Review – Secrets That Gnaw At The Flesh by C J Weiss

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I wanted to love Secrets That Gnaw At The Flesh by C J Weiss. The fantastic title drew me in and I love the eerie cover, but…

The story drew me in, a haunted house novel with a twist. We do have ghosts AND demons and that is different from the norm. We have plenty of characters, human, demon and ghostly. At times I found myself confused, trying to figure out who was who.

I was curious why Garrett would have to put his life on hold for a few months every so many years, if he chose to be a part of her life permanently. He’s going to Harvard and I don’t know how that would work. Would he give up his career?

Wheeling and dealing with a demon caught my attention. Would the demon hold up his end of the bargain, or was he luring them in, only to betray them?

Secrets That Gnaw At The Flesh by C J Weiss did have its Oh No moments, but, at times the pace was too slow to keep my attention and I found my mind wandering. It did pick up once the Breach approaches.

Of course, by the title, secrets will be exposed and I always enjoy that. 🙂 Possession. Ghosts. Demons. Lured me in and I couldn’t stop until I knew the end, but it didn’t work for me and I find it hard to recommend. But, don’t let that stop you from checking it out for yourself. Just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
2 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A haunted house novel with a twist. The main characters are supernatural experts who know the ghosts going in, but more powerful forces than ghosts prowl the haunted house, and they’ve been biding their time.

Garrett Mueller proposes to his girlfriend, Marie Renault. She rejects him, distressing him until he learns why. Her family watches over a haunted house, where every several years a Breach opens to the world of the dead. Everyone related by blood or oath must return, or the Breach widens, endangering the family and world at large.

To marry Marie, he must also bind himself to that house.

The Renaults estimate a week until the Breach opens, offering Garrett a short trial period. Despite the risks, he will try it for the woman he loves. The Renaults are professionals when it comes to the supernatural, and they’ve always prevailed.

Only, as the week progresses, the family discovers this Breach is shaping up to be one of historically dangerous proportions. Risks mount higher as secrets leak out, threatening to divide the family. And even if Garrett changes his mind, it might be too late to leave.

Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh differs from other haunted house novels in three key ways:

1. The characters are supernatural experts who are equipped to “fight” the ghosts, but the house has its own tricks.
2. Strong personalities and backstories add a dimension interpersonal drama that will leave the reader unclear on who to trust.
3. Worldbuilding is closer to something you’d find in fantasy or sci-fi.

This novel is the second in the Virulent Nightmare Origins series and can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in any order.

Virulent Nightmare Origins
A Broken Clock Never Boils (2022)
Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh (2023)
TBD (2025)
TBD (2026)

  • Genre: Demons, Fiction, Ghosts, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • 387 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published October 23, 2023

ABOUT C J WEISS

C.J. Weiss loves hiking, board/video games, traveling, and obviously reading (particularly speculative fiction and some history). Walking around the neighborhood with a podcast or audiobook playing is a daily occurrence. He enjoys exploring new ventures and the unknown, leading to a healthy respect for storytellers able to craft believable worlds.

That respect led to his diving into writing and publishing his debut novel, A Broken Clock Never Boils, in 2022. Feeling excited over where this journey might lead is an understatement. He’s thrilled to interact with his supporting readers along the way.

Finally, he’s as big a fan of peanut butter as it gets. Only the natural stuff – oil separation is normal!

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Werewolves – Review – A Beast Within by Aidan Lucid @TheZargothian

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

A man…on a lonely road…trying to do a good deed. His family is attacked by werewolves, but they get away….

I love Prologues, and A Beast Within by Aidan Lucid hooked me opening page.

Jeremy wanted to go straight, put his criminal life behind him. He is determined to make it so his mother didn’t regret helping him…again. He hits all the pitfalls and discrimination of real life criminals. He was so dejected he made the call to Stephen. We all know this will end badly.

They are on the run, after a failed bank heist. A quiet farmhouse holds a dark secret, and these three criminals are going to get more than they bargained for.

So many scenarios ran through my mind. I had a feeling…maybe…but I had to wait for Aidan Lucid to finish his story. He kept me guessing, but I was very happy with the ending.

A Beast Within is a quick read, a novella filled with action that runs at a quick pace from beginning to end.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Have you experienced true terror? For three criminals, they’re about to face it head-on!Fresh out of prison, Jeremy vows to steer clear of a life of crime and clean up his act. But he quickly realizes that to the world, he will always be an ex-con and plunges back into his old ways. The perfect opportunity presents itself in the form of his best friend, Stephen, and his spunky girlfriend, Natalie.After a failed bank robbery, Jeremy and his accomplices’ identities are made. So, they find refuge in the home of a typical Christian family. Their getaway should have been smooth sailing…after all it was three armed criminals against the wholesome Boyd family.But the Boyds are hiding dark secrets of their own…Get the latest pulse-pounding, thrilling novella by Aidan Lucid today! “I loved this story. From the first page I was hooked! There are twists and turns.” – Hanna (Booksirens reviewer).“Lucid does it again with characters you can root for and action that holds you on the edge of your seat. Beware the beasts that prowl at night!” – Priscilla Bettis, author.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror
  • 114 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication November 10, 2023

ABOUT AIDAN LUCID

Aidan was born in July 28th, 1981 in County Kerry, Ireland. Growing up, he always loved reading books, especially those in the fantasy genre. Books on the supernatural also filled his shelves as a kid and still do to this today.

Mr. Lucid’s journey as a writer began back in 2002 after having a religious experience. In 2004, he plucked up the courage to send out some of my material to magazines, newspapers etc. and seven items Aidan wrote were published that year. For the next two years Aidan received diplomas of distinction in creative writing and freelance journalism.

Back in April 2005 Aidan began writing, The Lost Son, which was then under a different title. In 2010 it was published by a Texas-based publisher but in 2013, he left that publisher. Mr. Lucid listened to feedback from readers on the novel and made some changes, adding new characters, fleshing out the story a bit more etc. Fast-forward to October 2019, Jongleur Books published The Lost Son.

Aidan Lucid says, “Writing is my life and it fills me with joy to see people enjoy my works. It’s my aim to let people escape the mundane world we live in and get carried away by the adventures both in The Zargothian Saga books and other future works that will be released over the next few years. As an author, I love listening to the feedback readers give me. It’s always fun to meet and engage with the audience. I love doing interviews and talking about my writing journey, hoping that it will inspire another author to pursue their dream.”

In July of 2023, Lucid finally achieved another one of his goals. The Lost Son (Second Edition) was awarded the Silver Literary Titan Book Award. Now he can finally say that he is an, “award-winning author”.

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Carnivals Cannibals & Clowns – Jigglyspot by P D Alleva @PdallevaAuthor #Horror #Giveaway #Review

OH YEAH….P D Alleva has made Jigglyspot free TODAY ONLY!

Get it HERE.

There was a glitch….so the book won’t be free until tomorrow? But, you can purchase it now for .99 if you can’t wait.

I want to send out a huge welcome to P D Alleva. I love covers and I may even be considered a cover whore. A cover can be the reason a pass over a book, or I pause to check it out further. I love talking to authors about how they create their covers. How much input they have. I love to have them share their designers information so others may acquire such fabulous cover too.

Soooo, let’s get to it.

Cover Creating Process

Here’s the biggest part in the cover creating process: choose a designer that knows what they’re doing. Unless you’re a graphic designer you need a damn good cover artist, that’s for sure. If you’re looking for one, my designer hits it out of the park every time. I highly recommend reaching out to Cherie. Her website is below.

Choosing the right cover artist is the first step, but that’s not where the work stops, it’s only where it begins. I’m confident when I say that every author has a predetermined design floating in the back of their mind at some point during the writing process and you need to communicate those ideas effectively to the cover artist. They’re not mind readers and know nothing about your book so the more information and detail you can provide the better the final result will be.

One of the first processes is reviewing book covers in your genre. Look at the most popular books and study the design. Every genre is different and your cover needs to fall in line with what reader’s are used to. Which also means that if the outstanding and awesome cover design you’ve been thinking about over the last six months doesn’t fall in line with what’s on the market, have the wherewithal to scrap your idea. If you want to actually sell books than you need a design that conforms to what readers want and are accustomed to seeing in the genre. If not you risk the chance a potential reader will keep scrolling past your book.

Now that you’ve got your cover examples, you want to bring in the most vital aspects of your story that will not only connect with a potential reader but is also a glimpse into the story that unfolds within the pages and the title of your book. Is there a tagline you want to include, or a popular review quote? Keep in mind that sometimes we add the quote before official publication so leave room for a quote if you plan on having a few to choose from. This is also a good time to ask yourself a basic question: How can my cover stand out from other covers that are currently on the market? You want to be similar in style but uniquely connected to your story. And don’t create a cover that once someone reads your book they’ll wonder what the cover has to do with the story. In other words, don’t create an awesome cover that doesn’t relate to your story. It rubs readers the wrong way and the next thing you know you’re rushing around to get a new cover done. It’s a shitty situation to be in. Trust me, I’ve been there.

Once you’ve got all your examples and ideas ready, your designer will have you complete a cover questionnaire that will ask for all the information above. You want to be as precise as possible when answering, but it’s also good to lean on the designer here, possibly offering a few different perspectives and ideas. If you choose the right designer they’ll have experience with your genre and should also come with a few of their own ideas and expertise. Their experience is paramount and if they decide to scrap one of your ideas as a result of previous experience it is best to heed the advice. I’ve always said that great projects are a collaboration, so remember, you’re working with your designer not barking orders. Good designers are hard to come by and when you’ve got one its best to create a professional relationship if for no other reason than for the sake of consistency.

People who love your covers will expect the same with every novel you produce and working with the same designer, one who learns your style, taste, likes and dislikes allow future processes to go smoothly and without much fuss or redesigns. Which brings us to the next step in the cover creating process: the waiting.

After you provide your cover examples and submit your questionnaire, it’s time for the designer to take the baton and get to work. Tom Petty definitely said it right that the waiting is the hardest part. It takes time to create a cover design and you also have to remember that you’re not the only writer the artist is working with. If you have a strict deadline you need to communicate the deadline to the designer who may or may not be able to deliver on your deadline. I say this as a side note because you shouldn’t expect the magic to happen in a day and proper planning prevents piss poor performance and if you need something on a rush you haven’t done your due diligence. Cover design should begin sooner rather than later in the publishing process. The earlier the better.

But back to Tom Petty. Sit and wait. Sit and wait. Wait and sit. Shit let me check my email again. Nothing yet, but maybe she’s working on it today. Maybe I’ll have something by the end of the week. Well, put those thoughts out of your head and focus on your next book or editing your current one. At the very least go for a walk and cool your heels because that email just came through and you’re licking your lips in anticipation of being dazzled and enthralled.

Then you open the file and disappointment washes over you like acid rain. Thoughts like, “That’s not what I wanted,” or “Is she smoking crack,” may pop into your brain. But you’ve got to understand, this is a creative process, and just like your book it takes a lot of edits and rewrites to create a masterpiece. Every one of my covers has gone through a metamorphosis, beginning with something truly lame and then evolving into having my mind blown. Keep this in mind when you receive that first email. In fact, you should expect the first cover to be nothing like what you wanted because it’ll help curb the disappointment. In order to help understand this concept a bit better, I’ve included the first and final covers for my novel, Jigglyspot and the Zero Intellect. Kind of an evolution of Jigglyspot.

As you can see, the first draft was god awful, but we were on to something and by working together we were able to figure it out and hit the ball out of the park. With every draft we learn more about what should and should not be included on the cover. Knowing what we don’t want or don’t like leads us to what we love and desire. The same holds true for creating a book cover.

After all is said and done then you need to think about the text you want on the back cover. You can include the book description or a list of reviews or a little bit of both. Again, look at what other books in your genre are doing and keep everything consistent because once that cover is beaming bright on your website, amazon page, and across social media you want something you can be proud of and a cover that reflects a fantastic product. Just like your story.

Keep reading,

PD Alleva

Cover Designer Cherie Foxley:  https://www.cheriefox.com

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Stephen King step aside. There is a new clown in town…and his name is Jigglyspot. We have carnivals, cannibals and clowns that are sure to supply a ride you will never forget.

“People love clowns, but that wasn’t the problem, was it? Nope, no at all. Jiggly’s problem was with humanity, a species he despised more than he could fathom. Why? Because they have half a brain.”

Zero intellect.

Jigglyspot’s greatest asset is his ability to blend in, to be underestimated.

SAC John Mills has dealt with death but his biggest mystery is the mop bucket arsons. He knew there was more…twenty years of mop bucket arsons more. And Reilly’s mop bucket begins our descent into Hell.

On page sixty eight (of 560) pages, when Jigglyspot took a drink from the fridge…my stomach lurched. Cringe worthy. Savagery beyond my wildest…nightmares.

Where does P D Alleva come up with these ideas? He takes horror to a whole new level for me. So many trigger moments, but I do love dwelling in the darkness. So wickedly, deliciously evil. Will humans become slaves, mere vessels for THEIR pleasures? Who will stop them? Will anyone BE ABLE to stop them?

The story is told from multiple points of view. I would say the main characters are Jigglyspot and Tyler, but we have other characters that are important to the story. Characters like Kera, Lilly, John Mills, Helmsley, Sharon, Cassandra, Mr West, MysterE,and more.

“It’s the laws of the universe, Tyler. When energy shifts too much to one side, an equal and opposite reaction must occur on the other and the universe will have the proper balance through chaos and destruction.”

There was no way I could sit down and read the book in one day, not even two days, but I did not want to stop. My hands were cramping, my vision blurring, and still, I read on, until I had to stop and sleep. So, I will warn you. Set aside some time, because I don’t think you will want to stop either. You may even want to keep the lights on. Maybe even have someone with you, if you think you can trust them with your life.

There is graphic violence that has many triggers, so Jigglyspot is not for the feint of heart. After going over my review, I took some things out. I did not want to give anything away, yet I want to say more. I was so engrossed in the story I ignored everything around me. I think, if you love horror, you will love Jigglyspot.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Carnivals, Cannibals, and Clowns. Oh My!

Wanna go for a ride?

Meet Jigglyspot, a five-foot tall half human half warlock carnival clown who spends his free time moonlighting as a drug dealing pimp and lackey for demonic entities who prey on the weak and vulnerable, casting their dark shadow across humanity through manipulation, and fear.

Jigglyspot was selected to serve as the event coordinator for 2019’s Summer Solstice Celebration at the prestigious Cannibal Café. A celebration that brings together both demon and human alike. But with less than two weeks before the celebration, Jigglyspot’s got so much to do and little time to do it. And the feds are hot on his tail. Between securing new recruits for demonic possession, choosing fresh bodies to slice and dice for dinner, and the fact that his girlfriend, Kera, is eating up most of his time, Jiggly’s at his wit’s end.

Hopefully, those demons appreciate all his sacrifices. Hopefully, but unlikely. Those demons can be hell to deal with. Jigglyspot knows; he’s been dealing with them for decades.

Will he rise above, or will tragedy and mayhem lead to dire discoveries poisoned with manipulation and betrayal that will ultimately destroy all Jigglyspot holds dear?

Discover Jigglyspot and his cast of clowns, killers, demons, and wretched fiends, in a novel like you’ve never experienced. Horror, mayhem, thrills, chills, fantasy, and spoils are waiting for your reading eyes with an escape into the underworld of mind control and human slavery.

Warning: This book contains scenes with profound psychological suffering, and graphically violent acts, behaviors, thoughts, deeds, and ridicule. No one has been spared, and no label is safe. Although we are proud to report, no animals were harmed during the writing of this novel, so that’s a good thing. Everyone else is fair game. After all, if you were a demon, what would you think of humanity?

Fans of Grady Hendrix, Catriona Ward, Clive Barker, and Stephen King will be captivated by this edge of your seat, eye-popping, wtf horror novel that is certain to be your next addictive read. As they say, you don’t just read Jigglyspot… You DEVOUR Jigglyspot!

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror
  • 570 pages, ebook
  • Expected publication October 31, 2023 by Chamber Door Publishing, LLC

ABOUT P D ALLEVA

P.D. Alleva

I write books, that’s what I do. Horror, scifi, thrillers, fantasy, and sometimes a literary gem. Good ones, crazy ones, fun books, entertaining books, terrifying books that are absolutely insane, books with depth and thrills, and stories that rip out the heart of humanity and tosses it on a slab to be feasted on. Yeah, that’s what I do, I write books. Any questions?

My current projects include: the Pulp Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy series, The Dark Veil: The Rose Vol. III; the horror thriller novella series, Girl on a Mission; the supernatural thriller series, The Hypnotist; and a follow up to Jigglyspot and the Zero Intellect, tentatively titled The Sleepy Hollow Incident.

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Planet Bizzaro is beyond Bizarre #planetbizarro #horror

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I came across this anthology because of Jamie Kort, the author of the short story A Puppet Scorned. Planet Bizarro picked up this short story to include in their anthology, so when Jamie told me I could grab a copy, I had to have it. I mean, look at that fabulous cover! Doesn’t it make you curious as to what is inside?

Of course, A Puppet Scorned was my favorite of the shorts. Who doesn’t remember sock puppets? BUT, I never had any like these.

It started out a bit flat for me, but anthologies can be like that. I may not care that much for all of them, but most of the time I can find a few that stand out. Another that stood out was the Special Tree. I felt what was coming, but it was a novel take on keeping up with the Jonses’.

It you are looking to be taken outside your comfort zone, you may find that special gem inside Planet Bizarro. To be sure, it kept me reading and I like that I could pick it up and put it down without losing my place. If you are a horror lover, I recommend giving these twelve shorts a try.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

IN A WORLD WHERE BODY AUGMENTATION IS THE NORM, A MAN IN NEED OF A NEW PAIR OF LIPS ENDS UP WITH MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR.

A CLASSIC TALE OF LOVE, FAMILY, AND BETRAYAL. PERFORMED BY SOCK PUPPETS.

A JEALOUS WOMAN VISITS A SPECIAL TREE TO GET A BABY. THE BABY IS NOTHING LIKE HER NEIGHBOURS’.

A WIFE RETURNS HOME TO FIND HER HUSBAND CUT IN HALF VERTICALLY. HE’S COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF IT.

THE BEST OF BIZARRO FICTION: VOLUME 1 FEATURES TWELVE INSANELY MEMORABLE TALES. YOU’LL NEVER LOOK AT LIFE THE SAME WAY AGAIN.

FEATURING STORIES BY MIKE JAMES DAVIS, LEO X. ROBERTSON, MADELEINE SWANN, BILL PURNELL, LEON SAUL, JAMIE KORT, XAVIER GARCIA, MEGAN STOCKTON, JAMES L. STEELE, BEN FITTS, SHAWN WAYNE LANGHANS, AND KEVIN SHAMELI

  • Genre: Anthologies, Bizarro Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Short Stories
  • Published December 9, 2022

REVIEW LINKS FOR JAMIE KORT

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Hell Moon by Mary E Lowd @Ryffnah

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

When I saw: Perfect for fans of sci-fi thrillers and horror, from Alien to Jurassic Park. I thought, how can I go wrong? I may have started out thinking, yeah, Hell Moon is what I expected and I was lured in by that beautiful cover, but it didn’t take long before I became intrigued.

We start with a distress call. The group find a human woman and 8 or 9 year old child, in a cryochamber. The woman doesn’t make it, but Maya becomes a part of their group and Janice takes on a mother/guardian role.

I started to connect with the characters and wondered…who will survive. After all, this is a horror story and someone has to get knocked off. We do have a couple of humans. I fell in love with Janice, a human, Gaby, an uplifted dog, and Cristobel, an uplifted cat. I’ll leave it to you to read the book and figure that one out. We also have Tyler, a human, and his uplifted dog, Jaimy. We have S’risssa and Ahn’ssi, 6 1/2 foot tall lizards. The are S’rellick aliens. The two aliens have a mission….

The ship is The Kanga, operated by Artificial Intelligence. We are underground, with ghosts and scarabs. One civilization built on top of another.

“You pretend the monsters don’t exist, and then maybe they won’t, right? Isn’t that why you lied?”

“…we lie and say we can make things better. But we don’t know if we can. And sometimes, no matter what we do, it turns out we can’t.”

Hell Moon by Mary E Lowd was a fabulous surprise. I thought, okay, it sounds interesting. It did take me a while to get involved, but after I met the unique and unusual characters I couldn’t stop reading. As the battle between the creatures and the group intensify, lives will be lost. An author that can take out one of my favorite characters could be on MY hit list, but that is not the case. Everything comes together in a way that left me satisfied, yet wanting more. So bring on the The Ancient Egg, Book II.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A search and rescue mission on a deserted moon goes wrong when Janice and her crew mates are attacked in the dark abandoned city beneath the surface. Infected by a strange blue energy, Janice doesn’t know how much time they have left, or what will happen when time runs out. The underground ruins crawl with mysterious, scarab-like figures, and even death isn’t a certain escape, when the dead rise as ghostly forms. The only logical choice is to flee, but the lizard-like aliens paying for the mission insist on forging on. Their secretive agenda and the sordid history of the sentient spaceship who brought them there divide the crew, when they can’t afford to be divided. Trapped on hell moon, Janice must fight to keep as much of her crew alive as possible while wrestling against impossible odds. The only one who has a clue about how all the pieces tie together is a little girl who survived the last hundred years asleep in her cryo-pod. On a world where the dead rise as ghosts and multiple civilizations have already been destroyed, solving the mystery of the scarabs might be the only way to survive and escape… HELL MOON. Don’t miss this dark, action-packed adventure through a hostile universe. Perfect for fans of sci-fi thrillers and horror, from Alien to Jurassic Park.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Space Opera
  • 275 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published September 8, 2023 by Deep Sky Anchor Press
  • Series: Xeno Spectre, Book I

ABOUT MARY E LOWD

Mary E. Lowd is a prolific science-fiction and furry writer in Oregon. She’s had more than 180 short stories and a half dozen novels published, always with more on the way. Her work has won numerous awards, and she’s been nominated for the Ursa Major Awards more than any other individual. She is also the founder and editor of Zooscape. She lives in a crashed spaceship, disguised as a house and hidden behind a rose garden, with a large collection of animals, both real and imaginary, who collectively serve as her muse.

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Lava Rains Down – Earth vs Lava Spiders by Candace Nola @candace_nola

I found this novel through Uncomfortably Dark Horror and picked it up on Story Origin.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Hey all, we’re having a beach party…AND you’re invited. HA HA HA HA HA

No one is safe when the lava spiders come rolling through town in Earth vs Lava Spiders by Candace Nola. This was a super quick read and unfurled like film on a B movie reel. We start with a beach party, and any horror lover knows how bad that can end up., whether in the water or out. Blood and guts fly right out of the gate. You can run, but you can’t hide…from these guys. One touch, poof, up in flames.

Like a B movie, there is no depth and detail, but I got what I expected…and that is never a bad thing. With a little more…the rating may have been different, but that won’t stop me from grabbing more like Earth vs Lava Spiders by Candace Nola.

I thought it was funny that all the chapter headings were 1950s song titles.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Tonight’s special features takes place on a quiet Friday night in the small coastal town of Pine Grove. Strange lights appear over Shasta Island and an explosion rocks the beachfront. Fireballs rain down from the sky as lava bubbles from the hidden volcano, unleashing a nightmare of hellfire and blood on the town.

Watch in horror as the Lava Spiders surge across the land, devouring every bit of hot human flesh in their midst! Who will survive the blood frenzy?!

Earth vs The Lava Spiders! One of three 1950’s B-movie style horror stories.

Be sure to check out Earth vs. The Nudist Camp Freaks by Judith Sonnet and Earth vs The Star Mummy by Lucas Mangum!

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror, Novella
  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • Published: November 23, 2022 by Uncomfortably Dark Horror

ABOUT CANDACE NOLA

I am Candace Nola, and I am an award-winning author, editor, and publisher. I write poetry, horror, dark fantasy, and extreme horror content. My books include Breach, Beyond the Breach, Hank Flynn, Bishop, Earth vs The Lava Spiders, The Unicorn Killer, Unmasked, The Vet, and Desperate Wishes.

I have short stories in The Baker’s Dozen anthology, Secondhand Creeps, American Cannibal, Just A Girl, The Horror Collection: Lost Edition, and Exactly the Wrong Things with many more coming throughout 2023.

Beyond the Breach, won the “Novel of the Year” and my Debut Novel, Breach, was nominated for “Debut Novel of the Year”, for the 2021 Horror Authors Guild awards. I am also the publisher and editor of the 2022 Splatterpunk Award Winning Anthology “Uncomfortably Dark Presents: The Baker’s Dozen.”

My best-seller to date is Bishop, currently available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other platforms. The second installment, Bishop: Man vs Monster, was released in April 2023, and is planned to be a five-part series.

I am the creator of Uncomfortably Dark, which focuses primarily on promoting indie horror authors and small presses with weekly book reviews, interviews, and special features. Uncomfortably Dark Horror stands behind its mission to “bring you the best in horror, one uncomfortably dark page at a time.”

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Review – With A Blighted Touch by J Todd Kingrea @JToddKingrea

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

WELCOME TO BLACK ROCK – CANCER CENTRAL

The cover lends an eerie touch to With A Blighted Touch by J Todd Kingrea, that definitely fits the evil goingons in the small town of Black Rock. Is the town cursed? Is Kit cursed? And seeing we are in a small town, we gotta have some secrets.

Kit McNeil is back in town because of the death of his mother. He will love and miss her, not so with is still living father. Kit had been abused, demoralized and beaten down by him. Even now, he reverts to the feelings he had as a child. His dad isn’t all wrong. His music career has been a bust, and it’s his own fault. Drinking and drugs do not make for a success.

We have a mix of characters, from Kit, to his best friend, to his new friend, to the Dunley’s and the children (?). Of course, we have to have the characters make some bone headed moves, but how else can we create the suspense and tension that their actions cause to happen.

“We’re going to get you. We’re going to get you.”

I could hear the creepy voice as if the character was speaking to me out loud.

When Kit describes his and Todd’s camp, it brought to mind our camp from my childhood. Hey, J Todd, do we share some childhood exploits. I love when an author hits the spot.

When Kit and Todd start discussing the events that have plagued the town of Black Rock, Todd shares his research, a hobby cataloging the horrific events that have taken place in their small town. Of their graduating class of 129, 54 are dead. Of the six kids that lived on the same block as Kit, he is the only one still living. Hmmm…

J Todd Kingrea’s descriptive writing brought the horror to life. The details brought vivid visions to mind. The children, an evil spirit, mutilated bodies, the dark cave…

Man oh man…Courtney in the cave…shivers ran up and down my spine as I stopped reading, letting J Todd Kingrea’s words create a movie clip running through my mind. And Kit, life does not pass before his eyes and I love how J Todd dealt with the moments that flowed through Kit’s mind. As I read his thoughts, a sense of calm and warmth and ease passed through my mind too. J Todd can paint a picture with his words and I loved that I was there for every brush stroke.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In Scarburn County, Tennessee there is a small mountain community called Black Rock, known for its unusual and prevalent blight that affects all vegetation . . .

When an unexpected death forces Christopher “Kit” McNeil to return to his small hometown in the Tennessee mountains after eighteen years, he must confront his past and a secret he’s kept since he was twelve.

A talented guitarist with a history of bad choices and even worse luck, Kit soon reunites with an old friend and learns about recent disappearances and mysterious deaths in the area. They begin to wonder if it’s connected to what they witnessed in the woods when they were kids and if a creepy local family is involved. Stranger still, almost half of their high school graduating class has died.

When more shredded bodies begin appearing, Kit becomes a suspect. But what he discovers is even more frightening—evil has set its sights on him and his friends and it won’t stop until it gets what it needs.

Can Kit and his friends band together in time to stop this ancient evil? Or will a new reign of terror that the Cherokee once called Uyaga be unleashed to roam the earth once more?

  • Genres: Fiction, Horror
  • Kindle Edition 254 pages
  • Expected publication October 24, 2023 by BHC Press

ABOUT J TODD KINGREA (edited version from is website)

My earliest recollection of writing is from around 1974-1975.  I was a fan of the “Tarzan” comics published by DC and Marvel during those years.  I remember sitting in my tree house in the backyard and writing a story in which I was Tarzan. After that I don’t recall writing–or wanting to write–as a way of expressing myself.  My dream was to be an artist (preferably drawing comics for Marvel and DC).  I created my own “Avengers”-style comic    with my friends and I as the heroes (naturally!)  I knew I wanted to pursue some sort of career in the art field so my attentions were directed there.

Knowing that I could write non-fiction, I wondered if I could also write fiction?  Toward the end of 2015, I began to research for my first novel.  I bought and read books that would help me develop my fictional world, and I started jotting down anything that came to mind that might be factored into the story.  Much of 2016 was taken up with research, character creation, world-building, and plot development.  It took about a year to finally get to a third draft and a place where I was confident in shopping it around.

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5 Star Ending – The Horror At Pleasant Brook by Kevin Lucia @KevinBLucia

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

BRACE YOURSELF! Come to Pleasant Brook in the Adirondacks. I dare ya! Looking for some Halloween fun, this is a nightmare you won’t want to miss.

I love an author that loves to kill off his characters, the good, the bad and the ugly. Those that deserve it and those that don’t. Those that I could care less about and those that I have come to cheer for, wanting them to survive and overcome that evil that has befallen them. It doesn’t matter what I want, only what the author wants to give me.

A mask…

Blood, guts, mayhem and slaughter.

An unlikely group of characters come together to try and save the town, which is being overrun by evil. Some of the weakest stepped up, some just gave up, others fought to the bloody end. Who will survive is always the question in a horror novel. Many times it surprises us all, and that is what you have to look forward to in The Horror At Pleasant Brook by Kevin Lucia.

“No, no…”

I was saying it too…But it doesn’t change anything. Does it, Kevin?

The ending…..To die for!

The Horror At Pleasant Book by Kevin Lucia delivered so much more than I expected. It contains everything required for a horror story, with an ending that BLEW MY MIND.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

This Halloween, a malevolent, creeping horror invades a small, isolated town nestled deep in the Adirondacks. It cares nothing for this town’s secrets, prejudices, or flaws. Its only desires are to consume everything in its path and spread, until nothing else remains.

It is ancient, pitiless, and unstoppable. It is the horror at Pleasant Brook.

  • Genres: Adult, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • 361 pages, Paperback
  • First published October 1, 2022 by Crystal Lake Publishing

ABOUT KEVIN LUCIA

Kevin Lucia

Kevin Lucia’s short fiction has appeared in several anthologies, most recently with Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Bentley Little, Peter Straub and Robert McCammon.

His first short story collection, Things Slip Through was published November 2013, followed by Devourer of Souls in June 2014, Through A Mirror, Darkly, June 2015, and and his second short story collection, Things You Need, September 2018. His novella Mystery Road is forthcoming from Cemetery Dance Publications.

For three free ebooks, sign up for his monthly newsletter at www.kevinlucia.blogspot.com.

MY KEVIN LUCIA REVIEWS

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Brace Yourself for 2050 Psycho Island by Phil M Williams @PhilWBooks

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love books that flow smoothly and Psycho Island made me work. The back and forth between characters confused me in the beginning. I figured they would come together and it would flow smoother once they did…and it did.

I love books about the haves and have nots. I love when a book can get me riled up having me cringe with shivers running up and down my spine. I love psychopaths, I mean reading about them. I love apocalyptic and dystopian books. The title and cover won me over, before I ever read the blurb. I’m not sure where I saw the book, but I picked it up on a free day and I am so glad I did. I had to begin reading it ASAP, but because it took me a while to get into, I kept putting it down and picking it up.

Once we got on the island, I didn’t put it down until I was done. The depth of depravity was truly terrifying. Some of the characters were no longer human, they were animals. It’s one thing to do evil to save your life, if there is no other way. It’s another thing to do it for sport. Of course, I wondered where their food would come from. I mean, how much is left in the demolished buildings? Are there any animals on the island…other than the wicked people? Being female…well…let your imagination run wild and I think it still won’t get you there.

This is one of those books, that I wish the characters could do unto others…You know. Switch places with the ones who put them on the island.

Looking at the Phil M Williams photo makes me wonder…he sure does look normal, doesn’t he? But, where his mind takes him? Wicked evil imagination! I watched the book trailer after I read the book and I think it hit me harder than it would have if I watched it before, because everything I read matched the video.

Warning: There is violence!!!!!!!! Every kind that you can imagination, and some you can’t.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Disagree with the government? Low social credit score? They might send you to Psycho Island.

The American dream is a mirage. The gap between the haves and the have-nots is wider than ever before. The haves live a life of opulence, with robotic domestics and self-driving vehicles. The have-nots struggle to survive, their jobs long since replaced by automation, with only Universal Basic Income standing between them and starvation.

Crime is nearly nonexistent, thanks to the surveillance state and the test. Ubiquitous cameras and facial recognition software deter and detect would-be criminals, and the test identifies psychopaths with 99.59% accuracy. Citizens who test positive receive a one-way ticket to US Penal Colony East. The have-nots call it Psycho Island.

In 2050, people struggle for their piece of a shrinking pie. Derek Reeves is one of those people, a small farmer, his business hanging by a thread. His wife, Rebecca, dreams of the finer things in life. Jacob Roth, CEO and member of the most powerful banking family in the world, sweeps Rebecca off her feet and gives her the lifestyle she craves.

Summer Fitzgerald’s pregnant. Like all prospective parents, she wants a designer baby. These children vastly outperform natural-born children. Unfortunately, her nurse’s salary and her fiancé’s low-level tech job don’t pay enough to give their little bundle of joy the must-have advantage in the new economy.

Naomi Sutton is a congresswoman with her eye on the White House. Unwilling to take campaign donations with strings, she lacks the budget or the connections for a serious run at the presidency. In a town of sharks, she’s the only one who truly cares about the people. Will she compromise her ideals to sit on the throne of power? Will she make good on her promise to close Psycho Island?

In 2050, the seeds of discontent are growing. The elites will stop at nothing to maintain their dominance. But the people are awakening to the rigged game. And they’re very, very angry.

Buy this twisty page turner before it’s banned by the powers that be.
A 2021 Finalist National Indie Excellence Award
Adult language and sexual content.

  • Genres: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
  • 408 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published January 22, 2020 by Phil W Books

ABOUT PHIL W WILLIAMS

Phil M. Williams is the author of twenty-five books primarily in the thriller genre. His thrillers span many subgenres, such as: murder mysteries, political, domestic, dystopian, legal, psychological, and technothrillers. His stories often feature regular Joes and Janes in extraordinary situations that are ripped from today’s headlines.

Williams lives in central Pennsylvania with his wife, Denise. When not writing, he can be found tending their permaculture farm.

If you’d like to read two of his thriller novels for free. Go to http://PhilWBooks.com.

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Goosebumply – Let Him In by William Friend #williamfriend #lethimin #NetGalley.

What an appropriate day to share Let Him In by William Friend, Friday October 13, 2023.

I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review Let Him in by William Friend.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Yeah, I was stopped in my tracks by the cover for Let Me In by William Friend. I have been looking for horror books for the month of October. The cover sold me and I thought, I’m up for a good haunted house story. Let Him In by William Friend is so much more than that. I guess you can even call it a psychological thriller, because I couldn’t sort out whether it was all in him mind, if his twin daughters were sociopaths, or if there was an evil presence in the house.

Alfie’s wife had died in a freak accident and he was left to take care of the girls on his own. His mother is, well, a helicopter parent and his sister in law, who turns out to be his wife’s twin, cannot bear to be around them. It amplifies his feelings of inadequacy.

He pours some tea into my favorite mug, black and speckled with stars, and we sit at the table. The stars appear only when the mug is hot. By the time around half have been snuffed out, it’s safe to drink.

It’s writing like this that adds that something extra in the details that I love so much. Funny how something so inconsequential sticks out for me.

I was all over the place with Let Him In. I couldn’t figure out WTF was going on and the creep factor was operating at a high level.. My head was spinning…and…when I reached the end…well…if you are a horror lover, you might just want to find out for yourself. I would love to know if you end up as surprised as I was.

I did have a problem with some of the children’s dialogue, seeing they are so young, seven years old. Also, Let Him In seemed slow at times, but maybe these two elements were meant to lure me in, keeping me curious, making me HAVE to know how it will end.

For a debut novel, William Friend has done an excellent job with his first endeavor into writing. I feel he will have an amazing career and I can hardly wait to see what he comes up with next.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

William Friend’s haunting debut Let Him In is a creeping, gothic psychological suspense about a young, newly widowed father struggling to raise twin daughters obsessed with an imaginary friend.

“Daddy, there’s a man in our room…”

Alfie wakes one night to find his twin daughters at the foot of his bed, claiming there’s a shadowy figure in their bedroom. When no such thing can be found, he assumes the girls had a nightmare.

He isn’t surprised that they’re troubled. Grief has made its home at Hart House: nine months ago, the twins’ mother Pippa died unexpectedly, leaving Alfie to raise them alone. And now, when the girls mention a new imaginary friend, it seems like a harmless coping mechanism. But the situation quickly develops into something more insidious. The girls set an extra place for him at the table. They whisper to him. They say he’s going to take them away…

Alfie calls upon Julia—Pippa’s sister and a psychiatrist—to oust the malignant tenant from their lives. But as Alfie himself is haunted by visions and someone watches him at night, he begins to question the true character of the force that has poisoned his daughters’ minds, with dark and violent consequences.

Whatever this “friend” is, he doesn’t want to leave. Alfie will have to confront his own shameful secrets, the dark past of Hart House, and even the bounds of reality—or risk taking part in an unspeakable tragedy.

  • Genre: Fiction, Gothic, Horror, Mystery, Paranormal, Psychological, Supernatural, Suspense
  • Format: 240 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication: October 3, 2023 by Poisoned Pen Press
  • ISBN: 9781728275192 (ISBN10: 1728275199)
  • Language: English

ABOUT WILLIAM FRIEND

William Friend is a fiction writer based in Hertfordshire. His debut novel, BLACK MAMBA, was published in the UK in June 2022, and will be published in America in October 2023 under the title LET HIM IN. He is currently working on his second novel.

Website

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