Orphans of Wonderland Greg F. Gifune JournalStone Publishing (July 27, 2018) Reviewed by Andrew Byers Originally published in 2015 by Samhain Publishing, Orphans of Wonderland was re-released by JournalStone in 2018. The protagonist of Orphans of Wonderland is Joel Walker, a journalist haunted by a dark history. Twenty years prior, he delved into the investigation of a ritual killing, a tale that captivated the masses during the Satanic hysteria of the 1980s. Walker’s pursuit of truth left him shattered, a victim of a nervous breakdown, forcing him into a reclusive, small-town existence. Joel ..read more

The ReformatoryTananarive Due S&S/Saga Press (October 31, 2023) Reviewed by Carson Buckingham From page one, The Reformatory pulled me in and didn’t let go until I reluctantly turned the last page. This book was a real eye-opener for me, as I knew very little about the Jim Crow South prior to reading it. It is categorized as a horror novel, and there is a supernatural element to it, but the real horror emanates from those in charge at The Gracetown School for Boys, where atrocities run rampant under the guise of so-called reform. A black child, Robbie Stephens, age 12, is sent there for ki ..read more

Children of ChaosGreg F. Gifune JournalStone Publishing (May 25, 2018) Reviewed by Andrew Byers In Greg F. Gifune’s Children of Chaos, the past becomes an inescapable specter, haunting the present with its sinister secrets and unrelenting grip. Gifune, a virtuoso of psychological horror, embarks on a mesmerizing journey that traverses the treacherous terrain of guilt, redemption, and the forces that compete for influence within the human soul. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of a torrential downpour, as three teenage best friends—Phil, Jamie, and Martin—stumble upon a mysterious str ..read more

Dead Girl, Driving and Other Devastations Carina Bissett Trepidatio Publishing (March 8, 2024) Reviewed by Nora B. Peevy If the cover artwork by Mario Nevado doesn’t draw you in, the first story in Carina Bissett’s collection, Dead Girl, Driving and Other Devastations will. Imagine the most decadent dessert you’ve ever devoured, every delicious, delectable silky bite melting on your tongue times ten. Imagine the most sinful kiss you’ve ever had with your lover in a dark and forbidden place and that’s how yummy Ms. Bissett’s work is. She’s also intelligent, playful, and hilarious, so be prepare ..read more

House of Haunts Heather Daughrity, ed. Watertower Hill Publishing (October 13, 2023) Reviewed by Carson Buckingham I have to say that this is the most beautiful book I have ever had the occasion to review. It is a signed, numbered hardcover with a sleek cloth surface. The paper cover is a very classy design and nice texture. The interior illustrations are gorgeous, as is the layout of the entire book. I loved it before I even opened it. Unfortunately, most of the stories, at least for me, did not live up to the aesthetics. The idea was a great one. This is an anthology in which each story take ..read more

Grasshands Kyle Winkler JournalStone (January 19, 2024) Reviewed by Nora B. Peevy “Good and evil? … Wrong dichotomy. She preferred thinking of Less Pain or More Pain. More knowledge or Less Knowledge.” With a loud “FA,” a glowing saltshaker, a singing pike, and a machete Sylvia, Albert, and Ms. Gamlin save the city of Caldecott, Indiana from Grasshands and the moss originating in the library that overtook the town. Kyle Winkler has written a unique and beautiful fairytale like no other I have read. If Neil Gaiman, Tim Burton, Lewis Carroll, J. R.R. Tolkien, and William Gibson created a baby, t ..read more

Home Before DarkRiley Sager Dutton (June 30, 2020) Reviewed by Carson Buckingham The odd thing about this book is that title doesn’t really anything to do with the story. This is the first time I’ve ever come across a book that was so bewilderingly mistitled. But that is the only area where the author slightly slipped up and is totally forgivable, because this is one great horror novel. We meet the Holt family, who just purchased Baneberry Hall—a huge Victorian pile with a dark reputation. Jessica Holt is a teacher and Ewan Holt is a writer who could really use a break. Maggie is their five-ye ..read more

LullabyCécile GuillotTrepidatio Publishing (January 5, 2024)Reviewed by Nora B. Peevy Cécile Guillot wrote a beautiful and haunting short story, “Lullaby,” which resonates deeply with me for personal reasons. I am going to share them here because they relate to the plot; I have kissed more than a few women because I am bisexual; I write horror; I have been institutionalized twice for suicidal tendencies and severe depression, once as a teenager and once as an adult; I am a woman who speaks out for women’s rights, and as you find at the end of the story, which I will not give away, I also share ..read more

We’re Not Ourselves Today Lydia Prime and Jill Girardi Kandisha Press (March 2024) Reviewed by Elaine Pascale Full disclosure: I am familiar with the writing of Lydia Prime and Jill Girardi so I began reading We’re Not Ourselves Today with high expectations. I was not disappointed. We’re Not Ourselves Today contains 13 short stories that are creepy, distressing, and well written. We’re Not Ourselves Today begins with an amusing introduction by Aisha Kandisha, aka “The Librarian.” The librarian is a sort of crypt keeper; she is the green-skinned curator of stories for Kandisha Press. She is als ..read more

Skin That Screams Thomas Stewart Unveiling Nightmares Ltd. (April 15, 2024) Reviewed by Nora B. Peevy Skin That Screams by Thomas Stewart is a collection of nightmare tales forcing readers to face their greatest fear – themselves. Stewart writes, about “misery … just being deadlocked in a state of entropy … unable to move or do anything to help yourself …” This is the detritus of our nightmares, those rotting, festering, niggling questions living inside your skin that come to life at 3AM when you can’t sleep. Skin That Screams is the perfect title for this book. All the stories deal with chara ..read more