The Dismembered by Jonathan Janz ~ 2022

 


With unbelievable penmanship,
Janz delivers gothic horror romance,
expertly done, to my doorstep.



Publisher: Cemetery Dance Publications (November 18, 2022)
Publication: November 18, 2022
Pages: 174
ISBN-13: 978-1-58767-843-1
Front Cover Artwork © 2019 by Matthew Revert
Digital Design by Dan Hocker 



A digital copy was sent to me from Kevin Lucia, ebook and trade paperback editor for Cemetery Dance Publications ~



5 Stars



Jonathan Janz
Man, I enjoyed the hell out of this one. Right from the get, I was hooked and I love that in a new read!

Folks, you're looking for a great intense Gothic Horror read. Yes, yes you are. Period.

Quick synopsis ~

This twenty-four-hour tale in 1912 starts off with mild and meek Arthur Pierce, an American writer,  on a train saving the day from a brute who is trying to bully his way onto a young woman.

After a quick side step, the brute is on the ground and he is introduced to this young woman by the name of Sarah Coyle.

After Sarah and Arthur had been acquainted during the train ride he agrees to accompany Sarah to her family's estate, Altrabrook. After all, he could head that way, estranged Arthur is running from a highly public affair his wife displayed/pronounced on him. And, besides, Sarah was eye candy I believe he said to himself. Not in those exact words, I'm just sayin'.

Here's what's going on, folks:

Older than dirt but kept his looks through the years, Count Richard Dunning who is rumored to dabble in bizarre religious rites and experimental medicine is to wed Sarah's younger sister, Violet, who had just turned of age. Sarah's plight is to stop this before the month's end. Yet, her father, Hubert, is eager to marry off his daughter to the wealthiest landowner because of his own financial strain.

Arriving at Altrabrook, we the readers are introduced to pretty much the slew of main characters and Arthur, being transfixed on Sarah's older sister Lizzie, let's say, charisma, this tale continues at a pace where you're fingers are turning pages. A must-be-there gathering at Count Dunning's estate, Castle Magnus, is established, and right off the rip folks, Janz keeps this pace alive and flowing onto the next set of events.  Getting some understanding of history and back-story while at the gathering, The story moves. 

And during this time, you get to read some of the best gothic horror telling you could read. Depicted on paper and ink, visually the events are graphically displayed in your mind's eye as colorful as you could smell the atmosphere the characters are going through. The characters' dialect with one another was from an era I am personally not familiar with, but I'm telling you, the enjoyment I had, as I listened to them and watch them go through their horror was worth my time. 

After the must-be-gathering, we eventually are on the top floors of Castle Magnus where all the wrinkles get ironed out and all the pretty ends get sewn together, so we as readers, get the jest behind everything. People falling in love, out of love, bug-eyed from gasp of reality setting in, smiles, frowns, hanging on to last words, tears, and even laughter were abundant on the upper floors. This story of a young couple enveloped in a nightmare and their perseverance so they could put an end to this horror they were living through, you are hooked. Rooting for them and wishing for God's speed would come naturally if you have an ounce of humanity in ya.

In the end, the whole reason for Count Dunning's panache in wanting Violet's hand in marriage, the reasoning behind dad's (& mom's[they're married]) financial strain, Sarah's beliefs, the town folk's thinking of the local lore and gossip of Count Richard Dunning's age and his shenanigans? and all about Lizzie and Arthur are answered satisfyingly. You will definitely love this read folks.

The ending almost comes to a fairy-tale ending for some, almost.



Really a quick read folks, so, I highly suggest reading this and bypassing your tbr.



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Here's where you can get your fingers on The Dismembered:
  • Amazon ~ Audiobook $14.95 ~ Paperback $16.99 ~ Audio CD $21.95 ~ USD
  • IndieBound ~ Support your local bookstores


About the author:







Connect with Jonathan












Jonathan Janz is the author of more than a dozen novels. He is represented for Film & TV by Ryan Lewis (executive producer of Bird Box). His work has been championed by authors like Josh Malerman, Caroline Kepnes, Stephen Graham Jones, Joe R. Lansdale, and Brian Keene. 

His ghost story The Siren and the Specter was selected as a Goodreads Choice nominee for Best Horror. Additionally, his novels Children of the Dark and The Dark Game were chosen by Booklist and Library Journal as Top Ten Horror Books of the Year.

He also teaches high school Film Literature, Creative Writing, and English. Jonathan’s main interests are his wonderful wife and his three amazing children.


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Reviewed by No comments:

Angel Falls by Julia Rust & David Surface ~ 2022

 

... In a way, Jared thinks, it's like he and Jessie

are the last two people on Earth ...




Author: Julia Rust  &  David Surface
Publisher: YAP Books, an imprint of Haverhill House Publishing LLC
Publication: October  16, 2022
Pages: 352
ISBN-13: 978-1949140330
ASIN-10: ‎ B0BDVNBQY3
Cover design & setup: © 2022 Errick Nunnally



A digital copy was provided by award-winning author John McIlveen (Hannahwhere 2015) for an honest review alongside my proffered thank you for asking ~



4 Stars



Julia Rust
John McIlveen had asked me to review this tale from Julia Rust and David Surface somehow knowing it had been a while since I have read a coming-of-age tale.

Glad he did. I have not read any works from these authors and I found out this story is full of mystery, family love, soul searching, and secrets.

Folks, this tale from alternating point-of-view chapters from the characters, these authors will have you engrossed on a journey for fifteen-year-old Jessie Reed, as she discovers the consequences of wanting and needing, and trusting their gut. And, she's not the only one discovering things as the characters get introduced through this reading.

Sure, every young teen would want to have her parents stay together till the end of time, sure. Jessie is questioning her parents' marriage and is on the road with her dad to take care of an inherited house from Cousin Dorothy in the seaport village of Beauport while her mother stays behind in New York City.

She gets her hell scared right out of her at the end of chapter one ... though Angel Falls just might be the place she's looking for after all. 

Angel Falls is a place governed by a strange and mysterious history of power that made it seem to me it held the town and its people hostage. Those who have actually experienced its powers and know first-hand are being taken care of by loved ones. Loved ones who dare not go into the wood that holds the falls. Jessie also finds out the falls are also governed by another enigma. Sixteen-year-old Jared Younger. 

Those are his stompin' grounds.

Jared and Jessie meet one day, after (summer) school for Jared and from a bike ride for Jessie, Jared gives her the low-down on the falls and tries to cement the notion - DO NOT COME BACK HERE, you don't know your way around. It's just a heads-up. Yet, Jessie takes her own stance and will do what she wills. She tells the, "Boy."

Between these two characters' dialogue and their inner monologues, you can't help but enjoy them throughout their experiences. Especially with each other.

They both have their own personal family problems they're dealing with, trying to figure out how to fix things and have everyone happy and content. Especially them, so they don't have to work so damn hard on trying to feel normal. If you had the power to fix your family, wouldn't you? Jessie fixing her parents' marriage; Jared fixing his dad's depression?

In comes Mr. Chris Delany. Jared's summer school teacher.

David Surface
The character of Mr.Delany folks, I mean, Mr.Delany meant good in all aspects of trying to see if one can actually come to the bottom line. Throughout the years, he taught Jared to read, and well, I'm figuring if he is going to give up his summer to these kids that have to go to summer school, I'm going to like this guy.

He loves putting Jared on the spot in class. 

After an unexplained event at school that made Jared's eyes bulge, then another event, then another as the story continued, Jared starts to realize he might possess a power to make things happen. He fought with thoughts of not trusting Mr. Delany, but, Delany was laying out the evidence. It was looking like two and two are four. Tale continues with Jared starting to realize he might be in possession of such power and trusting his notion that, Jessie, also, just might possess this power.

Jessie's visceral feelings of not trusting Chris Delany are on full alert. Does Chris really want to help Jared or is there some type of payoff for him in the end? Was he vetted for his position? Does he really understand the falls power? Ah yes, the bottom line. As Jared and Jessie uncover secrets that lead to satisfying answers, Delany was a character I enjoyed reading.

As they persue their answers, supernatural ghosts make their decision making harder. Just as those characters grew through the tale, they also grew together on their quest. Folks, it was a dark path they traveled.

Folks, this a great read with real teenage compassionate characters and the growing up they do. The inner turmoil they went through with their feelings was expressed point on. Great writing describing such emotions, I'd say. As you read some of these passages you'll catch your head nodding up and down in agreement. Just as their self-reflections did in this tale. And, their Moxi is second to none in dealing with this supernatural force alive in the falls and the decisions they decide to make. Very good enjoyable read.


Speaking of characters:

Chris Delany's character was drawn in my mind as a Snidely Whiplash image. Every time he spoke, or looked, or ... I could see that grin of his. Jared's dad seemed so far out there in time, I pictured him as a mad painter even as if nothing else was going on in his life. Sitting there beside the ocean painting some vision he sees.  A Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future gaze image. The lot of secondary characters were drawn out for me as that, secondary. For me, not really getting any flavor from them. Couldn't really see them, smell them, etc., though,  they worked well for their role. The main characters were spot on as growth and color throughout, especially, at the end where they all bloomed. Even the characters that were called from the falls. 

The pacing/timing was at a great speed for me once it got going and with the alternating chapters being melded together effortlessly, it was a read you wanted to know what was coming next. And those last few sentences at the end of the chapters, I applaud you both, Julia and David. Thank you. The story moves ~

The dread you guys produce for Jared and Jessie throughout this story was spot on and the atmosphere you created: the bothersome unease you created when they visited Miss Gardner and Pete, around the school, and the woods, I loved it, folks!

There are a lot of issues in this read that were touched on; pending divorce, falling in love, trust, self-reflection, lost love, family bonding, and horror, to name a few. A delicious tale to enjoy yourself with one weekend and find out how Jared and Jessie fair.


Damn right it gets one of my 4 Stars.
Shoot, I have a pocket full of them if the writing keeps me ~


Again, thank you YAP Books for this enjoyment 

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Here's where you can get your fingers on Angel Falls:
  • Amazon ~ Hardback $12.95 ~ Paperback $15.95 ~Kindle $6.99 ~ USD
  • IndieBound ~ Support your local bookstores



About the authors:





Connect with Julia


Julia Rust is a writer and teaching artist from the Hudson River Valley in New York. With David Surface, she runs Veterans Writing Workshop, bringing free workshops to U.S. veterans and active duty military in the metro-NYC area.

She is the principal instructor for On the Homefront which offers memoir workshops for veterans’ family members in partnership with Poets & Writers and the White Plains Public Library and has served on the board of the Hudson Valley Writers’ Center.

She is also an actor, and Buddhist and can often be found stuck to the couch by a cat in her lap.






Connect with David






David Surface lives in the Hudson Highlands in a 160-year-old brick house that he shares with his wife, the author Julia Rust, and two cats, Howl and Greebo (named after Dianne Wynn Jones and Terry Pratchett characters).

David is the author of 'Terrible Things', a collection of short stories published by Black Shuck Books, and is co-author with Julia Rust of 'Angel Falls', a YA supernatural suspense novel from YAP Books, an imprint of Haverhill House Publishing.

His stories have appeared in genre publications including Shadows & Tall Trees, Supernatural Tales, Nightscript, Morpheus Tales, Twisted Book of Shadows, The Tenth Black Book of Horror, and Best Horror of the Year Volume 13, as well as literary journals such as North American Review, Crazyhorse, Fiction, Marlboro Review, and Doubletake.

A story co-authored with Julia Rust, ‘TallDarkAnd’, appears in the Swan River Press anthology, Uncertainties III. His stories have received long-list Honorable Mentions in Ellen Datlow’s Best Horror of the Year, Volumes 7 and 8, SFEditors Picks, and have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize in fiction.


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Reviewed by No comments:

Do Not Weep For Me by Tony Tremblay ~ 2022



When you're looking for a light lull into Hell ... of a read.



Publisher: Twisted Publishing, an imprint of Haverhill House Publishing LLC
Publication: January 31, 2022
Pages: 248
ISBN-13: 978-1-949140-11-8
Cover design: © 2022 David Dodd & Errick Nunnally
Author photograph: Chris White



Read from my TBR list



A cup of 5 Blue Stars



Tony Tremblay
Wanted to sit down and get into a fantastic horror read. Something to get entertained with without having to go through a lot of pages to get there. Scrounged around my tbr pile and found this gem.

Gem?

Have you ever been to Goffstown, New Hampshire? The quaint little town of neighborly folks and smiles. Just south of Castle Rock. Ah yes, Goffstown, the town I picture as one of those Norman Rockwell portraits. A tranquil little spot in the world. It is where Tony Tremblay, one of the nicest guys in horror resides. Yes, you heard me right, horror.

Bram Stoker Finalist Tony Tremblay had put Goffstown, New Hampshire on the horror map with his debut The Moore House (2018) where Father MacLeod and three excommunicated nuns, Nora, Agnes, and Celeste investigate a purported house in Goffstown that might have supernatural forces. An unrelenting horror story that sticks with you. 

This tale of Tony's starts off with a woman having a story to tell. An off-the-wall epic tale that the editor of the local newspaper the Goffstown Times, Manuel Chance, wears nothing but a dubious visage as she spins the yarn? As she went on and on he wore this doubtful demeanor only until she shows proof of what she is saying, by taking off her clothes. Seeing the evidence, he is now at attention.

After Manuel learned of the woman's name, the woman who had been kidnapped the year previous, Irene Delaney told the editor she has reason to believe she knows the person kidnapping recent missing children. She wants Manuel to investigate her husband to determine if he is behind the disappearance of the children.

Paul Lane is one of the parents along with Lynne Carole whose children are missing. Their children, Cindy and Lisa respectively, were found folks so no worries right? Well, they brought someone with them. 

(Damn, this book was good)

The heart of this story is set inside The Goffstown Pawnshop. Across the street from the pawnshop straight from Colby, Kansas is a vehicle with two decomposing bodies wrapped up in a blue plastic tarp. Their transporter, a woman on a mission, possessed by the need to procure an item from the pawnshop makes her way to the doors. (which, personally folks, I would love to visit. Wait till you find out about its treasures and the pawnshop itself)

After Tremblay sets things in motion you're wrapped, folks. Yep, like those decomposing bodies are. The atmosphere is thick with horror and the visual effects he describes are unreal and with unrelenting action happening, well, the reading absorbs you. The afflictions he puts his characters through are ghastly entertaining and downright page-turning. The torment he puts a few through and the torment that still awaits others are depicted as horrifically captivating. And folks, this is a forewarning: you disregard the reality of the present time. You'll turn another page. Just sayin'.

Tremblay herds them all together at the pawnshop where he has his way with them. Irene and Manuel, Paul and Lynne, and when it came to the kids, in the back of mind - "How is Tony gonna dance with the devil with those two?" Well, he did. Sorry folks, that's as far as I'm going with that. Seemed all of his characters had to go through hell save one. During all the hell breaking loose in the pawnshop and where he is tying up all the loose ends of this story, even in this ending, not sure that one will find peace. Maybe he already has. Tremblay does display hope.  

The whole novel was super entertaining for a religious-themed horror read. His writing flows pleasantly through hell and then before you know it hours have passed. Escaping reality and taking a horror ride with Tremblay is enjoyable as all get out. Yeah, one of those.

There are those heart-warming moments where characters that pull through the chaos, you can feel smiles inside you as you read. Or, where the anticipation and suspense are happening it also awaits on the edge of your fingertips to turn the next page. Never mind the thump in your diaphragm from gasp. Which best describes how an author on his game pulls you in. The unspoken words Tony is telling you. Fears I should say.

Tremblay wraps up the ending smoothly. The chaos that breaks out inside the pawnshop is descriptive and second to none for horror writing.  Barriers trying to separate Good vs. Evil is on full display. (color included) Who's gonna win? Will the children live through this? Or did Tremblay throw in another option? Is there another option? Sure, this is horror. And you know, on the back cover of this novel folks, it does say God isn't the one on their side. Is there a loser? 

A delicious tale of horror, ghosts, sex, evil at its best, and hope within reach? Those of you who have read Tony's debut The Moore House, you know he puts hope within reach. Those of you that have not, no worries, this sequel to his debut stands on its own horrifying you.


* Just a note for you folks that are squirmish on graphic sex scenes - they're there in their devilish colors ~


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On a side note, Tony is well known to throw friends' names in his stories. As well as mentioning great reads from fellow authors. For example, Tom Piccirilli, a 4-time Bram Stoker winner, and Bracken MacLeod, a Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author. Matt Bechtel, who anyone would tell you sees the world a bit differently. (Monochromes and Other Stories (2017) is proof his mind is twisted and I love it.) Father Golden at the Vatican. Also, James Moore, the incarnate devil Himself.
Folks, there are others. There will always be others ~
I applaud and proffer a bow to authors who throw their friends into Hell. I really do.

Tony's 'sitting beside the campfire telling you a gut-wrenching horror story where you won't be able to sleep writing' was introduced to me a few years back from award-winning John McIlveen (Hannahwhere 2015). He's to blame.



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Here's where you can get your fingers on Do Not Weep For Me:
  • Amazon ~ Hardback $26.95 ~ Paperback $16.95 ~Kindle $7.99 ~ USD



About the author ~

Tony Tremblay


Connect with Tony

and see what he's up to







Tony Tremblay is the author of The Seeds of Nightmares, a collection of his short stories from Crossroad Press that made the Bram Stoker Awards Recommended Reading List.

The Seeds of Nightmares debuted at number two on the Amazon Hot Horror Chart and made the top twenty in the Amazon Horror sales listing. His horror and noir-themed tales have been featured in anthologies, magazines, and websites on both sides of the Atlantic.

In addition to his print work, Tremblay is the host of The Taco Society Presents, a cable T. V. show on G-TV based out of Goffstown, NH ( it can be viewed on YouTube ) that features discussions on horror as well as guest interviews with horror authors.

In addition, he has worked as a reviewer of horror fiction for Cemetery Dance Magazine, Beware The Dark Magazine, and the Horror World Website. He (along with John McIlveen and Scott Goudsward) founded NoCon, a horror convention held every September in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Also, Tony Tremblay is the writer of numerous short stories that have been published in various horror anthologies, horror magazines, and webzines under his pen name, T T Zuma.

He lives in New Hampshire with his wife Paula.


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Before you go off to another site -





About Tony's, Bram Stoker nominated debut novel
The Moore House

Think of all the scary stories you've read about demonic possession
Remember all the horrible scenes you have seen in horror movies

This will be worse






Deep within Tony's dense imagination:


The Seeds Of Nightmares did not bring the reader into the story,
it brought the story into reality for the reader.


&

This link is what I had to say on one of his many short stories, one
that is part of a three-part series The Terror Project, titled Steel


Go ahead, pick a story, any story
you'll be glad you did

 Triplicity: The Terror Project Vol. 1 by Stacey Longo / Tony Tremblay / Rob Smales ~ 2016

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And for a beautiful cause folks, you'll find his short story Blue Stars appearing in Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a charity anthology benefiting the Jimmy Fund / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute



Speaking of Blue Stars




Tony's short-story Fake News appears in The Dystopian States of America, a charity anthology benefitting the ACLU Foundation


Wanna be intrigued?

Folks, do enjoy ~

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Reviewed by No comments:

Road of Bones by Christopher Golden ~ 2022

 


Golden takes words and blows the chill down your spine.



Author: Christopher Golden
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers
Publication: January 25, 2022
Pages: 230
Language: English
ISBN: 978-1250274304
Jacket design by Johnathan Bush
Jacket art: snowy landscape © merc67/Getty Images ; snow © Liyao Xie/Getty Images
Author photographer: (Courtesy) Shivohn Kacy Fleming



4 Stars



Read from the ever teetering TBR list ~



Christopher Golden
Seriously, folks, I've always wanted to visit Siberia. Experience first hand the grueling frigid temps and get a taste into an austere, I would believe, lifestyle. Catch a glimpse of some wildlife and enjoy some local cuisine. Truly be in Siberia. To visit, I repeat.

Well, my latest adventure ~

As a winter storm was brewing and temperatures dropping, then the impact of snow being so dense my hometown was mentioned on the national news (which made me raise an eyebrow) I cracked open a tale quite appropriate to my actual settings.

New York Times best-selling author Christopher Golden (Ararat 2017) introduced me to a couple of characters by the names of Felix Teigland and Jack 'John' Prentiss and we all took off to Siberia. Since Mr. Golden already knew how this tale would end, it was only Felix, Jack, and I who took off. To Kolyma Highway (R504), stretching from Magadan to Yakutsk.

A highway constructed by prisoners of Stalin's gulags. As they worked themselves to death, their dead bodies were deposited where they dropped and helped form Kolyma Highway. The Road of Bones to be more precise.

The reason being for this trek, (besides me always wanting to visit Siberia) Teigland is a reality TV documentarian and he started to believe his future was looking a bit bleak. He needed something to cement his future paychecks. Covering the Road of Bones and its history with Stalin might be the hitch he'll need to have his company run for years on the networks. He owed people, Prentiss owed Teig, and I owe myself a great read.

I climbed to my mental loft and peered below, as I often do during a read, and watched Teig and Prentiss get on their way to pick up their guide, Kaskil. Their guide is from the northern Yakut tribe, known as reindeer herders who will guide them to ... the coldest place on Earth... to the town of Akhust. 
Along the way, Teig and Prentiss listened to local legends and ghost stories. Folks, the three of them were drawn with such personalities, I couldn't help but grin through their ordeals? with each other. Another, is Nari, a woman they rescued from the roadside. Now she is a character all on her own.

Alright folks, when they get to Akhust, they find the town empty of life, save one catatonic nine-year-old girl, Una, ― in the library. (Love how authors plug libraries) The way Golden explained why they looked in the library, was the most obvious. It would be exactly what I would have done. As empty as the town was, the town wasn't actually void of all life. Shadows that became wolves with hunger seemed to be abundant. Not your ordinary pack of wolves, rather, they were other wolves' mentors, I might want to say. And these damn things? they were persistent as hell.

And their local Parnee.

High tail it out of there? Teig and his entourage do. Not without casualties and close calls and Holy Shits! and running into more characters that added flavor to this mix of being chased by ... what? They're not from this world, or, is this real? And, where is everybody!?

Is the answer secretly hidden in this nine-year-old?

Folks, the setting and the atmosphere are tense. The scenes of how cold it is there were graphic and picture-perfect. The handful of characters were drawn vividly appreciative. Each had their own persona and beliefs and attitudes. Some attitudes were shown more than others which gave the story more of a realism feel. Teig and Prentiss show their 'brotherly' relationship to each other just as I would see in others around me. The writing made me feel I was with them throughout their ordeals. Loved how all the characters grew with their time together.

As they were running into more characters, one reminded me of some 1960'ish Flower Child by the name of Ludmilla. This character was a character. She would go out onto the highway and pray for the lost souls that made up the Road of Bones.  She has done it for years. "Bless you all," she intoned. "Cast off the deeds of life that bind you here. The Lord awaits."

In this tale, Teig runs into people alongside this highway where you could find yourself freezing to death if you don't have enough gas in your vehicle and yet his destination, not a soul. (I enjoyed the juxtaposition of people on the highway and no one there in town. Life is a highway ~) All Teig wanted at the moment was to get everyone to safety. They were being pursued by beasts that were smarter and faster than normal wolves he is aware of. He was also being pursued by a memory from earlier in life. 

Throughout the book, you're gonna be cold. There's no room for doubt folks. You'll be wrapping yourself with your throw, and literally, you will be glued to the pages. Golden takes words and blows the chill down your spine. This story held me pretty damn good and I did enjoy freezing my ass off with Teig, Prentiss, Nari, and Una and the others, and those ... shadows, wolves, spirits, and ~

I scratched my elbow on a couple things, for those of you that have read it:
~ There was something that popped out at me on page 195, how did Prentiss aim that rifle?
~ Una's name was mentioned earlier by Nari, so in the end?
~ The reason for the pissed-off monsters was vague to me

But you know, all destinies have their own fate. The ending to this story wrapped up nicely for a few and was quite vicious for others. After reflecting back, it seemed as if every character in this tale had something to protect in the end, even dignity.

I really did enjoy the hell out of this one, folks. I was after sentences that hit me and leave me glued to the pages. This was eerie and horrifically satisfying. Sentence after sentence. It delivered what I was looking for and somewhere somehow a part of me is still in Siberia freezing my ass off. I am not wondering why,

I have read some of Golden's short stories that have appeared in such anthologies as One of Us: A Tribute to Frank Michaels Errington by Kenneth W. Cain, Stephen King, +8 more ~ 2020 and an extreme horror short story along with the great author James A. Moore titled Bloodstained Oz 2006 and I'm telling you if you have not read any of Golden's works you're missing out in being in the element with Christopher. You're missing out.
Folks, Christopher Golden's writing is quite smooth in making you slip into a few hours into horror and making you turn the page, for example in this read,

She looked to Teig like something out of a dream. In his imagination, he could still see the cherry hue of her hair, but in the dark, it turned black. Nari swept across the snow in a monochrome wave, all black, color leached from the world. Only her face seemed to reflect any light, a pale gleam punctuated by the pinpoint terror in her eyes.

Colorful.

Read on.

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Recommend?

I highly do

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Here's where you can get fingers on Road of Bones:



About the author:


Connect with Christopher
&
see what he's up to







CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling and Bram Stoker award-winning author of Ararat, Snowblind, Dead Ringers, and Of Saints and Shadows, among many other novels.
With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of two cult favorite comic book series, Baltimore and Joe Golem: Occult Detective. Golden is also the editor of such anthologies as Seize the Night, The New Dead, and Dark Cities, and the co-host of the popular podcast "Three Guys with Beards." He lives in Massachusetts.

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Reviewed by No comments:

Pearl by Josh Malerman ~ 2021

 


Malerman will put a chill into any horror reader's bones



Author: Josh Malerman
Publisher: Del Ray, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC
Originally published in hardcover in the United States as On This, the Day of the Pig by Cemetery Dance Publications, in 2018
Publication: October 12, 2021
Pages: 304
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0593237838
ISBN-13: 978-0593237830
Jacket design and illustration: David G. Stevenson
Book design by Caroline Cunningham
Title-page background image: iStock/AngelaHarrodPhotography
Author photographer: Allison Laakko



Read from the teetering tbr ~


5 Stars



Josh Malerman

Folks, Josh Malerman is an astounding writer with novels reaching into a realm of what is known as must-reads.

After you all had read Bird Box and those of you who watched the movie, I know damn well some of you picked up another read from this guy ...

... the way Malerman introduced me to Walter Kopple's family with his grandson Jeff killing one of his pigs in such a hypnotic-induced descriptive way, starting right off the rip with Pearl in action, Malerman had me for hours. 

Josh, this writing captivates the audience like an old friend putting their arm around your shoulder, and then, Pearl makes you sing. Yes, no Pearl does not mind if you can carry a tune or not ... he'll make you bring it in. He'll make you sing for him. And, as the chapters unfold, you eventually put your other arm around our other shoulder, and ... you bring it in for the reader.

To be honest folks, I thought a telepathic pig on his quest to have humans kill for him was going to be a 'What-the-hell-are-you-thinking-putting-this-out-there-after-writing-Bird Box?' kind of tale ... hoping all along it has to have a dynamite twist. And after reading, I found out, Pearl is a legend ~ Walter's daughter, Sherry, and her sons Jeff and Aaron experience firsthand, wrath in unspeakable terms with a pig and his bidding.

As the town folks are fearing what is going on at Kopple's farm, in the end after all is said and done, a bigger fear is revealed. That is for you dear reader.

Folks, this tale of Pearl (and all the while I'm picturing Arnold from Green Acres) is set pretty much on Murdock Road in Chowder, Michigan not too far from Goblin, where the population is reflected of the handful of characters making up this murderous read. Just as the characters grew through this story, (and some that don't) so did the town of Chowder. I would hopefully believe.

The town folks heard that Jeff killed one of Walter's pigs out of sheer nothingness. Jeff defended himself saying a voice told him to do it. Pearl, the pig told him to do it. Now his brother Aaron thinks he's crazy and when word gets out around school, well hell, the kid's beside himself now. 

And of course, there are those kids who have to see this pig.

The characters, especially the two stoners, Mitch and Jerry (making up the members of the Plastic Satanic Club), and Susan (Miss Goody-two-shoes {almost}) are realistic, they were wonderfully drawn, and their inner-monologue was my glue to become a supporter for them. Man, I wished them well through this read.

The secondary characters rounded out the story. Their standings in the community, their dialog, their actions, were drawn out and on point for me with the way you penned this story. When people in town started whispering Walter's grandson heard a voice that commanded him to kill, I could picture the scenes quite well. All throughout this story, I mean, straight from the beginning. And, you drop atmosphere all over the place. I was there. I loved the county fair scenes when I wasn't hanging around on Murdock. I even smelled fair food. Rurally, Malerman, you brought that part of Michigan to me and I met some folks whom I wouldn't mind meeting again. 

The pace was action-packed I would like to mention and Malerman puts the reader in two and three places at once during the read. This is non-stop edge-of-your-seat horror writing. The antici ... ... pation is crazy. Something is constantly going on, this is a page-turner.

Concerning the character Bob Buck the pig farmer, how many real-life Bob's are presently alive and kickin' and laughing at this read? This tale made an excellent view into how some things are seen and maybe, an awakening for some? Folks, Bob Buck is another way of looking at the local pig farmer and the ilk he could surround himself with. I loved this view into our mid-west country scenery ~ through a different eye.

I believe if I recall correctly, Pearl only harms two types of animals and leaves the others in high-anxiety lived moments. (Note-to-self moment as I write this review) A ponder thought.

Mr. Malerman, the use of parenthesis in your clarifications as I read along was humorously 'grinnable'.  Made the sentences move for some reason. So, I kept turning pages. I don't believe I have come across writing with those clarifications (parenthesis) so close to each other through the paragraphs. I found it ... I'm stuck in provoke. The writing was there vividly and the extra clarification really wasn't needed in my opinion, but, you through it in anyways. I'm liking it. 

Walked around a bit flipping through some pages and asked me what I didn't care for in this read; what felt to me were these wanna-be catchphrase words Jerry and Mitch were using to stand out?: pukin', jebus, and nuckin futz. Sure glad they weren't indulged upon for use, that really weighs down a read; this was not weighed, and I do have respect for the word patois. Josh, you might like to hang with a few neighbors of mine down in Knockemstiff, Ohio. Just sayin'.

The ending was a bit out there for me for some odd-ball reason I've got to find. But, I would tell you I had a blast reading this tale of murder and revenge in Chowder. Folks, this is a bloody novel, with scenes that will fill that chill for your horror appetite. Yes, yes it will.


I would recommend you visit Kopple's farm if you love having your face indulged in horror.


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Here's where you can get your fingers on Pearl:


About the author:

Josh Malerman is an American author and also one of two singer/songwriters for the rock band The High Strung, whose song "The Luck You Got" can be heard as the theme song to the Showtime show "Shameless." His book Bird Box was filmed as a feature film starring Sandra Bullock, John Malkovich, and Sarah Paulson. Bird Box was also nominated for the Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the James Herbert Award. His books Black Mad Wheel and Goblin have also been nominated for Stoker Awards.


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https://joshmalerman.com


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