Castles Burning by Keith Wayne McCoy

BURNING
Castles Burning by Keith Wayne McCoy
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Horror, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (40 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Wil Warner is a tormented son tossed about by the waves of both parents. His father is a beautiful but simple father and husband, and his mother is a narcissistic woman obsessed with the art of acquisition and the relentless climb to the top of society. After his father’s death, an adult Wil is left to face the ultimate horror of his mother’s mental illness.

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Horror isn’t necessarily just about blood and guts. One of the things that first attracted me to it was how versatile this genre can be. As a fan of Mr. McCoy’s previous work, I was intrigued by what he’d come up with this time as the last book I read from him was from a completely different genre. He made the transition nicely, though, and has definitely piqued my interest. It will be fun to see where he goes with his next project.

Even though Wil is the main character, there wasn’t a great deal of time spent developing his personality. Almost everything I learned about him was due to his reactions to his severely mentally ill mother. The glimpses of Wil’s harsh childhood made me wince, but I would have really liked to see more examples of how those experiences shaped him into who he became as an adult.

With that being said, secondary characters were well drawn. Stories that explore dysfunctional families are utterly fascinating to me. Almost anything can feel normal if someone is exposed to it early enough in life or for a long period of time, but that doesn’t mean that those things are actually healthy or safe. It was interesting to see how the people around Wil responded to their circumstances. Based on what I’ve observed in real life, it was also chillingly accurate.

I’d recommend Castles Burning to anyone who enjoys horror that’s set in a realistic, contemporary environment.

Anonymous by Christine Benedict

BENEDICT
Anonymous by Christine Benedict
Publisher: Loconeal Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Horror
Length: Full Length (298 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Debra Hamilton confronts the fear of inheriting mental illness when her husband moves her into a hundred-year-old farmhouse on fifty-three acres of blacklisted real estate property. Floorboards creak when she’s alone. Objects appear and disappear. Neighbors insinuate the house is haunted but memories of her mother’s schizophrenia make her wonder. Julie, a neighbor who befriends Debra, faces her own fears when a stalker starts sending perverted anonymous letters that cause a rift in Julie’s unstable marriage. Their plots merge as their friendship grows to create a rich and satisfying story.

She fears she’s losing her sanity, but there’s so much more to the story.
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This is Christine Benedict’s first novel and while it might have taken her a while to write it, this shouldn’t be her last. This is the type of book best not to be read in the middle of the night and not while you’re alone.

There are some books that stick with me. Those are the books that made some sort of emotional connection. In this case, the book just plain instilled good old fashioned creepiness. I couldn’t put it down, but then I was sort of afraid to.

I do have to note there were quite a few typos and some sentences that, with a little more editing, could be trimmed to make the story flow better. I was still able to read the book, but these were distractions.

Having mental illness in my family, I could identify with Debra’s character. It’s scary to even fathom that one could be sinking into mental illness. Julie, her friend, is another character that is easy to relate to. Her children have grown and are about to fly free of the nest. It’s tough to have the kids grow up, even if it’s inevitable. I liked how they leaned on each other and became a great support for each other.

This is a book that’s sure to please and will definitely stay with the reader long after the last page. Grab this book if you’re up for a story with heart and a good scare factor. You won’t want to miss it.

Introit – Black Dog by Oliver J Olinger

DOG
Introit – Black Dog by Oliver J Olinger
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (12 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Paul Auxten, a former government operative attempting to live out the rest of his life as a bartender in a small Florida town, is approached by an unusual man about a job. On the surface, the job appears to be a simple, one-night rescue operation for a prized, black dog that has been stolen by an underground dog-fighting enthusiast. Paul learns, however, that the dog in question is not of this world. The animal escapes during the rescue and a supernatural bloodbath ensues. Together with Toma Pietruszka, his new employer, Paul finally tracks down and captures the dog, only to be visited by an unsettling character later that evening. This is the first book in a series of supernatural exploits starring Paul and Toma.

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A well-written description can make me feel like I’ve been transported to another time and place. Mr. Olinger’s settings were so richly detailed that my nose actually itched early on when he was describing a particularly run-down building. I could just about smell the dust and mold that must have been silently accumulating in its forgotten corners for years.

With that being said, some of the descriptions were a little too verbose for something this length. Stories as short as this one need to move very quickly in order to pack everything in. There were a few times when the descriptions slowed down the pacing. There’s room for these kinds of pauses in a novella or full-length novel, but they occasionally did feel out of place for this particular tale.

All of the most important plot threads were tied up, but there’s still a lot about Paul that I don’t know. I hope I’ll get the chance to follow him on future adventures. He’s the kind of protagonist that shows a lot of promise. This is the kind of introduction to a new series that immediately captures my attention due to its intriguing premise and all of the questions it leaves unanswered.

I’d recommend Introit – Black Dog to anyone who enjoys the darker side of science fiction.

Fatal Consequences by JG Faherty

FATAL
Fatal Consequences by JG Faherty
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (57 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

“Every decision carries a price.”

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Everyone feels guilty over something in their past, but not everyone tries to hide what really happened. If only Alec knew how to make everything right again.

One of the most important things I look for in good horror is smart writing. This wasn’t the first thing I’ve read from this author, but it is my favorite book from him so far. What I like the most about his writing style is how much effort he puts into developing his ideas. I get the impression that Mr. Faherty spends a great deal of time working behind the scenes to wring out every last drop of horror from his premise before he releases his newest creation into the world.

I was able to figure out the ending fairly early on in the plot. There were a few too many clues about what was happening to Alec and the other characters, and some of them were shared too soon. Had I needed more time to put all of the pieces together, this tale would have easily earned a much higher rating.

Take my advice and don’t read this right before bedtime. This is one of the creepiest things I’ve read in a long time. Normally I’m less frightened once I figure out what’s happen in a horror story, so it was deliciously unnerving to have the opposite experience. Trying to sleep a few hours after I finished it was an exercise in futility.

Fatal Consequences is a great choice for anyone who loves the scary side of fiction.

Asbury Dark: Haunting Tales from the Jersey Shore by Lori Bonfitto

PARK
Asbury Dark: Haunting Tales from the Jersey Shore by Lori Bonfitto
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical, Contemporary, Horror, Holiday
Length: Full Length (236 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A telekinetic teenager. A doomed ocean liner. A haunted bed & breakfast. A zombie-fighting real estate developer. These are but a few of the eerie people, places and things that go bump in the pages of Asbury Dark: Haunting Tales from the Jersey Shore.

Spanning six decades, Asbury Dark will thrill and delight anyone who’s ever ridden the rides on the fabled boardwalk, searched for Bruce at The Stone Pony, or shambled along in the Zombie March.
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Mystery and suspense author Lori Bonfitto delivers seven unforgettable tales of fright and fantasy, transforming Asbury Park from a nostalgic playland into a world fraught with obsession, reincarnation, and the paranormal.

Get ready to be scared.

“Dead and Breakfast” shows what happens when a woman teams up with her cousin and his friend to flip an old house. Few things go as planned when home renovations are mixed with a fickle real estate market. I was surprised by how many plot twists I didn’t see coming in this one. They all make perfect sense based on what I’d figured out about the characters. This is the kind of storytelling that keeps me coming back for more.

Some stories in this collection were much longer than I expected them to be, especially “Harbinger.” In it a businessman who is putting off his retirement sees something terrifying on his morning commute that is invisible to everyone else around him. His attempts to figure out what he’s seeing and why no one else can see it kept me guessing until the end. The premise would have worked equally well expanded into a novel or contracted into something that only takes up a few pages. It would have been slightly less scary but still satisfying in the shorter version due to what would have needed to be cut out. The novella format didn’t leave quite enough room to fully explore all of the themes that are included. This pattern repeated itself a few different times and was my major reason for not selecting a higher rating.

If I had to pick one favorite, it would be “Waves.” The plot follows a couple named Denise and Steve whose young daughter has begun remembering things she couldn’t possibly know. I had an inkling of what might be going on fairly quickly, but the dialogue was so entertaining that I didn’t mind knowing what was happening so soon. Strong, even pacing also kept my interest high. The incredible ending is what really made a fan of this tale though!

I’d recommend Asbury Dark: Haunting Tales from the Jersey Shore to anyone who likes a little social commentary mixed in with their science fiction.

We Are But Shadows by Cornelius Clarke

CLARK
We Are But Shadows by Cornelius Clarke
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical, Holiday, Paranormal, Horror, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (147 pages)
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

At bedtime, a child turns to his mother and whispers “someone’s coming!” She would not have long to wait.

Tommy is a loveable pet rat, but what was that noise the next door neighbour can hear and why is there blood smeared on every wall?

A would-be murderer is sent spiralling into a world of madness, deserted on an island of scarecrows.

Terrified of being buried alive, a timid man wakes up living his most feared nightmare.

Medical cialis canada mastercard science is improving each day and coming up with better or more attractive ideas. Anxiety affects man’s sexual performance and it causes constriction of viagra sale cheap blood vessels, which has a negative effect on man’s sexual performance and affects erections. They take the responsibility cost of levitra http://robertrobb.com/2017/10/ to guide you completely. It’s no surprise that people either want to avoid the chances of having your sex drive suppressed, you should limit the intake of food items containing Liquorice. generic sildenafil uk 4. On Halloween night, a boy visits a travelling funfair and gets more than he bargained for in the ghost train.

During the Christmas season, a petty thief steals from the wrong person and is paid a visit later that night, but is it Santa Claus knocking at his door?

A year after losing his family in a tragic boating accident, was it to soon to return to Thatcher’s Rest cottage by the sea?

These are the tales that make up We are but Shadows, that are sure to chill, thrill and ultimately entertain.

The difference between fear and actual danger can seem subtle at times. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist though.

Mr. Clarke’s characters don’t always make good decisions, but they did capture my attention. Sylvia Layton in “Someone’s Coming” is a good example of how this author manages to create such intriguing characters in a limited amount of space. Sylvia’s saga is told in the form of diary entries that begin soon after she receives life-altering news. Her reaction to what happens is full of all of the mixed emotions I’d expect from someone in that position, and it made the later plot twists even better than they would have been otherwise.

I was surprised to see that this collection wasn’t being marketed to a young adult audience. The tone and subject matter would work better with those age groups than they do for adults. The plots seemed like they were written for an audience that is not as accustomed to the common tropes in the mystery genre in particular given how easy it was for me to predict what was going to happen in advance.

One of the things I like the most about the horror genre is how it can transform even a completely mundane experience into something unforgettable. The most memorable examples accomplish it by picking places, things, or people that I never would have considered scary before. Mr. Clarke has an intuitive knowledge of what will and won’t work with his audience. With a little more polishing and a clearer understanding of exactly what age group he’s writing for, I could see him becoming a very effective mystery and horror author.

We Are But Shadows is a good choice for anyone in the mood for something spooky this Halloween.

The Flip by Michael Phillip Cash

FLIP
The Flip by Michael Phillip Cash
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Horror, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (389 pgs)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Stephanotis

Julie and Brad Evans are house flippers. They buy low, clean out the old occupants’ junk, and try to make a profit. Enter Hemmings House on Bedlam Street in scenic Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Too good a deal to pass up, but with an ominous secret. The old Victorian Mansion has dwellers that do not want to be dispossessed. As the house reveals it’s past, will the couple’s marriage survive The Flip?

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I liked both the main characters, Julie and Brad. I think most of us can relate to them and their need to make some extra money. In the case of this couple, they’ve been flipping houses. Not smooth sailing but nothing like the house they’ve just purchased. I loved the setting of this story and I could visualize Brad in the house, tearing away at the walls, and discovering more things about the house.

The only thing I didn’t like about this story was the weaving of Brad’s point of view with those of the ghosts, it was a bit jarring at times, and also it wasn’t until later that the book switches back to 1862 where the real tale of the story is unfolded and we learn who these inhabitants are.

I did like that their story was part of the actual history of the area and era which made for some interesting reading. The last third of the book really picked up the pace and I found myself turning the pages just to see if these two would make it out alive, or if the ghosts would destroy them and also the house.

The secondary characters are entertaining too and the dialogue very natural sounding. 398 pages might sound like a daunting read for some people, but the print is large and the pacing quick so even if you’re short on time it’s not a problem. If you love a haunted house story, The Flip is probably a good pick for you.

Braineater Jones by Stephen Kozeniewski

JONES
Braineater Jones by Stephen Kozeniewski
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing=
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Suspense/Mystery, Horror, Historical
Length: Full Length (233 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Braineater Jones wakes up face down in a swimming pool with no memory of his former life, how he died, or why he’s now a zombie. With a smart-aleck severed head as a partner, Jones descends into the undead ghetto to solve his own murder.

But Jones’s investigation is complicated by his crippling addiction to human flesh. Like all walking corpses, he discovers that only a stiff drink can soothe his cravings. Unfortunately, finding liquor during Prohibition is costly and dangerous. From his Mason jar, the cantankerous Old Man rules the only speakeasy in the city that caters to the postmortem crowd.

As the booze, blood, and clues coagulate, Jones gets closer to discovering the identity of his killer and the secrets behind the city’s stranglehold on liquid spirits. Death couldn’t stop him, but if the liquor dries up, the entire city will be plunged into an orgy of cannibalism.
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Cracking this case is a tall order. Braineater Jones won’t get out alive, but if he plays his cards right, he might manage to salvage the last scraps of his humanity.

The only thing worse than being murdered is waking up the next day with no memory of who you are or why there’s a gaping hole in your chest.

It took a little while for the character development to start happening in this book, but once it did I was glad for the delay. Building up such detailed descriptions of the personalities of the people involved first made their evolutions even more rewarding than they would have been otherwise. There were several developments that I didn’t see coming, especially when it came to the main character’s quest to discover his past.

One of the many mysteries that Braineater Jones has to unravel during the course of his adventures is who he was before he died. It was fun to see him slowly gather clues about his past, but I would have preferred for him to have a more humanizing undead name as he did it. I understand why the author wanted to start off with a character who has had literally everything from his former life stripped away. The name Braineater was too campy and distracting for my tastes, though. Braineater had some surprisingly empathetic streaks in his personality, and he deserved a zombie name that better represented that.

Mr. Kozeniewski has a tongue-in-cheek writing style that works incredibly well for this kind of tale. I didn’t read the first chapter so much as I absorbed it. Sometimes he made me laugh, cringe, and then gasp within a matter of minutes. This was my first introduction to his work. Based on how much I enjoyed it, I’ll be keeping a keen eye out for what he comes up with next.

I strongly recommend checking out the glossary at the end of this book to anyone who isn’t familiar with 1930s slang. While I knew many of those terms already, it was also helpful to look up the zombie-related jargon that is specific to this universe. Including the glossary was a great decision, and I’m glad that the author alerted me to its existence in the foreword.

Braineater Jones is one of the most entertaining horror novels I’ve read in 2014. This is a great choice for anyone in the mood for a genre-busting thriller!

Masque of Shadow by T.A. Miles

MASQUE
Masque of Shadow by T.A. Miles
Publisher: Raventide Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror, Historical
Length: Short Story (29 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Heartbroken over the premature death of her young sister, Estelle conceives a dark plan to recover Lunette’s innocent soul from the thief she witnessed taking it. The price is higher than she anticipated, reaching far beyond the loss of her own innocence when she enters voluntarily into the realm of the Lord of Shadows, into a theater of madness constructed by the souls of the dead.

Few things in this world are stronger than the bond between siblings. What Estelle doesn’t know, though, is if that bond will give her enough strength to keep searching for her lost sister.
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The horror elements took a little while to show up, but they were quite noticeable when they did. It was interesting to see how this author sampled the often gruesome origins of traditional fairy tales in order to make her story come alive. Masque of Shadows is truly intended for a mature audience. Given the dark subject matter, this was a great decision.

Once or twice I wondered why Estelle accepted all of the strange things she encountered so easily. This is a minor criticism of an otherwise mesmerizing book, but it would have been helpful to know a little bit more about her previous life in order to better understand why she was so eager to jump into a dangerous, new realm without any qualms about her own safety.

The villain in this piece was perfectly dastardly. I was especially creeped out by the physical description of him. It was a little unusual for this genre. In retrospect, it worked incredibly well given everything else the reader learns about him and his plans for Estelle.

Ms. Miles has a hypnotic writing style that made it impossible for me to tear my eyes away from the page. She described each scene in such precise detail that I felt as though I were watching a movie instead of reading a short story. This was my first introduction to her work. If it’s any indication of her talent, I don’t know how I’ll be able to remain patient while waiting for her next book comes out.

Masque of Shadow is a must-read for anyone who loves fairy tales. Just don’t be surprised if you follow in my footsteps and read it more than once!

Enter at Your Own Risk: The End Is the Beginning by Dr. Alex Scully, editor

RISK
Enter at Your Own Risk: The End Is the Beginning by Dr. Alex Scully, editor
Publisher: Firbolg Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (428 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Human beings—the undisputed top of the food chain, the long-standing masters of planet earth. Or are we? What may be crawling out of the sludge to take our place? What monsters have we created in our labs, factories, and our very own genetic code? In the fourth installment of Firbolg Publishing’s Enter at Your Own Risk series, which pairs Gothic masters such as Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, and H.P. Lovecraft with modern authors of the dark and macabre, the theme is environmental horror. As mankind’s tsunami wave of progress, industrialization, and technology reaches spectacular new heights, sinister things are churning beneath the surface. An unfamiliar stench on the wind. Waters a bit too murky. Soil a bit too red with blood. Progress at a price. A terrible, terrible price. Will we survive? What strange new worlds will emerge from the chaos? With an introduction from Holly Newstein, Enter at Your Own Risk: The End is the Beginning explores both the horror of the end and the hope of new beginnings for our planet and ourselves.

Not everything that goes bump in the night reveals itself right away.
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I couldn’t help but to chuckle at the creativity of some of the titles in this collection. By far my favorite one was “The Dreaded Hobblobs: A Heavy-Handed Fable for Short-Sighted Times.” It follows the increasingly disturbing interactions Daniel has been having with the Hobblobs that his parents always warned were about to take over their home whenever it got too messy. Daniel’s childhood impression of these grotesque creatures was so vivid that it sent a shudder down my spine. What really enamoured me, though, was how Daniel reacts to them when they make a sudden reappearance in his life much later on.

“Lily’s Daughter” is told from the perspective of Alexander, the teenage son of an archeologist who has disconnected from family life. The two of them live such separate lives that they rarely even speak to one another, so it’s a huge surprise when Alexander’s dad invites him to dinner. The premise was fantastic, but a slow start in the beginning made this reader restless due to the faster pace of stories that were placed just before it. So many important pieces of the puzzle were held back until later that I began to lose interest in Alexander’s journey despite being enthralled with it in the beginning.

This pattern repeated itself over and over again. It’s impossible to please every reader, of course, but I did momentarily wonder if it would have been better to group everything by the time period in which they were written instead of by theme. There were times when it was absolutely fascinating to see how authors who lived decades (or even centuries) apart approached the same subject, but sometimes it was also a little odd to jump from the fast-paced plots that tend to be favored today with the often slower styles that were popular in the past. I definitely appreciate Dr. Scully’s attempt to draw parallels between authors that aren’t normally compared though.

Luckily there were entries like “A Fine Day at the Zoo” that kept me on the edge of my seat. In it a single father named Shane has decided to take his son, Robbie, to the zoo with the hope of getting the boy to speak. Robbie’s disabilities shouldn’t affect his speech this much, but ever since Shane and his wife split up their son has been eerily quiet. The imagery in this father-child outing was so vivid that I felt a prick of disappointment when their adventures ended. It’s hard to say anything more about it without giving away spoilers, but had every short story been this provocative this anthology would have easily earned a 5 star rating.

Enter at Your Own Risk has something to offer to just about everyone. Nearly every type of science fiction is represented here, and that makes this book a good choice for anyone who enjoy this genre!