ABC's of Terror, Volume IV

 

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Horror Anthology

Format: eBook

Pages: 259

Read: 09/25/22

Amazon Synopsis:

When you think of your neighbors, what do you think of? The friendly older couple that wave each day as you return home from work. The guy across the street that is always working in his yard. The lady that walks her dog around your home. What if you found out those people had horrifying secrets? Secrets not meant for the world to know. This book contains 26 stories of neighbors to hope you never encounter.

Review:

An amazing line-up of authors, shining in their creativity! I had a lot of fun reading all of these, each one centering on the theme of neighbors written in each author's own style. Showcasing their talent in horror stories!

A is for Abscess Aphrodisiac by Connor McQueen

If you have a nasty, pus filled abscess, go to the doctor, not the neighbor nurse.

This one made my stomach roil!

B is for Beyond the Rift by Benjamin Chadwick
Oooo….Cosmic horror, love, love this one! “I’ve seen the beyond, and it is filled with terror.”

C is for Crash by Harrison Phillips
When playing ball in the yard, be careful where the ball goes. The neighbor has a hidden secret, disturbing and grotesque!

D is for Draugr by Colt Skinner
Ratting out friends finds one young man in a sticky situation when they plot their revenge. There is a danger lurking in a basement, creepy!

E is for Elderly (Ethel Edgerton) by Chris Grindstaff
Wiles of a witchy woman.  “Come over here, dear. I want to thank you for all your help tonight…”

F is for Foe Killer Creek by B. M. Tolkovsky

Neighbors are not always what they appear to be. 

Excellent plot twist!

G is for Gary Gilroy by John Lynch

This is one of those “WTH”did I just read? stories, but it also made me chuckle! The meat on the grill is not a prime choice.

H is for Happy Homemaker by Shawnna Deresch
Remember the old days when the door to door sellers were considered the “Ding Dong ladies?” Pushy and often talked many into buying their products, would not take no for an answer. There is more to this story than meets the eye, there is something hidden underneath the surface of all that make-up!

I is for Inside by Nathan D. Ludwig

A quiet suburban neighborhood gets a new neighbor and he has plans of his own for this tight little community. He craves the essence of humans and causes mental and physical pain. 

J is for Jawbreaker by Joe Scipione
Beware of the monster next door!

Monsters don’t live like us!

K is for Killer on the Loose by Steve Thompson
If you want a unique way to murder, try a box of cereal! Trust no one!

L is for The Lacrimosas by Matt Henshaw
Impending doom upon the town of Kaskaskia when the Lacrimosas move in. 

Murder and mayhem!

M is for Marty by Gary McDonough
“Marty Fissure was a geek, an uber-geek.”

A superhero and comic book fetish turns into a vision of building a perfect team.

Marty is one effed up dude! 

N is for Ned Jrs’ New Neighbor by Matt Micheli

Ooooo….this one is a naughty little nugget! Quickly turning to dark and sinister!

O is for Ojo Amarillo by Arther Wick

“Free drinks, free food, creepy house.”

Thou shalt not steal for it is forbidden and one may be visited by unsightly monsters!

P is for Patrick by W. Dale Jordan

Steamy! Obsession evolves into possession.

Q is for Qwaint by Megan Stockton

Edie Qwaint, dog lover, monster slayer.

R is for Rachael (Like From Friends) by Ash Ericmore
A noisy neighbor has a reason for loud music. Beware the hungry neighbor above!

S is for Screamer by John Shupeck

Pay attention to what you see. See the person.

Spicy, dirty, juicy horror!

Ending in screams!

T is for Transformation by Todd Love

A young man thirsty for acceptance among other desires,  finds the family he belongs with. 

A combination of lust and bloodshed. 

I love the direction this one went in, great story!

U is for Unacceptable by Mark Towse

Anxiety, self isolation, agoraphobia, hatred of humans.

I don’t like change, either!

The main character is so easy to connect with and the ending is a jaw dropper!

Love, love, love this one! 

V is for Venomous by D. A. Latham

Poor Ned! Peeping at the neighbor women put him in deep trouble with these two vixens.

What a story!! 

Loved it!

W is for Won’t You Be My Neighbor? by R.J. Benetti

LMAO! 

Creepy vibes, but I chuckled so much I had tears rolling!

Awesome! 

X is for ‘XXX_PartyBoi69’ by Elton Skelter

Whew! This one is really dark and brutal!

Really great writing!

Y is for Yuri by J Snow

Hillbilly Gunner and the taxidermist neighbor, Yuri. Just what is he stuffing? 

I really enjoyed the “hillbilly” writing style!

Z is for Zimmer Frame by Peter Caffrey

Youth begets youth in the most vile way possible!

Jeepers creepers, that was one sick and twisted story! 

Goodreads Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/

Amazon Page:

https://www.amazon.com/

Godless Purchase Link:

https://godless.com/

Review Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/

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Hell Spring by Isaac Thorne

 

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Horror

Format: Paperback/ARC

Pages: 356

Read: 09/19/22

Synopsis: 

In the twilight of March 21, 1955, eight people take cover in their local general store while a thundering torrent and flash flooding threatens life and livelihood alike. None of the eight are everything they claim to be. But only one of them hungers for human souls, flesh, and blood.

An overflowing waterway destroys their only path of escape. The tiny band of survivors is forced to confront themselves and each other when a peculiar stranger with a famous face tries to pick them off one by one.

Can the neighbors survive the predator in their midst as well as the 100-year flood that drowns the small town of Lost Hollow?

Or will they become victims of the night the townsfolk all remember as Hell Spring?

Review:

"From the day of her birth---or her creation, or her evolution, or whatever process had belched her into existence---the gigantic phallus in the center of the fiery arena had wanted her for its own."

Lost Hollow, Tennessee, 1955, the year of the 100-year flood. The year that everything changed for this small community. 7 people of the community become trapped at Beard's General Store when they are forced to take shelter from the torrential rains. When a stranger shows up outside the store, they help her in not knowing who she is or where she came from. Her intentions are more sinister than they ever could have imagined and piece by piece their trust, friendship, and lives dissipate. 

I had to ponder about this one for a couple of days before writing this review, this is one of those books that really had me thinking. It has a subtlety to it that takes a bit of time to just let it all sink in and really think about the complete story. To me, this is one thing I love about reading. That added enrichment that settles in and stays.

The first chapter is intriguingly strange and wholey grotesque. I had to really pay attention to what was happening but as it continued into the next chapter it all came together and made complete sense. This creature/woman comes from another realm and enters our world, she is sinister and she is hungry for the one and only thing that will feed her...human sin, shame, and the darkest parts of guilt. If one really pays attention to the moments of her deceit, the way she messes with the minds of all of them and slowly draws from their souls, she really is a deeply dark character, rather creepy and frightening. 

Each of the characters have some really dark secrets that have shaped who they are as a person and the reasons they have made some not so great decisions, but there are those past reasons and it develops their character. These are mostly broken souls just trying to strive in a life where acceptance is not always available, hidden lives trying to break free from an oppressive childhood into adulthood. Each character plays a part for the sin eater as they grapple with their own inner selves. 

There are  many themes involved such as, domestic violence, racism, sexual inclinations, homophobia, past trauma, and struggles with ones own faith, all deeply set during 1955. One can imagine the guilt and shame that is layed upon the characters as such things were not accepted, considered unnatural. As we get to know the characters, we see them slowly overcoming their guilt and shame. There is empathy and beauty that lies within, a strength they come to rely upon to beat not only the demon they are facing but the demons that have been haunting them throughout their lives.

I am one that quite enjoys a book that is more of a slow burn, that subtlety that sprinkles horrific moments. All in all this has great character developement, really creative writing, and a unique story. I will admit there are a couple of things that I feel confused about as I just cannot figure out why certain creatures were developed even though they played an important part. There is also a character that I am confused about, but I digress as it does not ruin the story.

I must also mention there is a later reveal that quite surprised me.

If you enjoy isolated settings and small town horror, this is one you should give a try.

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/Isaac-Thorne/e/

Review Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/

https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/

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The Root Witch by Debra Castaneda

 

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Horror

Format: eBook

Pages: 177

Read: 09/10/22

Amazon Synopsis:

A beautiful forest. A terrifying legend.

It’s 1986. Two strangers, hundreds of miles apart, grapple with disturbing incidents in a one-of-a-kind quaking aspen forest.

Knox is a new Forest Service ranger assigned to a vast, remote territory in Utah.

Sandy is a producer fighting for her place in a tough TV newsroom.

Both have heard about the shadowy figure believed to menace visitors to the forest. When a man disappears and reports of the Root Witch begin coming in, Knox and Sandy are plunged into a living nightmare.

Their lives converge on Halloween. Sandy sends a news crew to investigate the sightings. But when the team goes missing, and a shocking video surfaces revealing the ghastly truth, Knox and Sandy face the biggest decision of their lives.

Review:

"One moment, her feet were on the ground, and the next, she was hoisted into the air. Something wound itself around her waist so tight she was sure it would cut her in two, and the white trunk came rushing to meet her."

Fish Lake National Forest, Central Utah, millions of acres of forest. Popular with tourists coming to camp, fish, and have a relaxing vacation. But what many come to see is the infamous forest of aspens. A forest that shares one root system, a whole entire forest cloning itself as one. Even more mysterious is the legend that surrounds the forest. The rumours and said sightings of "The Root Witch". She has haunted the forest for many years and recently she has been apearing more frequently. 

Knox has just taken a job as the new ranger. It is a dream come true for him and when he is also provided with a secluded cabin he could not be more excited. What he does not know is what will occur and how his world will crumble.

Sandy is a producer in a newsroom. It's her job to make sure that everyone is on board and providing the best news for the station. When she hears that the witch has been appearing, she sends a crew to try to get some interviews and footage thinking that this will make great story to broadcast and up the stations ratings. But she has a secret of her own she has kept to herself for many years. Was it real ot just her imagination? 

As Knox and Sandy confront the troubling happenings, they must face it and make a choice.

Haunting and suspenseful, this story provides great imagery. Deep seclusion in a dark forest, spectral appearances and disturbing deaths. There are distinctive characters with strong personalities, some that are likable and not so likeable. Relatable instances of how the past overall affects ones mental health. Everyday relationships and overcoming difficult moments. A combination of realism, myth, and just enough spookiness to cause a chill.

A quick and entertaining read, suspenseful and eerie!

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/Debra-Castaneda/e/

Review Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/

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Portrait of a Nuclear Family by J.P. Behrens

 

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Psychological Horror

Format: eBook

Pages: 240

Read: 09/08/22

Amazon Synopsis:

Wanda has uncovered a dark secret that could shatter the image of her perfect family.
Attempting to force the situation back into the societal framework she’d strived for years to
present, events spiral out of control. Secrets threaten to emerge from a carefully suppressed past
and become public. To save her family’s reputation, Wanda succumbs to a madness no one could
have expected.

TW: This work contains graphic descriptions of animal cruelty, taxidermy, and both physical and mental abuse

Review:

Wanda has the perfect life. A hard working husband and two beautiful boys. A home that sparkles, shines, and reflects a well maintained home. Everything in its place and a place for everything. Supper on the table every night, dishes done and put away, another successful day for Wanda.

Until that day, that one day when Wanda discovers a hidden secret and her entire world spins out of control.

"Every moment of her life now felt like the eternal, clicking ascent of a ride, building anticipation as the horizon crests over that final dip and the world holds its breath. Everyone screams. Everyone laughs. The ride ends."

From start to finish, Wanda's illusive character develops eventually showing us who she truly is. So many secrets are revealed and each one becomes more shocking as time passes. Honestly, the things she did and does are nothing less than crackers. Her mind decends into very dark and visceral places. She creates what she desires and perfection of this revealing is the only option.

This is a very dark and disturbing creation of a psychopathic character that will have you see her as a vile, unstable, and broken person. But one must question the reasoning behind her dysfunctional mind. There is so much to this dark story revealed throughout. It is edgy, chilling, and disconcerting. 

Extremely macabre!

A very well written debut!

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/JP-Behrens/e/

Review Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/