February Book Review: Howl—A Shapeshifting Anthology by Graveside Press

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Graveside Press

 Howl: A Shapeshifting Anthology from Graveside Press, is a solid collection of thought provoking horror stories. I tend to like horror that tries to be more than just scares, and this series of stories achieves that end.

Some dare us to laugh in the face of tragic circumstances, like The Salt Circle by Warren Benedetto, where the shifter in question is not a werewolf but an anxiety triggered slug. Others base their stories around identity, specifically queerness and the challenge to be who we are in a society of rigid definitions. There are dystopian scenarios, old world settings and themes of retribution that should resonate with anyone who might have been a victim. It’s a wide mix of horror sub-genres, including body horror, horror fantasy, folk, scifi and more. The link between the diversity is the shapeshifter element.

Food for thought, is how I would summarize each and every story. The titles that stood out for me, including The Salt Circle listed above, are:

Moth(er) by Chase Anderson

Wolves at the Fair by Mir Rainbird

Together Bound Unto Perdition by Matt McHugh

How Afraid by Devan Barlow

Time for a Change by Mark Towse

A Horse Walks Into a Bar by A M Sutter

You can check the book out here, at the Graveside Press website.

New Year New Reviews — 1st of the year — Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

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Harper Books
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Pyramids is a story about a society of people who cling to their old habits and traditions to the point of endangering their own existence. It’s about resisting the change that stagnates the progress of a new generation with new ideas. I feel like I’m butchering this basic summary: it sounded much better in my head when I was in the shower. Now, I’m scrambling to paraphrase.

Of course, this conclusion makes it sound like this is a dire story with dire consequences for its characters. But it’s Pratchett, so he makes the foreboding atmosphere lighthearted and fun. I was amused by this entry into Pratchett’s Discworld series, as much as I have been with all of the ones I have read so far. Teppic is the son of a king in a kingdom called Djelibeybi, that shares a lot of similarities with our ancient Egypt and its neighbors. But Teppic is sent away to get an education in assassin school — until the king passes, and Teppic is called home to rule.

He doesn’t want to, though. He finds their traditions outdated, and as king, he finds himself with no control. The kingdom is really ruled by the high priests with their beliefs and traditions. Even his ghost father agrees, as he helplessly tries to communicate with Teppic to tell him that he doesn’t want to be buried in the biggest pyramid in the kingdom.

Enter the pyramid architects, who wind up messing with the space/time continuum in their attempt to construct the biggest pyramid in history using quantum theories they don’t quite understand. It threatens the very existence of the kingdom, and Teppic finds himself struggling to save it after his initial attempt to escape it. There’s also a handmaiden he finds is necessary to try and save, and a camel who views his entire existence through mathematic precision.

Yes, that’s the plot… You don’t need to fully understand it to enjoy it. But eventually we see that Pratchett’s theme is about the need to let go of the old ways if we don’t want to get swallowed up into the past. At this point, I decided that this 3+ star story was deserving of a solid 4.

Now go find yourself a Terry Pratchett book. I promise that it’s good for you. Much better than what you'll find in the current news cycle these days.

Final Review of the Year — Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

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Berkley

Have you ever feared a big family gathering or reunion—for whatever reason—because you feel like you’ve changed and certain members of your family haven’t? Or won’t? We've all experienced that kind of tension, I bet, and if you can relate, then Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison just might strike a nerve or two. 

It's not hard to have daddy issues when your daddy is…famous. Or when your mom is horror queen famous and from a staunchly religious background. Those last two things may seem contradictory, but they’re not in this clever tale about a young woman named Vesper who left her friends, family and community because of their oppressive beliefs and dedication to worship of the Lord. But then Vesper gets a wedding invitation for the ceremony between her childhood bestie and her ex boyfriend, and she is compelled to return. Literally. 

This story has a familiar premise, with its return home to confront childhood demons, until it literally flips the script by giving exactly what that premise suggests. It's clever and fun to read. The dad who abandoned Vesper and the family in her childhood is key here. Will he return for the wedding? And if he does, will he explain his abandonment? You get the gist. But you still might be surprised.

I enjoyed the read, and it’s  probably a good book to start with for getting a taste of Rachel Harrison's style. You can find Harrison's books here, or wherever you prefer getting your popular reads.

The October Music by A. C. Cross — A December review

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I picked up The October Music by A.C. Cross after the season to read it was over, but if you’re a horror fan year round, then the title's inferred reading season doesn’t really matter. Personally, I found this collection of flash fiction perfect for this holiday season, where getting in a little bit of reading on a daily basis can be difficult amidst the Thanksgiving through New Year hustle and bustle.

And because I’m writing this review in the midst of the same hectic hustle and bustle, here’s a recap of my review from GoodReads: 

I know, I know. I’m reviewing this one in December. It doesn’t make this any less of a great read. I enjoyed this collection of predominantly flash fiction pieces throughout the busy end of year holiday season because this is the time of year when you might not get the time to focus on a lengthy story but you still want time to get some reading in. Each short story is inspired by a song, or a song title. Hence, the title of the book. And while many of the songs may be familiar, the stories themselves are original in their own right. It’s clever. And entertaining. And it’s just right for a quick read at night before turning off the light—even if the work is horror themed.

I can’t stress this enough. If you know that reading is good for you, but your busy life doesn’t give you the time, pick up an anthology collection. It’s a reasonable commitment to reading, and this one is perfect for it.

*I will also admit, if A.C. Cross happens to peak in on his reviews, that I read that last story in the voice of Laslo Cravensworth, for some reason, and doing so gave it just the right gravitas… 😉

You can find A. C. Cross's book on Amazon, of course. Or you can check out this link here.

The Haunting of Hill House -- by Shirley Jackson -- The book that sets the stage for modern day Gothic Horror

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Penguin Classics
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It took me way too long to tick this one off my TBR list, having weened my horror teeth on Stephen King and maybe Anne Rice instead. My earliest introduction to Jackson was in high school, with her short story The Lottery, and that one stuck with me enough to know I would have to get to her greater work. So... here we are.

Shirley Jackson's genre defining work sets the stage for most Gothic horror novels to come after it, so if haunted house stories are your go to read, this one is a must in terms of foundational classics. It's that simple, without laying out the details of the story. It’s a short and easy read, and no—you can’t watch the Mike Flanagan series on Netflix and say you've "read it." The series isn’t an adaptation. It's more like a sequel. This book is more like the backstory.

I also believe that the title is a bit of a play on words. Hill House might not necessarily be a haunted house in as much as it is a house searching for a lonely spirit to haunt it. And that’s where our main character Eleanor steps in. I'm not going to explain the plot. You might generally say it's about a group of the first paranormal investigators, sans infrared cameras and detection meters, but it's also about more. It's about the young woman Eleanor looking for where she fits in life. The story can feel a bit meandering at times, but it makes sense by the end because we are not supposed to focus on the house as much as we are on Eleanor.

Anyway, it's a renowned read for a reason, so if you haven’t read it, go check it out. Or refresh. Then go enjoy the Netflix series, because Flanagan did a great job with broadening the scope of the book's tone and ideas.