horror

Review: Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

~ megs14malloy

WhalefallWhalefall by Daniel Kraus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Whalefall.

I will never forget the experience of reading this. I don’t think I’ve been this emotionally moved by a tale of this nature since Frankenstein and that’s saying something.

Then, at the conclusion, it happened. The book hangover.

Whalefall is Jay Gardiner’s story. Since his father’s death by suicide, Jay has been wracked with guilt. Their relationship was complicated and they were estranged at the time that his Dad took his life.

Jay has given himself the task of finding his father’s remains, which he believes lay somewhere in the waters off the coast of Monastery Beach. Taught serious diving skills by his Dad, Jay feels he is prepared for whatever he encounters.

Entering the water is like separating from the rest of the world. In complete silence, Jay enters the dark, cold waters of the ocean’s depths.

In that environment, Jay’s mind roams freely. The Reader is treated to many of his most personal memories, watching his complicated relationship with his family unfold.

In the midst of his quiet reflections, the unimaginable happens. First the giant squid, then the whale.

Jay has been swallowed by an 80-foot sperm whale. He passes all the way into the whale’s first of four stomachs. There he realizes that he is still alive, but may not be for long. With just an hour left on his oxygen tank, Jay needs to find a way to escape and fast.

This story felt so real and original. I love the choices Kraus made in telling Jay’s story. The back and forth between Jay’s present circumstance and his reflections on his past kept the story moving at a nice, steady clip.

I developed such compassion for Jay over the course of the story, but also compassion for this whale, who becomes such a beautiful character unto itself. When I mentioned Frankenstein earlier, it’s particularly this connection I meant.

The whale, who could be considered the monster, beast or baddie, of this story, was just a creature with a soul who incidentally had all of these circumstances thrust upon it.

As Jay fought for his life, while simultaneously grappling with his past, you could feel his will, his humanity, his feelings of hope and love, begin to grow, but would he be able to survive long enough to act on any of it?

This was an incredibly powerful read for me. I became so emotionally connected with the story. Not necessarily because I could relate to anything Jay was going through, but again, just because of the way that Kraus spun the tale.

I think if you let yourself just sink into this one, let the story wash over you and really feel it, this could be an equally powerful read for you.

In addition to all of the emotion though, this is also fairly gruesome and I thought the descriptions of what was going on with Jay’s body, and the whale’s, was so well done. Kraus definitely gets top marks for his Horror imagery.

If you decide to pick this one up, which you should, be sure you read the Author’s Note at the end, where Kraus discusses the level of detail he went into when researching for this book. It’s quite impressive. We love a well-researched story.

Thank you so much to the publisher, MTV Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is the first that I have read from this author, but it will not be the last!

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Review: The Handyman Method by Nick Cutter and Andrew F. Sullivan

~ megs14malloy

The Handyman MethodThe Handyman Method by Nick Cutter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Handyman Method is a recently released Domestic Horror tale that left me scratching my head. Not necessarily because of the content, it never lost me, but because I don’t know how to express how I feel about it.

Even days later, I can’t put into words what about this didn’t appeal to me. It’s a good book, yeah, but in spite of its positives, I wasn’t feeling it at all.

This story follows a young family, husband, Trent, wife, Rita and son, Milo, who are moving into a new home. The home itself is in an unfinished subdivision and it seems they are the first to the neighborhood.

Their move-in day is a little odd. You can already tell something is potentially off with this family. The husband in particular is giving off a vibe that resembles Jack Torrance after weeks at The Overlook.

He seems unhinged is what I’m trying to tell you.

After Trent finds a flaw in the wall of his wife’s closet, he cannot rest until he fixes it. In order to do so he does what many of us do. He turns to YouTube.

He finds the channel of Handyman Hank, who is more than happy to guide Trent on his wall patch project, as well as many other things.

Meanwhile, Milo is having interesting experiences of his own at the new property. Some more traumatizing than others. Prepare yourself for some action with his pet turtle…

I don’t know what else to say about this without giving plot points away, so let’s just end the summary portion there. Now let’s get into the dirt.

First, I was struck by how similar the family dynamic resembled The Shining. Trent’s character especially seemed like he was Jack’s less likable cousin. Even down to him losing his job due to an incident at work, the truth of which unfolds for us over the course of the story.

Milo as well felt very Danny, but actually I have no clue how old Milo actually was. To me, he could have been anywhere from 5, all the way to like 13. Honestly, I have no clue.

The Mom, Rita, was odd, but she didn’t really impact me one way or another until the end.

I think I did this book a disservice actually by picking it up directly after I had read The Shining. It was literally the next book, so that was all front and center in my brain.

Therefore, I couldn’t help but see comparisons around every turn in this story, and not in a good way. If I’m being honest, that did impact my experience with this book.

As far as the rest of it goes, it didn’t do anything for me. It didn’t do anything wrong either, I just wasn’t feeling anything from the characters, or any atmosphere, or sense of place. It all felt very flat.

There was certainly plenty going on, as far as action and progression, but I just didn’t care. I know so many people are going to love this. I’ve read some of the reviews and their experiences with it sound incredible.

I wish the same could have happened for me.

I’m glad I gave this one a shot. It had an intriguing premise overall. I just wish I could have connected more with the characters and plot.

As I’ve said before though, just because this one didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. I definitely feel like I am in the minority opinion at this point, so please check out all the other great reviews for this book.

If the synopsis sounds interesting to you, it’s absolutely worth picking up. You could find a new favorite and then, feel free to come back and tell me how wrong I am!

Thank you to the publisher, Gallery / Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m sad this was a miss for me, but I look forward to picking up more from both of these authors in the future!!

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Review: Boys In the Valley by Philip Fracassi

~ megs14malloy

Boys In the ValleyBoys In the Valley by Philip Fracassi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Boys In the Valley is a classic Horror story; an absolutely delightful scarefest that gripped me from the start.

In the opening scene, we meet a young boy on the night that he loses both of his parents and his home in one bloody tragedy. The violence of this scene aptly sets the tone for the entire story, tense and atmospheric.

From there, we find ourselves at St. Vincent’s Orphanage for Boys, a self-contained parochial orphanage and school set in a remote valley in Pennsylvania.

It’s the early 1900s and being in such a location makes for a dire lifestyle. The boys at the orphanage, under the careful watch of several priests, grow their own food and only ever socialize with one another.

There are occasional supply runs to a distant farm, but only one of the priests, Father Andrew, and one of the older boys, Peter, ever go. For the rest of the boys, the grounds and the orphanage make up their entire world.

On a dark and dreary night, as all the boys lie in their bunks in the dorm, they hear a disturbance below. Someone has come seeking help from the priests.

It’s a group of men, one of whom is badly injured. The injured man is raving, dangerous, he has occult symbols carved all over his body. As the priests attempt to aid him, he dies suddenly, releasing an ancient evil with his last breath.

The boys upstairs aren’t privy to these events, but as the doors to their dorm room suddenly burst open and the cross hanging sentry above their door falls to the ground, many can feel a shift in atmosphere.

Soon a few of the boys begin acting strangely. They’re suspicious and mean, bullying in ways they never attempted before. They begin forming groups and taking sides.

Peter, the oldest and golden boy of the orphanage, an aspiring priest, becomes the unofficial leader of one side, as another boy, Bartholomew, leads the dark side.

As the tension rises, so does the danger and before the innocents can even wrap their minds around it, all hell breaks loose at St. Vincent’s. It’s chaos.

Fracassi transported me with this story. I loved the historical feel and the remote setting was so well done. I felt like I was there in the dark and the cold. I literally felt cold and I read this during one of the hottest weeks of the years.

That’s a damn good story.

It scared me. There were scenes, particularly in the beginning as it begins unfolding, that got my pulse-racing. I was simultaneously horrified and delighted.

This felt like a treat to read. There are no tricks, or gimmicks. It’s just a well-told, well-plotted, well-developed, atmospheric, engaging and creepy tale. A story that could be told just as easily around a campfire, as read in the silence of your own room at night.

It’s got that epic good-versus-evil feel, but stripped down to a fluid Lord of the Flies meets The Exorcist combination.

I would absolutely recommend this to any Horror fan, particularly if you are creeped out by things like religion and kids. If you are, this will play right into your sweet spots.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m really excited to pick up more from this author!

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Review: Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

~ megs14malloy

Looking Glass SoundLooking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Looking Glass Sound is the latest release from one of my favorite voices in the Horror space, Catriona Ward. I respect her work so much and feel she brings her own unique brand to my favorite genre.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023 and damn, was it impressive.

I went into this novel without knowing too much about it and I’m glad that was the case. It was exciting watching it unfold without having many preconceived notions.

I knew it was set in Maine, my home state, and involved a writer, but that was about it. I recommend you go into it not knowing much more than that.

I’m not sure I can adequately describe my time with this story, it’s just something you need to experience yourself. It’s definitely a bit of a mindf*ck; pardon the expression.

I can’t wait to read it again someday. I think upon reread, I could end up enjoying it even more. Ward is too smart and honesty, I’m in awe of her brain. I’m probably going to dream about this one for a while…

This delivered such beautiful Coming of Age Horror story vibes initially, it hooked me from the start. Eventually, it evolves into something a little more. It’s Coming of Age Plus.

Honestly, there are so many different elements contained within this story that are cause to celebrate.

For me, one of the highlights was the different types of relationships explored and the characters were all so well done. I did listen to the audiobook and recommend that format as the narration style fit the characters fantastically.

I don’t want to say too much more about the actual story, I think you can tell from my reaction that I really enjoyed it. You may be wondering though, with all the accolades, why I didn’t give it a full 5-star rating.

I guess I would just say that in the second half, I did find some of the perspective jumps and overall narrative shifts a little hard to track. There were moments I felt I should have been having an a-ha revelation and I was having more of a head-scratching marathon trying to connect the dots.

I would absolutely read it again though, as mentioned above. I think I would pick up more the second time through and may end up enjoying it even more. There’s definitely a lot of details I would like to revisit knowing what I know now; aka. having read the end.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys, well, a literary mindf*ck, featuring great atmosphere and nuanced characters.

Also, this is a must for Coming of Age Horror lovers, or Readers who enjoy a book-within-a-book.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m very excited to see what other people think of this one!

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Review: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

~ megs14malloy

Silver NitrateSilver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

I was sold on Silver Nitrate from the moment I read the publisher’s synopsis, which claimed it to be a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film–and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.

Ummm, color me intrigued. I had to get my hands on this.

Luckily, for me, this lived up to the claims. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I am going to now declare it my favorite Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel.

This story is set in the 1990s, in Mexico City, and follows two main characters, best friends, Montserrat and Tristan.

Montserrat is a talented sound editor, but as a female in a mostly male profession, she’s frequently overlooked. In fact, she feels practically invisible to everyone, but her best friend since childhood, Tristan, a charming soap opera star.

Having been close for decades, Montserrat and Tristan have a lot of history. They rely on one another for a lot of different things. It’s a comfortable relationship, though not without its complications.

As the story begins, Tristan has just moved into a new apartment building and he discovers, to his delight, that his new neighbor is cult horror director, Abel Urueta. Tristan can hardly believe it, Montserrat is such a huge fan of Urueta’s. Tristan can’t wait to tell her.

Tristan befriends the older man and before too long, Montserrat and Tristan are spending time in Urueta’s apartment, as friends. Over drinks he tells them about his career and more importantly, about its demise, which he blames on an unfinished film laced with the power of magic.

He weaves them a tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into a highly volatile silver nitrate stock, never finished. He asks them to help him shoot the missing scene. Urueta claims once complete, his curse will be lifted.

After careful consideration, Montserrat and Tristan agree. What’s the worst that could happen?

Montserrat and Tristan discover quickly that messing with occult magic can get real messy. Montserrat feels haunted by an unknown presence, and Tristan is having encounters with the ghost of his dead ex-girlfriend.

Both friends are losing sleep, they’re on edge constantly and feel like they’re beginning to lose their grip on reality. Is it self-inflicted? Are they just feeling these things because of fear, or is something actually plaguing them?

As the danger grows, Montserrat and Tristan begin digging into the truth of the old film and Urueta’s stories. It’s seems they’ve unleashed something, but how can they stop it?

You better buckle up, because things get strange, things get wild, but boy, oh boy, was it fun. I thought this was fantastic. Moreno-Garcia truly brought the atmosphere, great characters, as well as captivating and original premise!

Silver Nitrate is a slow burn, with a subtle tone that builds intensity throughout. I thought this was beautifully-crafted and the rich quality of the writing can’t be denied.

The whole premise was just so interesting. I really enjoyed how it unfolded, with Tristan befriending Urueta and him sort of bringing Montserrat and Tristan in on his private struggle, the idea of the curse.

I felt Montserrat and Tristan were at the perfect place in their lives to be swept along on this journey with Urueta as well. The background work for these characters was a perfect match for the way the story progresses.

They were both sort of at a crossroads, where they needed a shake up. Urueta offered something intriguing and spurred on by each other’s interest, they both went along with it, regardless of any hesitations they may have had individually.

I also enjoyed how quickly after helping Urueta that stuff began to get spooky for them. The things happening, let’s call them the hauntings, were sort of quiet too.

It wasn’t all in your face, gory or shocking, just slightly subtle things that could have been imagination, just as easily as a true haunting, but it definitely lent a sense of dread to the narrative.

My favorite part of this book though was the character work. Both Montserrat and Tristan were so well fleshed out. I found their entire lives interesting, from their careers, to their families, to their past relationships.

I also loved watching their relationship grow and change throughout the story. The insight into how they were feeling about each other, it was complicated and it made me a bit emo. As the danger increased, they began to see each other in a new light; particularly Tristan in regards to Montserrat.

Overall, I thought this was such a well-rounded and well-written story. It’s memorable in its character work and uniqueness. I will be thinking about this one for a while.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a slow burn, historical-feeling Horror story, with equally great characters and plot. I think a lot of Readers will enjoy this one.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a highly anticipated release for me and it did not disappoint!

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Re-Reading The Shining for the 4th-Time!!!

~ megs14malloy

The ShiningThe Shining by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my 4th-time reading The Shining.

You read that correctly, the 4th-time. I’m aware rereading isn’t for everyone, but I am a huge supporter and fan of rereading, especially tried and true favorites.

I know a lot of people feel it is a waste of time, but for me, when a story is special enough to you, each time with it is like a whole new experience. That’s exactly how I feel every time I open the pages of this book.

Additionally, I feel like where I am at in my life plays a huge role in what I take out of a reading experience.

For example, the first time I read this, I was in high school. You better believe that 14-year old Meg walked away from this having picked up on different things than 44-year old Meg does, reading it now.

My experiences have shown me that rereading allows me to focus on different areas of any particular story. This time around, for me, I felt myself really drawn to the private thoughts and emotions of this cast of characters.

Jack’s experience, in particular, as he struggles with the position he finds himself in, his loitering addiction and the love for his family, hit me hard this time. Instead of seeing his horrible aspects front and center, I thought more about what was going on with him internally.

There were moments of clarity for him, when he could see beyond the fog of the hotel’s power, moments where he cherished his son and wife, but they would slip away like mist. It made my heart ache for the whole family.

This experience also reiterated for me how much I love Wendy and Hallorann. They got played dirty in the movie adaptation and we all know it. Not by the actors, the acting was fantastic, but yeah, they feel like completely different people in the book, IMO.

Again, I was beyond impressed with some of the scenes in this still having the ability to scare the shit out of me, even after all these years. The perfect example would be the first time Jack tries to trim the topiary.

That freaking scene gets my pulse racing every time!

I also felt like I paid more attention to the history of The Overlook this time through; like when Jack is looking into it. I really felt focused in those sections and loved being reminded of its intensely lurid history.

Finally, I would just give all the stars in the universe, yet again, to King’s sense of place with this one. His ability to transform a hotel into an actual character in the story is just a masterpiece. It’s basically the standard to which I compare atmosphere in all other stories.

I’m so glad I took the time to reread this. It was exactly what I needed to re-energize my reading. You better believe, this won’t be the last time either!

Earlier

Here’s the thing, July hasn’t been the best reading month for me. I’ve had a lot of 2-to-3-star books. I’m frustrated. I’m getting disgruntled and burnt out on it honestly.

I have never been in a reading slump before, but I definitely feel myself drifting into that territory…

I feel like in an effort to keep that from happening, I am going to reread one of my top-3 favorite books of all-time. If anyone can shake me out of this funk, it’s Jack Torrance. I hear the fourth times a charm!!!

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Review: Full Brutal by Kristopher Triana

~ megs14malloy

Full BrutalFull Brutal by Kristopher Triana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Full Brutal is Splatterpunk gold. It delivered exactly what it intended. There are no limits in this story. Nothing is out of bounds. I have never curled my toes so tightly and had my stomach churn so violently whilst reading.

It left me utterly disturbed and speechless. Frankly, I loved every freaking minute of it.

This story follows high school Junior, Kim White, who is beautiful, smart, popular and the star of the cheer squad. Girls want to be her and everyone wants to be with her. She has the world in the palm of her hand.

But Kim is bored by it all. The whole high school experience. Even her best friend, Amy, has become practically unbearable. Kim’s not sure how much more she can take. What even is the point?

Trying to figure out a way to change her life, shake up her boring existence, Kim decides to lose her virginity. She’s heard that’s a life-changing experience, so it’s worth a shot.

Not just any boy will do though. High school boys disgust Kim. She needs something more enticing; a little more taboo. Seducing one of her teachers should do the trick. Then she can use it against him and ruin his life, bonus.

This is perfect. This is going to be fun. Life is good.

The power Kim feels seducing this man is like nothing she has ever felt before. She is in complete control and loves watching him squirm.

Unfortunately, things don’t go entirely to plan and Kim ends up pregnant. The entire episode has certainly changed Kim’s life, but not necessarily in the way she imagined. She’s now on a fast-track to complete madness and debauchery. There’s no turning back.

This story pulled me in so quickly. I thought the writing was excellent. Oftentimes when things get super gory, you have moments when you’re rolling your eyes, thinking, that’s how they decided to write that? I never felt that during this story.

Triana’s descriptions of gore, torture, fetish acts, were some of the most gruesome, gag-worthy descriptions that I have ever read. OMG, what did I just READ!?

The thing that was so great about this though, is it’s such a fluid story. The plot is cohesive and the pace, as well as the intensity somehow continue to build throughout until the absolute vomit-inducing end.

It’s twisted, deranged and I enjoyed how it sort of flipped the script on the sex-violence connection. After Kim discovers her attraction to torture porn, her imagination runs wild and she’ll stop at nothing to reach new levels of euphoria.

There are scenes, actions, thoughts within this that I never thought I would see on a page and I respect the fuck out of that. I doff my cap.

The final few chapters included probably the most grossest of gross scenes that I have ever read in my entire horror-loving life. I can’t even wrap my head around it all.

Triana, is a beast; a truly violent wordsmith with his finger on the pulse of making a Reader uncomfortable. There are images in this I will never be able to wipe from my memory.

I’ve seen a few people compare this to Mean Girls, like the Extreme Horror version, and I get that. To me though, this read straight up Clueless, with Kim as Cher. Even her best friend, Amy, was giving me Dionne vibes.

Kim’s relationship with her father, her big ole house, the fact that she didn’t vibe with high school boys was total Cher, if Cher had been a psychotic bitch hell bent on destroying everyone around her.

No matter what it reminds you of though, this one will surely stick in your mind as one of a kind. This was an unforgettable reading experience.

Would I recommend it to everyone? Absolutely not.

Only pick this up if you are a tried and true Extreme Horror, or Splatterpunk, fan. If you go into this thinking you are getting a fun, fast-paced, Teen Scream-type, Horror novel, you may never recover. Seriously, I mean it.

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Review: They Lurk by Ronald Malfi

~ megs14malloy

They LurkThey Lurk by Ronald Malfi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

This 2014-novella collection has been lovingly-repackaged and rereleased by Titan Books and Tantor Audio.

I am so pleased with how the cover pairs with Ghostwritten. I really enjoyed that collection as well and feel like these two would make quite a duo on the shelves.

The stories included are: They Lurk, Skullbelly, The Separation, The Stranger, After the Fade and Fierce.

I felt the arrangement was great, as my favorite story was the first one and my least favorite was last, but by least favorite, we’re still talking like a solid 3.5-star rounded up.

Ronald Malfi is one of my favorite authors. Truth be told, I’m a bit of a fangirl, but honestly, I feel like this collection has something for every Horror Reader to enjoy.

Each story had it’s own vibe, but the one thing they all had was a overriding creepiness as the narrative unfolded. There were times I was feeling like Bone White vibes, other times I was getting The Mist, I was hooked.

I listened to the audiobook and would definitely recommend that as a medium. Both narrators did an incredible job bringing these stories to life. Well done!

It’s rare for me to find a short-story collection that works for me so well. This was fantastic. I can’t praise Malfi enough. Every time I pick up one of his books, I’m reminded of how in love I am with the tone and delivery of his stories.

Chef’s freaking kiss!!!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tantor Audio and Titan Books, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m working my way through Malfi’s backlist and these rereleases are certainly helpful!!

If you love Horror and have yet to read Malfi, you need to change that ASAP. 10-out-of-10 recommend!!!

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Review: Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates

~ megs14malloy

Dead of WinterDead of Winter by Darcy Coates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Dead of Winter is the perfect Summer Chiller to make your blood run cold on a hot day.

If your air conditioning isn’t keeping pace with the heat, look no further, this novel will cool you down quickly!

In this story we meet Christa as she embarks on a two-week vacation in the Rocky Mountains with her boyfriend of around six-months, Kiernan. Christa is a woman haunted by her past and this vacation is a big deal for her.

Kiernan has been such a blessing in her life and she feels like she has a little more courage with him by her side. Kiernan is from the area near the mountains they are visiting and Christa is excited to see a place that is so special to him.

As they are making their way to the remote lodge on the tour bus, along with eight other guests and their guide, inclement weather makes the conditions less than an ideal. A fallen tree blocking the road ends up stalling them further.

As the guide breaks the tree down to move it out of the way, Kiernan and Christa hike up a nearby ledge to get a private peek at the view.

In the worsening conditions, the couple get separated and the next thing Christa knows she is awakening in a cabin, groggy and injured, with Kiernan no where in sight.

As the roads became impassable, the group was forced to take shelter in a tiny rustic cabin they found not far from where the bus is stranded.

They were lucky to find Christa, but the search for Kiernan will have to be put on hold until morning. Their new quarters are tight and claustrophobic, with very minimal supplies. This is not going to be easy.

The group settles in and try to come up with a plan for escape, but they might as well be the last people on Earth. They have no means of communicating with the outside world, and even if they could get a signal out, how could rescue even get to them?

In the middle of the night, their guide goes missing. The next morning the group is shocked to find his decapitated head hanging in a tree just next to the cabin.

Fear and paranoia runs high, as each in the group realizes there may be a killer amongst them. As bodies start dropping, the suspect list grows smaller. Who will make it out of this vacation from hell alive?

Dead of Winter is a fun read. This is the second Darcy Coates book that I have read. The first was a DNF because I was bored, so this one is a huge improvement over that.

I am an atmosphere girlie first and foremost and Coates absolutely delivered in that category here. I loved the secluded location, the claustrophobic-feeling cabin and the cold, uninviting wilderness surrounding them.

I also enjoyed the unlikable cast of characters being thrust together into tight quarters. These were people who probably otherwise wouldn’t have been socializing with one another, but fate brought them together and they had no option than to try to work together.

I also enjoyed their interactions. As the tension rose and people’s paranoia started to kick in, I found how they were relating to one another really believable. I think Coates did a great job with the psychology behind it all.

For me though, in spite of the fact that it was action-packed, I did feel like it went on a little too long. There were some sections that dragged, or felt repetitive, when I was just wishing to move forward a little more quickly.

Additionally, I felt that it was pretty clear who the killer was and why, so it made certain reveals a little less impactful than I think the author was intending. I was hoping for a bit more suspense to carry me through to the end.

With this being said, I don’t necessarily need to be surprised to have fun with a story and I still enjoyed this one a lot. I thought the level of violence and body horror was perfect and as mentioned above, the secluded setting was fantastically done.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a chilling, intense, cold-weather Horror-Thriller story.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am excited to read more from this author!

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Review: Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie

~ megs14malloy

Episode ThirteenEpisode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Episode Thirteen sounded perfect to me and while there were quite a few things I enjoyed about the story, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

I took some time to process my experience with this one before I even attempted to write a review. I was so disappointed initially, but I wouldn’t say that would be a fair assessment of all my time with this book.

I think a lot of the disappointment may have stemmed from me building this one up so much in my mind ahead of time. I set my own unrealistically high expectations, if you will.

This story follows a ghost hunting reality tv crew. Quick side note about me, I have been so into ghost hunting YouTube lately. It’s like my go-to late night viewing, so I was super pumped that DiLouie was bringing some of that to the page.

I listened to the audiobook and I do feel like this story lends itself well to that medium. The audio production was very well executed and I would recommend it.

But while I really enjoyed the audio production, I wouldn’t say I ever really connected with the story overall.

Halfway through, I wouldn’t have even been able to tell you the name of the property they were exploring. I also had a difficult time keeping track of some of the male characters. They all seemed like carbon copies to me in the moment.

And even though I celebrate the over-arching vibe of the book, once we got to the crux of the story, it lost me. It reminded me a lot of both Hide and These Fleeting Shadows.

By this I mean, that a certain plot device was used in all three to sort of explain the nature of the places/settings of each of these stories.

It didn’t work for me in either of those cases and it didn’t work for me here either. The thing is none of the synopsis indicates this is where these stories would go, so there’s no actual way to avoid it. Sorry about it, but it’s true.

At the end of the day, even though I wasn’t dazzled by this one, I would absolutely continue picking up more stories by DiLouie. You can’t win ’em all.

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