 | Jason Rekulak"Teddy" by Jason Rekulak is a psychological thriller that stands out for its originality and a smooth reading (416 pages) that never gets boring, the charm of this story probably also lies in the funny and scary drawings that accompany it.
The cover itself, with a childish drawing of a house and two stylized figures, already announces the disturbing atmosphere of the book. Stephen King also liked it, calling it "the most original and disturbing thriller of the year".
In short, an interesting novel but a little simple, probably designed for a teenage audience and no more. |
 | Marc W. JohnsonWriting this review has taken me a couple of days because it has several subjects I'd like to highlight. It's been difficult though, to put my mind together, because I can't reveal most of the scenes that will get you glue-stuck to the book. I couldn't leave it, and when someone talked to me I got upset because they were interrupting my connection with the story.
Well, that said.
Marc W Johnson is in my list of "Writers Extraordinaire". He is a screenplay writer, and you're going to find that influence on the book. Is it a bad thing? Hell, no. The writing is agile, fresh, always keeping you anxious to find out what'... Read More |
 | Dona FoxThis piece is a novella by Dona Fox and the length has allowed her to elaborate her writing deeply on her already established study of the human psyche —and its insanity.
This time, many characters guide you through this labyrinth. The plot is full of twists and turns which will make you reconsider constantly what you have comprehended so far.
The protagonist expresses herself in first person, habitual Fox's tool to show the reader in a more intense way the feelings and madness of that mind.
She is a combination, or so it seems, of devotion, conformity, complete surrender and... love? to her father and all the... Read More |
 | KT RoseThis is the first work I read from KT Rose and I'm greatly surprised. She takes basic elements such as blind dates with a psychopath, and combines it with de danger of the dark side of the internet, the consequences of a deeply broken family, a girl with a court of ghosts on her shoulders, a man in grief, a cult leader and an audience so hungry for —blood. What could possibly go wrong?
The author sews all together and leaves nothing behind. Characters are very realistic, antiheroes trying to survive life. Lots of blood, fight, betrayal.
I like how she moulds the characters to have a deep psychology factor, so they... Read More |
 | Death's Head PressAnthologies are not always an easy read. Very often they are not exactly what you are expecting, or the selection of stories doesn't amaze you. Well, And Hell Followed doesn't have this problem at all. Let's break it down:
All the stories are good and enjoyable, they could all perfectly be standalone pieces preceding an entire novel.
Some of them are more serious and really mess with your mind, making you wonder and ask questions. You want more. Others are funny (in a very macabre way, of course) and some of them give you a very different vision of what a "hell on Earth" could become.
It's a book that, depending... Read More |
 | TY TraceyWell, wow. I think this is the review that, so far, has taken me the longest to write. There are so many things to say about this book. I'll start making clear that I had never heard of TY Tracey until I purchased this book, well, this absolutely MUST change to future readers.
The complexity and layers conforming this book make very difficult for me to "summarise" why I loved it, several times. I think the best way for me to express is to describe, point by point, WHY it is different and to me, a must-read.
One, of course, the writing. Tracey develops several "description scenes" along the book, but they are... Read More |
 | Michael Reyes"Clock's Watch" is a very interesting horror collection. The idea of a guardian between two worlds, human and evil, perhaps has been used before, but not in this way. Our protagonist is one and only.
There are two things I especially liked in this book:
For starters, the great investigation and research about sorcery and demonology. Every story has those elements. The chants or spells Clock pours over the demons as well as the method to hunt them bring a dose of realism that keeps you interested, not only in the story, but in the occult content.
Also, I love so much the protagonist. Hero or antihero? I couldn't... Read More |
 | Terence SimmonsThis novel is a complex lattice with sub-stories traversed between them, creating a magnificent performance worth becoming a movie. Or two, I must say, because here we have material for weeks.
Let's start from the beginning. I like how the author introduces the several characters (Jasmine, her mother, her boyfriend, friends...) but without stopping to develop impossible descriptions which would make the book tedious and even more massive. No, Simmons knows what he is doing and keeps you awake, not abandoning a shuddering style of story-telling that doesn't allow you to put the book down. You just don't find the moment... Read More |
 | Joshua Dowidat"Desert Shadows" is a young-adult horror book.
Two boys explore their lives and surroundings in a way we all would have wanted to: creating stories in your mind, adventure, a treasure hunt! Slowly though, they see themselves locked in a horror spiral. A stranger enters their lives to change them forever.
I'd like to break this story down, because Dowidat provokes in you transforming emotions. In the beginning, it's a kid's tale. Two brothers, Caleb and Liam, who spend their free time in the desert, building their own world. Slowly, they enter a true, terrifying horror story. A character who seems to be the key is a... Read More |
 | Richard-Steven WilliamsWilliams has written a book which will keep your hands full for several hours, I read it in one go.
There is something very interesting about this story, and it's how the author introduces to the reader all technical concepts he needs you to understand but without being too thick. He makes it gloomy, catchy, mysterious. Space adds an extra plus of creepiness to the thread, since in a ship—there's no way out. Locked with your predator, let the game begin!
The book is long but very quick to read because Williams' writing is not heavy, he jumps from one concept to another with ease. Scenes and characters precede each... Read More |
