what else they have written.

Just a few of the stand out 5 star stories would be Graham Masterton's Ballyhooly Boy about a haunted house that needs a particular owner, The Goddess of Cruelty by Thomas Tessier is a very dark love story with a nasty twist, The Riders by Bentley Little, which is about the last remaining socially acceptable prejudice, fat shaming, taken to a horrifying extreme.

If you love short horror stories as much as I do you really need a copy of this massive anthology.

4 out of 5 stars

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