Valley of the Scarecrow - Gord Rollo

Rating:  6.5 out of 10


I enjoyed Gord Rollo's latest title 'Valley of the Scarecrow'. I've always been fascinated with scarecrows being a supernatural creature. Joshua Miller brought great pride to menacing scarecrow legends.

The book can easily be summarized as a group of friends decide to go treasure hunting when the lead, Kelly Tucker, hears about the legend of Joshua Miller and Miller's Grove. Miller's Grove was an old town that became abandoned after the town lynched mobbed the Reverend Joshua Miller for making unholy deals.

There is an interesting soap opera dynamic between the characters Kelly and Dan. They had recently broken up, but decide to make another go at the relationship. A small triangle forms when their mutual friend, Pat, brings along a stock character named Kim. This love triangle is what fuels the plot until the Reverend is able to dismount from the altar of the abandoned church in which he was crucified.

I am familiar with Rollo's work and this book pretty much lives up to his previous titles. He writes stories that can be described as 'B' horror movies. I'm a big fan of these types of movies and anyone who is a fan of these types of movies should become familiar with this author. He does not write anything ground-breaking, but Rollo's work are fun reads to get you through a night or two. I will continue to follow his work and more than likely see one of his novels adapted for a movie on Chiller or Syfy.

Forest of Shadows - Hunter Shea

Rating: 8 out of 10

I admit that I was sketchy at first when I read the premise, I was not too convinced I was going to buy this book. But after watching the author on his podcast 'Monster Men' with fellow author and pal Jack Campinsi, I felt like I could trust Hunter to deliver a good book. And trust me, Hunter delivers. I feel that this novel is similar to an old car. It has a few kinks and it is slow to start, but then this novel takes off and drives you to the end like a dream. First, Hunter crafts a web of characters and events. It takes some time to stew, not a whole lot of action, but I think it all adds meat to the story. It helps the story become not just another ghost story. Instead its a non-traditional family in a unique situation facing a town with a dark secret; oh and then there are some ghosts as well. I was skeptical at first, wondering if all of this characterization was necessary, but its the characters that help make this book stand out. I find the book akin to the movie 'Poltergeist'. Its not just about the ghosts, but about the strength of family. The only reason why I did not give this book 5 stars is because the novel features a lot of explanation on paranormal hunting and ghost-hunting science. From watching the podcasts of 'Monster Men', I can guess that Hunter is a just a huge dork when it comes to this topic. So when the main character becomes a paranormal investigator, I can see Hunter Shea leaking onto the pages. I find the topic interesting, but I also found that some of the explanations on the science of paranormal investigation made the flow of the story stumble. All in all, a great surprise and a great book. I recommend reading this book in a silent house. It will have your spine tingling and have you wondering if you are truly alone in the house.

Monster Hunter Alpha - Larry Correia

Rating:  8 out of 10

Let me tell you, I become a total geek when it comes to Larry Correia and his Monster Hunter series.  Ever since I was introduced to this author way back in 2009 by a random poster on the new defunct Keenedom; I was hooked into the storyline.

Correia's two previous novels Monster Hunter International and Monster Hunter Vendetta, follow Owen Pitt as he battles the supernatural and gets paid to do it.  Correia blends action, fantasy, mystery, and a lot of guns.  Correia is a self-proclaimed gun nut and yes it does show.

The latest novel follows Owen Pitt's boss, Earl Harbinger, as he heads to the UP of Michigan to battle an old nemesis and an even greater evil.

What I loved about this novel were the diary entries about Earl's background story.  I found his story intriguing to see how he came to be.  The story slows in some patches, but stick with it.  The characters and subplots all intertwine to an exciting conclusion.

Horror Book News - Kindle Dark

Hello to my fellow horror readers.

Just a quick tidbit of horror book news.  This especially pertains to those with e-readers such as the Kindle. On Facebook (an evil entity in of itself) there is a community page called Kindle Dark.  What I enjoy about this page is that daily it features different stories of dark fiction, suspense, and horror.  The great thing about this page is that any of these stories that are available on Kindle are under $5.99 and have 4+ star rating.  So anyone gets to enjoy new horror for a low price and possibly discover a great, new author.  Sometimes technology really is a good thing.

Please look them up and check them out for yourself.  If you are an author with a story that you wish to be featured on Kindle Dark, please contact the admin at:  KindleDark@nycap.rr.com


Happy Reading!


~SJB

The Woman - Lucky McKee and Jack Ketchum

Rating:  7 out of 10

Way back in 2007, I became hooked on Jack Ketchum (real name Dallas Mayr).  He opened a door for me to strive to become the great writer that he is to the horror industry.  His characters are so well developed that you are instantly hooked and curious to see how each of them end up.  Spoiler alert:  Most characters will end up dead, seriously injured, or scarred for life.

I always recommend to people who wish to get into the horror genre to read Ketchum's novel The Lost.  Its how he hooked me.  A spectacular novel.

This novel is part three of what I suspect will be an ongoing saga.  The first two novels Off Season and Offspring are very good reads.  The Woman becomes a rarity that happens in a series.  Where the third novel outshines the second.  Where Offspring seemed to lack some originality, The Woman breathes new life.

Barely surviving the attack on her family, The Woman is kidnapped by Chris Cleek in an attempt to civilize her.  But the lines soon blur as to who really holds evil in their heart.

As soon as Chris Cleek makes his appearance, the reader feels that this man is venomous.  I will let you discover for yourself as to how fragile Chris and his family is and what happens when he brings home The Woman.

In case you are curious, The Woman will make its way to DVD soon coming off of a controversial appearance at Sundance.

Happy Reading!

~SJB

Shadows in the Mist - Brian Moreland

Rating:  7 out of 10

I took a chance on Brian Moreland way back in August when I discovered he was on the list of latest releases for SamHain's new Horror Line.

Brian Moreland likes to weave History into his Horror fiction.  Which is pretty much right up my alley.  I was happy to find someone was selling Moreland's first book, Shadows in the Mist, on Amazon.  And I will give him credit to some creativity.  I was not expecting this type of monster:

Nazi Golems.

Yeah that's right, Moreland weaved History's greatest villains with a legendary monster of Hebrew lore.  To be honest, I was not going to rate this book very high when I just considered the book to be about Nazi Zombies (which thanks to Call of Duty, has become cliche).  But when the twist hits, you are compelled to have Moreland explain how this happened.

This book is very action-packed, just enough for those of you who enjoy war stories.

The beginning is misleading and not integral to the story, in my opinion.  Moreland's book really begins with Jack Chambers' story and his platoon.  The Lucky Seven have been fighting in the infamous Hurtgen Forest and receive a chance to go home, but they have to survive one last mission.  This mission is top secret, and at every stop it becomes more and more deadly.

The book is a good read, the action and characters will keep you going, only to have you finish because of the strange plot twists.

Happy Reading!

~SJB

Welcome to Horror Reads

Salutations!

Welcome to Horror Reads.  A simple blog about the books that I read and my thoughts about them.  I hope to have at least one review per month.  I will also blog about Horror book news, movies, and anything else that catches my eye.

I hope you take the time to consider any of the books that I review for your reading pleasure.  Please comment and share some of your favorite books with me, horror or non-horror, as I am always looking for something great to read at night.

Happy Reading!

~S.J. Belz