Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween by Jason Parent

 

Halloween. For the costumed child skipping along a safe, well-lit street, pillow case chock full of candy, it is a night of magic and mischief, delightful frights met with sugar-toothed grins. But for the would-be revelers in these tales, Halloween is a horrifying ordeal the likes of which many will not survive. And those who do make it to November may wish they hadn’t.

In this collection, Jason Parent gathers ten tales that embody the holiday in ways surely to surprise and delight the most avid horror reader. From traditional settings like amusement parks, Halloween parties, and haunted houses to more obscure locales where you might think terror couldn’t possibly find you, each story will have you breathing a little faster, startling at every bump in the night.

It's no secret that Halloween is my favorite holiday and these stories are a perfect way to kick off spooky season. 

In these tales you will step into an abandoned house that suddenly looks like the most expensive haunted attraction you've ever seen, take a haunted hayride with a couple whose marriage is on the rocks, attend a killer Halloween party, watch a bully regret his attempt to steal candy from the wrong kid, go on a carnival ride where rumor has it some people are never seen again, and more.

If I had to pick one favorite it would be Rain, If you ever had your trick or treating canceled by the weather, and you think you're over it now that you are a mature adult, this will bring it all back. Georgie was so looking forward to being the Incredible Hulk, and trick-or-treating with his best friend. The rain has totally ruined his plans. But as his father begins to tell him a scary story about another dark and stormy night in the past, things take a terrifying turn.

This was a fun and freaky read with more treats than tricks that I would recommend to anyone who loves Halloween or those like me who keep Halloween in our hearts all year long.

My thanks to the author for the complimentary copy.

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Somewhere by Matthew Reed Williams

 

Alrighty, in case you are wondering why I'm showing you the back cover, I seem to have finished this book before there is a pre-order link or even a Goodreads page that I can point you to with a synopsis. 

Somewhere is about a young man named Lee, who is on his own for the first time. He is fresh out of college and out of his parents' home.

He finds himself in a picturesque town in Missouri called Somewhere that does not appear on any maps and has Twilight Zone vibes. 

All the residents are friendly, if a little odd.

He lands a job and settles into his rented attic room, and right away things turn weird.

Before long, the town of Somewhere reminded me of the old Neil Young Lyrics: "Once you're gone, you can't come back." 

His new friends seem reluctant to let him leave to spend the holidays with his parents. You'll find out why later, but that was one of the creepiest parts of this story.

There is more telling than showing in this book which is not a style I usually enjoy. Explaining to me what is happening instead of portraying it through the story and stating information about the characters instead of letting them take on a life of their own can take away from an otherwise great reading experience.

Still. the spooky atmosphere kept me turning the pages long past my bedtime.

This debut novel will be published in October 2024.

My thanks to the author for the advance copy.

Evil in Me by Brom

Evil in Me is bestselling author Brom's newest novel of possession, damnation, and rock-n-roll where one woman must get the world singing in order to save her soul.

This devilish tale includes nearly two dozen of Brom’s immersive paintings and brilliant endpapers.

Aspiring musician Ruby Tucker has had enough of her small rural town and dysfunctional family. But a falling out with her best friend and bandmate has killed her dreams of escaping and making it big in the Atlanta punk scene.

While helping her eccentric neighbor organize his religious relics, an ancient ring clamps down on her finger―possessing her with the spirit of a blood-thirsty demon. There’s no getting it off unless hundreds of people chant a spell to set Ruby free. And what’s worse, the ring is a beacon for evil, drawing an unimaginably wicked mob straight to Ruby, hungry for her flesh.

If Ruby can get her band back together, she has a shot at salvation. It's time for her to face the music and put her whole soul into a song―one powerful enough to raise some Hell.

The magic's in the music and the music is in... Ruby. Or Ruby Dear, as she is known to the older gentleman with Alzheimer's that she cares for a few days a week.

Ruby is a young woman with a rough home life and a troubled past. Her probation is almost up, and if she can just get through her community service without causing a ruckus she'll be all set to join her friend in Atlanta and get back to making music.

Unfortunately for Ruby, people are making it more difficult than it has to be, and the gentleman she cares for has some old religious relics that can be deadly in the wrong hands. One of these relics pulls Ruby into a dangerous world of demons.

First off, the artwork in this book is amazing. I did not have to try to imagine the demons in my mind because Brom brings them to life in vivid detail.

Evil In Me is the most fun you'll ever have with demons. It's a wild punk rock and folklore filled fantasy horror in a fast-paced world where it takes music to free your soul. I enjoyed every minute of it. I was cheering Ruby on all the way. It has characters I loved and characters I loved to hate.

My thanks to Tor Nightfire for the gifted Hardcover.

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Movie Review- Voice Of Shadows

Scatena & Rosner Films is proud to announce the North American release of the gothic horror thriller VOICE OF SHADOWS, the debut feature film from director Nicholas Bain. The film was acquired in a deal negotiated by Bain and Gato Scatena, Managing Director of Scatena & Rosner Films. Infused with nods to cinema classics The Exorcist, Paranormal Activity, and The House of Sand and Fog, the film stars Guillermo Blanco (The Queen of Flow) and Corrinne Mica (Always, Lola) as a couple caught in the clutches of a mysterious cult and a supernatural evil entity, and Bee Vang (Gran Torino) as a young priest trying to save them all before it's too late.

 VOICE OF SHADOWS will arrive September 17 on digital and streaming platforms, including iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Fandango at Home, Vimeo, and local cable & satellite providers. 

Voice of Shadows held its World Premiere at the Twin Cities Film Festival, and went on to hold a successful festival run winning multiple awards, including Best Feature Film at Romford Horror Festival, Latitude Film Awards, and Bestlov Festival. The film also won Best Visual Effects at Los Angeles Crime and Horror Festival, and had a successful screening at Lit Scares Festival.

 Starring Guillermo Blanco (The Queen of Flow), Corrinne Mica (Always, Lola) and Bee Vang (Gran Torino), VOICE OF SHADOWS follows Gabriel, a devout Catholic, who travels with his girlfriend Emma to the country where she stands to inherit a large estate. 

I was invited to watch an early screener of Voice Of Shadows.

The opening scene sets the tone for this gothic and haunting film. Gabriel, a young man who has come to the States from South America with his sister Celeste, confesses his traumatic past and the reason he has raised his sister on his own.

Later, Gabriel and his girlfriend Emma visit her aunt, a strange and obnoxious woman who treats Gabriel like a servant. I thought at first she was racist because of his nationality although she seemed to dote on his sister.

When Emma inherits her aunt's house there is a stipulation that Gabriel not be allowed to live in it. However, he and his sister both end up staying there, and creepy happenings ensue.

As a fan of religious horror, I enjoyed this movie. If there was anything I was not especially fond of, it was how very dark it was. I do not mean the tone or subject matter. I mean literally turn on a light sometimes! 

Even in bright daylight with sun streaming in the windows, light never seemed to reach the characters. Maybe that was done purposely, as some sort of symbolism but for me a few dark scenes go a long way.

Special effects were well done and the gradual build of tension as the house began to influence the occupants gave me the creeps!

I gave this film an 8 out of 10 on IMDB

Watch the trailer