I enjoyed all the short stories in this collection and appreciated that each trope/theme was different from the next. Another stand out was ONE HUNDRED DEGREES AFTER MIDNIGHT. This has certainly peaked my interest for what else August has to offer. If you’re looking for a collection of horror short stories to dig into, I definitely recommend this one.
A very fun collection of short stories with incredible range. The ‘pièce de résistance’ however for me was AN ITCH THAT YOU JUST CANT SCRATCH; it was absolutely brilliant. The body horror in it was exquisite. I had to brace myself to continue reading. It made me physically squirm as I could quite literally feel the itch.
I enjoyed all the short stories in this collection and appreciated that each trope/theme was different from the next. Another stand out was ONE HUNDRED DEGREES AFTER MIDNIGHT. This has certainly peaked my interest for what else August has to offer. If you’re looking for a collection of horror short stories to dig into, I definitely recommend this one.
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This reminded me of a mix of ‘Dead Inside’ & ‘Exquisite Corpse’. Two psychopaths cross paths but not in the way you would imagine. The two do not form a friendship, but rather a rivalry. Brutal, disgusting and heart wrenching, a wild ride that will shock you and rip your heart out.
Healy did a really good job with this and it’s certainly peaked my interest for what’s to come from him. His ability to create extensive depth in character while simultaneously creating some of the most depraved scenes I’ve read is masterful. Very impressed over all and certainly worth the read if you have a love for extreme/Splatterpunk subject matter. This had a lot of potential but unfortunately, didn’t wow me. At first I thought the plot was amazing. A deadly pool tournament with ample opportunity for graphic, extreme scenes. THE RACK & CUE started off strong but lost steam half way through. I felt as though there could of been more death scenes and less pool scenes ultimately but I’m a Splatterpunk lover so that’s just me.
Part 2 also branches off into a completely different story line which made the whole read feel really disjointed me to. I think Hughes had two really solid stand alone ideas that personally, didn’t blend well for me. Ultimately, I still enjoyed the writing style and appreciated it’s extreme moments. I think I would of just preferred the original plot line all the way through. OUF. This was INTENSE. Its also the first book I’ve consumed in 1 sitting since Woom. I’m glad I picked this up, what a crazy fucking ride. This novella is not for the weak of heart or stomach or anyone who can’t handle intense and disturbing subject matter. My husband kept asking me what was happening due to the faces of disgust I was making throughout.
I don’t know what it says about me for loving every moment of this but I absolutely did. Everyone warned me this was messed up beyond anything they could explain and they were not wrong. This is disgusting, horrifying, disturbing, traumatizing and downright per This…was a struggle for me. If I’m being honest the only reason I did not DNF this book is because I was hosting it for a group read. It’s unfortunate because the first 1/4 really had my attention but then it just kind of trailed off for me.
Logically, I know there was quite a bit of action and a lot going on to keep someone’s attention but the writing style just wasn’t doing it for me. I had to force myself to get through the chapters and if I’m being honest, I skimmed through a decent amount. This could of been half the length and probably would of packed more of a punch. There were scenes here I appreciated and even enjoyed so it got an extra star but so far, this has been my least favourite read of the year. I’m a sucker for a good creature-feature especially in a snowy, winter landscape. Nola certainly delivered. A mom & teenaged daughter don’t return from their winter camping trip and are declared missing.
The Mom’s brother sets out with the rangers to find his sister and niece. He finds out about a man named ‘Bishop’, a recluse who lives alone & knows the area incredibly well. Bishop decides to help the man in his search and the two head out into the cold, rugged terrain together in search for the woman. Nola does an amazing job setting such an eerie atmosphere. The whole time I was reading, I felt the characters anxiety as they braved the woods & the creatures that go bump in the night. Terrifying scenes that will stick with me I’m sure and gut wrenching moments of pure grief and despair. I highly recommend this if your looking for a fast-paced, exceedingly creepy read. This was a hauntingly beautiful collection of horror short stories. Every story had me fully engrossed. I could barely put my kindle down the entire day. Welsh’s style of writing is exquisite and the range in all these stories was particularly impressive.
I particularly appreciated that each story took place in a different country/time. There are perspectives in here I’ve never read or considered before. There were quite a few horror tropes happening here. A lost soul/haunting story, ghost, zombie, demon, and otherworldly beings. I was very impressed and will now be adding more of his books to my TBR as this definitely has peaked my interest. If you’re looking for a really good horror story collection, I would definitely recommend you pick this one up. There’s something in here for everyone and Welsh will take you through a range of emotions are read through each. I have a preference for melancholy horror and this definitely fit the bill. Overall, I quite enjoyed this read though I feel like I might need to re-read it to really understand what was happening or maybe that’s the whole point.
A sister goes missing, never to return. 20 years later the siblings come across a tape they had never seem before of their sister the day of the disappearance. A scene repeating over and over and they go to investigate the area. What they come across is a phenomenon I couldn’t possibly explain to you but it kept me reading. This was an extremely heart-felt and emotional read of family and forgiveness. The horror aspect is supernatural in nature and Keating does a great job creating an incredibly creepy atmosphere as the siblings try and navigate what is happening to them in the middle of the woods they can’t find their way out of. |
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