Tales from The Swollen Corpse- by Sam Williams

Tales of The Swollen Corpse is a book of 17 tales of pulp style horror. You know how much I love my short story collections and anthologies. And I love this one even more for two very good reasons- the first is because its good. And the second is because I edited it.

I'm a fan of all the stories, but of course you are bound to like some more than others. My all time favorite story is called, "Apocalypse on Aisle Six". Yes, it is a zombie tale! How did you know? The action of the story takes place in a home improvement store and centers around the night shift crew. Its witty, its refreshing and its entertaining. It doesn't just recycle the same old zombie shtick because the story is character driven. You root for the hero because Sam lets you see inside his mind, gives you a glimpse of his life. Sure it's got the requisite zombie gore, but it's also got humor and depth.

My second favorite is "Redlands". Redlands is a vampire tale with some new twists, like a government conspiracy, and some awesome weaponry. It's also character driven and draws you in. How far would you go to save or avenge a family member? And the hero is one kick-ass dude. But he's not your typical "I'm alone in this world" tough guy. He can be tough and still tell him mother he loves her.

And it's really hard to choose a third because they are all good. It would be a toss up between "The Well" and "The Ghost Eaters". If you've ever wondered what happens when you die, "The Ghost Eaters" is a brand new take on that theme. And "The Well" explores farm life and revenge through the eyes of a young boy.

I repeat- all of these stories are good. I like to think I did a good job editing- but the truth is an editor can only do so much. Sam has the story telling talent that brings these characters to life and makes you want to read what happens to them. The stories are all different, a very eclectic mix. And they are all character driven, which in my opinion, makes the story. I highly recommend this collection. You just might have a new favorite author.

Oh! And I wouldn't advise reading them at night...

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

PS- As always, you can find an interview with the author on The Author Spot. Come find out more about Sam Williams.

The Strange Journal of the Boy Henry by S. Alini

I received an email from S. Alini asking if I would like to review one of his books. So I went to his website and checked him out. He's a multi-talented writer and writes a variety of things including screenplays, children's books and young adult. I hadn't reviewed any young adult books yet on this site and I'm always up for a free book so I chose The Strange Journal of the Boy Henry. Boy, did I make a good choice!

I don't know how many of you read Young Adult fiction. I know that it's grown in popularity since the advent of the Harry Potter series as well as the Twilight Saga. I've read a lot of young adult since I homeschooled my children. And at the bookstore where I worked, I would pick up new titles so that I would know what to recommend when people asked. Just like adult fiction, some YA is very well written and is a great read and some is not. I can say with somewhat of an expert opinion- The Strange Journal of the Boy Henry is excellent.

The story follows the main character Henry, on an odd journey of discovery. He wakes in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar house, with an unfamiliar family. He seems to have amnesia and is told that he's been "sick" for awhile. While Henry doesn't know exactly who he is or where he's from, he's pretty sure this is not his family or his home. He begins chronicling everything in a journal.

The more he finds out about his so called family, the more he's sure he's not who they say he is. The journal chronicles Henry's search to figure out who he is and what happened to his real family. It's compelling, amusing and entertaining all in one. The book will hold your interest from the beginning and not ease up. The things Henry finds out and the ways he begins to deal with them and set things right make for a great read. From the very beginning you will empathize with Henry.

The book follows through with all the promise of the beginning. The conclusion is well thought out and fits perfectly. The storyline is as complex as a Dan Brown novel. S. Alini did his homework and even I can understand the complicated discussions that take place between the brilliant Henry and his odd companion, Robert Bontley. And that's saying a lot!

For a very entertaining, quick read- look no farther than The Strange Journal of the Boy Henry. Let's face it, good writing is good writing regardless of the age group it's intended for. Fans of suspense & intrigue will really be pleased.

As always, I've interviewed the author, S. Alini, over at my author blog- The Author Spot. Please stop by and read about S. Alini.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

The House on Blackstone Moor

The House on Blackstone Moor is a dark gothic novel by Carole Gill. Carole is a prolific writer with several books to her name and her stories have been included in several anthologies and publications. The House on Blackstone Moor follows the story of  Rose, a young lady whose entire family has been slaughtered by a crazed killer. To make matters worse, the killer was her father- who then committed suicide. The incident pushes Rose over the edge and she travels from one institution to another. But she pulls herself together and takes a governess position with the Darton's. That's when the real trouble begins, as the Darton's are not what they appear.

The book has all manner of horrifying creatures from vampires to demons, nasty housekeepers and satanic cults, and worst of all- real monsters in the form of men. The plot was fast paced and there was no lack of action! Poor Rose is thrown from one horrific mess to the next, with very little time to relax. And yet, she manages to fall in love, bond with the Darton children and survive with her wits mostly in tact. She is definitely a character you can root for.

Carole Gill has some new twists on vampire lore, a host of demi demons and her book begs the question- can a creature without a soul still have a conscience? Can someone with a soul love a demon? And the major question that seems to drive the book- are men born evil or do we invite the evil in?

The book kept me reading, even as I got a little frustrated with Rose (in parts she seems a bit wishy washy and unable to make decisions on her own). The storyline still drew me in and I wanted to see what happened to her next. I also wondered just how many bad things could happen to one poor girl. At times it was a bit confusing- is she a vampire now, or is she a human? And there is a bit of repetition. But all in all, it's a fascinating story. It's also filled with some interesting history. Carole Gill really does her research.

I would recommend the book to those who like gothic horror, vampires and evil men. There is also a sequel in the works which will focus on Eco, the very evil demi-demon, the guy you love to hate! As always, you can read my interview with Carole Gill over on The Author Spot.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Servants of Darkness by Mark Edward Hall

Again, it's a collection of short stories. I'm sorry people, but I love my short story collections. They're like little bites of scary goodness. They're like the Whitman's sampler of the horror book world. You guys know what a Whitman's sampler is, right? The box of chocolate...oh never mind.

I ran into Mark (not literally of course) over on the Masters of Horror Facebook page and he was looking for reviewers for his book. What a serendipitous coincidence, no? So I gave him my email and he sent me his book. Yay!

Servants of Darkness is a delicious bundle of thirteen dark stories. The majority have been published before but I had never read any of the author's work. The stories were well written, dark and deeply satisfying.

My favorite of the tales is The Kindred. What if the veil between worlds really is thin on Halloween night and all hell breaks loose? What if you were the one chosen to save the world? Mark creates his own myth for Halloween and names an unlikely hero.

I also really enjoyed The Nest and Bugshot. Because I hate birds and most bugs. (Way to play to my fears Mark!) The Nest also has a twist ending, which I always enjoy. The Rain After a Dry Season was another eerie tale that makes you wonder just where did that orphan come from?

All of the tales are well written, atmospheric, everything horror should be. I highly recommend picking up this collection and getting to know Mark Edward Hall's work for yourself. You will not be disappointed. For those of you who prefer novels, Mark has three novels also available on Amazon.com

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

PS- don't foget to check out my interview with Mark over at The Author Spot!

Seed by Ania Ahlborn

I read Seed on the recommendation of another author, whose opinion I trust. She said she couldn't put it down and I was looking for a new book to read. So I bought Seed. And it was scary. What is it about small children being involved with evil that just creeps up out? Is it the taking of something that should be innocent and molding it into the ultimate horror that fascinates us? I'm not sure why it's so unnerving, but I will never look at a six year old quite the same again.

Seed deals with some very interesting themes; demonic possession, murder and the idea that possession could be "inherited". I've never seen that particular idea done before. It makes for an engrossing read as you follow a father's quest to save his daughter from an evil he himself wrestled with as a child. The book is filled with some very creepy moments. The psychological horror mounts and the atmosphere is tense. I was (figuratively) on the edge of my seat. The book has some powerful elements.

The writing is well done. The grammatical errors and typos are few, which for me is a big plus! But there were a few more things I would have liked to seen. We're never quite certain just where the demon came from or how the father got past it and lived an almost normal life for several years. There's a bit of ambiguity about how it all got started. And the ending is too quick.

That said, I would still recommend the book. There are enough great elements to more than balance the ambiguity. There are some truly horrific moments, some awesome forethought and an all around creepy vibe. I'm very interested to see what Ania comes up with next.

For fans of movies like The Omen or Case 39, for fans who like creepy children or for those of us who just like to be scared- Seed delivers the chills.

To read an interview with the author, head on over to The Author Spot. This is one lady you're going to want to watch.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

The Q Word and Other Stories by Richard Lee Byers

I had no idea what to expect when Richard Lee Byers sent me his book. I'd met him on the Masters of Horror Facebook group so I just assumed it was a book of horror stories. I was wrong. While some of the stories straddle the line between horror and fantasy, for the most part, I'd call them fantasy. That is, if I was trying to pigeonhole them, which I'm not. That would do them a great disservice!

I haven't read a lot of fantasy novels or stories recently. Maybe not for several years even. Don't ask why, I have no idea. But I would like to personally thank Mr. Byers for reawakening my interest in the genre. I loved this book. Loved it.

I read a lot of anthologies and short story collections. For one thing, they are easier to fit in at the end of the night then trying to jump back into a novel. Another reason is that I simply admire the short story form. It's not as easy as it looks to get everything you need for your reader to know into fewer words. So I very much admire people who can conquer the form. Richard Lee Byers came, saw & conquered.

The first story is one of my favorites in the book. It's the title story, The Q Word. Honestly, I haven't liked an ogre so much since Shrek. The story is told with wit and humor and had me giggling out loud while trying to guess what would happen next. This story is a new one, written specifically for this book. All of the others have been previously published in various magazines, anthologies or on websites.

My second favorite story is Griefer Madness. I'm not a big gamer myself (I get totally disorientated, scream and shoot my own players), but even I loved the description of the game in this story. It showcases the talent it takes to be a good gamer and has a happy ending.

Black is a story for cat lovers like myself, while Things I Learned About Science from Popular Entertainment is a witty essay that will leave you laughing. There was not one story in the entire collection that I didn't enjoy reading. I gobbled them up like a chocoholic with a Hershey bar.

So thumbs way way up on this delightful collection. Get a copy today. You won't be sorry! Don't forget to check out my interview with Richard Lee Byers over at The Author Spot.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot

Undead of Winter: An Extreme Zombie Release

I first heard about this book on the Masters of Horror Facebook group. If you are a horror writer and you haven't joined this group yet, I highly recommend it. I heard about the book in posts from several of the members who have stories included in the book. I was excited for them and excited to read the book. So I bought it for my Kindle. And later Armand and I got to talking and I offered to review it here.

The book was published by Rymfire Ebooks ( a small indie publisher), you can visit them at their website, and edited by Armand Rosamilia. You can read my interview with Armand over at The Author Spot. Undead of Winter contains nine horrifying tales of Zombies and frigid conditions. I was very interested in the book because Sean and I often discuss what would happen to zombies in the winter time? Would it slow them down? Nine authors attempt to answer that question...

Armand not only edited and published the book, he also wrote the first story, Undead of Winter. The story centers around a character, Darlene Bobich, that he's written about in other stories. Darlene is one tough chick, but then you have to be when you're kicking Zombie butts! The thing is- even tough girls have a soft spot. That soft spot can get you into trouble. Armand's story is a great read. I'm going to have to look up the other stories and see what else Darlene has been up to.

The other stories are written by Brent Abell, Suzanne Robb, Jonah Buck, R.S. Pyne, Tim Lieder, Blaze McRob, Lisa McCourt Hollar and Carole Gill. As with any anthology, some of the stories are better than others. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Second Wave by Lisa McCourt Hollar. The story is well written, action packed and the idea is completely original. It was unlike any zombie story I've ever read. But on the whole, Undead of Winter delivers. Each of the stories differs enough to keep you interested and to not make you feel as if you're reading the same thing over and over. Each author has their own unique approach to the material.

I would recommend the book to anyone who loves Zombie fiction, anthologies or short stories. The really awesome thing about anthologies like this one is that you get to taste several new authors at once, almost like a box of chocolates. If you find one you like, you can look up their other work, check out their blogs and generally support their efforts in any way you can.

Happy Reading,
♥Spot