Review: Island of the Dead by Brian Keene

cover of Island of the DeadIsland of the Dead by Brian Keene
Apex Book Company (October 2024)
Reviewed by Chandra Claypool (Instagram) (TikTok)

When zombies, barbarians, giant ants and a group of people also stuck on the island collide!

Brian Keene is well known for his zombie stories and there’s a good reason for it! While this is only my second read by this author, he has certainly found a new fan and I’ll be adding a lot more to my horror arsenal. Continue Reading

Review: When the Rain Begins to Burn by A.L. Davidson

cover of When the Rain Begins to BurnWhen the Rain Begins to Burn by A.L. Davidson
Disturbances by Alycia (October 2023)
140 pages
Reviewed by Chandra Claypool (Instagram) (TikTok)

Noland and Judah are finally on a vacation together and they stop in the Appalachian wilderness to be one with nature and enjoy the gorgeous views.  Well off the beaten path to avoid the local yokels, they get stuck when an unexpected storm leaves their RV cemented into the mud.  As if things couldn’t get worse, a deadly rain has come upon them, which Judah finds out about when a few drops eat away at his hand.  As this acid rain continues, there appears to be no ending and they watch animals being consumed in disgusting fashion making their beautiful view into one of death and despair.  Now they’re trapped inside their RV, not knowing when this will end.  Not only do they have to endure what is happening outside, but they quickly have to deal with their own personal demons as well.

Oh my freakin’ beating black heart.  Yes, this is an eco-horror novel with some gruesome scenes, but it’s the relationship between Noland and Judah that truly shines. Their forced isolation truly brings out the good and the bad within themselves and to each other. All I want to do is take them both into big bear hugs and tell them everything is going to be okay.  Each moment of their tenderness pulled at my heart strings and each time they put themselves in danger, in their relationship and in the terrible death rain, I held my breath and hoped for a happy ending. I really want to discuss more but I feel you should read this with little information and let the words pierce you as they did me.

This is a fantastic read for those seeking a haunting and introspective horror story that explores the complexities of personal relationships and the terrors of the unknown.  Come for the dread and stay to see what happens to the cutest couple in horror history.

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Review: Question Not My Salt by Amanda M. Blake

cover of Question Not My SaltQuestion Not My Salt by Amanda M. Blake
Crystal Lake Publishing (February 2024)
151 pages; $11.99 paperback; $3.99 e-book
Reviewed by Chandra Claypool (Instagram) (TikTok)

Don’t let the cover fool you, this is HORROR, not a cookbook…though a cookbook from this novella just might be fun to read. ? Imagine you’re a Canadian who goes to college in the U.S., is roomed with someone you become friends with who invites you to their home for Thanksgiving… and things go… awry. Do NOT piss off Mother. Do not ask for salt and for goodness sake, spit in that wine glass and pass it already.Continue Reading

Review: No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall

cover of No One Can KnowNo One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall
Flatiron Books (January 2024)
336 pages; $25.53 hardcover; $14.99 e-book
Reviewed by Chandra Claypool (Instagram) (TikTok)

“Three sisters.  Two Murders.  Too many secrets to count.”

My third book by Marshall, with a few more on my shelves. I always get excited when I see her name pop up as she writes middle grade, YA and adult thriller and horror novels and I’m a fan of it all.  Continue Reading

Review: Master of Rods and Strings by Jason Marc Harris

cover of Master of Rods and StringsMaster of Rods and Strings by Jason Marc Harris
Crystal Lake Publishing (January 12, 2024)
104 pages; paperback
Reviewed by Chandra Claypool (Instagram) (TikTok)

Do you like to read things that scare you? And I don’t mean just general horror… I mean specifics. I absolutely cannot be around dolls… and by default, puppets. Puppets may almost even be worse since they actively move – even if it’s in a controlled way by the person with the rods and strings. So of course I had to read this story of Elias, who wants to be as talented as his sister as puppetry. She is recruited by their Uncle Pavan, who is well known for his successes in his puppetry school. But something seems off and Elia won’t stop until he finds his sister. No cost is too big and he finds himself spiraling into the occult. Nothing will stop him.Continue Reading

Review: Shimmerfish by Bethany Browning

Shimmerfish by Bethany Browning
Sonoma MediaWorks (October 2023)
126 pages; $4.99 paperback
Reviewed by Chandra Claypool (Instagram) (TikTok)
Shimmerfish is a coming-of-age horror about a young woman who flees abuse and finds a new world filled with the enchantments of mermaiding. She’s got her tail, her mer-sona and a mer-name, but something feels fishy, and she’s forced to confront her deepest fears in order to uncover the truth.

Continue Reading