Category Archives: Book Reviews

Gears are changing

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As with everything, writing changes.

I’ve kept a close eye on the sales of my books through this year. I’ve sold 21 copies of my books this year. Most of them are in Ebooks, but it’s not the number but which books are selling better than others.

My thriller, Disunion By Force, sold more copies than my horror novel and while it’s close, the various places its sold around the world is the most interesting thing. I’ve sold copies in places I never thought I would. India is one of the newest places.

I’ll continue to write horror, but only short form. I work better with short form horror than I do with long form. I’m able to get the conciseness of it down while long form feels like a slog.

As for thrillers, I’ll be writing those in long form. I have two that I’ve started but put away for one reason or another, mostly because of I’ve doubted myself. The writing holds up with those thrillers. I have one at 39k that I’ll be working on through the end of the year.

After discussions with my wife, I’ll be focusing on the thrillers, though I have a story coming out in November for the Utah Horror Writers yearly anthology. You can help with the Kickstarter.

I will continue to review books. I am considering a pseudonym for my thriller novels. I had one before and will probably use that going forward.

I have to head to work and I hope you enjoy your day.

Review for Staircase In The Woods by Chuck Wendig

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As I’ve said in my other reviews, I try to find a common thread in them. I want to connect to the stories personally. Sometimes, I can do that easily; sometimes, I can’t.

Chuck Wending is a favorite author. Wanderer’s is a book that my wife and I devoured in a week for me and a few weeks for her. It got us through lockdown in 2020 and everything that year threw at us. It’s a big book about a virus.

Utah experienced a lot of growth in the 1980s. New subdivisions sprouted up overnight, and many were left unattended for days. They became playgrounds for my friends and me.

Half-finished staircases lead to empty floors—kitchens without their floorings.

Among all of this was a staircase that was by itself. It was like that for a month or more. I don’t know why they stopped building. It’s a finished house, but forty years ago, it was a monolith that we’d jump off of. We’d launch our bikes and come down hard on our seats.

While reading Staircase in the Woods, I thought of those days of freedom—of being us, with no parents to avoid, and me and my friends having fun.

I received a copy from the publisher because I reviewed Josh Malerman’s Incidents Around The House. I thank the publisher for trusting me with a book that will be released in April 2025.

This book begins with events that happened years before. We discover the incidents leading to the event and how they changed the group.

We learn a lot of dark things as these friends look for one of their own who vanished years before on a staircase in the woods. One of them decides they need to find out what happened.

SPOILERS INCOMING

I try not to do spoilers in novels; it’s nearly impossible with this book.

They get through a portal similar to the one their friend vanished in. They soon discover the world inside the portal is different. It’s dark, disturbing, and nightmarish, giving me feelings of House of Leaves throughout the reading. The Navidson Record is in place throughout the story, or it felt that way to this writer.

It’s a story about discovering the darker parts of yourself. Confronting those parts, those shadows, the things you’d rather not talk about. The childhood lost because of abuse, both mental and physical.

The book finds its footing quickly when we enter the portals, and the characters move through the world. At once, they adjust and modify their way through. In the book’s latter pages, it’s a dangerous game of cat and mouse as they search for a way out.

When we reach the end, each character has learned more about themselves and their friends.

This is Chuck’s darkest, most visceral, and messed up book I’ve read.

It’s also one of my favorites. I’m looking forward to the world reading this one and discussing it and the characters’ experiences.

It’s made me look at what I’ve been able to let go of, what I continue to hold on to, and whether it’s healthy to do so.

There will be discussions about what occurs in this book. They will cover many topics.

I loved this book, and I’m thankful the publisher gave me a copy. Thank you to Random House and Kay Popple for the offer.

Review for Kill Your Darling by Clay McLeod Chapman

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Every parent thinks about what they’d do if they lost their kid. When they’re babies, we worry about whether they’re breathing in their cribs. When they’re toddlers, they get quiet in their rooms. We run to their room, and they’re usually asleep in a pile of toys or stuffed animals.

We lose sight of them when they get older, and we walk around the store. All the thoughts run through our heads. When they get to be teenagers and start driving or hanging out with friends, hell, in America, we worry about them not coming home at the end of the day because of a shooting.

That latter part is an everyday worry for me.

: SPOILERS AHEAD :

In Clay’s story, he takes the idea of losing your kid to violence and does a masterful job of following Glenn, our protagonist, through the stages of his life. Also, through the stages of grief.

Glenn feels the police have failed him and his son in discovering how he was killed.

His boy was left in a dirty, empty lot as a teenager.

Over the years, Glenn has done research and called whichever detective was assigned to the cold case, but he had a breakthrough when his wife urged him to join a writer’s group.

Glenn writes a story about his son’s death and how he believes it happened.

When he presents the story to the writer’s group, it begins a fracture in a community he believes hid the truth of what happened to his son. Glenn learns he didn’t know his son as well as he thought.

The heartwrenching ending for this book is brilliant, and I believe it captures the book well.

Glenn is looking for one last connection to his son. He finds it in writing the book but also in learning the truth about his son’s death.

It’s a magnificent ending, and as with all of Clay’s books, it will pull on your emotions.

I finished this book at work, and while it was a slow day behind the bar, I had to keep myself from crying.

We all think about how we’d handle the loss of our kids. Clay orchestrates a great story about loss, grief, and understanding that once our kids get older and have their own lives, we don’t know who they are.

We try to understand them as they grow older, and the best we can do is be there for them as they move through the world. Listening to them is essential.

Review for The Witches Of El Paso by Luis Jaramillo

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With every review, I try to connect myself to the words on the page. This time, I did that, but it’s a bit different from my other reviews.

My maternal grandfather grew up in New Mexico. He spoke Spanish, he had an eighth-grade education, and like most of his generation, he worked his ass off.

He worked for Union Pacific for years when my mother was young and took trips with him to San Francisco for railroad things. His family, growing up, was very poor. I’m relaying this from what I know. His last name was Jaramillo. I knew him as a man who worked and cared for his family.

When I started this book, I related to the author’s last name. I know it’s a common name. I thought of my grandfather and the environment he grew up in. I knew it was similar to the one that Nena had.

There were so many instances while reading when I thought of my grandfather. I had to put that aside a few times to focus on what I was reading.

The elements of witches within the book and the environment around the life in the book are essential.

Marta is like many women trying to make a life for their family. She wants to live her life, but her grandmother lives with her, and there’s something about her aunt that she can’t understand.

As we dive deeper into the story, we understand the connections as we shift from Nena’s story, where she travels back in time, to Marta’s. The connections between the two are done very well.

Marta is trying to save lives in the present day, and Nena is attempting to save lives as she existed in the past.

I enjoyed this book. Marta is such a wonderful character. Nena reminds me of my grandmother, who was married to my grandfather. She wasn’t a witch, but she knew many things that could be construed as such. I enjoyed how everything came together in the end.

I would like to know what happened to the lawsuit in the book. I was a bit invested in it and hoped it would be told.

I think my grandfather would have enjoyed this story.

Review for “The Darkest Night, 22 Winter Horror Stories, edited by Lindy Ryan.”

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Holiday Horror is one of my favorite subgenres. Whether it’s Christmas, Easter, Halloween, or Valentine’s Day. I will search it out.

I found this one on NetGalley and requested it from the publisher. My wife tries to find me a collection around the holidays. This will be the one I get. I’ve read it, but there are great stories in this Anthology.

Let’s get started:

The Mouthless Body In The Lake by Gwendolyn Kiste

I remember visiting my aunt and uncle’s house for Thanksgiving as a kid. My father would stop in front of their house, tell us not to act up, and damn if there wouldn’t be repercussions if we did.

The opening of this story reminded me of those moments. I hated going to Thanksgiving dinner at their house. My parents fought all of the time. Seeing their idyllic house, my cousin’s parents getting along and not stepping outside to talk if my dad got mad for whatever reason hurt me. It wasn’t until I was older I learned my uncle was a great man. My father always told us otherwise.

This story hit home. For a long time, I didn’t feel I’d ever leave home. Then I met my wife.

Gwendolyn’s writing is excellent in this story, as in all her stories. The Haunting of Velkwood, which came out a few months ago, was also a good story.

This line stood out to me, and it encompasses the story so well, “Your whole life is an hourglass flipped over, and all you can do is watch the sand run out, grain by tiny grain.”

Cold As Ice by Tim Waggoner

Tim is one of the best at writing second-person POV. He discusses it at length in his Writing In The Dark books. Tim also writes about what depression feels like better than anyone. This story is that, in short form.

Imagine traveling in the snow. Your life feels empty. You’ve had a bad dating experience. You look out the window, and something is pacing your car.

You’re worried about it but trying to ignore it. The longer you drive, the more you notice the thing pacing you.

This story is like seeing depression and the way out of a life that you no longer want. You’re given an out. You take it. I loved this story.

Children Aren’t The Only Ones Who Know Where The Presents Are Hidden by Josh Malerman

Josh writes anxiety better than anyone. The feeling of your mind running rampant as you think about your childhood, all the times you’ve messed up, and how your parents used to be. All of the little things your mind does before you go to bed that’s what Josh does so well.

I don’t know if this book was the initial idea for Incidents Around The House, but there are bits and pieces throughout the story. I won’t talk about that book here; read my review of it instead.

Some people hate the Holidays for whatever reason. The character in this one is different from the others. I can’t say without giving it away. I don’t like to spoil stories. This one is better going in blind, as all stories should be. Blocked memories come back most disturbingly for the main character. She doesn’t understand it all until the end. But it left me thinking a lot.

The Vermin Moon by Hailey Piper

I will not hide my love of Hailey’s writing. She’s brilliant, and her Worm and His Kings books are some of my favorite stories.

This is not like that. This story is about grief. I thought of my own kind often while reading this story. Letting go of someone who has passed is hard. I think of my brother a lot. He passed in 2016. There’s not a day that I don’t think about him. Was there something I could have done? No, there wasn’t.

We have to let go. We must live our lives for ourselves as long as we are here. Grief and loss are terrible, and getting past them is hard.

The Body Of Leonora James by Stephanie M. Wytovich

Ghost stories are fascinating; this one is now one of my favorites. It doesn’t happen how you think it will and dances around a few things. The twist blew me away when it got to the story’s culmination. It’s a great ghost story. The imagery is spot-on.

Mr. Butler by Clay McLeod Chapman.

This story will haunt me forever. I don’t know where Clay pulls this freaky story from, but I am here for it.

This takes us back to our childhood, maybe a place we didn’t want to visit. It’s a dark and very messed-up story, and by the end, I was freaked out.

Feast Of Gray by Lindy Ryan And Christopher Brooks

A lot of these stories feel like the authors reflecting on their childhoods. It could be where my headspace is, but that’s how it feels. This one is like Hailey Pipers. It’s about grief, not wanting things to be over, and a fear of judgment in some ways.

I Hope This Finds You Well by Eric LaRocca

This is a different story than I was used to by Eric. Its darkness hides, and you must search for it. By the end, I realized I hadn’t read the story I had thought it was turning into. It was wholly different.

The Buried Child by M. Rickert

This one stands out from the others as it’s a different story. Is it less a ghost story and more of a confession? This one took a dark turn I wasn’t expecting and left me thinking about what I’d read. I went back and reread it. I missed things.

Father’s Last Christmas by Lee Murray

I immensely enjoyed this. It was so different from the other stories. I found myself paying attention to the details and following along with everything that happened. This felt like a break from the bleakness of Buried Child. A bit of fun, if you will.

I loved the fantasy setting of this one. By the end, I was enthralled and would love to see something more done with these characters.

The Warmth Of Snow By Cynthia Pelayo

Cynthia is one of my favorite writers. Seeing her get all of the attention or her writing warms the hell out of me.

This one took aspects of Shakespeare and moved them around. It’s one where if you’ve ever had a parent who ran your life. Didn’t let you do what you wanted and maybe forced you to be someone you didn’t want to be, so this is the story for you.

I forgot how hard it is to write a review for an anthology without spoiling these short stories.

Wintry Blue by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon

This felt like a cross between a horror story and an adventure/thriller. Both of these writers do those genres equally well. If you’ve ever driven in the snow and found yourself on the side of the road, this will bring back some memories. It will also make you want to never go on a date in the mountains with someone you barely know.

Carol Of The Hells by Kelsea Yu

This Anthology has so many stories about trauma around the holidays. It’s a deep dive into how we keep these things hidden. At least, it is for me. This one was no different.

Nice by Nat Cassidy

Where to start with this one?

I think the elf says it best: “Kid…What did you do?” This dark, twisted little story was fun. The poor little guy never knew what he unleashed.

Thaw by Rachel Harrison

If you write about a killer snowman, this is how to do it. I won’t understand the details, but Rachel nails it with this one. The setting is like a Hallmark movie, but the actions are pure horror.

Candy Cane By Thommy Hutson

The Misery vibes in this one, and the movie A Murder of Crows made me love this story. If you haven’t watched A Murder of Crows, I suggest it. It’s not Oscar-worthy, but I liked it.

I can’t say much else, but a writer in a cabin in the middle of winter is the vibe.

Eggnog by Kristi deMeester

I hate work parties. I did one while working in Las Vegas, but I don’t care for them. This story of a bit of revenge is a new favorite. If you didn’t know, Kristi sells candles on Etsy. We have a dozen of them. Maybe don’t get one that is eggnog?

Threads of Epiphany By Sara Tantlinger

One of my favorite things is the incorporation of fables into horror. Cynthia Pelayo does it well. This story takes a derivative of the Rumplestiltskin story and does other things with it. If I get that relationship wrong, I apologize to Sara. I’m not good at fairy tales and fables; my wife is.

I enjoyed this one.

The Ladies’ Society For The Dead by Darcy Coates

I haven’t read anything by Darcy, but I will have to dive in after this little story. It takes you to a place you won’t expect, and I can’t give it away. It will ruin the story if I do.

I am going to stop the review here. The other stories are fantastic; the whole anthology feels like the writers are leaving their trauma on the page.