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Sunday, October 30, 2016
Review: Cast No Shadows
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review: CAST NO SHADOWS (Anthology) [Various Authors]
My routine taste in horror is for the dark, even extreme. Occasionally, though, it's good to break from routine and enjoy something lighter. The stories in this collection are hopeful, adorable, and ultimately uplifting. None will proffer nightmares, but will encourage good dreams (and good will to all). I think this anthology is a great choice if you've just finished reading dark horror, or if the world's plethora of real-life angst is bringing you down. Open CAST NO SHADOWS and enjoy.
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Thursday, October 27, 2016
GREETING FROM MOON HILL by Anthony J. Rapino_Tour and Review
Greetings from Mood Hill, Synopsis
BREATHE DEEP OF THE NIGHT.
Greetings from Moon Hill is a collection of darkly bizarre horror stories culled from the deranged mind of Anthony J. Rapino, author of Soundtrack to the End of the World.
Somewhere in Northeastern Pennsylvania, nestled between the forests and foothills of the Poconos, you’ll find the forgotten town of Moon Hill. It’s a surreal place of arcane magic and natural wonder, where a hint of autumn lingers in the air, the leaves are always turning, and the shadows grow long no matter the time of day.
You might say Moon Hill is special, an eerie pocket of Americana frozen in time, filled with eccentric characters and deathly secrets that transcend reality. And like most small towns, it also has a dark side.
This book is a roadmap to the lost town’s terrifying mysteries. Wander through the brush of Moon Hill State Forest and explore its otherworldly flora in “From Your Body They Rise.” Bear witness to the interdimensional war raging above Old Road in the novella, “Reality Engineers.” Conjure autumnal spirits with Handy Weber in “Halloween on the Hill,” sample the peculiar glowing ale brewed by Slow Ewan in “Struck by Golden Lightning,” and pay your respects with blood at the old Whistler place in “Just Once More, Little Sister.”
As you explore Moon Hill’s darkened corners, you will discover a town built upon a foundation of nightmares, proving once again that Anthony J. Rapino is not only a master storyteller, but also a dark architect of the imagination.
Welcome to Moon Hill. Your definition of weird is about to change.
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Anthony J. Rapino, Biography
ANTHONY J. RAPINO is a horror writer and sculptor. He’s also a teacher, and somehow that makes more sense than it should. He spends his days among people and things that demand shaping: Words, clay, or minds, it amounts to the same job. Though the minds are a hard sell, you can find his fiction and sculptures online. Discover more at AnthonyJRapino.com,
Tony’s Facebook Page (Candy Corn Apocalypse), Tony’s Twitter (@anthonyjrapino),
Praise for Greetings from Moon Hill/Rapino
“Anthony Rapino's collection Greetings from Moon Hill is his best work so far. Don't miss these fascinating and scary stories from a master of the craft.” --Kate Jonez, Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of Ceremony of Flies and Candy House
“Anthony Rapino’s work is uniquely infused with horror and a type of childlike innocence that makes the darkness that much darker. Greetings from Moon Hill invites you to a place that is both tragic and extraordinary. Once you enter, you’ll never be allowed to leave.” – Mercedes M. Yardley, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Little Dead Red and Pretty Little Dead Girls
“Greetings from Moon Hill […] displays Rapino’s range, which is vast and varied, yet unique, and always dark as well as entertaining. With effortless grace and ease, and weaved like a seasoned professional, this collection proves that Rapino’s career is destined to be a long and fruitful one. I cannot think of a higher compliment.” – Ben Eads, author of Cracked Sky
“A master at the art of tale-spinning, Anthony Rapino infuses a sense of creeping dread thatimmediatelyentrances and bewilders. To enter his world is to become unsettlingly accustomed to those tales that exist in the shadows." Mary Rajotte, Bloody Bookish
“Want thrilling, scary, moody stories that put you on edge and play with your emotions? Well if you're looking for that and you're looking for an experience rather than just entertainment, one author comes immediately to my mind and that author is Anthony Rapino.” -- Benjamin KaneEthridge, award winning author of Black & Orange and Divine Scream
“In Greetings from Moon Hill, Anthony Rapino is at times a sorcerer, and other times a madman. His work is both that of a puppeteer and a sadist. He tends to detail much like a chef, as he parses imagery throughout his work morsel by morsel, which we ravenously consume, until we realize that with his fiction, actually it is us that are being consumed.” – Eryk Pruitt, author of Dirtbagsand Hashtag
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Review: Flesh Gothic
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review: FLESH GOTHIC by Edward Lee.
Extraordinary novel. Edward Lee is a master of the macabre. This 2004 novel is "out of this world" superb (sometimes literally). I read it in one day, 12-13 hours reading, because I COULD NOT STOP. . I read the original 2004 paperback version, which intensified the immediacy for me, as if I was reading at the initial publication date.
FLESH GOTHIC is true horror wrapped in extreme horror (very) wrapped in gore wrapped in sensuality (very) wrapped in satanism wrapped in psychic powers wrapped in "other-worldly" (Hell) delivered in an engrossing,unstoppable, no-happy-endings-here story.
In a well-concealed house in St. Petersburg, FL, a multi-millionaire gathered porn stars, prostitutes, loyal employees, and victims, all in preparation for his plans to open a portal, in service of his "Lord." High body count, slaughter, and rampant deception. All to succor a Lord of the underworld. In the hands of this master, it is all believable--and riveting.
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Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Review: House of Small Shadows
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review: HOUSE OF SMALL SHADOWS by Adam Nevill
Within the great tradition of British horror is a narrower classification, which when cultivated properly, yields an amazing, abundant, harvest of terror. Of course this particular definition is not confined to the British Isles (I'm thinking of Gord Rollo's "Valley of the Scarecrow," and Thomas Tryon's "Harvest Home" as examples.) But authors native to England, Wales, Cornwall, Scotland, and Ireland excel. I refer to the tradition of "village horror" [ If you find this unfamiliar, watch those classic scary films, "Village of the Damned" and "Children of the Damned." ]
Preferably, settle in with an Adam Nevill novel. This author schooled himself in the classics of the genre, and consequently is in a class all his own. In HOUSE OF SMALL SHADOWS, as in RITUAL and LAST DAYS, Mr. Nevill creates subtlety and horror, insanity and reflections of insanity, and "Village Horror" finely tuned to a maximum level of monstrosity. All our senses and most of our emotions are engaged. Disbelief has been tossed by the wayside, because like poor protagonist Catherine after a lifetime of victimization, we so strongly desire to believe. As the Pied Piper led away the children of Hamlin, so do the various and bizarre characters in this novel lead us away....deep down, we desire to believe.
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Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Review: Wrathbone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review: WRATHBONE AND OTHER STORIES by Jason Parent
A compelling introduction by Kealan Patrick Burke sets the stage in this collection by Jason Parent. The eponymous story, "Wrathbone," offers a stunning, terrifying perceptive, view of insanity--and it is insanity suffered by Henry Rathbone for forty-five years. Whether the visions are simply miscues of his own fouled and disordered mind, brought about by an onset of PTSD at the assassination of President Lincoln, or the events truly are supernatural in origin, Rathbone is certifiably "around the bend," as his first-person narrative bears witness.
All the stories in this exceptional collection demonstrate a fine range of talent. Jason Parent delivers unforgettable literary horror, painting with a finely-tuned brush. Certainly the reader would not wish to be in the position of these protagonists. Equally certain is that the stories are a delight of creativity.
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Sunday, October 16, 2016
Review: Fungoid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review: FUNGOID by William Meikle
Above all else in my love of the horror genre, I cherish implacability. [True in the mystery genre as well!] Prolific and accomplished author William Meikle masterfully delivers this element; in fact, I consider it one of his trademarks. In FUNGOID, a story determined to keep you wide-eyed awake, he brings together a seemingly natural process, adds the suspicion of human meddling, and a frisson of supernaturalism. Together, I raced through the pages as fast as my Kindle could handle.
Who can stop the rain? Who can escape airborne, determined, danger? None: not humanity, not wildlife, not the plant kingdom. Friends, the real Apex Predator is here!
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Monday, October 10, 2016
Review: Paranormal Canadian Tales: A Supernatural Journey
My rating: 0 of 5 stars
Review: PARANORMAL CANADIAN TALES: A SUPERNATURAL JOURNEY by Dawn Hunter Clark
I've been reading ghost and haunting tales for about six decades, and love them no matter where they're set, or whether they're fictional or factual. But somehow, paranormal tales North of the Border (in Canada) seem to have a special frisson, a little (or a lot) something extra that makes them oh so deliciously shivery! Sample the collection of tales (and photos!) found in Dawn Hunter Clark's PARANORMAL CANADIAN TALES and I'm certain you will come to agree with me. Thanks to Ms. Clark for bringing us a keeper for our home libraries.
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Review: Haunted Northwest Georgia: The Legend of the Ghost Hearse and Other Spooky Tales
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review: HAUNTED NORTHWEST GEORGIA: THE LEGEND OF THE GHOST HEARSE AND OTHER SPOOKY TALES by Beth Youngblood
As a Georgia resident, in different communities, off and on since 1974, I was eager to pick up this collection of possibly-true tales {firmly true in the minds of the teller} and was very pleased to discover a set of recountings, told in the exemplary storyteller style so prevalent in the South. Author Beth Youngblood carefully sets forth a number of "hauntings," identifying the history and location of each, accomplanied by photos of the various sites. This is a great book to settle down with for an evening's read. Turn off the electrics and light candles: read to yourself or read aloud to share with family and friends. Especially timely in the "spooky" month of October. or throughout the early winter nights.
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Saturday, October 8, 2016
Review: Nine Candles of Deepest Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review: NINE CANDLES OF DEEPEST BLACK by Matthew S. Cox
This YA-themed, paranormal/occult thriller, is riveting. Author Matthew Cox develops his themes so subtly, placing his story in the hands of a small high school clique, seemingly harmless girls just having the normal identity crises and crushes of adolescence; oh, but... I was frequently reminded of the wonderful film "The Coven," in which a group of adolescent girls, seemingly unknowingly, mess with magic. In this novel, the ringleader eschews sweetness and light as oh too "new agey, Wicca, tree-hugging nonsense." She wants more: to compel the universe to provide the girls' true desires. She has wealth and charisma, and as a manipulator of the first order, she compels. The five open a portal so destructive it makes the hell mouth of Sunnydale ["Buffy the Vampire Slayer"] seem like a child's playground. This is a champion story not to be overlooked.
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Tuesday, October 4, 2016
DREAM WOODS by Patrick Lacey_Review
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review: DREAM WOODS by Patrick Lacey
All my life, since early childhood, I've found the concept of amusement parks frightening. Why? I've never been near one. Until now: reading the excellent DREAM WOODS, I finally understand the root of my fears. How can I encapsulate the terror?
Patrick Lacey is a wonderfully subtle writer. Life, for his characters, proceeds normally [albeit dysfunctionally], until--smack!! The terror!! The frights take many forms, from childhood boogeyman made real, to murder, mutilation, and a portal to---read and find out.
Reader, do yourself a favor. Lock your doors, keep the emergency number on speed dial, put your home guard dog in the room with you; and just remember: sometimes memories are rose-coloured, and you really don't want to go back there again.
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Review: Dream Woods
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review: DREAM WOODS by Patrick Lacey
All my life, since early childhood, I've found the concept of amusement parks frightening. Why? I've never been near one. Until now: reading the excellent DREAM WOODS, I finally understand the root of my fears. How can I encapsulate the terror?
Patrick Lacey is a wonderfully subtle writer. Life, for his characters, proceeds normally [albeit dysfunctionally], until--smack!! The terror!! The frights take many forms, from childhood boogeyman made real, to murder, mutilation, and a portal to---read and find out.
Reader, do yourself a favor. Lock your doors, keep the emergency number on speed dial, put your home guard dog in the room with you; and just remember: sometimes memories are rose-coloured, and you really don't want to go back there again.
View all my reviews