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Parachute by Holly Rae Garcia – REVIEW
Move over H.P Lovecraft there’s a new cosmic horror genius in town! A pitch black concept that beguiles and unnerves in equal measure Parachute came along at just the right time. In a genre that can be incredibly hard to stand out from the crowd, Holly Rae Garcia has done just that. She hasn’t just stood out but she’s floating into space. She has proven that stories can still be unique, can still scare you, it can make you fall in love with reading again. Horror is like a drug, well it’s my drug of choice. It stops me from catastrophising life, dwelling on all the hurt and anguish in…
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REVIEW: A Puppet Scorned by Jamie Kort
A Puppet Scorned…is like nothing I have ever read before. I understand everything and yet nothing. Two fornicating sock puppets. A product of lovemaking. A devilish vengeance. This is what I enjoy about indie stories – sometimes you will get something that comes out of the left-field but you end up enjoying it way more than you expected! The euphemism between sex and socks isn’t lost on me. It’s such a crazy concept that it had to be good, right? RIGHT. Camille and Brad are two sock puppets who enjoy the more debasing activities in life – a dusty attic is a perfect backdrop to – using knitting needles as…
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REVIEW: Below by Kev Harrison
Below has everything you would come to expect from Kev Harrison. Right from the start, we have the folklore contact. A dangerous mine that has a history of caving in. A grandfather with hero status. A presenter looking for her big break. The characters have bigger balls than I, the mere thought of being caved in is enough for me to put the breaks on. The breath you rely on running short, the darkness making you question reality, only your thoughts for company, no siree, I am out! This is the third novella I have read from Kev Harrison (previously read The Balance and Warding) and it gives us something…
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REVIEW: In the Arctic Sun by Rowan Hill
In the Arctic Sun is Rowan Hill’s debut novella that promises to mess with your head. I’ve had the pleasure of reading Hill’s short stories and have always been transfixed with the atmosphere her writing always creates. The story perfectly examines the emotional turmoil the body can go through when they are robbed of sleep. Sleep deprivation is a torture method for a reason! The Arctic sun. Alaskan setting. Oil digging disrupting the fabric of her peace. It’s a no-brainer. So, did In the Arctic Sun deliver? Does a bear shit in the woods? The prologue opens and gives the reader an immediate sense of place. You are in…
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REVIEW: The Macabre: 6 Chilling Short Stories by Stuart James
The Macabre by Stuart James is a collection of six short stories that can only be described as most fatal. This author rips my heart out again and again and like some addicted book junkie I keep on coming back for more. You see, this is what James does best, he stomps out your heart with his powerful narratives and killer twists, he then hands you some Sellotape and expects you to piece together your broken heart. I loved James’ recent release Creeper and The House on Rectory Lane. I knew this short story collection was going to be good, but my expectations were exceeded. Imagine a game of rounders,…
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We Can Never Leave This Place by Eric LaRocca
We Can Never Leave This Place, I think probably I can’t. I’m trapped in a state of purgatory. How do you sum up a story that depicts such vivid imagery of neglect and trauma? I’m not going to lie; this book seems to be impossible to review with enough fervour to do it justice. It’s the kind of story that leaves you staring into space afterward. The musings playing around your consciousness like a never-ending loop. “When you’re given a gift, something else gets taken away.” Eric LaRocca is the king of trauma horror. Reading a story penned by this glorious author is always an experience. He leads you…
