Category Archives: Horror

#Review #Horror – Be My Friend by Mique Watson

On March 14, 2010, 16-year-old Jacob Stewart vanished.

In the weeks following his disappearance, strange interactions he’d had with a mysterious online figure also known by the name Cronos came about.

This document is a collection of interviews, computer files, public news reports, and online speculation, as well as copies of Jacob’s online interactions with Cronos that were obtained via the Freedom of Information Act.

What we hope to accomplish by bringing this case to light is to reignite the desire to find Jacob and Thomas … because they could still be out there.

I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to this book. This is quite different for Mique and I can now officially say that I’ve read everything he’s published. I’m super proud of this by the way.

This book was written in an interview sort of way and I really liked that style. Maybe I just have a vivid imagination but I could picture myself sitting in the interview with the characters. Either at a police station or in their home. It was a unique way of writing the book, so kudo to Mique for doing it this way.

Now first I’ll say that this is not an extreme horror. But man…I’m not sure what’s worse. Extreme horror with all the gory bloody details or this type that’s depressing and just sad. Oh so sad.

Jacob is lonely. Man is he lonely. I wanted to reach into the pages and give him a hug. His dad passed away and his mom ignores him. His older brother is off doing his own thing and living his own life, so Jacob feels like he has no one. Which technically, he doesn’t. Not in the way he needs.

He finally ends up on this online chat and meets Cronos. I got icky vibes from him right away. Jacob did not and that made me sad. He just wanted a friend. He wanted someone he could confide in. Someone who loved him. He was awkward and shy and anti-social. He had a hard time talking to anyone really. I can’t say I blame him for that. Especially when he tries voicing his thoughts and all his mom does is yell at him.

Jacob ends up finding what he needs in Cronos. After chatting for a few weeks, things get weird. Really weird. And outright disturbing. Cronos has Jacob doing things to make him feel better and to help him heal. But these aren’t your ordinary type stuff. No. It’s dark web crap. It’s called The Blue Whale Challenge. – I looked it up and from what I found quickly on Google, it was a TikTok thing back in 2016.

Jacob ends up going missing and the whole book is about trying to find out where he is. You find out. Sort of. Not in the way people wanted though.

I have to say that this is my favourite non-extreme horror book of 2024 so far and I can’t wait to see what else Mique comes up with.

Available in Kindle Unlimited – https://amzn.to/45NOjTN

#Review #ExtremeHorror – Them by Mique Watson

Jeanette thought she’d get to enjoy the cozy, rainy evening after the hellacious week she’d just endured.

Snuggled up on her couch with her Labrador, Nico, everything seemed perfect. Rest couldn’t come sooner.

Then it happened.

The program on the television cut to black.

EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM.

Jeanette’s heart stops. The signal is choppy, yet the message is clear: “They look like people.”

And then the power goes out.

Someone knocks on the door. It is soon made clear to Jeanette that the world she once knew has ended. The place she once called home is now anything but. The world beyond the threshold of her door is a passageway to the deepest bowels of hell itself. Will she survive?

This book started out as a slow burn type horror novel and then when the horror stuff finally happened, it was like a slap in the face. I knew going in that this book was extreme but I wasn’t expecting what I read. Did I love it? Yes. Of course. Not sure what that says about me though.

Jeanette intends to have a quiet night at home with her dog and then suddenly, her world changes for the worst.

Like Mique’s other books, the scenes in this one are detailed, gruesome, and not for the faint of heart. If you like creepy, maybe alien type people who do things that are…awful doesn’t even begin to describe what they did, then this one could be for you.

This book was also beyond gory, which I feel like Mique likes challenging himself and making his gory scenes that much more…well…extreme.

This one is a fun little read and it definitely has some disturbing parts to it.

Now onto the next one!

Available in Kindle Unlimited: https://amzn.to/4evBdhX

#mystery #thriller #family #horror – Home is Where the Bodies are by Jeneva Rose

From New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage and You Shouldn’t Have Come Here comes a chilling family thriller about the (sometimes literal) skeletons in the closet.

After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.

While going through their parent’s belongings, the siblings stumble upon a collection of home videos and decide to revisit those happier memories. However, the nostalgia is cut short when one of the VHS tapes reveals a night back in 1999 that none of them have any recollection of. On screen, their father appears covered in blood. What follows is a dead body and a pact between their parents to get rid of it, before the video abruptly ends.

Beth, Nicole, and Michael must now decide whether to leave the past in the past or uncover the dark secret their mother took to her grave.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Angie

Home is Where the Bodies are by Jeneva Rose

I purchased this audio book.

I was scrolling on TikTok when I saw a post about this book.  The cover was amazing, but ya’ll did me dirty with this recommendation.  I read the blurb, and I was sold.  I mean it sounded like a book I would devour.  I knew there would be some thriller/mystery aspects and they aren’t usually my favorite, but I was all in because a friend keeps telling me I need to give mystery/thrillers another shot.  I was ready to love this book but that is not what happened.

When I started this book, I knew there would be world build and character building, so I settled in.  However, I felt there were so many spots where it was just 10 minutes of describing things…things I really didn’t care about or need to know.  I got bogged down with allllllllll the descriptions/details.  I honestly felt like 10 chapters could have been cut because it was almost a filler of sorts with all the descriptions.

The beginning story line was great.  I mean who killed Emma and where did Brian go plus why???  I was really wanting to get to the bottom of this especially after what mom spills in the first chapter. Again, I feel like it took forever to get to the bottom of the plot/story.  I feel like there was so much stuff and nothing really happened until chapter 40 of 48.  Then the story flew by and was over

I do think marketing the book as horror is completely not true. Seeing horror is what made me jump but there wasn’t anything really that was horror except a little girl is missing and presumed dead.  But that isn’t really “horror.”

I did like the book at the end when everything started to shake out but it took me 2 weeks to read this book because I kept putting it down and would read something else.  Would I reread?  No.  Might I try another book by this author as it was my first?  Maybe.

eneva Rose is the New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage, One of Us is Dead, The Girl I Was, You Shouldn’t Have Come Here & Home is Where the Bodies Are. Her work has been translated into more than two dozen languages and optioned for film/tv. Originally from Wisconsin, she currently lives in Chicago with her husband, Drew, and her English bulldog, Winston.
Want to be a part of Jeneva Rose’s exclusive reader group on Facebook? You can join here – https://www.facebook.com/groups/jenev…

#Horror #dark – Nemesis by Mary Martel

Opal is a very talented artist. She paints the most lovely images of horror that her fans find absolutely grotesque and fascinating.

Because they don’t know where these images come from and think it’s simply her disturbed imagination put to paint on canvas.

Goodreads

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Review by Twinsie Angie

I was given this book by the author for an honest review.

Mary said she was tipping her toes into horror, and I was like “Cool Boo I got you.”  Then I finally was able to read it and am like “Boo you ok??”

So by that you should be ready for some stuff.  This book was almost like the movie American Psycho in parts. Pearl is a psycho.  LOL  Wait who is Pearl you ask?  Well, that is one of the many personalities that live in Opal…sweet, kind, boring Opal.

This book was pretty dark in spots and a little bit confusing initially until you understood the swapping of personalities in Opal’s mind.  I would have loved the backstory on WHY Opal is so messed up.  I mean we know a smidge but nothing that would make her this messed up.

The story was a quick but wild ride for me.

Mary Martel was born in West Michigan and spent the majority of her life there. She currently resides in North Dakota with her husband, and her two beautiful daughters. She’s an avid reader, and when not writing she can be found with her nose stuck in a book.

#Review #ExtremeHorror – Broken Dolls: Deliverance by Mique Watson

You’ve gone through hell… now prepare for deliverance.

Fleeing a childhood of darkness and abuse, Dane thought he’d finally taken ownership of his life. He sold his soul for the price of an escape; mutilating his childlike body and performing abominable sex acts for sick perverts on the dark web.

Years later, a specter from the past re-enters his life, making him want to abandon that which has put a roof over his head.

This quest for freedom on his own terms comes with dire consequences for both him and someone he treasures. They land themselves in the crosshairs of a sadistic man known only as The Puppetmaster.

Abducted and held within this abomination’s basement, Dane’s physical, mental, and emotional resolve is put to the test. Will he—and the person who matters most in the world to him—escape? Or, will their lives end in this basement of snuff and terror?

WARNING: This is an incredibly disturbing and extreme book. It deals with themes that will and should upset most readers. This book is STRONGLY NOT RECOMMENDED for readers under the age of 18.

This is so much more than just a horror novel. Yes, the horror scenes are graphic, vile and disgusting but besides that, this book shows a person who is struggling. Dane and Joe became friends when they were kids. They were best friends in fact. One day Joe disappears and it sets Dane on a path of self-destruction. It didn’t help that his home life was awful. His mother was useless and evil and his dad was a monster.

Dane runs away during his high school years and the things he goes through. What he puts himself through. What he does to himself. I wanted to hug him and keep him safe. My soul hurt for this broken shell of a person. A person who just wanted to be loved. A person who was chasing his best friend for years.

Dane and Joe reunite eventually and it sets of a chain of events that don’t end well for either of them.

I like how the author showed us chapters written in the past and chapters written in the current day. It helped build up the backstory, so we could get to know the characters.

Oh and if you’re a horror movie lover, this book reminded me of A Serbian Film. 100% do not recommend watching that movie but if you’re curious like I was, good luck! Anyway, this book definitely had A Serbian Film vibes.

I’d like to also think that there’s not people like this who exist in the real world but I know they do.

This book is hands down one of the best I’ve ever read.

Read now in Kindle Unlimted: https://amzn.to/4bpCB3m

#Review #ExtremeHorror – Broken Dolls by Mioue Watson

It was supposed to be a tranquil Friday night for Lauren and her daughter, Tully. Then, someone knocked at the door.

Lauren thought she was being a Good Samaritan…

She never expected to have to fight for her daughter’s life. She’d always known that human beings were the most terrifying monsters.

What she didn’t know, until now, was how easy it would be for her to become one herself.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Okay, first of all. Wow.

So I don’t like reading blurbs and only read the first sentence of this one before I grabbed this book. I’m so glad I went in blind. As a horror movie lover, it had I Spit On Your Grave without the revenge part. There was just something about this story that had me thinking of this movie quite a bit. It’s dark, twisted, absolutely disgusting and vile but it’s now my favourite horror novel I’ve ever read and it definitely made the top of my list of 2024 reads.

Lauren and her daughter, Tully, live in the middle of nowhere. They have one neighbor, James, who lives closer to them and often pays a visit. My romantic heart hoped for a little something there between Lauren and James, but I should have known not to expect that.

One night, a good deed backfires and I couldn’t stop reading at this point. Actually, I couldn’t stop reading from the very first page.

Bret…I will never not think of this character whenever I see this name.

The things Lauren and are daughter are put through to survive…I can’t even put into words.

If you like extreme horror, descriptive scenes, a solid plot and a sick and twisted villain, I highly recommend reading this one.

Now I’m going to grab book 2.

Happy reading and good luck!

Available in Kindle Unlimited – https://amzn.to/44EeU4V

#Audio #DarkRomance #Horror – Where’s Molly by H.D. Carlton, narration by Michelle Sparks and Sebastian York

A spinoff of the Cat & Mouse Duet…

“Molly Devereaux has been missing for more than two weeks, and police are still searching for the girl who seemed to vanish out of thin air. The world still wants to know… Where’s Molly?”

In my dreams, I never escaped the Oregon woods.

Life after death isn’t easy to accept, especially when I still feel like a ghost.

Now, I live deep in the mountains of Montana—the paradigm of beauty. But they are also the home of horrors.

Horrors that I only unleash at night.

When my pigs are allowed to feast.

It is strongly recommended to read Haunting Adeline and Hunting Adeline before reading Where’s Molly.

Important Note: This is a dark romance that contains dark subject matter. Please refer to the author’s website for content warnings

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Angie

I purchased this audio book.

I want to say Michelle and Sebastian did a great job of bringing the characters to life for me.  I enjoyed listening to the story through their interpretation.

Ok so this book I was interested in reading.  I mean we all read the Cat and Mouse Duet so of course we want to know WHAT HAPPENED TO MOLLY!!  I think I initially thought she died at the hands of the traffickers, so I was excited to read the story.

So the story, I think I expected more….like more violence?  Is that wrong?  Weird?  I dunno.  I know the author was in a bad spot mentally, so I understand why this wasn’t AS dark as Zade/Addie which I think people expected that level dark.  I mean it’s dark.  Molly is feeding pigs BODY PARTS but the gore/violence isn’t as bad???

I did like the story.  But that is it.  I liked it. Molly was interested and Cage was a nice antihero.  But I found myself putting the book down several times.  Its not that I didn’t like it but it was missing that “GAH I NEED TO KNOW!!!!!” factor??  I wanted more of the past for Molly but at the same time I guess we kinda know what happened to Molly at the hands of the bad peps.

Anyway, I did like to and thought the narration was great.

H. D. Carlton is an International and USA Today Bestselling author. She lives in Ohio with her partner, two dogs, and cat. When she’s not bathing in the tears of her readers, she’s watching paranormal shows and wishing she was a mermaid. Her favorite characters are of the morally gray variety and believes that everyone should check their sanity at the door before diving into her stories.

#Review #ExtremeHorror – Zola by D E McCluskey

Gordon’s name was a joke.

It was given to him by Anthony Zola, a controlling, and abusive father, to taunt his wife over her love of cheese, and the fact that she had been steadily gaining weight since their marriage.

Andrea was a doting mother, and maybe a little overprotective of her boy, but she didn’t see that as a bad thing.

On discovering a secret, one the child had been told to keep to himself, everything changes. Now she must do whatever she needs to keep her, and her boy, alive.

Needs must.

Gordon is going to find that his love of cheese, handed down to him by his mother, and his love for the only woman in his life, is about to be taken to a whole new level.

From the dark mind of D E McCluskey, author of The TwelveCRACK, and Cravings, Comes another addition to his ‘Extreme Horror Series’.

Zola is about to take you into a whole new level darkness, and depravity.

“The perfect combination of extreme horror and heartfelt emotion.” – R E Shambrook

“Truly, a book of absolute depravity… but with heart.” – Christina Pfeiffer

This book was vile and disgusting but at the same time, also sad. For that alone, I’m rating it 5 stars, because it left me feeling all sorts of emotions. Which is absolutely crazy because I was not expecting that going into this one.

We meet a naïve woman who ends up finding out something horrible happened to her son. When she finds this out, she takes revenge into her own hands. Once this happens, the rest of the book is a crazy, twisted, disgusting ride.

I really have no words for what I just read but I can guarantee that I’ll be thinking about this book for a while.

DE definitely left me wanting to take a metal brillo pad to my skin and grab some tissues at the same.

Oh and I don’t think I’ll be eating cheese for a while.

Available to read in Kindle Unlimited – https://amzn.to/3v5vehF

#Promo #Horror – In Bloom by Paul Tremblay

There’s something in the water in this hallucinatory short story by Paul Tremblay, bestselling author of The Cabin at the End of the World and The Beast You Are.

Journalist Heidi Cohen is in Cape Cod investigating the sources of recurring toxic algae blooms along the coast. A local named Jimmy has his own theory for her. Every year the fetid growth gets worse—but it’s been going on longer than anyone knows. Decades ago, something happened to Jimmy that he’s never forgotten. Is Heidi ready for the real story?

Paul Tremblay’s In Bloom is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.

Available in Kindle Unlimited – https://amzn.to/48lGBQo

#Review #Horror – It Waits In The Woods by Josh Malerman

Some chilling campfire tales ring too true to ignore. For one young woman, an urban legend calls her into the woods in a spine-tingling short story by the bestselling author of Bird Box.

The dense Michigan forest. Haunting wails. The clip-clop of demon hooves on a bridge to nowhere. It’s more than a tall tale to Brenda Jennings, whose sister disappeared in those woods one fateful night. Three years later, on a solo stakeout in the dark, Brenda goes in after her. She’s desperate for answers, and terrified to find what lies waiting on the other side of that bridge.

Josh Malerman’s It Waits in the Woods is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.

This one was my favourite so far of the Creature Feature Collection. 

Opso is the thing in the woods but like most legends, you get people who believe it’s real and those who don’t.

Brenda’s sister Amanda went missing years before and Brenda is determined to figure out what happened to her. She doesn’t tell anyone and goes off on her own to try and find her sister but what she finds, goes far beyond her worst nightmare.

While this story is short, it packs a spine tingling punch.

I always enjoy stories with a creature, monster, something that isn’t “normal” and this one is no different. 

Available in Kindle Unlimited – https://amzn.to/4bMhJnR