Title: Family Til’ It Can’t Be, Gang Til’ It Ain’t

Author: Chaz Williams

Release date: January 5th, 2024

Huge thanks to Chaz for sending me a digital ARC of this one. I had it preordered some time ago, and was trying my best to get it read before release date, but life got hectic!

I connected with Chaz a bit ago on IG, as he’s an avid reader and supporter of a lot of Indie Horror. He was with Uncomfortably Dark for a bit reviewing there as well, which is always a great thing to see, as Candace Nola does a ton of work promoting a ton of authors, so having Chaz also providing reviews there was a awesome.

With ‘Family Til’ It Can’t Be, Gang Til’ It Ain’t,’ Chaz has taken the step from having some short stories published in anthologies, to having a tried and true singular release and that’s always a wonderful moment for any author.

I went into this pretty blind, wanting to see what Chaz created for his debut and, I can safely say, for those looking for an exciting new voice in extreme horror, Chaz should be on your radar.

What I liked: The novella follows a group of friends who will always have each other’s backs no matter what. That is until a seemingly unrelated discovery of a ‘kill room’ in a warehouse reveals certain things.

Williams opens this one up with an excellent ‘prologue,’ setting the stage for the brutality that follows. We get some lush, vicious descriptions of what these teens find in the warehouse and it is clearly Chaz’s war-horn sounding that he’s entering the extreme horror game and he’s coming all guns-blazing.

From there, the friends get together and we learn that the one guy – the lawyer in the group – is actually behind all the killings. He reveals that something inside of him makes him do these killings and that, while the acts are heinous, he begs and pleads that he himself is not a monster.

Williams walks that tightrope of ‘how far would you go to help a friend’ well. We get back stories of other instances where the friends have come to help each other and we see how this bond that they’ve created is ‘thicker than blood.’

I do want to add that this novella reads as though it was covered in grime. I don’t know how to describe it well, and a part of that is I’m a 42-year-old, white guy. But this feels like it came from the streets. It has its pulse firmly in the underground and the ‘bad side of the tracks’ if you will and that elevates this story from simply an extreme story with gore to a story with emotions and attachments to characters. This group came from hard times and have stuck beside each other through the hard times.

Which makes the ending that much more emotional and one that – I’m staying spoiler free here – will either work really well for the reader or not.

What I didn’t like: For this being his debut, Chaz was all over it in terms of creating tension, keeping the pace breakneck fast and making me want to believe in the characters.

A few things stuck out for me though, and I want to approach them constructively.

The first was the very common trope of ‘only killing bad people.’ That has been done a million times before (but hey, so has monsters in the woods!), so it was great to see Chaz add his own twist to it, but I wished he’d not mentioned anything about ‘Dexter’ at all, as it will make some folks tune out immediately.

The second thing – and this is my own personal thing (and we’ve all been guilty of it) – is the book and name dropping that really does reduce the ability to suspend disbelief. I get why we want to do it and why we all do it, but as a reader, it does drive me bonkers lol.

Which brings me to the third thing. It’s mentioned early on that part of the reason our killer begins to think about what brings him joy, is his discovery of reading extreme horror and Splatterpunk. Any time ANY correlation between someone deciding to kill someone based on reading something, or even listening to heavy metal music, makes me roll my eyes. There really is no correlation that people who read horror are more prone to violence, horrid acts or killing people. We need to actively move away from that, especially as we grapple with so many unhinged people in the world right now.

And lastly – the ending was telegraphed pretty blatantly. I’m ok when it works as a distractive piece (Hell, I get shit on for my purposeful early revealing the ‘who’ in one of my own novels), but I think it would’ve been far more subtle to have eliminated the other group text moment and left us thinking the police would be more involved.

Why you should buy this: Overall, this was a really enjoyable novella that is an easy one-sit reading. Chaz’s debut definitely shows that he’s here to deliver the dark goods and that he’ll be doing that with a unique and distinctive storytelling voice. I’m really excited to see where he goes from here and I think this one is going to be a sleeper hit in 2024 with many, many people finding it and it ending up on a number of year end ‘Best-Of’ lists.

Well done on this debut and now we await the next release!

3/5

Title: Intercepts

Author: T.J. Payne

Release date: April 23rd, 2019

So, this ended up being my last read finished in 2023 and if I’d have read it earlier, it would’ve definitely made it onto my Year-End-Best-Of list.

This novel has been suggested to me a few dozen times and a lot of readers who’s opinions I trust and have similar reading enjoyments as myself have raved about it. But for a long time, I was kind of hesitant to dive in for one sort of lame reason. The cover. Honestly, this cover has never done it for me and even after reading the novel, I find the cover to be bland and lacking. I’m not sure if it was a ‘mass market’-type decision to appeal to as many potential readers as possible (which, hey, is often what all writers want, right?), but this one doesn’t scream read me. It doesn’t scream – CRAZINESS AHEAD. It kind of screams ‘last minute’ and ‘meh, this will do.’

But, when I was looking to finish my year off with a horror novel firmly wrapped together with sci-fi, this one’s synopsis fit the bill and I was kind of hoping I’d end up in a Splice movie type situation. And while we didn’t go there, this one does go in some really great directions.

What I liked: The story follows shit father, Joe, who works for a clandestine organization. He is in charge of a secret place that is using doped up people to get intelligence from around the world. The place is deep underground and he’s unable to discuss what he does with anyone from the outside world. He works long hours and focuses solely on his job and the perfection of the job. Which is administering a special cocktail of nerve stimulants to ‘tune’ these prisoners to retrieve this information.

Payne does a really solid job of setting the stage. We get the ‘why’ of Joe’s divorce, his estranged relationship with his teen daughter Riley and as the first quarter of the novel goes along, we get some hints about things starting to turn and Riley struggling with seeing something. This occurs after an incident with her mother and soon enough the novel goes from a jog to a sprint for the remaining 50%.

The location of this one is perfect. While it isn’t fleshed out with full schematic blueprints for us, it is described enough in bare-bones details to have our imaginations fill in the blanks. The same goes to the people they use. Heads shaved, hospital gowns stained and emaciated bodies abound.

What begins as a moral-testing story of how far should we go to get intelligence that can prevent huge world events, turns into a story of survival. Of Joe wanting to do whatever he can to save his daughter Riley from both the organization as well as from those who have been mistreated and experimented on.

The ending is essentially three parts. The first is the wrap up of the events in the underground lab. The second is the ‘epilogue’ of how the survivor continues on. And the third is the true epilogue which in itself made for a fantastically dark and bleak short story and could potentially see more of this world in the future.

Payne kept me completely captivated throughout and the blending of sci-fi and horror was pitch perfect.

What I didn’t like: Throughout, Joe is portrayed as a callous, asshole of a dad who never cared to be there for his daughter and even shares a few memories of when he chose work over her or spending time with his ex-wife and his daughter. It made it tough, for me at least, to completely believe that he had this sudden change of heart once Riley was involved. It was even shown a few times that his ‘love’ for her was shallow, when instead of staying with her, he up and left to return to work.

Why you should buy this: As I mentioned, this novel gallops along and was a great mix of horror, sci-fi and had some amazingly brutal and graphic moments. A lot of it reminded me of how a graphic novel would’ve rolled out and the action sequences and layers of government interference and involvement was great.

Payne has definitely hit a home run with this one and I think it’s a novel that will have a long, long shelf life as many new readers discover it.

5/5

Title: The Croning

Author: Laird Barron

Release date: May 1st, 2012

I’ve been honored and fortunate to forge an acquaintance with Laird Barron, and I’m certain that if not for geographical restrictions, a true friendship would arrive between the two of us. I’ll never know truly the how, but randomly one day, early on over on Twitter, I had a notification and it said Laird Barron was now following you. I’ll admit – my consumption of Laird’s work has been shamefully minor, only a few short stories here and there – and because of that, I wasn’t fully aware of how monumentally impactful and inspirational Laird is within the horror world. It was through reading this novel that I was introduced to his mythology, the Old Leech and the Limbless Ones and the Children of Old Leech. I was so involved in what he was creating within the pages of ‘The Croning’ that I had to Google it and see if it was based on anything within history, but only discovered this was completely his doing.

If you’re a fan of cosmic horror and phenomenal mythology, look no further.

What I liked: The book opens with a retelling of a very famous fairy tale, which at first I was a bit confused by, but once you get through the entirety of the novel, it made total sense.

After that introduction, the novel focuses on Don, husband to Michelle and father to twins. We soon begin to see that his wife is an ‘odd duck’ in the sense that she is from an well-to-do family and her scientific studies fall into the ‘conspiracy theory’ realm of Hollow Earth and Hidden Little People.

But, as Don’s story soon unravels and we learn more and more about his experiences, we soon begin to see that maybe there is something to Michelle’s pursuits.

The final quarter of this novel is a sprint. The first three quarters is a slow-burn, chess match set up getting the pieces in place. All specifically to get us to the point of Don being sent to a strange geological discovery and all the chess moves have efficiently gotten you to the starting line for the 100m sprint at the Olympic Games. Because, when Don arrives, everything goes off the rails and Barron has the readers wrapped in the chaotic palm of his hand.

The ending is fantastic and took all the clues given earlier and like domino’s, knocks them down, one at a time. We get all the gooey bits with all the historical high notes that were needed and it’s once again brought back around to the fairy tale beginning.

What I didn’t like: I’ll admit, there were times were I contemplated DNFing this one. There are some very slow, dry and sluggish moments in the first half. As it begins to really unravel, it makes sense, but when something happens and we get pretty much zero answers at that time – looking at you Mexican trip – it becomes frustrating. Barron makes sure to tease enough to keep those devoted following along, but I fear those moments may be enough to cause some folks to tap.

Why you should buy this: Between his short stories and this novel, Barron has already created a legion of fans and a mythos that is extensive and utterly, fucking captivating. Old Leech and all around it have hooked into my brain and I’ll want to be exploring much more of his work surrounding it.

If you’ve not read any Barron yet, this one starts slow, but takes off and never comes down from there. It really ends with some of the most engrossing and unnerving moments you’ll ever read.

4/5

Title: The City of Corpses (Lost Carcosa Book Two)

Author: Joseph Sale

Release date: January 16th, 2024

Huge, huge thanks to Joseph and Blood Bound Books for sending me an early eARC of this one. After how much I loved book one, I was eagerly awaiting the news for book two, so I shouted like Joaquin Phoenix’s character in Signs when he first saw the footage of the alien at the birthday party, when the email came through.

Now, as I said before my review of book one, I wasn’t too familiar with Robert W. Chambers The King in Yellow mythology. Saying that, I knew bits and pieces, but I wouldn’t have been able to describe to you in any meaningful way what Carcosa looked like or really was or any of the key figures. In book one, Sale does a wonderful job of doing that, while also introducing us to Alan, a man seeking a better place for him, having grown to loathe earth and when he finds the way in, he gets in completely.

With book two, I was looking forward to seeing where Sale went with it.

Saying ALL of that – from here on, it may be spoiler-ish for book one, so tread carefully if you’ve not read the first one yet. But you should. It was on my list of the best books of the year for a reason.

What I liked: I WARNED YOU – SPOILERS AHEAD!!

So, book one ended with a few things. Alan possessed the claw of craving, firmly formed onto his arm. He had developed a connection with Cassilda, and her sister Cali, had betrayed them all and was fleeing back to Carcosa to help fall the city and end her father’s life.

We pick up there, with the four – Alan, Cass, LeBarron and Petruccio heading to the mythical city of Alar, looking for answers and a way to stop Cali.

Look, I can’t state this enough and I think I’ve been saying this in every review of Sale’s books I’ve done since the first book I read of his – but nobody out there has his gift of imagination and description. Many writers have the imagination. Many have the mastery of prose. But none of them can put the two together like Sale can and I’d honestly fight anyone to the death over the fact that he is both criminally underrated and under read. Once again here, much like book one, we get a solid story that cinematically rivals the greatest fantasy writers of all time. Pick any writer – most recently would be Martin or Rothfuss I’d guess – and what Sale’s done here is bigger in scope and depth. He just doesn’t fill pages and pages of story with descriptions of food – looking at you Martin. Couple that with the Chambers mythology fully formed and realized and you can taste the air, smell the stench and feel the ground underfoot as we go from Alar, back to Carcosa for the last stand of the mighty tower.

The last quarter of this rivals any of the big battles we encounter in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings world, massive creatures, thousands of undead and blood and shredding in every sentence. The difference here, between Sale’s books and those masters – the horror element. Sale’s mind is firmly entrenched in the horror world and as such we get darker turns, betrayal and lascivious moments that would make even the most depraved master blush.

It all comes to a head at the end, first we see what happens with Cali and then the aftermath, which sets things up for a third book. I’m elated that we’ll be getting more, as at first I thought this was purely a two series set, and I was worried Sale would have to rush through this one to get to a solid conclusion.

What I didn’t like: Having just read book one not long ago, the main characters were completely fresh in my mind. Saying that, the secondary characters not so much. A refresher at the beginning I think would’ve been great and I think something almost necessary when dealing with fiction that has the scope that this one does.

Why you should buy this: I’ve had this conversation with Joseph in the past, but I feel like he’s a writer currently writing in the wrong decade or even century. I think if he was releasing this stuff in the 60s and 70s, awards would be named after him and entire magazines would be devoted to his mythology and imagination. I suspect in another thirty or forty years we’ll be seeing this happening, but I hope beyond hope that these books take up the mantle NOW and more and more reviewers latch on to what he’s crafting and give him the praise he so rightly deserves.

As for this novel, once again, Sale has sold his soul to a god elsewhere who watches through the thin crack in the veil, allowing him to deliver a knock out. This story, these characters and this world was made for Sale to play in and he’s having a blast doing just that.

An absolute beast that is a must-read for all horror fans.

5/5

Title: The Backrooms

Author: Matt Wildasin

Release date: February 22, 2023

As someone who doesn’t spend much time online looking specifically at creepypastas, I’ve found it fascinating – and amazing – how much of them become part of the horror community lore and eventually, we get a novelization of some sort around them. Take Jeremy Bates’ ‘The Sleep Experiment,’ or novels based on Slender Man. And even recently, Trevor Henderson, creator of a number of creepypasta creatures released his own novel, ‘Scarewaves,’ and while it didn’t have Siren Head or Long Horse or Cartoon Cat, he did create some new spooky things to run amok.

One of the most commonly known or popular creepypastas has been The Backrooms. According to the web, it was first shared in 2019, but exploded in popularity in 2022, when a short film was made and shared widely. Kane Parsons, who made that short, is now in the process of making a full-length feature film about it, and I’m excited to see what he does. I actually remember when I first came across his short film. Author Stephen Graham Jones had shared it on his Twitter page and mentioned how unnerving it was. I watched it and was held within its magic. It was fantastic. Now, for those who don’t know what The Backrooms are, it is a place that was ‘discovered’ within a seemingly normal looking building, or below a building, or within a parallel void of some sort, made up completely of bare, sparse rooms and hallways. A lot of the area looks identical throughout and as the person within moves further, often strange shadows will be seen, noises heard or creatures appear.

Which leads us to Matt Wildasin’s novella, ‘The Backrooms.’ I’ll admit, when it was announced, I was super excited to see what Matt did with this concept, but that excitement soon soured when it was shared it was an epistolary based story. As you may have read in previous reviews, I struggle with that format, so I didn’t dive in right away. But over this year, of 2023, I read a few epistolary stories that I really enjoyed. So, with the year coming to a close, I decided to jump in and see what worlds Wildasin created.

What I liked: The story takes place shortly after Y2K. For those of us old enough to remember – there was a palpable fear around the end of the 90’s when an uncertainty was proposed regarding computer functions when the clock ticked over and we went from 1999 to 2000. What would happen with the coding? Would planes fall from the sky? Would we have nuclear meltdowns?

Wildasin posits that this is EXACTLY what happened. That when the clock ticked over, life as we knew it came to an end and every citizen that lived was no longer a real body, but a binary code, existing in a simulation. But some of those codes ACTUALLY woke up, and those few who did, found themselves in a place where the halls looked the same, the rooms looked the same and they understood they’d arrived at The Backrooms.

Told through letters left behind in case someone else finds them, we follow two different characters as they try and navigate their way through the labyrinth of hallways they’ve awoken in, finding clues, strange mechanical creatures and that some rooms don’t change. It makes for a claustrophobic experience, one that pulls the reader deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole as we try to make heads or tails over what is actually going on.

The final third reminded me a lot of the sci-fi movie ‘Cube’ (actually a lot of this book reminded me of that movie!) with some unique twists and unexpected developments. It all led to an ending that seemed very prescient if you’re a person who believes that we do really live in a computer simulation and nothing that happens around us is real.

What I didn’t like: While it was suggested as epistolary, I’d actually counter that and say it’s more of a first person retelling of events, just labelled as letters, which made for an easy time for my brain.

What I wasn’t a huge fan of was all the coding stuff. It made sense in the context of the story and the way the events of Y2 happened, etc., but as someone who isn’t super techy when it comes to code and binary stuff, I wasn’t sure how it would work and if something was discovered, if it was a big deal or not.

Why you should buy this: Overall, I did have a lot of fun with this one, even if I did find at times it didn’t seem to fully grasp the environment around it and a lot of the possibilities or where it could go simply didn’t go anywhere.

This was a fast-paced read, very compulsive and ultimately one that asks some big questions and forces the reader to answer a few on their own.

3/5

Title: Christmas Eve Carnage

Author: John Lynch

Release date: December 22nd, 2023

Huge thanks to John for sending me a digital copy of this one!

Over the last number of years, I’ve had the joy of watching John’s writing progress. From his first short stories, through to now, his progression and dedication to his craft have been amazing and with the ever-growing list of die-hard fans he’s accumulating, it warms my heart to know others see it too.

With this, his newest release, a Christmas-themed, extreme release, I was excited to see what hijinks he got up to and more importantly, I was excited to see if his take on Christmas horror would be something I’d enjoy, as (much like I said in a previous review posted today,) I struggle with Christmas stuff. But, there’s always an exception to the rule and I’m pleased to say, Lynch throttled this one in the throat.

What I liked: The story centers around the Feltcher family kids on Christmas Eve. Their mother died from Cancer recently, and since then their father – a cop – works double and triple shifts while drinking his sorrow and staying as far away from the house as he can. Everything reminds him of his wife.

When his youngest daughter finds one of the moms old Christmas Elves, at first nobody blinks an eye. But the Elf is magical and a maniac and soon he’s going to have his fun.

This story runs alongside a secondary plot. Where someone that the dad jailed has been released and wants his revenge. So, he heads to the house, ready to kill them all.

Lynch does a great job of setting everything up and when the blood starts flying, boy does it fly. We get Sprinkles the elf stabbing and biting, we get the deranged ex-con, stabbing and slicing and we get the kids trying to survive a double-headed attack.

The ending is not only a total blood bath, but if you couple it with the minor epilogue, we just may get more Sprinkles carnage, and I for one would be all for it.

What I didn’t like: I think the biggest thing for me was that I wished it was one or the other. Sprinkles or the ex-con. The character of Chad is great, and he was a blast to see him want to take his vengeance out, but when Sprinkles arrived, the reader is focused on him. When Chad returns, the reader is focused on him. I think ideally if the story had been one or the other, it would’ve elevated it even more.

Why you should buy this: This is exactly like all of the wonderfully brutal late 80s and early 90s Christmas horror movies that we all grew up watching and loving. Lynch delivers a chaos filled story filled to the brim with ripping and shredding and at the end of the day, the reader won’t really care who survives, as they’ll be more invested in who dies and how they die. And Lynch does that perfectly.

4/5

Title: The Last Day and the First

Author: Tim Lebbon

Release date: July 1st, 2023

First – a huge thanks to Tim for posting about this book. And what I mean specifically, is that, as a 100% completely digital reader, when this came out, I was a bit dismayed that it was only in hardcover. Both because if I bought it, I’d probably never get to it, and when I looked, shipping was horrible to Canada. It’s no different anywhere else, but for this reader, I decided to hold off and wait for an ebook release and when Tim posted that it was available in digital through PS Publishing, I immediately snagged.

If you’ve not read Tim’s work before, boy are you in for a treat. Tim has a timeless nature of how he crafts his stories. While his work is traditionally horror or sci-fi, he paints his prose with what I would describe as a speculative/fantasy brush. For lack of a better way of saying it – his writing is beautiful and compulsive.

And this novella fits that bill so very perfectly.

What I liked: The story follows Rose, 103 years old and potentially the last person alive on earth. She lives in the settlement of Pantelle, where she’s lived since the world we know collapsed and nature began to reclaim everything. She knows she’s at the end of her life, so she’s putting things down onto paper, in case someday someone else should come across her musings.

The story she shares is fascinating and heartbreaking. Of a woman who has outlived every person she’s ever loved and cared for, and a woman who was there when the first bloom was found.

What Lebbon’s created with the characters/figures referred to as ‘blooms’ is magical. What starts out as a strange, plant-like growth in the forest, becomes a flower-like creature that can walk on its roots and move freely throughout the forests. The people fear a strange beast called ‘scorers’ a metal-like thing that hunts the old roads, but the blooms seem to not be on their radar.

As the story progresses, Tim does such an amazing job of layering the story with a mixture of sorrow and hope. Sorrow over Rose’s realization that her time left is growing less and less. Hope for the future. For what life will be like on earth when all of the humans are gone and the planet can relax, knowing our destructive ways have ended.

What I didn’t like: It’s funny, because in my writing life, I’m 100% guilty of this as well, but there were parts I just wished for more of, or more about. More about what happened. More about the scorers. More about the bloom’s. But Tim has stitched this together so pristinely that to expand upon any of that would take away a lot of the beauty this story shares.

Why you should buy this: As I mentioned, Tim’s writing is just so very powerful to read. I have his next novel, ‘The Last Storm,’ already on my Kindle, but I decided to jump into this first and it was a perfect reminder of just how phenomenal Tim’s storytelling is.

If you’re looking a powerful, one-sitting read that’ll have you emotionally destroyed – look no further. I wish I would’ve read this sooner, as it’d easily be on my year end Best-Of list.

5/5

PS Publishing Link:

https://www.pspublishing.co.uk/the-last-day-and-the-first-ebook-by-tim-lebbon-5271-p.asp

Amazon Link:

Title: All I Want for Christmas is Utahraptor

Author: Lola Faust

Release date: December 7th, 2023

*Huge thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for having this set to ‘Read Now’ for me!*

Recently, while scrolling through Netgalley, looking to see if anything had been added that I’d hope to be approved for, a cover caught my attention in the Sci-fi and Fantasy category. It was the one for this book, featuring an attractive looking woman gently caressing the chin of a dinosaur. I was intrigued. She was wearing a skimpy little red number and the dinosaur looked amazing.

Now, two caveats here. The first is that I generally dislike Christmas fiction – no matter the genre. The second, is that I typically steer FAR away from the romance world. Nothing wrong with it, but I want my love story to involve survival, creatures, and a never ending blackness. All things not typically within the romance genre.

BUT – I thought, you know what? Maybe this will be a fun read. Maybe this will be the palette cleanser between two horror reads and I’ll have a good time.

And you know what?

I did.

What I liked: The story follows Holly, now living in Chicago, dating douchebag Thad, and wondering just where the happiness in her life went. She should have it all. Thad’s super rich, his family is even richer and she’s living a life many would dream of. But she suspects Thad’s stringing her along. That the reasons she isn’t invited to some functions and trips is because there’s someone else and with no proposal appearing to be imminent, she wonders what would happen if she was to end it.

As Christmas approaches, Thad leaves to go on a boys skiing trip, leaving Holly alone for the holidays, so she heads back to see her parents in Utah.

It’s here where Faust sprinkles the story with some background. As humans discovered dinosaurs still alive, they also found they were smart and some could communicate. Those who met the criteria where given the chance to join into human society – go to school, get jobs, develop a culture. Oddly, I never expected a topical and socioeconomic metaphor to play out in a story about a woman who loves a dinosaur, but there we were and even though Faust doesn’t linger on it, it sets the stage for things further down the line.

So, it’s here that Holly remembers the days where she fell in love with Rocky, the Utahraptor. He attended her school and they became fast friends, but neither was willing to take it to the next level. Not until they reconnect and Holly realizes that everything she’s been wanting and missing, she can have, with Rocky.

This novella was an easy one-sitting read and it felt completely like I was watching a Hallmark Christmas movie, just with a dinosaur. The ending is exactly what you’d expect to happen and as much as it pains me to type this out, was a very sweet ending.

What I didn’t like: Well, honestly, I had a lot of fun with this one, but saying that, everything was surface level for the depth of emotions and descriptions. I think if this had been lengthened, we could’ve had a deeper experience where we see how Holly’s father turns his views around to accept Rocky, or how Thad’s behavior really effected Holly and she took some time to process it. As a base story, though, this was fun.

I will mention though – and mild spoiler here – if you don’t want to read about a woman and a Utahraptor getting it on, you’ll probably want to skip that part.

Why you should buy this: If you’re looking for a quick, adorable story of a woman realizing she’s better off without her asshole boyfriend and wants to return to her true love, no matter what society says, look no further.

Faust makes you immediately root for Holly and when her and Rocky reconnect, sparks fly from the page. Overall, a really sweet, Holiday story, one that would be perfect to read after the kids have gone to bed and Santa’s delivered all the presents.

3/5

Title: Never Dead

Author: Joe Scipione

Release date: December 8th, 2023

Thanks to Joe for sending me a digital copy of this one!

I’ve said it before – and I’ll always find it strange – but very frequently in my book reading world, I end up finishing one book and shortly after, another one has similar themes. It is always random, as its usually the books I’m reading for review purposes, but in this case, I’d finished reading Tim McGregor’s wonderful ‘Eynhallow’ which involved Victor Frankenstein, and a few short books later, I jump into Joe’s latest, which involves someone stealing bodies from graveyards so that scientists can reanimate them. Love it!

What I liked: Set in the 1920’s the story hops back and forth between Clyde, an assistant to a wealthy man, and Michael, an eager newspaper reporter. Clyde has been helping dig up bodies, but for what reason, he’s unsure. That is until he’s shown that the wealthy are working with scientists to bring those dead back to life.

Meanwhile, Michael is eager to report on something different than the usual gang related stuff plaguing the city. So, heading to the suburbs, he reconnects with an old friend, who works for the police there, and learns of these grave diggings.

Scipione keeps those storylines separate for a bit before they merge and Clyde and Michael form an unlikely duo looking to get to the bottom of things. It made for a fun pairing, and seeing the dark secrets that kept getting revealed made for an entertaining read.

It all comes to a head at the end, with the last quarter working so very well to keep us guessing, but to also have the readers remain fully entrenched in how things come to a end.

What I didn’t like: I felt like initially, we are shown the ‘reveal’ of why the bodies are being dug up really quickly. I think it would’ve been fun to have that teased out a bit more.

And, I did find at first, I kept thinking the Michael parts were almost modern day, as the writing felt different than the Clyde aspects.

Why you should read this: Joe is always creating fun horror for readers and ‘Never Dead’ is no exception. This one hums along, gives us some fantastic scenes, and you’ll be all the better for having met Michael and Clyde.

4/5

Hello friends, fans and folks who’ve stumbled upon this! You’ve arrived at my YEAR END BEST OF LIST, but more than anything, this is simply a list of the books that I read in 2023 that blew my mind. At the time of writing this, I’m at almost 200 books read for the year, but as is always the case, some stick with you more than others, and I’d say I’m a ‘generous’ reader and reviewer, in that I go into every book thinking they’re a five star read and going from there.

In the past, I used to do two Best-Of lists. One would be for books released in that calendar year and one would be for books I read that year that came out in other years. Not the case this year, as honestly, I just would rather do one haha! 50% laziness, 50% efficiency.

So, without further wait – here are the books I read that I absolutely loved in 2023 in order of when I read them!

The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan.

What a crazy, phenomenal book. This one is a dystopian nightmare of a city alive, a crumbling dream and those unfortunately caught in the middle. Outstanding read.

No One Gets Out Alive by Adam Nevill

I think only Adam Nevill can describe a section of blackness in a room in such a way that its not just black, but something undulating, pulsing and absolutely horrifying. This novel about a young woman in desperate need of a room, grabs you by the throat and never relents.

The Clackity by Lora Senf

Doing this list is odd, because it feels like I read this book a few years back, but that might be because the sequel has already arrived! This middle-grade novel deftly works its way into your heart and is a perfect introduction to the dark stuff for younger readers. It followed a young girl trying to find her aunt in a strange, paranormal-filled world. Great stuff.

GRAVENFROST by Peter Hammarberg

A book about a crazed Special Agent, this one was a perfect mix of Fox Mulder humor and extreme horror deliciousness.

The Residence by Andrew Pyper

I re-read this novel as part of a group read-along and it reminded me of how perfectly sorrow filled this one is. Part real-life historical fiction, part speculative grief-shrouded horror, Andrew delivers a divine look at the lengths a mother goes to bring her son back from the beyond.

Lure by Tim McGregor

A swiftly-paced novella, this one focuses on a small town, a strange arrival and the results that await those in the water. A knock out from start to finish.

Faces of Beth by Carver Pike

A stealthy examination of mental health and how it creates a domino effect around those who care, Pike delivered a tour de force with this novel.

The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper

Another book I re-read as a group read-along, the story of David Ullman and his pursuer will always hold a special place in my heart. Andrew’s galloping prose, fast-paced scenes and father-looking-for-daughter narrative have made this a timeless classic.

The Handyman Method by Nick Cutter and Andrew F. Sullivan

What starts out as a man finding a Youtube channel and showcasing his toxic masculinity morphs into a chaotic tale of generational sacrifice and existential dread. This duo knocked it out of the park.

Suckerville by Chris Sorensen

A throw back novel to the 80s creature-feature time, this novel rips along a million miles an hour. This is the definition of ‘unputdownable’ and Sorensen fills this one with a ton of squirmy goodness.

Bee Tornado by Chris Sorensen

Not to sit back and chuckle over the release of ‘Suckerville,’ Sorensen quickly released ‘Bee Tornado,’ which is an even better novel than ‘Suckerville.’ While the first novel focused on the chaos, ‘Bee Tornado’ adds a layer of emotional attachment, while fully maintaining the ridiculous glee throughout.

The Briars by Stephanie Parent

A fresh take on horror, this novel follows a woman working as a dominatrix in a place where something lurks. From start to finish, this is a layered, solid story and one that will connect with you in more ways than one.

And By God’s Hand You Shall Die by David Sodergren

Perhaps Sodergren’s most ‘extreme’ release so far, we arrive at a brothel in New York in the 70’s and watch as a priest who should be dead becomes unhinged and a young woman fights for her life.

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

A book that on its surface (ha!) seems like a one-dimension story, this novel is the ultimate surprise. Following a young man, angry at his father, who goes on a dive to try and find him, only to be swallowed by a whale and fight for his life. Completely engrossing.

Djinn by Craig DiLouie

Thrown into the heart of the middle-east, we follow a woman looking for answers and a strange place in the middle of nowhere that hides a secret. DiLouie delivers a Hollywood blockbuster.

The Inconsolables by Michael Wehunt

Anytime we get a new piece of fiction from Wehunt, its time to celebrate, but an entire collection was a delight. Each story thrums with the macabre paint only Michael can paint a story with and showcases why he’s a modern day master.

The Grimmer by Naben Ruthnum

Part autobiographical look at his childhood, part supernatural YA thriller, Ruthnum gives us a phenomenal story packed in topical wrapping paper. This one will connect deeply and have you rooting for Vish throughout.

The Night Will Find Us by Matthew Lyons

A group of friends head to the woods to campout and have fun. The woods have other plans. Phenomenally bleak from start to finish, this one had me captivated.

Midnight Masquerade by Greg Chapman

A criminally overlooked author, Chapman writes like very few can. Within this latest collection we’re given a perfect showcase of why everyone should be reading Greg’s work. The title story is worth the admission alone.

Precious Cargo: My Year of Driving the Kids on School Bus 3077 by Craig Davidson

A non-fiction release from Craig, this one delightfully shares the story of his time in Calgary when he took job driving a special needs school bus. The connections he makes with the kids is just phenomenal to discover and ultimately, it was amazing to see each of them share in the spotlight together.

They Stalk the Night by Brian Moreland

Delivering cold weather horror and creatures as only Moreland can, this one starts with a storm rolling in and follows that up by throwing in some blood thirsty creatures and a warped tale of survival.

The Daughters of Block Island by Christa Carmen

A pristine, gothic novel about an odd place, an odder home and a search for answers, Carmen manages to give us both a fast-paced thriller while also delivering a slow-burn simmering mindfuck. Perfect from start to finish.

The Homecoming by Andrew Pyper

The third book I re-read of Andrew’s this year for a group read-along, this novel will make you hyperventilate as more layers are unraveled and we careen headfirst towards the completely bonkers ending.

The Black Lord by Colin Hinckley

If this novella was a car race, you’d be white-knuckling the steering wheel as you zipped down a mountain course with no brakes. Hinckley gives us some of the most unnerving moments you’ll ever read and leads us all to the thing that grows in the dark.

The Claw of Craving by Joseph Sale

An impassioned and imaginative retelling of the King in Yellow mythos, Sale possesses the most magical imagination out there and harnesses it through some of the best prose you’ll ever read.

Under a Watchful Eye by Adam Nevill

What starts off as a simply tale of a former friend showing up uninvited one evening, transforms into a sprawling, cult filled story of a strange history, an odd compound and a blackness that grows over everything.

GRIM PORTRAITS: Six Stories About the Dark Side of Art by Kealan Patrick Burke

Much like Wehunt above, when news of a new Burke release arrives, everyone loses their collective minds in excitement. And much like Wehunt, you know Burke will deliver the goods. This collection brings us to some very dark places and holds us there under Kealan’s steady hand.

One of Us by Craig DiLouie

Perhaps one of the greatest ‘horror’ novels ever written, this one from DiLouie does the impossible by giving us a story that will always remain highly relevant and exposes the worst aspects of humanity. All while the reader clutches as the last threads of hope.

Psychic Teenage Bloodbath II by Carl John Lee

Picking up shortly after the first one, Carl John Lee takes us deep into the psyche of our characters and throws the readers to the wolves. Lee has a sublime way of making us care, even when the worst possible things are happening all around those characters. The epilogue is one of the most heartbreaking things you’ll ever read.

Despatches by Lee Murray

An engaging, epistolary novella, we follow along during the war and discover that the enemy isn’t the only thing trying to kill you. This goes into cosmic horror territory and is done magnificently.

https://www.pspublishing.co.uk/despatches-ebook-by-lee-murray-6169-p.asp?v=0&variantid=6170

Snarl by John Boden

A novella that follows a small town man, desperately in love with a woman who may or may not be leading him on, this made for a perfect dark drama with a multitude of storylines that all converged in a hideous, sorrow filled ending.

In The Garden of Rusting Gods: A Collection by Patrick Freivald

A collection perfectly balanced between horror and science-fiction, Freivald throws the reader into the deep end over and over again, only to deliver the goods and absolutely crush each and every story. Just an amazing collection.

Eynhallow by Tim McGregor

A magical novel following a woman trapped in her circumstances until a mysterious figure arrives on their island, Tim makes us live and breathe this novel and every single paragraph will chill you to the bone.

Eynhallow

In Excess of Black by Red Lagoe

Just finished this one a few days ago, but it won’t be leaving my noggin’ for a long, long time. Lagoe gives us a visceral story with so much blackness it should almost be illegal. A grief-stricken mother, a lifelong affliction and a black, amorphous blob that begins to transform. Amazing.

Scarewaves by Trevor Henderson

Oh, what a marvelous treat this novel was. A middle grade horror novel about a new resident in town, a town with a paranormal history, we get plenty of nightmare-inducing creatures, band-together hijinks and a setting that works so very well to Trevor to bring this world to life.

Alright, so there we go, my massive list of all the books I’ve LOVED in 2023. There’s a ton of books I loved as well, but these ones were just a bit above the rest. Happy Holidays friends!