Of Foster Homes and Flies - by Chad Lutzke - One very trying week in the life of a sixth grader

5 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Meet Denny Christopher Newman, a sixth grader at Maguire Elementary School.  Pretty much neglected, a latchkey kid, and a terrific speller.

There is an amazing amount of detail in this novella length story. Things that add just the right amount of color to the canvas that is the writer's narrative.

Our small house acts as an oven in the summer and an old A/C still hangs from the living room window, though it hasn't worked for years.

I've read a number of coming of age tales this year, it's one of my favorite sub-genres.  Of Foster Homes and Flies is the darkest among them.  On par with Robert McCammon's Boys life  or Steven King's The Body.

When Denny's Mom dies unexpectedly, he has no idea what to do, he only knows he wants more than anything to compete in the sixth grade spelling bee the following Wednesday. Lutzke's story is about how he gets there and it's at once compelling, heartbreaking, witty, and charming.

Of Foster Homes and Flies, published by Scary Carpet, is available in e-book, paperback, and audible formats,  If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge.  Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the authors bio - Chad Lutzke lives in Battle Creek, MI. with his wife and children where he works as a medical language specialist. Chad loves music, rain, sarcasm, dry humor, and cheese. He has a strong disdain for dishonesty and hard-boiled eggs. He has written for Famous Monsters of Filmland, Rue Morgue and Scream magazine. He is a regular contributor to Horror Novel Reviews.

My Top Ten Favorite Reads of 2016

Once again I was fortunate enough to read somewhere in the neighborhood of 140 books in the last calendar year.  At this time I'd like to present my favorite reads of 2016.  The first 9 books on the list are in alphabetical order and then, at the end, I'll give you my favorite read in four categories.

Dark Matter - Blake Crouch

I was immediately taken in by the author's writing style.  Clear, concise, narrative.  Fully realized characters.  And a thrilling story to boot. Dark Matter is an amazing journey that is wildly imaginative yet totally believable.

The actual quantum physics involved are a bit over my head, but simplified to the point where even I could follow along.

There are several unexpected twists along the way and underneath all the science and mystery is a love story for the ages.

I Will Rot Without You - Danger Slater 

I Will Rot Without You is not a book I would have sought out on my own.  I've never read anything by the author, other than some of the reviews he's written on Goodreads.  I've never read anything from the small press responsible for its publication, although I have read a number of short stories from John Skipp, the owner of Fungasm Press.

I Will Rot Without You is gonzo or bizarro writing with a bit of beautiful prose mixed in.  At times surreal and totally off-the-wall, yet the underlying story is charming.  Its so much more than in-your-face splatterpunk, it truly defies description.

Mongrels - by Stephen Graham Jones

Mongrels is a completely different kind of werewolf story, told from the point of view of a teenage werewolf who has yet to shift for the first time.  In addition to facing the same issues teens everywhere must deal with, this one faces the uncertainty of when, or even if, he will ever change.

Good literary horror is something to be appreciated, and when you combine that with werewolves, it's time to relax in your favorite reading chair and dig in.

Robert Bloch's Psycho: Sanitarium - by Chet Williamson

If you've never read Robert Bloch's 1959 novel Psycho, not to worry, Chet Williamson provides an excellent synopsis to get the reader up to speed on the events which precede Psycho: Sanitarium.  The story itself succeeds on many levels.  The depiction of life in the asylum rings true with patients running the gamut from calm to violent and a professional staff of both caring individuals and a few that should be committed themselves.  The tone and pacing of the story matches up well with Robert Bloch's original work.  All of the characters are well developed, and the story features a number of delicious twists, all within the realm of possibility.

The Night Parade - by Ronald Malfi 

It's an amazing feeling when you start a new book by a capable writer. one who gently takes you by the hand and guides you on your journey.  Ronald Malfi is such a writer.

Malfi is a master at giving the reader just enough to draw you into his world and then slowly reveals bits and pieces until it all comes together.  Much like painter creating a work of art by adding layer after layer until the piece is just right.

There is a new plague in the land. Wanderer's Folly, which results in nosebleeds, hallucinations, and ultimately death.

Odd Adventures with Your Other Father - by Norman Prentiss

Odd Adventures with Your Other Father is a genre-bending novel, blending fantasy, horror, and a love story that transcends the ordinary.

Celia, had two fathers, one of them passed away when she was four.  Her Father, Shawn, tells her a series of "odd" stories about her other Father, Jack.

It was so easy to become lost in the story-telling.  Somewhat like sitting around a campfire listening to an experienced counselor tell his best tale and then clamoring for one more before crawling into your sleeping bag for the night.

The Rib from Which I Remake the World - by Ed Kurtz

The Rib from Which I Remake the World  is one of those books which doesn't fit neatly into any category.  Is it Noir? Horror? Psychological Thriller? Occult? The list could go on, but truthfully, what Ed Kurtz's latest is, is a heluva read.

A Road Show comes to town with film to play at the Palace Theatre Motherhood Too Soon. It's scandalous, purporting to show an actual childbirth at the end of the motion picture.

Then there's a mysterious, invitation only, midnight show which accompanies the main feature   This is where Kurtz's tale goes from being a crime story to something more. Before long it warps into something completely metaphysical and becomes an unrelenting nightmare for those still alive.

They Say A Girl Died Here Once - by Sarah Pinborough

Four stages of womanhood stuck together by life, but with nothing in common.

I found They Say a Girl Died Here Once to be quietly disturbing, yet beautifully written, spellbinding, powerful stuff  It's not a "fun" read, but it is a potent story which builds to a pulse-pounding climax.

In my modest opinion They Say a Girl Died Here Once is as close to a perfect horror story as you'll find.

Tijuana Donkey Showdown - by Adam Howe 

No need to get into plot details, they don't really matter, what does matter is that reading Tijuana Donkey Showdown is a chance to kick back and relax with a totally fun read.    It's a story filled with OMG moments, just one outrageous surprise after another.


Make no mistake, Tijuana Donkey Showdown, is certainly for adults and even some of those may find the material offensive, but if that's you and you're looking for something to take your mind off the world we live in.  Look no further.



And now my favorite reads of 2016

American Nocturne - by Hank Schwaeble - Favorite Collection  

There are so many talented writers working in the fields of horror and speculative fiction that I'm constantly discovering authors I've not read before who immediately leave me wanting to read more of their work.  Case in point, Hank Schwaeble.  Prior to being sent a copy of this new collection I'd never even heard of him.  Maybe I just need to get out more or stay in and read more.


Jonathan Maberry, an author I have read and greatly respect, has penned an excellent introduction to Hank Schwaeble in general and specifically to American Nocturne.  In essence, he says Hank is the real deal, and that's good enough for me.

After reading this collection this is one I can seriously recommend.

Wicked Witches - An Anthology of the New England Horror Writers - ed. by Scott Goudsward, David Price, & Daniel Keohane - Favorite Anthology

I found the stories in Wicked Witches to be diverse, engrossing, and totally enjoyable. This may seem like a narrow theme for such a large anthology, but each story had it's own unique vision keeping the collection fresh from start to finish.


Halloween may be past, but good horror can be appreciated all year long.

Odd Man Out - by James Newman - Favorite Novella

It's been a few years since The Boy Scouts of America changed their policy to allow gay members. In Newman's Odd Man Out a conservative Christian Church is struggling with allowing the scouts to continue using their building as a meeting place.

What follows is the story of of what happened during a trial run of the Black Mountain Camp for Boys in the Summer of 1989.

Although the campers in Odd Man Out were wonderfully diverse, there was one in their midst who was decidedly different. Wesley Westmore.

By now, I think you might have a pretty good sense of where Newman's tale is headed. There are monsters in Odd Man Out, but they are not the monsters of fiction.  Here the monsters are real.  Just as real as you and I.


I give Odd Man Out my highest recommendation.

Children of the Dark -  by Jonathan Janz  - Favorite Novel

Children of the Dark is one of the most talked about horror books of 2016.  I just had to see what the fuss was about for myself.  Wow.  This is one time where all of the hype was dead on.

In its heart, this book is cryptid horror at it most effective.  A masterpiece of terror. Tenacious in its pacing, and just when you think things can't get any worse...frying pan, meet fire.

When I was finished reading Children of the Dark I was left feeling emotionally drained.  This is what happens when a reader is fully invested in a story.  It's a sign of great writing and regardless of genre this book is definitely great writing.


Feel free to let me know what books you loved this year in the comments section below

Did You Forget About Me? - by Andrew Cull - A short story that's long on atmosphere

5 of 5 Stars     Review copy

I recently read and greatly enjoyed an anthology of Christmas themed horror written by members of the Australian Horror Writers Association.  That book was Hell's Bells and one of the stories within was Old Man Christmas, written by filmmaker/writer Andrew Cull.  When Andrew reached out to me with a request to read and review his new short story, Did You Forget About Me? I jumped at the opportunity.

Cam Miller is a struggling actor and at age thirty he has yet to make his mark.  When his long estranged father dies and leaves Cam his childhood home he contacts his sister and makes plans to visit the property.  The trip brings back unpleasant memories and more.

I don't want to get into he nitty-gritty here.  After all, this is just a short story and it's secrets should be discovered by the reader.  I will say I enjoyed the experience and that Cull makes effective use of his filmmaker's eye for detail.

I pulled the curtain aside.  I could feel the cold pressing against the glass outside, wanting in.

Although this is only a short story, Did You Forget About Me? had something that's been missing in a lot of books I've been reading recently and that's "atmosphere." 

Recommended.

Self-Published and currently available only for the Kindle.  If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge.  Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the author's bio - Andrew Cull is both a writer and director. His first novel, Remains, is set for release in 2017.

Devils in Dark Houses - by B.E. Scully - Four intertwined novellas of murder and mayhem in the Pacific Northwest

5 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Having never read anything from B.E. Scully before, I had no idea what to expect.  Truthfully, I didn't anticipate being entertained as completely as I was.

Devils in Dark Houses is a set of four equally powerful novellas set in the author's home state of Oregon.  The stories are all connected through a pair of homicide detectives assigned to the individual cases.

Before the tales, the author shares a pretty dark quote from Teddy Roosevelt - There is not one among us in whom a devil does not dwell; at some time, on some point, that devil masters each of us.... It is not having been in the Dark House, but having left it, that counts.

The Eye That Blinds - Ross Devlin, Tyler Wickett, and Brooke Merrill, call themselves the Three Muskateers. College friends, each with their own set of delusions.  Ross believes he's been selected for a new reality show called "The Eye,"  Tyler is obsessed with monitoring and controlling Brooke's life, and Brooke has self-diagnosed MS.  Scully delivers a captivating read which will leave detectives Monte Martinez and Cassie Shirdon trying to figure out a brutal, twisted puzzle, the kind we see on TV and just end up shaking our collective heads.

Each Castle Has Its King - A story that asks, "Can a house be evil?" Calvin Goodman and his wife, Rachel, and their dog, Jackson, move to the country.  ...leaving Los Angeles for a "more peaceful, sane place." like Oregon.  There was no question about the peaceful part. But Rachel wasn't at all convinced about the "more sane" part of the bargain.   Their neighbor on the one side, Roy Crampton, was less than friendly.  The Dell sisters, Mary and Mabel, lived on the other side of their property and were disturbing in their own way.

Nostri -  This was my favorite of the four novellas is the collection.  Disenfranchised teens and a story that asks some hard questions.  Thought provoking and frightening.  What starts with a fascination with the teachings of a Roman philosopher and taking a stand on some social issues, in an unusual way, takes a decidedly dark turn and ends in murder.  Once again, Martinez and Shirdon are on the case.  Without a doubt this was one of the most powerful narratives I've read this year. Chilling in its ramifications.

Devils in Dark Houses - Another story about ethics, addressing the issue in an entertaining, dark fiction sort of way. Good cops, not so good cops, DB Cooper, and an itinerant schizophrenic that refers to himself as the Hound.  What's not to love. Plus, the Hound knows something about the past in the very police department where Martinez and Shirdon still work homicide.  Given what they have to work with, getting to the truth will be anything but easy.

B.E. Scully has a very comfortable writing style which made reading this quartet of novellas a joy and I look forward to reading her work again, soon.

Definitely recommended.

Devils in Dark Houses is available from DarkFuse in both paperback and e-book formats.   If you subscribe to the Kindle Unlimited program you can read this book at no additional charge.  Also, if you're an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the author's bio - B.E. Scully lives in a haunted red house that lacks a foundation in the misty woods of Oregon with a variety of human and animal companions.  Scully is the author of the gothic thriller Verland: the Transformation, the short story collection The Knife and the Wound It Deals, and numerous other short stories, poems, and articles.

Where the Dead Go to Die - A story of loss, love, and zombies

5 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Been a while since I've read a great opening line, but this one drew me right in...

The dead roam those halls.

Emily Samuels is starting new job and the protesters were out in force, complete with signs reading, "LIFE IS 4 THE LIVING","BRING OUT UR DED",  'NO TOLERRENCE FOR BONE EATERS", "LET' FINISH THE JOB".

Where the Dead Go to Die is a decidedly different take on the zombie apocalypse...

"No, no, no! We don't say zombie here.  Nor do we refer to our guests as 'smilers', or 'bone eaters' or whatever else it is you hear over there in the Russian quarter, it won't fly here, Emily.  There's a reason those offensive B movies and trashy novels about the infected have been withdrawn from circulation and banned."

In the world created by authors Dries and Gunnells, once infected it can take years before the "dead' become hungry.  As a result the ministry has established long-term care facilities where they can stay until they absolutely need to be terminated. It's not brains these zombies cry for.  Here, the infected crave sugar, fats, and with time, marrow.

Where the Dead Go to Die is a captivating story, powerful in the way its told.  In some ways a comment on elder care as much as it is a story about zombies.  A story with a great deal of humanity, yet filled with gore and...hope.  At one point I was actually moved to tears.

There are several illustrations interspersed throughout the the book.  Each character was rich with authenticity and the storytelling is a cut above...

The pigeon rolled trying to flap itself right again.  Only it was too late.  It entangled itself in the barbed wire lining the lunch area fence.  Meta thorns pierced the bird's fragile hulk, and the more it tried to fight the stronger that hold became.  The pigeon screamed until the pain became too much, and the cooed itself into stunned resignation.

Using a zombie tale to tell a story of the turbulent times we live in seems nothing short of inspired

Not sure whose idea it was to use instructions on creating an origami crane to open each of the Interludes in the story, but that was really inspired.

Wholeheartedly recommended.

Where the Dead Go to Die is published by Crystal Lake Publishing and is available in both paperback and for the Kindle.  If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the authors' bios...

Aaron Dries was raised in a small New South Wales town in Australia.  Among his many jobs is a stint as an aged-care nurse, experience which came in handy in creating the backdrop for Where the Dead Go to Die.  Aaron graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Communication, majoring in creative writing and video production. As a filmmaker, he won a number of awards for his short films.  When he is not writing, Aaron is thinking about writing, or upcoming film projects. He is also an avid traveler.

Mark Allan Gunnells loves to tell stories. He has since he was a kid, penning one-page tales that were Twilight Zone knockoffs. He likes to think he has gotten a little better since then. He loves reader feedback, and above all he loves telling stories. He lives in Greer, SC, with his husband Craig.

Children of the Dark - Jonathan Janz - Well-crafted creature horror

5 of 5 Stars

Children of the Dark is one of the most talked about horror books of 2016.  I just had to see what the fuss was about for myself.  Wow.  This is one time where all of the hype was dead on.

How's this for an opening line?  The week I saw seventeen people die didn't begin with blood, monsters, or a sadistic serial killer.  And things just got better from there.

Will, Chris, and Barley.  Best friends for life. Chiildren of the Dark begins like a typical coming of age novel. Teenage boys discovering teenage girls. Bullies making life difficult.  But, there comes a point when things turn dreadfully dark. Nearly everyone I talked to that night wound up dead anyway.

In its heart, this book is cryptid horror at it most effective.  A masterpiece of terror. Tenacious in its pacing, and just when you think things can't get any worse...frying pan, meet fire.

One of the things that makes Children of the Dark so effective was the contrast between having to deal with the somewhat normal circumstances of growing up, no matter how difficult they may be, and then having that turn into an unrelenting nightmare.  The beginning of the story is filled with charming moments, young love, the anecdote about how Barley got his nickname was nothing short of brilliant, and then BAM!

When I was finished reading Children of the Dark I was left feeling emotionally drained.  This is what happens when a reader is fully invested in a story.  It's a sign of great writing and regardless of genre this book is definitely great writing.

Available in both paperback and e-book formats, Children of the Dark, is published by Sinister Grin Press.

From the author's bio - Jonathan Janz grew up between a dark forest and a graveyard, which explains everything. Brian Keene named his debut novel The Sorrows "the best horror novel of 2012." The Library Journal deemed his follow-up, House of Skin, "reminiscent of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House and Peter Straub's Ghost Story."

His primary interests are his wonderful wife and his three amazing children, and though he realizes that every author's wife and children are wonderful and amazing, in this case the cliché happens to be true.

Hell's Bells - edited by a commitee of the Australian Horror Writers Association- An anthology of festive fear

4 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Hell's Bells happens to be one of my favorite tracks from Back In Black arguably the best album from the Australian rock band AC/DC and fits well as the title for this new anthology. Much like the in-your-face rock 'n' roll AC/DC is known for, Hell's Bells, a collection of 40 flash stories of 500 words or less, will leave you rocking.

I've been aware of Australia as a hotbed of horror for a few years now, and this anthology just solidifies that view.  In the mix are author's I've read a lot, some I've read a bit, and many I've just read for the first time.  While not every story hit the high notes, enough of them did to make this collection worth your time.

There are all kinds of Christmas horror stories among these tales, but my favorites are the Christmas ghost stories, of which there are several.  There truly is something for every fan of dark fiction in Hell's Bells.  It's not easy to write a complete story in under 500 words, but for the most part that's just what the writers accomplish in this compilation.

As I write this review, it's nearly Summer in the land of Oz and here I was reading these stories in the bitterly cold Northeast United States. So I just imagined myself relaxing out on the deck while me mate grills a thick juicy steak on the barbie.  Let me tell ya, that just warmed the cockles of me heart.

Hell's Bells is published by the Australian Horror Writers Association and is currently available for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge.  Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

Clockwork Universe - by John W. Dennehy - A pretty good first novel - Steampunk adventure

4 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Kevin Barnes is a commuter, headed to Boston from the Merrimack Valley in Southern New Hampshire.  On the weekends he performs in a throwback punk band and he looks the part, with a purple Mohawk, diaper pins in his ears, wearing jackboots with crimson laces.

Prior to boarding a stranger asks him to watch his briefcase for a moment, when the man doesn't return, Kevin boards with the briefcase and begins a journey he won't soon forget.

Kevin is thrown into a time and place he barely recognizes, a Boston where the patriots lost the revolution and steam is the primary source of energy.  Here he meets big game hunter, Silas Cunningham and his companion, Niles Barton.  The Englishmen have been tasked with capturing and destroying two dangerous animals which have become loose in the city.

"We are facing Rhino-pards," Cunningham explained.  "They are part rhino and part leopard. Some sort of vivisection done on the Ivory Coast.  A mad French scientist shacked up in a village doing unusual experiments on animals."

The trick with enjoying this debut novel from John W. Dennehy is not to ask too many questions. Questions like, how did a simple commute to Boston result in arriving in an alternate universe in a different timeline and why was there a ray-gun in the stranger's briefcase.

In the end, I found Clockwork Universe to be an entertaining story that could have been so much more.  There is this wonderful world in which Kevin finds himself and yet, most of the story, as good as it is, is spent chasing Rhino-pards.

Clockwork Universe is published by Severed Press in both paperback and for the Kindle.  If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the author's bio - John W. Dennehy is a writer of Horror & Suspense. He has three books under contract with a publisher that will be out soon.  Clockwork Universe is his first published novel.

I Travel by Night - by Robert McCammon - A wonderfully constructed vampire novella; first in a series

5 of 5 Stars   Review copy

Trevor Lawson was a good man, a confederate soldier, injured at the battle of Shilo and bitten by the vampire LaRouge.  A quarter century has passed and he's still struggling to hold on to the last remnants of his humanity.  On his business card, "beneath his name and the address of the Hotel Sanctuaire, was the line All Matters Handled. And below that: I Travel By Night."

Robert McCammon has some serious writing chops and uses them to tell a tight and completely entertaining story that is ripe with the possibilities for as many sequels as he may care to write.

Lawson lives with "the hope that one day he might throw off this heavy burden and find his way back to the sun.  But to do that, (he) would have to find—and kill—the vampire he knew as LaRouge. There had been many trails, but always she slipped the moment.  The Dark Society protected her, for she was their deathless and beautiful Queen."

I readily recommend this tale of the weird wild west.

I Travel by Night by Robert McCammon, from Subterranean Press, is available as an e-book and on the secondary market as a Deluxe Hardcover signed by the author.

From the author's bio - Robert McCammon is the New York Times bestselling author of nineteen novels, including the award-winning Boy's Life and my personal favorite Swan Song.  There are more than four million copies of his books in print.

Odd Man Out - James Newman - A gut-wrenching novella that's perfect for our times

5 of 5 Stars      Review copy

Odd Man Out  was originally released as a signed Limited edition from Thunderstorm Books, but this truly is a book everyone should get to read and so now it's deservedly getting the wide release treatment from Bloodshot Books.

It's been a few years since The Boy Scouts of America changed their policy to allow gay members. In Newman's Odd Man Out a conservative Christian Church is struggling with allowing the scouts to continue using their building as a meeting place.

There's a vote that does not go in the scouts favor and this brings back memories Dennis Munce has managed to block out for nearly three decades.

What follows is the story of of what happened during a trial run of the Black Mountain Camp for Boys in the Summer of 1989.

James Newman is a gifted storyteller with an eye for detail. Alongside the tables sat about thirty beige metal folding chairs, like the ones my favorite wrestlers were always hitting each other over the head with on WCW Saturday Morning.  It's not like I'm reading an account of events, but more like I've been transported to the actual place and time.

The banter among the teenage boys was much like what I heard from my cruder friends growing up. Although the campers in Odd Man Out were wonderfully diverse, there was one in their midst who was decidedly different. Wesley Westmore.

When you're young there is no greater sense of relief than when the bullies' sights are no longer turned on you.

By now, I think you might have a pretty good sense of where Newman's tale is headed. There are monsters in Odd Man Out, but they are not the monsters of fiction.  Here the monsters are real.  Just as real as you and I.

It's as if the writer anticipated the fallout from the recent Presidential election.  True, these behaviors have existed for a long time, but this story could not be more relevant.  It's a tale that had a profound effect on me.  If you're willing to keep your mind open and experience the true horror of this novella you might just be in for a mind-altering read.

I give Odd Man Out my highest recommendation.

James Newman's Odd Man Out is available from Bloodshot Books in paperback and e-book formats. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge.  Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the author's bio - James Newman lives in North Carolina with his wife and their two sons.  His published works include The Wicked, Animosity, and Ugly As Sin, and the collection People Are Strange.

SNAFU: Black Ops - edited by Amanda J. Spedding and Geoff Brown - The exceptional military Horror anthology series continues

5 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Editors Amanda J. Spedding and Geoff Brown have once again gathered some of the best and brightest writers to be a part of their highly successful SNAFU military horror anthology series.

Somewhere along the way I've lost count on the exact number of books in this collection, but it's getting to the point where it could occupy it's own shelf on your bookcase and every one of them has been as good as the first.  SNAFU: Black Ops is no exception.  Get ready for thirteen tales of military horror filled with monsters and mayhem.

Back to Black - Jonathan Maberry & Bryan Thomas Schmidt - A Joe Ledger/Sam Imura Rot & Ruin novella.  Definitely a power-packed way to kick off the anthology.  In the absence of official orders.  Top and Bunny had assigned themselves a mission.  The rules were simple.  Keep moving.  Save whom you could save.  Kill as many zombies as was practical.  Rinse.  Repeat.

The Waking Dragon - R.P.L. Johnson - I loved the ideas the author put forth in this short story.  VR Torture and AI Warfare.  Can it really be that far off?  The advantage of virtual reality torture was after it was done you were still relatively intact.  The agony was real, but temporary.

The Clash of Cymbals - Richard Lee Byers - This story features Crusaders battling the Moors, curses, and more.

Black Tide -James A. Moore & Charles Rutledge - Another familiar hero in the personage of Jonathan Crowley and a well-told story that adds a bit of Lovecraft to the military horror.  As a kid, one of Brent's favorite movies had been The Creature From the Black Lagoon.  This thing looked like the titular creature's bigger, meaner sibling.

Raven's First Flight - Alan Baxter - An adventure featuring the Dark Squad which has caught the attention of Armour.  Armour exists to take care of magical, unnatural, supernatural, etcetera threats to the non-magical, unsuspecting masses.

Sons of Apophis - Christine Morgan - An entertaining tale set in the world of Egyptian mythology
The author tells a story of the creation of night and day I had never heard before.  Fascinating.

Seal Team Blue - John O'Brien - A New World novella.  A virus, a world-wide pandemic, a rushed to production vaccine, and a cure that was worse than the virus.  Fast-paced and action-packed.  One of the better stories in the collection.

A Debt Repaid - Tim Marquitz and J.M. Martin - A Tales of the Prodigy story from two of my favorite writers.  A mission to rescue the woman taken by Bal Surathanan, the slaver.  Gryl will let nothing get in the way of his freeing Jacquial.

Ground Zero - Kirsten Cross - Hands down, my favorite story in the anthology.  Excellently written story about battling Taints (vampires) in the London underground.  One of the most savage and evil monsters ever to walk the face of the earth was currently standing casually on a London underground platform as if it were the most natural thing in the world, dressed in normal clothes, and looking every inch like a bog-standard commuter.  A hidden horror, right there in plain sight.

Deepest, Darkest -Hank Schwaeble - More fun with monsters in the form of a Jake Hatcher short. Jake is forced on a bogus mission under false pretenses. A layered tale and a lot of fun.

Raid on Wewelsberg - Seth Skorkowsky - A fast-paced story from Skorkowsky's Valducan series set back in WWII fighting Nazi abominations.

God-Killers In Our Midst - James Lovegrove & N.X. Sharps - A tale which answers the question, "Is it possible to kill a god?"

Extinction Lost - Nicholas Sansbury Smith - As a Marine All it takes is all you've got.  Smith has his characters fighting Nazis and the monsters they've created and longing for The good old days when they were fighting men, not monsters.

Black Ops is a broad mix of novellas and short stories from worlds established and new, some tales are weird, some scary, some you might even lose sleep over, but every tale is right on target as the SNAFU series show no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

SNAFU: Black Ops is published by Cohesion Press and is currently available for the Kindle and will soon be out in paperback, too.

I totally recommend every one of the books in the SNAFU anthology series.  Enjoy.

Haven, Kansas - by Alethea Kontis -

5 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Alethea Kontis is already a very successful writer, but one I've never had a chance to read, until now.  Haven, Kansas may be a YA novel, but it is certainly not without its scares.

Erin was supposed to go to her best friend Lora's for...

the Blood Moon, the last full moon before the Witches' New Year and Erin's birthday.  According to the Wiccan books Lora had acquired for her research library, the October moon  was meant to be a night of cleansing, a purge of  all the bad things in their lives.  A time to give thanks for the bounty that the year had brought them.  It was all about new beginnings ...or, it should have been.

Instead, Erin has a rendezvous with a boy, a meetup that does not go as planned, where a lost spirit enters her body, what her grandmother would call a Ghost Dancer.  Erin had always loved those stories.  Not anymore.

What follows is an entertaining tale of ghosts, witches, and ancient curses.

I am instantly drawn to the rich characters and great storytelling.  The family dynamics between Lora and her brothers Conner and Luke and her parents feet real.  And although just a bit player in the this tale, I found Ashley, part of a clique of mean girls in Lora's class, was one of those characters you just love to hate.

Only a few days ago it had all been that simple—one more day just like the one before it, full of the same, silly, mundane problems.  She had been just another teenager who thought witches and magic were an entertaining way to pass the time an knew nothing of the restless ghosts and bloody murder and the smell and sight of death.  If she let her mind wander, she could almost imagine that none of it ever happened, that it was just a fantasy, that she was really insane and living in a delusion of grandeur.

Early in the story there are hints at horror, but mostly it just seems like so much teenage angst.  Stick with it.  This may be a YA story, but in the end there is plenty of horror and plenty of scares, several "oh, wow" moments, and there was even one scene I was reading all alone where I let out an audible gasp.  It's that good.

Ultimately, a story dealing with loss and sacrifice, it's one I can strongly recommend.

Haven, Kansas is available now in hardback, paperback, and e-book formats.

Author bio - New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a fairy godmother, and a geek.  In 2015, she gave a keynote address at the Lewis Carroll Society’s Alice150 Conference in New York City, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.  Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea currently lives and writes on the Space Coast of Florida. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie.

Wrathbone and Other Stories - by Jason Parent - A solid collection of chilling tales

5 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Jason Parent's new collection, Wrathbone and Other Stories, includes some wonderfully original tales of horror.  There may be only 5 stories in this collection, totaling 160 pages, but each tale is deserving of your attention and if you have yet to discover Jason's work, this book will serve as a worthy introduction.

Wrathbone - The collection begins with the novella length story of Lincoln's assassination, told as never before, in the voice of Poe or perhaps Lovecraft. The author truly captures the writing style of the old masters. "Terror ate at my sanity like mealworms through bread."  A great way to start this compilation of tales.

The Only Good Lawyer - Here the author breaths new life into the voodoo doll story with a narrative of a lawyer having a very bad day.

Dorian's Mirror - Dorian Clarke is a good looking guy, a model, and a part-time bartender. The reader will quickly discover the author choose this character's name for a reason.  "He owed his sub-par appearance to hallucinations spawned by a long night of drinking, drugging, and sex with a girl whose name he'd never forget."

For The Birds - Nev loved his parrot, Joli, a bird which has developed some unusual eating habits over the years.  Habits, Nev was all too happy to indulge. This particular tale didn't quite go the way I expected and was all the better for it.

Revenge Is a Dish - Maurice is a top-notch chef who takes a job aboard a rich Doctor's yacht on a trip around the world.  Ostensibly to cook, but also to bone the Doc's much younger wife every chance he gets.  Things don't exactly go as planned in this cold-hearted conclusion to a superb collection.

Wrathbone and Other Stories gets my highest recommendation and is available in both paperback and e-book formats from Comet Press.

From the author's bio - In his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.